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Iris Oakley #3
Endangered
Zoo keeper Iris Oakley is sent to a remote farm in Washington State to rescue exotic animals after a drug bust. Instead of pets, she finds smuggled parrots and tortoises destined for sale to unscrupulous or unsuspecting collectors. The zoo’s facilities are full, and she ends up with two macaws shrieking in her basement. The marijuana grow operation and the meth lab are the cops’ problem. The smuggling side-line is hers. An outraged Iris is determined to break the criminal pipeline that snatches rare animals from the wild and leaves them neglected in old barns.
Then she discovers a woman who escaped the bust—dead. Iris has stumbled onto a violent crime, something far too dangerous for a widow with a young son. But it’s too late to untangle herself. Brothers from the farm, both murder suspects, invade her home, demanding information she doesn’t have.
Iris flees with her child, but soon her only option is to go on the offensive. People she counts on are not who they claim to be. A friend is shot during a break-in at the zoo and may not survive.
Hunting for the brothers, Iris sorts through baffling clues and trips over secrets old and new. Why steal an ordinary drinking glass? Why do the brothers think she knows where their father’s fortune is hidden? Could the noisy parrots be hiding crucial information in plain sight? She realizes a key piece is missing, but finding it means confronting a determined killer.
288 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2012
5 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Ann Littlewood
9 books20 followersAnn Littlewood has mined 12 years of working as a zookeeper to create the Iris Oakley mystery series, set in a fictional zoo in Vancouver, Washington. See AnnLittlewood.com for details."
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 22, 2023
It makes for great fun when a writer can draw from direct experience of an uncommon career to create an uncommon series. Zoos are an alien landscape to me – the logistics involved in housing and maintaining dozens of species of wildly varying requirements are completely beyond me, but Ann Littlewood can write of it with the almost casual authority of someone who's lived it. Her Portland zookeeper Iris Oakley lives and breathes the life. The story follows her into all areas of the zoo, and it's fascinating.
She also lives and breathes the life of a single (widowed) mother of a small child, and the complications and joys of that are threaded through the book. This is one of the more realistic depictions of making do without a whole lot of money that I've seen, especially in the mystery genre; it seems like too often characters in "cozies" skip merrily along, opportunities or legacies landing in their laps at just the perfect moment; to read about a woman forced to think twice about a major opportunity because (not to spoil too much) preparing for it would be too expensive – that's rare.
Also rare is the sort of relationship Iris has with her parents. Too often writers fall back on what has become a cliché – adult bickers with parents and avoids them at all costs. There is bickering here – but the reasons are provided, and the relationship is deepened, and is filled with corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an already convincing narrative. Her role as a widowed mother, harried and worried and head-over-heels in love with her son while still realizing he's not a dream to handle, is utterly authentic. All of the relationships are mature (or becoming so) and believable – and, in the case of that with her best friend, a little heart-breaking.
Happily, the mystery aspect of the book is plausible as well. Although Iris literally stumbles over the body in question, she does not seem to be the sort of character who will do so on a regular basis like some of the corpse-detectors mystery series tend to feature. Iris has solid, valid reasons to be where she is, and the murder she discovers is part of a larger state of affairs involving animal trafficking. The story is well told without putting Iris in unreasonable situations, and is laced through with fascinating details about the animals under her care without beating the reader over the head with a stick labeled "Zoo Mystery!" I loved it, and look forward to more.
She also lives and breathes the life of a single (widowed) mother of a small child, and the complications and joys of that are threaded through the book. This is one of the more realistic depictions of making do without a whole lot of money that I've seen, especially in the mystery genre; it seems like too often characters in "cozies" skip merrily along, opportunities or legacies landing in their laps at just the perfect moment; to read about a woman forced to think twice about a major opportunity because (not to spoil too much) preparing for it would be too expensive – that's rare.
