I adore Nevada Barr's novels. She seemlessly combines elements of mystery, nature writing, and social issues. Anna Pigeon is one of my favorite literary characters. She's a 40-something park ranger with an edgy attitude who sometimes slips over into dark cynicism, but never into absolute hopelessness. Each of Barr's novels is set in a different national park. This is the 14th Anna Pigeon mystery and each reads fine as a stand alone (I suppose, but can't really say since I've been reading them as they come out), but I think its interesting to read a series in chronological order to see the development of the character(s). Winter Study is set on Isle Royale in Lake Superior near the Canadian border in January. Anna heads up there to participate in the 50-year old wolf study. Once upon a time Nevada Barr was a ranger on Isle Royale and an early Anna Pigeon novel was set there (A Superior Death). Barr had rangered there in the summer, but in 2007 she spent time on Isle Royale in January, so she experienced the mind and body numbing cold first hand. I won't go into plot detail or anything. Let me just say its a good read and I'm happy spring is trying to make its way to Chicago.