Mesa Verde Victim

National Park Mystery #6

by Scott Graham

Hounded by false accusations of murder, archaeologist Chuck Bender and his family risk their lives to track down an unknown killer on the loose in a rugged canyon on the remote western edge of Mesa Verde National Park, where ancient stone villages and secret burial sites, abandoned centuries ago by the Ancestral Puebloan people, harbor artifacts so rare and precious they're worth killing over.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Nature

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2020

About the author

Scott Graham is author of Canyon Sacrifice: A National Park Mystery and Extreme Kids (winner of the National Outdoor Book Award). He is an avid outdoorsman and amateur archaeologist who enjoys hunting, rock climbing, skiing, backpacking, mountaineering, river rafting, and whitewater kayaking with his wife, an emergency physician, and their two sons. Graham lives in Durango, Colorado.

Reviews

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Torrey House Press, Consortium Book Sales & Distribution and Edelweiss I was able to get a copy of Mesa Verde Victim by Scott Graham. Thiss will be the sixth book in the series about archaeologist Chuck Bender, I had previously only read book one and thought it was less than good but this one, wow. It is really great and now I have to get books 2 through 5 to see where I went wrong. This is a great mystery and a fast read. I really recommend it.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series of books is really interesting for the facts presented by the author at each of National Parks. In this case, a lot of the action takes place near Mesa Verde NP and at archaeological sites in the Durango, CO area where I live. So much great information about Ancient Puebloans, the Native Remains Reinterment Act, as well as general history about the discovery of the ruins at Mesa Verde. Oh, and there’s a mystery about a dead body found in the alley behind the protagonist’s house… enjoy!

[Sharon Mensing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 6th in Graham's National Park series featuring archaeologist, Chuck Bender. By now, his youngest daughter, Sophie, is old enough to be interested in her father's profession. This provides a natural means for Graham to share information about the Ancient Puebloan culture without the reader feeling lectured at. Sophie heads out to Mesa Verde with her dad just after a murder of another archaeologist is discovered, and she is a part of the ensuing action as an archaeological team shares a startling discovery in a recently opened underground cave.

The writing is straightforward and transparent, in the sense that it does not get in the way of the fast-paced action. Nonetheless, Graham writes particularly evocatively of the sounds of the Western desert. While the book is plot heavy, characterization is not forgotten. Those who have read the past books will have a stronger sense of the characters, but it is also possible to jump into the series with this one. The plot is entirely contained within the book's covers.

Graham brings the issue of cultural items' and native bones' removal from archaeological sites for the purpose of advancing knowledge as well as for financial gain to the forefront in this book. Again, Rosie plays an important role in providing a sounding board for these contemplations.

I've been with this series since the start and look forward to seeing where Chuck travels next. I've most enjoyed the books where archaeology plays a major role, as it does in this book. Chuck's family has become more important to the story lines as the series has progressed, and I am enjoying that aspect as well. Sophie's interest in archaeology has provided a welcome link between the family and the profession.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scott Graham’s latest mystery, #6 in his National Parks series featuring archeologist Scott Bender, is fiction but contains true to life depictions of Durango and Mesa Verde National Park. Gustaf Nordenskiold’s plundering of human remains and artifacts from MVNP in the late 1809s are actual historical facts, as is the recent successful repatriation of some of these remains and artifacts.

[Bobbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I should have started with the first in the series, not the sixth. I never felt connected or particularly interested in the characters. When I spent time in Mesa Verde and Durango, I loved both the Park and the nearby town. But unfortunately this book never brought back those positive feelings- I was surprised to read that the author lives in Durango, so he certainly should have been able to bring the town alive. Okay, maybe that’s not what the book was about, I just wish it had held my interest more…

[Vicky Ramakka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Archaeological Story
I liked this book in that it show how Anglo attitudes have evolved from regarding Native American graves and their contents as archaeological curiosities to our current respectfulness of others’ cultures. In addition, while much of the action takes place in Mesa Verde National Park, the plot also references that there are numerous sites in our region that were occupied by ancient cultures.

[River James · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written at a 4th grade readers level without interesting character development, plot or sense of place.
A tedious read with a protagonist named Chuck (Chuck? really, how many times can a person read the name Chuck without upchucking), a plot that is completely stagnant (Bob, or whatever his name is, is dead, my gosh, who would want to hurt poor old Bob?), and a description of place that makes you wonder how much time S.G. has spent in the area.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I read in this series and won't surely be the last as I loved it.
A fast paced, highly entertaining and well written mystery that kept me guessing till the end.
I loved the explanations about the archaeological parts and the descriptions of the setting.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read on my Kindle, which for vision reasons takes longer than I would like.