Also rare is the sort of relationship Iris has with her parents. Too often writers fall back on what has become a cliché – adult bickers with parents and avoids them at all costs. There is bickering here – but the reasons are provided, and the relationship is deepened, and is filled with corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an already convincing narrative. Her role as a widowed mother, harried and worried and head-over-heels in love with her son while still realizing he's not a dream to handle, is utterly authentic. All of the relationships are mature (or becoming so) and believable – and, in the case of that with her best friend, a little heart-breaking.
Happily, the mystery aspect of the book is plausible as well. Although Iris literally stumbles over the body in question, she does not seem to be the sort of character who will do so on a regular basis like some of the corpse-detectors mystery series tend to feature. Iris has solid, valid reasons to be where she is, and the murder she discovers is part of a larger state of affairs involving animal trafficking. The story is well told without putting Iris in unreasonable situations, and is laced through with fascinating details about the animals under her care without beating the reader over the head with a stick labeled "Zoo Mystery!" I loved it, and look forward to more.
November 11, 2012
After trudging through this entire book, against the loud objections of my husband, I was completely amazed to see what a high rating most people gave it. Ms. Littlewood obviously knows a great deal about working in zoos, but that does not translate into being a great novelist. The basic concept is interesting and gets your attention. A lot of the zoo information seems to be there just to show you how much she knows, rather than to aid the plot in any way. The plot is terribly convoluted, with twists that don't seem logical and a main character whose driving motives are difficult to discern as she doesn't seem to follow any patterns. In real life, this character would have been in trouble for interfering with a police investigation well before she ferreted out the villain.
December 26, 2012
Being an animal lover and writer of mysteries that include a lot of wildlife, when I saw this book on my local library bookshelf, I immediately grabbed it. I loved Littlewood's zookeeper protagonist, as well as the plot, which had several interesting twists and turns. As I discovered that this is the third in the series, I immediately went and ordered the first one. I can't wait to get more behind-the-scenes looks from an experienced zookeeper!
April 17, 2020
This was a very interesting mystery.
There is a family living off the grid and doing illegal business.
The zoo is called in to take care of the tortoises and parrots and macaws but they get more than that. Iris is forced to flea her home. She is ready to date again and don't you just know that will be a challenge with her home and work issues.
I felt the book got too preachy at times
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
There is a family living off the grid and doing illegal business.
The zoo is called in to take care of the tortoises and parrots and macaws but they get more than that. Iris is forced to flea her home. She is ready to date again and don't you just know that will be a challenge with her home and work issues.
I felt the book got too preachy at times
I borrowed a copy from the public library.
November 4, 2024
I thought the 2nd book in the series was interesting. Working in a zoo is a novel occupation for a main character. This one didn't make a lot of sense and in my opinion it was slow and boring.
July 31, 2012
A “simple” exotic animal rescue at a local farm turns into a nightmare for zookeeper and single mother, Iris Oakley. There is much more going on than a few criminals running a meth lab and keeping a few exotic pets. Iris is convinced Tipton family is not only involved in distributing drugs, but in illegally selling parrots and tortoises. If this isn’t bad enough, the animals are being neglected and inadequately cared for and may not survive. Iris doesn’t want other animals to suffer the same fate, but ends up working on a murder case of a human victim as well. While this turns into a very dangerous situation, Iris won’t let this family get by with harming more animals or with murder.
Iris is a wonderful main character. She is dedicated, intense, takes her job and her responsibility to the animals in her care seriously. Iris isn’t perfect, which makes her more believable and relatable and the situations in which she finds herself are realistic and make sense given her job and the type of person she is. She is not going to let anyone get away with hurting animals, so it makes sense that she sticks with the investigation even when she is warned to stay out of it.
I also like Iris’s co-worker Denny and would like to see Iris and Denny team up on future cases. Even Iris’s sometimes difficult boss shows he does have a heart and recognizes Iris’s intelligence and dedication to animals and specifically to her job as zookeeper. The career and personal challenges Iris faces seem realistic, and I am rooting for things to work out for her.
