Böcker av Cary J. Griffith

When the mysterious appearance of an endangered snake leads to murder, special agent Sam Rivers must solve the case before those responsible can slither away. The appearance of a rattlesnake wouldn’t normally be enough to halt construction on Alta Vista, an upscale housing development in Southeast Minnesota’s bluff country. But this is no ordinary reptile; it’s a rare eastern massasauga rattlesnake (EMR). The endangered snake has not been seen in the region for more than two decades, so Sam Rivers is called in. As a special agent of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sam takes his responsibilities seriously—especially when it comes to protecting endangered species and their habitats. If he finds EMR dens on the construction site, he’ll close it permanently.While the developers protest in outrage, Sam enlists the help of herpetologist Gina Larkspur from the Department of Natural Resources. Together, they begin to find anomalies that call the entire situation into question. When Sam’s wolfdog, Gray, tries sniff out the EMR dens, it isn’t rattlesnakes he finds. Instead, Gray discovers the remnants of a terrible, 25-year-old crime. Were the endangered species merely pawns in a diabolical coverup? As Sam searches for the truth, bodies begin to pile up. He and his team must race to find answers before more innocents die.Natural history writer Cary J. Griffith brings back Sam Rivers for his fifth outdoors-themed mystery—a suspenseful novel filled with fast-paced action.

"Holden Riggins is an expert outdoorsman and a known poacher. He's made a small fortune by exploiting nature's bounty. So it's no surprise when two conservation officers (COs) from the Department of Natural Resources come upon Holden's fishing boat, anchored beside an illegal walleye net. What is a surprise, though, is Holden's condition: nearly frozen to death on the bottom of his boat. That's not the COs' most shocking discovery. Twisted and tangled within the twines of another nearby net is the dead body of their missing colleague. After the COs save Holden from the icy grip of hypothermia, the suspected murderer refuses to answer questions. The only person he'll speak with is Sam Rivers, a man he last saw when they were 12 years old. Since then, Holden has become a known scofflaw and ex-con, using wilderness and everything in it for his ill-gotten gains. Sam has become a special agent for the US Fish & Wildlife Service, hunting, capturing, and incarcerating criminals-like his childhood friend. Throughout the state's finest walleye lakes, the population of Minnesota's most prized game fish has been unaccountably dropping. Holden's net might explain why. Has he resurrected his illegal netting ring, cashing in on the state's $25-million walleye industry? Did he commit murder to evade the law? One thing is certain: Sam will follow the facts wherever they lead-but is he the one reeling in suspects, or is he just the bait? Natural history writer Cary J. Griffith brings back Sam Rivers for his fourth outdoors-themed mystery-a suspenseful novel filled with fast-paced action"--

"As a special agent for the US Fish & Wildlife Service, Sam Rivers has researched and studied a variety of animals. He's visiting sixth graders at Hopkins Elementary to share photographs of the Monarch butterfly-and he's brought along his drug-sniffing wolf-dog, Gray, to give students a demonstration of his partner's remarkable skills. Gray finds a sample drug packet, hidden by Sam, but that's not all. The wolf-dog keeps following his nose, leading Sam to a utility room where they discover the school's janitor, dead. Local police write it off as a drug overdose, but Sam is no stranger to crime scenes. He suspects foul play. When Sam and Gray come upon a second victim, the coincidences are too great to ignore. Sam starts turning over rocks-and what slithers out is more insidious than anyone could have foretold. Sam's instincts tell him there'll be more deaths, but those instincts put him at odds with conventional law enforcement. Armed with his knowledge of the natural world and his wolf-dog companion, Sam must uncover answers to questions that few others believe exist"--

Evidence in the death of a wealthy business owner points to an unexplained¿and unlikely¿cougar attack, but special agent Sam Rivers risks his life to uncover the truth.

Special agent Sam Rivers' investigation of a bizarre wolf attack leads to evidence of murder, conspiracy, and shocking family secrets in this wildlife-themed thriller.