When a cougar attacks a hiker in Mesa Verde National Park, the Landons have another mystery on their hands. Jack and Ashley are used to visiting parks with their wildlife veterinarian mother and photographer father, but this time their hands are full with a foster child called Lucky Deal. As Lucky and Jack become friends, Ashley becomes suspicious: What did Lucky take from the burn site? Who did she call in the night? In a midnight showdown at Spruce Tree House, Jack realizes there's more to fear than a killer cat. Cliff-Hanger weaves Native American folklore, natural science, and geography into a heart-pounding thriller. The afterword by Will Morris, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services at Mesa Verde, outlines the dangers of cougar attacks and the need to protect wild animals.
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Alane Ferguson is an award-winning writer. Her first mystery, Show Me the Evidence, won the Edgar Award, given by the Mystery Writers of America. She lives in Elizabeth, CO.
Award-winning author Gloria Skurzynski has written almost 60 children's books. Her non-fiction book, Almost the Real Thing, won the American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award. She has written several nonfiction books for National Geographic, including Are We Alone, an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book for Young People and an IRA/CBC Young Adults' Choice for 2006. She lives in Boise, ID.