Fans of Rachel Speart or Nevada Barr will enjoy this unique zoo setting featuring a main character to cheer for. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Iris is a wonderful main character. She is dedicated, intense, takes her job and her responsibility to the animals in her care seriously. Iris isn’t perfect, which makes her more believable and relatable and the situations in which she finds herself are realistic and make sense given her job and the type of person she is. She is not going to let anyone get away with hurting animals, so it makes sense that she sticks with the investigation even when she is warned to stay out of it.
I also like Iris’s co-worker Denny and would like to see Iris and Denny team up on future cases. Even Iris’s sometimes difficult boss shows he does have a heart and recognizes Iris’s intelligence and dedication to animals and specifically to her job as zookeeper. The career and personal challenges Iris faces seem realistic, and I am rooting for things to work out for her.
Fans of Rachel Speart or Nevada Barr will enjoy this unique zoo setting featuring a main character to cheer for. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
September 5, 2012
My full review on Literary Inklings
A unique combination is found in Ann Littlewood’s Endangered: a gripping mystery, a collection of wonderfully charming characters, a dose of wit, and a very relevant examination of the realities of animal trafficking and the suffering of poorly thought-out pets. Littlewood draws on both her admiration for animals and her experience as a zookeeper to infuse the novel with the sort of detailing that enraptures a reader, and her keen talent for crafting smart characters and unexpected thrills carries the story into a fascinating new landscape. The result is a book as easily enlightening as it is entertaining. The pacing of the book is well done, allowing the reader to examine the details of Iris’s life and plight before zipping through the curves of a superbly-crafted plot. I felt that a door had been opened, an opportunity to explore and learn about a unique new world; I loved it. And as for the plot, I thought for sure I knew who’d done it…and I was in for a shock. Read more...
A unique combination is found in Ann Littlewood’s Endangered: a gripping mystery, a collection of wonderfully charming characters, a dose of wit, and a very relevant examination of the realities of animal trafficking and the suffering of poorly thought-out pets. Littlewood draws on both her admiration for animals and her experience as a zookeeper to infuse the novel with the sort of detailing that enraptures a reader, and her keen talent for crafting smart characters and unexpected thrills carries the story into a fascinating new landscape. The result is a book as easily enlightening as it is entertaining. The pacing of the book is well done, allowing the reader to examine the details of Iris’s life and plight before zipping through the curves of a superbly-crafted plot. I felt that a door had been opened, an opportunity to explore and learn about a unique new world; I loved it. And as for the plot, I thought for sure I knew who’d done it…and I was in for a shock. Read more...
May 24, 2013
The third in her zoo mysteries, is set in Vancouver, Washington, and takes place in the fictional Finley Memorial Zoo. Iris Oakley, a young zoo worker, and her colleague are sent to rescue exotic animals found at a drug crime scene at the Tipton home in the middle of nowhere. She is unwittingly pulled into events that threaten her and the life of her son. Deciding the only way to protect herself and those she cares about, is to take an active part in investigation, Iris risks her life to find out the truth.
I found it to be an interesting tale with a twisting plot. The only drawback for me was the large number of supporting characters and their subplots. It seemed to slow the pace down but, in all fairness, I’ve not read the first two books so for those who have, perhaps this was a welcomed update on those characters. One subplot I did enjoy was the hearttug tale of a mandrill monkey struggling with motherhood for the first time.
Definitely a good read for animal and cozy mystery buffs. The author’s twelve years experience with the Oregon Zoo shows in her look into the care and protection of exotic animals.
I found it to be an interesting tale with a twisting plot. The only drawback for me was the large number of supporting characters and their subplots. It seemed to slow the pace down but, in all fairness, I’ve not read the first two books so for those who have, perhaps this was a welcomed update on those characters. One subplot I did enjoy was the hearttug tale of a mandrill monkey struggling with motherhood for the first time.
Definitely a good read for animal and cozy mystery buffs. The author’s twelve years experience with the Oregon Zoo shows in her look into the care and protection of exotic animals.
August 9, 2012
**I received a free copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads for the purpose of reviewing it**
Check out my blog for more extensive reviews and more!
