Fatal Descent

An RM Outdoor Adventures Mystery #3

by Beth Groundwater

Between a rock and a hard paddle

Mandy Tanner and her fiance Rob are leading an offseason rafting-climbing trip in Utah's remote Canyonlands. Experienced guides, Mandy and Rob know they have to keep their cool after one of their group, Alex Anderson, appears to have become bear bait. Walled off from the outside world with eleven shell-shocked clients and miles of Colorado River whitewater ahead, Mandy's nerves threaten to unravel when she learns that Alex's death was not the work of a homicidal grizzly. Whether it was a crime of passion or the random act of a psychopath, Mandy fears that if they don't root out the river rat among them, another camper will be running the rapids in a body bag.

Praise: "A remarkable book by an author who clearly knows and loves her territory. Don't miss it!"--William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of the Cork O'Connor series

"Once again, Groundwater, mixing mystery with outdoor adventure, comes up with an excursion that will please most comers."--Kirkus Reviews

"A thrilling journey . . . filled with river lore, vivid descriptions . . . and loving depictions of the varied characters."--Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

277 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2013

About the author

I write two mystery series, the Claire Hanover gift basket designer series and the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures series starring whitewater river ranger Mandy Tanner. The first book in my Claire Hanover series, A REAL BASKET CASE, was released in hardcover in 2007 and re-released in trade paperback and ebook in November, 2011. It finaled for the 2007 Best First Novel Agatha Award. The second book in the series, TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET, was released in hardcover in 2009 and re-released in trade paperback and ebook in 2012. The third book, A BASKET OF TROUBLE, was released in November, 2013.

The first book in my Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures series, DEADLY CURRENTS, was released in trade paperback and ebook by Midnight Ink in 2011 and became an Amazon bestseller. The second book, WICKED EDDIES, was released in 2012 and was a finalist for the Rocky Award, for the best mystery set in Western North America. The third book, FATAL DESCENT, was released in June, 2013. DEADLY CURRENTS was re-released in September, 2020 by Speaking Volumes.

I was an avid "river rat" in the 1980s, running whitewater rivers in the eastern US, and enjoyed reacquainting myself with that subculture while researching this series. In June, 2011, I was the parade VIP for the First in Boating on the Arkansas River (FIBArk) whitewater festival in Salida, Colorado, which is featured in DEADLY CURRENTS. I live in Colorado and enjoy its many outdoor activities, including skiing and whitewater rafting.

My science fiction novella, THE EPSILON ERIDANI ALTERNATIVE, was released in ebook and paperback 2009. Also, I have published nine short stories, many multiple times in various formats, including audio. I enjoy meeting with book clubs in person or via Skype or speakerphone to discuss my books. Visit my website at http://bethgroundwater.com/ and my blog at http://bethgroundwater.blogspot.com/ for more information.

Reviews

[Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

With visions of Anna Pigeon, Nevada Barr's park ranger turned sleuth in my mind, I turned my eyes to Fatal Descent, a murder mystery set in the great outdoors.

Mandy Tanner and her fiance Rob Juarez run RM Outdoor Adventures, an outdoor adventure group. They decide to run an off season rafting climbing trip on the Colorado River with their crew Gonzo an Kendra, a trip hire, Tom "Cool" O'Day, a climbing expert and their customers, the Anderson family, a trio of middle aged married women friends and the divorced couple and their daughter.

But before they even get to the exciting rapids, Alex Anderson is killed in what at first blush looks like a bear attack and their radios are damaged as well. Mandy Tanner, however is immediately suspicious. The bear did not leave a lot of paw prints, was from a bear that was not native to that area and Alex did not fight back.

Then another guest is almost killed in a climbing accident.

Could the Tanner party be in danger from a killer?

The beauty of these books is that the reader also gets to experience rafting and climbing adventure plus a little murder mystery.

Mandy Tanner is up to the task of both leading her party and solving the murder.

Groundwater does a good job of setting up the scene and certainly knows the wilderness.

Its a short good read.

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in a series that features a young woman, Mandy Tanner, who works as a ranger on the Arkansas River in Colorado during the summers, ski patrol at Monarch Mountain in winters, and also runs an outdoor adventures business with her fiance, Rob Juarez. The first two books were set in Colorado, but for this venture they are in Canyonlands National Park, on the Colorado River in southern Utah. This is Rob and Mandy's first attempt at a joint climbing/rafting trip. They have a group of 16 clients who have paid for this chance to try their skills at rafting through rapids, as well as some hiking and rappelling among the canyon walls. But fairly soon into their 5 day trip, one of their 16 clients is found dead, apparently a victim of a bear attack. There are several things about the crime scene, and the bear attack explanation, that seem off, and Mandy is soon apprehensive that one among them is a killer. The rest of their trip is full of anxieties and fear for Mandy and Rob, though most of the clients are not aware of their suspicions. There are some great descriptions of the river, the canyons around them, and the challenges presented by the natural world. This is the main reason I read these books; while I like the main characters, these books are not heavy on character development. But I do enjoy the mysteries that evolve, the physical setting, and the landscape descriptions.
This book fills Topic #1, to Sweat and Read, in the Equinox #9 reading challenge.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mandy Tanner and her fiancé Rob are getting ready to lead a tour group on a raft-climbing trip through the Utah Canyonlands. They are taking a motley group of travelers, which should prove to make for an interesting excursion, especially since there’s some family dissension and a little unwanted flirting going on amongst the group.