The latest in a family based series set in various national parks, this satisfies my vicarious travel yen as well as my interest in archeology.

[Sarah Zink · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be fair with my review, this is the first book I've read of this series and it's Book #6. Probably should have started with #1. Felt like this book was somewhat juvenile and seemed like more of a lecture/lesson on the topics in this book.

[Vicki Holmsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery set in my neck of the woods. Always fun to recognize places.

[Anne, Unfinished Woman · Rating 3 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT

Chuck Bender finds himself suspected of the killing his friend Barney Keller, employee of rival company Southwest Archaeology Enterprises. SAE is heading up a dig in the Gunnel Canyon area that belongs to neither the Parks Service nor the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. It is claimed by the Swedish whose early explorer Gustaf Nordenskoild had found many artifacts and mummies and taken them back to Sweden. Now a new find, one connected to the earlier one reveals a mummified corpse of Joey Cannon, led to the hole by his notebooks, and sought by his relative Elizabeth Mantry. They believe that the site had canopic jars, much as the burials in Egypt had, which would be worth a fortune. They are interested in selling them on the black market to get what they believe they are due.

Chuck and his family, Janelle, Rosie and Carmelita begin an investigation to find the person who murdered his friend and then Samuel Horvat, the senior archaeologist with SAE in the pursuit of the artifacts, which were obviously taken when the site was first found. Elizabeth had contacted Ilona Koskinen in Sweden and she had come to the area. Kyla Owens a post doc fellowship worker is also involved in the dig. At the climax, as Chuck and his family go back to the site, they find Horvat's body and are fired upon. Carmelita and Clarence find another way to the the top to summon help as the others including McDermot and Office Sandra Kingsley work to avoid being shot by Audrey Keller who is working with Mantry.

[Steven Howes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always considered Mesa Verde and the surrounding Four Corners area to be a beautiful and fascinating place. So I jumped at the chance to read a mystery set in that location and dealing with its archaeological history. The main character is Chuck Bender, a contract archaeologist doing surveys in Mesa Verde National Park. When one of his close friends and colleagues is murdered after an apparent burglary near Chuck's Durango, Colorado home, it sets off a string of events that places his family and others in danger. As you might expect, money and the suspected existence of evidence that might connect the ancestral puebloans with the ancient Egyptians trigger the events.

The reader is exposed to some historical truths including the rampant looting and theft of artifacts that took place prior to placing locations such as Mesa Verde under protection.

I know one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I think the cover of this book is pretty classy.

[Susan Imhoff Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Chuck Bender we readers find a protagonist with whom we can connect and empathize, one we can respect as we oh-so-gently roll our eyes at. And perhaps most importantly, one we can live vicariously through, as Chuck plunges, time after time, into situations most of us shudder to think of being confronted with.
Mesa Verde Victim launches Chuck immediately into action and only ever pauses to gently educate the reader about archaeology, rock climbing, geography, and politics. The subtext is rich with lessons about nurturance, friendship, and what character actually means. And in true Scott Graham style, a bit of greed and mayhem winds delightfully throughout the book.
With each National Park Mystery we discover more about Chuck and his family, more about the astonishing treasures hidden beneath the land we walk upon, and more about how our place in the world is determined by the love, concern, and effort we’re willing to put forth into it.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turns out Barney Keller wasn't the good guy people thought he was. That's a shock to Chuck Bender who, btw, is a suspect, albeit briefly in this entertaining and educational mystery featuring an archeologist. Bender is working in the Mesa Verde; there's a recent discovery there that he, and his daughter are interested in. He's an unusual protagonist for what is essentially a cozy. First, and most importantly, he imparts a lot of info about the area and the way that relics have been exploited. He's great at describing the area. The relationship with his wife and daughters is a positive one- and enjoyable. I'd not read the earlier books in the series (my loss) and this was fine as a standalone. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. For fans of Southwest mysteries that aren't too complicated.

