Ann Littlewood
Zoo Mysteries
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Sample the first chapters of Endangered, the third zoo mystery by Ann Littlewood, from Poisoned Pen Press.
Early reviews
Readers will enjoy this fast-moving story that deals with timely environmental issues.
— Barbara Bibel, Booklist
Former zookeeper Littlewood, who certainly knows her animals, adds an informative picture of life behind the scenes at the zoo to Iris and Denny’s third case (Did Not Survive, 2010, etc.).
— Kirkus
Endangeredis available through bookstores everywhere. Trade paperback, Kindle, hardcover, large print, and audio versions are available. Order from your independent bookstore or click here to buy from Powell's Books or Amazon.com. Coming soon for Kindle.
About the animal angle...
Each of the Iris Oakley zoo-dunnits features a different set of animals--lions and penguins in Night Kill, elephants, tigers, and clouded leopards in Did Not Survive. Endangered focuses on tortoises and parrots, as well as mandrill monkeys.
I love researching each species and remembering my own experiences with them when I was a keeper. I hope this helps keep the series interesting and lively for mystery readers who are also animal people!
In researching Endangered, I came across some disturbing information. I was already aware that large parrots often do not work out well as pets and end up neglected or abandoned. These are social, highly intelligent birds that aren't well adapted to living with us. Think twice before you acquire one as a pet.
But far worse is the situation with tortoises around the world. They are being exterminated in many areas, including parts of the US, for pets and for the pot. This is in addition to losing habitat to human activity. Tortoises are land animals and breed slowly, much slower than their aquatic relatives, the turtles. (Box "turtles" are tortoises.) This is a global phenomenon, a very bleak and fast moving one. Here are some links for more information.
Turtle Conservancy
World Chelonian Trust (They also have information about proper care of pet tortoises--far more complex than you might thin!)
HerpDigest This newsletter will keep you informed on research and conservation.
As for what you can do, discourage commercial activity in wild tortoises. Protect your local wild areas by supporting local conservation organizations. Contribute to organizations like those listed above that are working hard to slow down this disaster. Please.
By the author of Night Kill and Did Not Survive.
Zoo keeper Iris Oakley sets out to rescue abandoned animals after a drug bust and finds much more than smuggled parrots and tortoises. Such as a mysterious young woman—dead, a creepy farm, a missing fortune, and a killer. Iris knows too much and not enough. How can she keep her toddler safe, bring the wildlife traffickers to justice, and outwit a career criminal?