PROS: A case could be made that this book started off a bit slow, but the setting and information about the zoo are so interesting and unusual that you don't even notice. The writing is tight and polished and the characters are refreshingly new. I thought I had figured out whodoneit, but it turns out I was wrong. By the two-third mark in this book, I couldn't put it down and ended up staying awake far past my bedtime to read the ending. A very enjoyable and unique mystery.
CONS: There were two or three "continuity" errors (it's a film term, but I'm not sure what the writing equivalent is) and a couple of typos which were a little distracting. It seemed the book could have moved from four to five stars with maybe a couple fresh eyes reading through it.
Check out my blog for more extensive reviews and more!
PROS: A case could be made that this book started off a bit slow, but the setting and information about the zoo are so interesting and unusual that you don't even notice. The writing is tight and polished and the characters are refreshingly new. I thought I had figured out whodoneit, but it turns out I was wrong. By the two-third mark in this book, I couldn't put it down and ended up staying awake far past my bedtime to read the ending. A very enjoyable and unique mystery.
CONS: There were two or three "continuity" errors (it's a film term, but I'm not sure what the writing equivalent is) and a couple of typos which were a little distracting. It seemed the book could have moved from four to five stars with maybe a couple fresh eyes reading through it.
Read
May 17, 2012Yes, I just re-read my own damn book. I turned it into the press in December and haven't cracked it since. I'm setting up readings so I thought I'd better take a look and pick a good section to read. Note: I am also awaiting the early reviews and in a bit of a state about that. So anyway, I read it again. (By the way, the title is now simply Endangered, no longer Threatened & Endangered.)
I was filled with authorial anxiety for about the first quarter of it, then I actually did get into the story and came out the other end feeling pretty good about it. If you've ever written a novel, you will understand. I love my characters, human and animal, and their struggles wring my heart. Ridiculous? Well, making up stories has it's own emotional logic. Go figure.
Take it around the block yourself and let me know what you think.
I was filled with authorial anxiety for about the first quarter of it, then I actually did get into the story and came out the other end feeling pretty good about it. If you've ever written a novel, you will understand. I love my characters, human and animal, and their struggles wring my heart. Ridiculous? Well, making up stories has it's own emotional logic. Go figure.
Take it around the block yourself and let me know what you think.
December 9, 2012
This is the third book in the really entertaining "Zoo Mysteries" series by Ann Littlewood. Ms Littlewood has years of experience working in a zoo in Portland, OR and her experience shows in her books set in a fictional zoo in nearby Vancouver, WA.
In this book, bird keeper Iris Oakley helps the zoo to take in some exotic birds and reptiles discovered at a drug raid. As the officials seem dis-interested in persuing the animal-related charges, Iris starts looking into things. And gets into danger, of course.
Endangered has a lot more character development than in the prior two books. The mystery is well done. There is plenty of animal-related appeal, but there is somewhat less zoo backdrop than in prior books.
In this book, bird keeper Iris Oakley helps the zoo to take in some exotic birds and reptiles discovered at a drug raid. As the officials seem dis-interested in persuing the animal-related charges, Iris starts looking into things. And gets into danger, of course.
Endangered has a lot more character development than in the prior two books. The mystery is well done. There is plenty of animal-related appeal, but there is somewhat less zoo backdrop than in prior books.
January 17, 2017
The book was boring. The main character seemed to have no aptitude for detective work. She "investigated" by contacting police, animal control and news media to ask them for updates on their investigations. Because of that, the book didn't read like a mystery. Instead of being a detective engaged in solving the crime, she was a powerless victim trying to stay out of harm's way while protecting the animals.
The bulk of the book is her incessant worrying about family, friends, acquaintances, criminals, victims, colleagues and animals.
On the positive side, if you are curious about how a zoo operates, this book describes that in detail. There is also a great deal of information on wildlife trafficking.
The bulk of the book is her incessant worrying about family, friends, acquaintances, criminals, victims, colleagues and animals.
