The Last Ranger

The best-selling author of The River returns with a vibrant,lyrical novel about an enforcement ranger in Yellowstone National Park who likes wolves better than most people. When a clandestine range war threatens his closest friendhe must shake off his own losses and act swiftly to discover the truth and stay alive. “A good story that’s intertwined like leaves afloat in a river with the current of Heller’s descriptive powers… Filled with Heller’s lush writing… Powerful.” –Denver Post Officer Ren Hopper is an enforcement ranger with the National Park Servicetasked with duties both mundane and thrilling: Breaking up fights at campgroundssaving clueless tourists from moose attacksand attempting to broker an uneasy peace between the wealthy vacationers who tromp through the park with camerasand the residents of hardscrabble Cooke City who want to carve out a meaningful living. When Renhiking through the backcountry on his day offencounters a tall man with a dog and a gun chasing a small black bear up a hillhis hackles are raised. But what begins as an investigation into the background of a local poacher soon opens into something far murkier: A shattered windshielda series of red ribbons tied to trapsthe discovery of a frightening conspiracyand a story of heroism gone awry. Populated by a cast of extraordinary characters—famous scientiststattooed bartenderswildlife guides in slick Airstreams—and bursting with unexpected humor and gracePeter Heller masterfully unveils a portrait of the American west where our very human impulses—for greedlovefamilyand community—play out amidst the stunning beauty of the natural world.