When one of the travelers is apparently the victim of a bear attack, things take a very nasty turn. Evidence shows that this might not have been a bear attack after all. Mandy and Rob are determined to protect their clients at any cost whether from a bear attack or something even more sinister.

All of this and Mandy has to deal with her soon-to-be mother-in-law who is happily planning their wedding. Mandy would rather elope than deal with the wedding plans.

This is the third book in Beth Groundwater’s exciting RM Outdoor Adventures Mystery series. I haven’t read the first two yet, although they are both on my Kindle. However, it didn’t seem to matter. I quickly fell in love with the two main characters, Mandy and Rob. I loved them immediately and I felt like I didn’t miss anything by not reading the first two book, but I definitely plan to read them soon. I need more of this series!

The author paints a vivid picture of the setting which made me feel as if I was on the trip, too! Each character was perfectly portrayed and the mystery had me at the edge of my seat. Beth Groundwater is a new-to-me author that I will be reading all the time. I totally enjoyed this book!


FTC Disclosure: NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book to review for this blog tour. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that her season as river ranger has concluded, Mandy Tanner focuses on organizing an October rafting and mountain climbing trip in Utah along with her fiance Rob Juarez. Besides their own RM Outdoor Adventures employees Gonzo and Kendra, they hire mountain guide Tom "Cool" O'Day. Clients on board for this trek down the Colorado River include a young woman attempting to get her divorced parents back together, three "gal pals" hoping for some female bonding, and a family who may not have been upfront about their father's health in light of this potentially grueling trip.

Things go well until one of the clients is suddenly killed! Looks like when a bear allegedly attacked Alex, their radio transmitter was destroyed as well. That, as well as learning what species of bear supposedly made the attack makes Mandy question things. Then when a mountain-climbing harness was cut and its wearer almost killed, Mandy realizes there may be a murderer in their midst and must now proceed with caution!

Fast-paced, intense read where the personalities of the folks on the trip (and their interactions with one another) and the things Mandy learns about them make for a gripping puzzle. I think this one can stand on it's own; there not really a lot of references to events in the first two RM mysteries: Deadly Currents and Wicked Eddies. Highly recommend, as always!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another exciting book from Beth Groundwater. Her writing is action packed and the story moves along at break neck pace. Rafting details are excellent.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fatal Descent is the third book in the RM Adventures Mystery Series. Having read all three of these mysteries, Fatal Descent is the best one, but I expected it would be. Any new series takes one or two books to really get started so the reader knows, just for starters, who not to suspect of the crime. So, when I read Fatal Descent, I was familiar with the main characters and without exception liked all of them. Beth Groundwater has structured these novels so that it's almost like reading about a family sharing similar interests and often having similar ideas about what they do for a living.

And what they do for a living is, for me, dangerous. I enjoy reading about the rafting, although I don't see myself ever doing it. Instead, I'll live vicariously through the adventures of Mandy and Rob as they undertake what to me is white knuckle travels often leading a bunch of novices who may do something totally stupid thereby setting off yet more white knuckle moments. That certainly appears to be the case in Fatal Descent.

As though it isn't enough to be facing travel through white water in a raft, there is a killing of one of the members of the rafting party. At the same time, the group's radio, their only link to the outside world, is ruined, so the group not only has to be fearful of what is assumed to be a rogue grizzly bear, but they also have to lug a dead body with them to the end of their trip.

This is a nightmare of the first order, and both Mandy and Rob need to use all their skills, plus a few they didn't know they had, to get the rest of their rafting group to safety. When they figure out that the killing may not have been caused by a grizzly bear at all; that they probably have a murder on their hands, things get kicked up a notch.

The mystery part of this book was well written and plotted. For me, though, that's not the only reason I like to read this genre. Groundwater's descriptions of the scenery, flora, and fauna observed on this trip gave me a sense of being there and being able to picture what those characters saw. I knew very little about what one could expect to experience on these expeditions, and for me, it was fascinating.