On the positive side, if you are curious about how a zoo operates, this book describes that in detail. There is also a great deal of information on wildlife trafficking.
September 19, 2012
Surprisingly enjoyable. The characters; widowed Mom/zookeeper Iris, friends and coworkers mesh along nicely, as do her parents and toddler-age son. Thought at first glance this might be a lightweight tale but the mystery was good and the educational parts of the story well-done and interesting. The plot moved quickly enough to keep up tension but not so fast or overly populated with suspects to make a reader despair.
Another plus is that the ending did not just tidy things up perfectly, instead it left me eager for the next adventure. While waiting for that, think I'll go back and read the two prior books in this series. (Zoo Mystery).
Another plus is that the ending did not just tidy things up perfectly, instead it left me eager for the next adventure. While waiting for that, think I'll go back and read the two prior books in this series. (Zoo Mystery).
May 26, 2013
Keeper Iris Oakley returns to the page in Ann Littlewood's third Zoo Mystery, Endangered. Oakley takes on animal smugglers who specialize in turtles and birds. Fascinating insight into the day to day routines of animal handling and animal behavior through Iris' work at the zoo. Frightening insight into how endangered species are threatened.
Ann Littlewood's experience with animals is clear in the writing, through Iris' POV. Care, caution and love combine beautifully with tense, well written narrative. Here's hoping we'll see the next Zoo Mystery before too long!
--Ashland Mystery
Ann Littlewood's experience with animals is clear in the writing, through Iris' POV. Care, caution and love combine beautifully with tense, well written narrative. Here's hoping we'll see the next Zoo Mystery before too long!
--Ashland Mystery
February 16, 2013
My first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. No, it will never be enshrined in the halls of great literature, but that's okay. I was thrilled to finally get a heroine who actually calls the cops rather than tries to solve the mystery all on her own. Loved the zoo setting as well! Of course, I had the mystery solved rather early on but still enjoyed reading the details. Nice, light weight, funny mystery story.
February 3, 2016
The protagonist, zookeeper and single mom Iris, felt like a real person. The way she got involved, and stayed involved with the mystery felt organic to me. Her relationships with her co-workers and parents also felt real, as did her struggle to be a good parent. Nice to read about someone who has housemates to help with the mortgage
July 9, 2016
Zoo Mystery, #3. Iris Oakley is sent to the scene of a drug bust in order to capture the endangered birds and tortoises that were being illegally sold. There is buried treasure, two love interests, two macaws in Iris' basement, and a handful of yahoos that want Iris dead. It was an interesting read with suitable PSAs about the exotic animal trade.
September 22, 2012
This latest entry in the Zoo Mystery series is as good or better than the first two, full of insider details about how a small zoo works and as always endangering our intrepid heroine, zookeeper Iris Oakley.
December 12, 2015
I enjoyed this book and had trouble putting it down. The main character was immensely likable, the zoo setting was intriguing, and the mystery was a good one. I also liked the conservation message. I'm eager to read more books in this series.
August 19, 2012
very nice character development over the series.
August 26, 2012
Fun, entertaining, easy read. I liked it and will keep an eye out for more by this author.
October 15, 2012
Great story, excellent characters, unique setup. I enjoyed this book very much, and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
November 20, 2012
Interesting storyline. Characters are flat.
September 13, 2013
I "ear read". This was an easy book to follow and keep track of the characters. The end was intense and kept me on the edge of my seat. Very good choice for the reader of the audio book.
October 15, 2013
It wasn't bad but it just wasn't that good. I didn't get the protagonist. She felt she knew better than the cops (which is common in these books) but she would actually call them and they listened.
October 29, 2013
Light and unpretentious. The author is clearly an authority on endangered animals and wildlife smuggling. The plot was perhaps a bit transparent, but fun.
October 22, 2013
I enjoyed this book a lot. Kept me coming back for more and loved how she finished it all up rather than leaving you guessing.
December 18, 2013
I liked this author and the story. It's a great way to bring awareness of endangered species to the public.
August 9, 2014
Loved it , 3.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews