Timberline Ranger Series
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FIFTEEN BOOK SERIES. Set in the remote Idaho, the Timberline Ranger Mysteries series follows Ranger Tom Avery as he solves gripping crimes that blend cozy mystery with procedural realism. Each case draws on Avery’s deep knowledge of the mountain wilderness and his insight into the close-knit, secretive communities nestled within it, all while a shadowy mountain secret weaves through the heart of the series.
#1. Murder on Ridge Trail
Moose Creek protects its own. But some secrets refuse to stay buried.
When a hiker turns up dead on Ridge Trail, the quiet Idaho community of Moose Creek is quick to call it a tragic accident, but seasoned Ranger Tom Avery sees troubling evidence that points to murder. Determined to uncover the truth, Tom dives into a tense small-town investigation, where every neighbor could be hiding something and the lines between friend and suspect blur. As he follows a trail of clues through the rugged wilderness and complex local ties, Tom must rely on his sharp instincts to solve the mystery before Moose Creek’s secrets cost another life.
As Tom delves further into the case, he uncovers a tangle of hidden motives and long-buried community secrets. Old grudges and simmering resentments threaten to turn trusted friends into prime suspects, while the tight-knit townspeople close ranks to protect their own. Navigating this atmosphere of suspicion and investigative tension, Tom must break through the culture of silence in Moose Creek to expose the truth before the town’s secrets lead to even more danger.
As the murder investigation intensifies, Tom faces increasing pressure from both the townspeople and his superiors to uncover the truth behind Ridge Trail’s suspicious death. Each clue unravels deeper layers of deceit and leads him closer to secrets the community desperately wants to keep hidden. Battling suspicion at every turn and risking his own reputation, Tom must use all his detective skills and determination to solve the case before Moose Creek’s past claims another victim.
Murder on Ridge Trail delivers an immersive small-town mystery filled with loyalties, hidden dangers, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Follow Ranger Tom Avery as he navigates Moose Creek’s secrets, unearths betrayals, and tracks a cunning killer, proving that in this tightly knit Idaho community, no secret stays buried for long. Perfect for fans of suspenseful mysteries set against a rugged small-town backdrop.
#2. Poachers and Poison
The wilderness keeps its secrets. But some crimes leave a trail too deadly to hide.
It begins with a missing dog in the spring thaw. Ranger Tom Avery follows the call into the Cutbank drainage and finds an illegal trap line set by someone who knows the land well. What looks at first like a poaching case soon starts pulling Moose Creek apart.
Then an old recluse turns up dead, and a poaching case becomes a murder investigation. The trouble is that Tom knows nearly everyone tangled up in it. Every question he asks lands on a neighbor, a friend, or someone with good reason to keep quiet, and the more he pushes, the harder the town pushes back.
The trail runs deeper than dead animals and a single body. It reaches into old debts, buried history, and quiet compromises Moose Creek settled long ago and would rather leave settled. This is a mystery about people as much as place, about the loyalties that hold a small town together and the things good folks tell themselves to sleep at night.
Grounded, atmospheric, and quietly relentless, Poachers and Poison is built for readers who love character-driven rural mysteries with a strong sense of place and a hero worth rooting for. Follow Tom Avery back into the Timberline backcountry and see what the woods have been hiding.