Definitely a fen way to give you a basic overview of a view weird things connected to some parks. You'll have to go to other sources to get better info but this is definitely a good way to get an idea of what you'll be interested in finding.

So, womp womp.
While I'm so thankful for access to this novel, it was a huge letdown for me.
All of the findings from this novel read like conspiracy theories and I really couldn't get down with any of it.

I was very intrigued by the stories in this book about the mysteries of the National Parks. We have gone to many of them on the East Coast and even one in Puerto Rico, and I knew some things happened inside many of them. I found that these stories were engaging, and it was difficult to put this book down once I started reading it. For those who love to know the mysteries that happen within the US inside our National Parks, this book is for you.

If you’re looking for some off the beaten path history to enlighten your next National Park visit, this book may be for you.

Mysteries of the National Parks delves into a variety of parks across the United States to give the reader a snippet of some of their (sometimes mysterious) histories. The book has a healthy mix of scientific phenomenon, true crime, and famous figures to keep each chapter fresh and give just about every reader something to look forward to.

I liked the layout of the book, traveling from the west to east coast of the United States, stopping in a variety of states and locales. Each chapter starts with an introduction to what the chapter will highlight, what kind of chapter it’s going to be (strange phenomenon or legendary figure, ect.), and where the chapter takes place. Throughout the chapters, Mike Bezemek splices the mysteries with short “travel guide” paragraphs that sometimes add to the setting of the rest of the chapter or other times give directions on how to follow the mystery’s journey when visiting the park.

I found a variety of the chapters to be extremely compelling. Bezemek does a fantastic job, particularly in the chapters with a focus on true crime or human disappearances, of bringing the stories to life. I would have happily read a whole book about David Steeves or Glen and Bessie’s trip through the Grand Canyon if Bezemek wrote it. These chapters felt so much more lived in and succinct than some of the other chapters. Every detail felt important and every moment added to the mystery and drama.

Other chapters felt dry and sometimes disingenuous. With a title like Mysteries of the National Parks, I expected each chapter to actually be a mystery. I wanted to be able to sit with the chapters after completing them, to be able to piece together my own ideas of what happened, and in a handful of chapters, the mystery had already been solved by the end which left me feeling disappointed with those sections. If you’re someone who prefers a solved mystery, then you’re in luck!

Additionally, many of the chapters didn’t feel particularly grounded in the setting. If the chapter header hadn’t told me where we were, then I wouldn’t have known, and even when I did know, I still couldn’t always place myself there because the backdrop just didn’t feel important. These chapters tended to sprawl out over multiple locations (such as the assassination of President Lincoln chapter) or be too general to really fix in on any particular location (like the Josie Basset chapter).

Overall, this book is a mixed bag of absolutely fantastic and intriguing chapters shuffled along with chapters that were truly dull. There’s a large span of locations and interests, so I really do believe there’s something for everyone within its pages, and it’s easy enough to skip through the sections that just don’t speak to you.

This was a fun read! It goes over 35 stories of the weirdness we see within our national parks! The weird, unexplained, and odd things that have happened! Disappearances, sightings, and more!

If you want a fun spooky read then this book is for you! A great collection of stories!

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a free copy of, Mysteries of the National Parks, by Mike Bezemek, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book has 35 stories about the National Parks. From Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, and many more, we are so lucky to have great national parks, but they are not without mystery, and stories. This had a lot of interesting stories at the National Parks, most I have never heard of before.

It was such an interesting read! I’m lucky enough to live in the Bay Area and was astonished at some of the facts I’ve never heard about redwoods or Yosemite. I’m not even someone who goes to national parks frequently, but I still found this book engaging and accessible. It made my “travel bucket list” grow larger by about 70%!

I really enjoyed this fun, informative book. I've always been fascinated by the woods and parks, etc, although after reading things like Missing 411, I have a healthy(ish) fear of parks. That said, the author did a great job with his storytelling, and I was thankful that the stories were more than just disappearances (although there were some of those, too). Other stories were headlined as things such as "Hidden History", "Infamous Crimes", "Unexplained Phenomena" or "Strange Discoveries", amongst other categories. This book was well thought out, extremely well-researched, and never boring. It will definitely appeal to a certain demographic, but everyone should consider expanding their horizons and giving it a read. They won't regret it.

this fascinating book takes readers inside the crown jewels of America, our national parks. Unfortunately, there have been plenty of murders inside our national parks, and Raiders have the chance to see a different side of the typical, happy families postcard view of the parks.