[Kaeleen Stauffer · Rating 1 out of 5]

The concept of this book was extremely interesting. I have broadly studied archaeology and the archaeology of the Durango area, so I was super excited for this book. Unfortunately, I was let down by the development of the plot. For me, the mixture of fictional archaeology and very real archaeological concepts did not blend well. It felt like a failed attempt at a politically correct Indiana Jones. The dialogue of the characters also felt extremely unnatural and even cringeworthy at times. The research on the topic was impressive, but it often felt dense and not useful to the plot. I will acknowledge that I may have had too high of expectations and that I haven’t read any of the other books in the National Parks series. That means I had no previous connection to the characters, but based on this book alone, I have no desire to pursue a deeper connection.

[Maddie Gast · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

I will say that I loved the way Scott Graham incorporated many facts about Mesa Verde and the surrounding areas, as well as teaching readers like me about the traditions of the indigenous people native to those areas. This book was very informative and I enjoyed that.

However, what I didn't not enjoy was the unbelievability of some portions of the story. I didn't find it believable that a 12 year old girl and 14 year old girl would 1) be allowed to travel to crime scenes with this average Joe dad, and 2) be okay seeing horrific crime scenes. After seeing a man brutally murdered, I doubt any 12 year old girl would say "it was actually really cool" ... Pass.

[Jendi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wholesome, informative mystery novel with a great sense of place and an exciting finish. The style is somewhat flat when he's not describing the landscape, and the characters don't have much interior life. Sometimes their dialogue can be info-dump-y, but the info is usually fascinating (to me, anyway) archaeological details about Native American history. The book confronts the colonialist practices that still trouble the field today. I liked the profusion of strong female characters and how they are described with respect and no physical objectification.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Archaeologist Chuck Bender and his family become involved in solving a murder on the western edge of Mesa Verde National Park. Ancestral Puebloan people lived in the ancient stone villages there between 1100-1300 where artifacts and secret burial sites are highly sought after ... even worth killing over.
This book was of interest to me after visiting this state park in September. This book is part of the National Park Mystery series and since we visited quite a few parks on our road trip, I may need to read several more titles in this series.

[Kain · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. A local author? A murder mystery? History? It was promising. But it was a lot of nothing happening until it all happened at once. The mystery was not well constructed. There was no suspense. The characters were flat with the main character going on long winded explanations of things. The premise was interesting but poorly executed. The daughters were not written in an age consistent way. The dialogue was rough.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t have much faith in this as most of the online reviews weren’t favorable and “cozy” mysteries can be hit or miss, but as a fan of anything National Park related and off the good word of a friend I gave this a go. It wasn’t deep but it was entertaining and the history and locale was fun. The answer wasn’t super obvious and the characters likable enough to read more in the series. Easy and quick perfect for a weekday read.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book caught my eye at a bookstore display because of its beautiful cover. I'm so glad I bought it, because I really enjoyed it. The setting is Mesa Verde National Park and the main character is archeologist Chuck Bender. Chuck's wife and family also play large roles in the story. I enjoyed the characters (although the youngest daughter, Rosie can be a bit much sometimes), the suspenseful story, and the facts about the park. I will definitely be reading more books in this series.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually 3.5 stars. Fast paced and fanciful mystery which includes an historic as well as a present day murder. The characters and emotional tone are not complex and the underlying archaeological premise is far fetched and never fully explored. Still, this is a quick, fun, and entertaining read in a great setting.

[Jaclyn Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up because we just went to Mesa Verde & was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it! It was full of accurate background info & was fun because I could actually visualize the setting of the story. The plot was well built, believable and the culprit unpredictable (to me). I will read more of these!

[Mindy Sink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book in Mancos, Colorado after a visit to Mesa Verde. It met my expectations of being a book about this area and having a mystery to solve. I will be looking for more books by this author.

**possible spoiler** My only complaint might be the graphic description of the murders which was, in my opinion, gratuitous.

[Joyce Burk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've grown to love Chuck and his family. The author does a good job of explaining the archaeological history of the Mesa Verde Bational Park area. I just have a problem with the suggestion of canoptic jars in the ruins.

[Diana Biggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do like the detailed setting & plot. Sometimes the conversations seem stilted. Quick read.

[Joann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even though I like the location of the event, I just didn't think the book "grabbed" me.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A National Park mystery- about Mesa Verde so the reader gets information along with a history lesson and a mystery plus the ambience of Mancos and Durango. A win win for the reader! loved this park.

[Jean Becker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Certainly a fine description of Mesa Verde National Park and successful characterizations. I enjoyed the background on the Nordenskjold family.