I am looking forward to reading book 4 in this series, but in the meantime, there's also Beth Groundwater's next book in her Handbasket series coming out in November. I recommend both series to anyone who enjoys both cozies and adventure series.

[LORI CASWELL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mandy and Rob have booked an off-season rafting and climbing trip in Utah’s remote Canyonlands. Gonzo and Kendra come along and their hire “Cool” as their climbing expert. When they wake up one morning and find one of their clients has been killed in a bear attack, no one else heard, they know there is more to the story. With no way to contact anyone for help they realize they must continue the trip even though they may be traveling with a killer.

Dollycas’s Thoughts
Wow, I continue to be amazed with every one of these RM Outdoor Adventure Mysteries! Beth Groundwater just takes us on one wild ride after another!

In Fatal Descent we leave Colorado behind and travel to Utah to the Cataract Canyon and the Big Drops. Mandy and the gang have a group that contains basically novices when it comes to whitewater rafting and having the patience of saints take them on this fantastic trip. Of course, there is a murder and at least one killer in the group. So if they survive what Mother Nature throws at them they still have to survive the people they are traveling with for the next 4 days.

The clients include a family off on what may be there last adventure together, 3 ladies that plan a special adventure trip together once a year without the hubbies, and a divorced couple with their daughter who just cannot accept her parent’s marriage is over. All their different stories create compelling subplots to the mystery.

Beth writes what she knows and she describes everything from the rapids to the beautiful sandstone cliffs in such a way you almost feel like you are right there in the raft careening down the Colorado/Green river hanging on tight and loving every minute of it.

This is definitely a thrilling read that had the pages flying fast. One helluva of an adventure and I loved it!!!

[Starr Gardinier · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Fatal Descent” by Beth Groundwater

One of the things I’ve always wanted to do—still on my bucket list—is whitewater rafting. But after reading “Fatal Descent,” I know I will take Groundwater’s story with me on the rapids, hoping that the thrill of the fiction doesn’t come to fruition.
Mandy Tanner and Rob Juarez, engaged to be married, enjoy the outdoors and own RM Outdoor Adventures. Together, they entertain and guide clients rafting and climbing to and through some absolutely fascinating and beautiful places.
“Fatal Descent” is set in Utah on the Colorado River where beauty lies along with some pretty dangerous rapids. But the hazardous whitewater they expect to experience is the least of Mandy and Rob’s worries. The rapids—as the reader soon finds out—pale in comparison to the murder that ensues, especially when they realize that one of their clients is the killer and they may be marked as the next to go.
To make matters worse, their radio—their only source of communication to the outside world—has been compromised and is completely useless. Mandy and Rob must figure out who killed one of their clients while curtailing further murderous attempts. But another of their customers almost dies rappelling down a cliff and the risks become greater.
Cascading down the rapids is thrilling, but when there’s a killer in the midst, it becomes horrifying.
A very entertaining read with rich depictions of the Utah area. I will be looking forward to more Groundwater escapades.

Reviewed by Starr Gardinier, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story”

[Peggy Ritchey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great mystery series. The books take place in Salida, CO. Mandy is a part-time park ranger and also runs her late uncle's river rafting business. I like the setting and the characters. I don't mind cozies that take place is bakeries, yarn shops and catering companies, and in fact read many of them, but the river rafting setting is a welcome change. This book takes place on a river rafting trip that Mandy and her fiancé are running in Utah. A murder occurs and they are unable to find anyone else on the river to contact law enforcement, so they tow the body along with them and try to figure out the killer. I have read all of this series and am disappointed that there are no new ones upcoming.

[Mike Kammer · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 5:20 a.m. here and I just finished. I thought the story developed a tad slow and really picked up around page 200 or so. As usual in this series, fantastic character development. I really like the strength of Mandy's character - physically and mentally. What a nice happy ending. I highly recommend the RM series and encourage starting with Deadly Currents. Wicked Eddies is my favorite.

[Ken Schloman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this novel after reading review in Mystery Scene. It certainly lived up to the review. The author has a great understanding of the group dynamics that are involved in any type of guided tour/ adventure. She also demonstrates a great knowledge of the Colorado River in Eastern Utah. While this is the third novel in the series, I'm going to pick up the earlier novels.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

its funny - I start reading these books and early on, i'm like why do I keep reading them, but by the end i'm sucked in...what can I say

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mystery held my interest.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not great writing, but good enough. Typical of local authors--okay story, okay characters. Nothing outstanding or sparkly.

[Andrew Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Least favorite of the three books in this series. Perhaps it was the switch in setting from the Arkansas Valley. I felt that the "adult" content and language in this book was unnecessary to the plot and uncharacteristic from the rest of the books in the series. Fun, easy read, but that's about it...

[Diana Biggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love her being able to put me in the location, interesting plot line.