Migrations of Butterflies and Lies

by J.M. Mitchell

Once again, park ranger Jack Chastain is on a quest for answers.

In 1765, Capitan Juan Rivera and a company of men left Santa Fe with orders to find a route into what is now Colorado, to look for gold and silver. He made two trips, found a little silver, and was largely forgotten by history.

Over 250 years later, a leather-bound journal is discovered. It claims Rivera wasn’t so much forgotten as he had chosen to disappear. He had plans—plans disrupted by a Comanche raid, but not before Rivera hid gold near present day Piedras Coloradas National Park.

In Mexico, a butterfly biologist is murdered. That same night, an archeologist was killed near the park. Nothing suggested the murders—miles apart—are connected. They are.

473 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2025

About the author

J.M. Mitchell’s novels of mystery and political intrigue borrow from his experiences in Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks, and as Chief of the National Park Service’s Biology Division.

Reviews

[Denny Dressman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began reading Jerry Mitchell’s “Migrations of Butterflies and Lies,” but by the time I finished, I couldn’t wait to read another of his novels. “Butterflies & Lies” is a big book, yet it’s hard to put down—filled with intrigue, surprise, adventure, varied characters surrounding the central figure, Park Ranger Jack Chastain, and an unexpected conclusion. What I most enjoyed was his expert use of dialogue to tell much of the story. This is a fast-moving and engrossing yarn.

[BookWormBecky · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.4

*Thank you to jackiekrantzbooks for this gifted copy!

Milkweed, journal, us & them…

How are a “country biologist,” land agents, a young boy, a US Senator, and a 1760s capitan connected to each other?

A tale of misdirection, rumors, lies, conspiracy, gain & control, greed, and murder. A little history, a little geography, a little science, and legends of riches are included in this SW thriller.

Join Park Ranger Jack Chastain in his search for the answers!


THOUGHTS:

*I’ve visited many of the locations mentioned in this book - including Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, the 4 Corners area, and a 12 day tour of CO. I am drawn to the beauty of this area. I especially like Utah, where I’ve visited 4 of the National Parks. So of course I LOVED the geographical detail in this book.

*Suspenseful! A tiche long but loved the last 60 pages!

*Very descriptive writing of desert, landscapes, hoodoos, & rugged terrains. All this plus 2 murders! And rumors of treasure…

*Wagon-wheel plots wrap up nicely by the ending.

* Enjoyed the reels for this book!

*Butterflies & Butterfly milkweed. Who knew…

[Courtney]

Thank you @jackiekrantzbooks for my copy of Migrations of Butterflies and Lies in exchange for an honest review.

✨𝖣𝗂𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗄 𝗂𝗌 𝖭𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝖯𝖺𝗋𝗄𝗌 𝖶𝖾𝖾𝗄?

There is no better time to read this book, with vivid scenes from the Piedras Coloradas National Park, than right now!

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first picked up this book. It’s beautiful, but it’s large and quite intimidating when I have never heard of the author or book before. However, the story is fast-moving and easy to follow.

The characters were likable, and it was interesting to travel the world with park ranger Jack Chastain. His dedication to his job is like no other, and I rooted for him the whole time.

The imagery the author writes about national parks and the outdoors was beautiful.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This week is National Park Week so this seems to be the appropriate book to read.
This was an intense story. There’s a lot going on in this book. It’s full of intrigue, mystery and misdirection.
You might stay up late to finish this book!