Scott Graham Books In Order

Publication Order of National Park Mystery Books

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Scott Graham is a critically acclaimed author of mysteries from the United States who writes the National Park Mystery series.

Graham is an avid outdoorsman. The author is happiest when in nature. As such, one can often find him backpacking through the wild, river rafting and skiing. Graham has also been known to experiment with mountaineering.

So it isn’t particularly surprising that the author is best known for writing mystery novels that heavily feature the outdoors.

Scott Graham’s fascination with the wild and, in particular, national parks was sparked when he was a child. Graham’s parents were avid explorers. The author calls them National Park groupies.

Every summer, they would pile Graham and his siblings into their station wagon and then sojourn into parks all over the country. The experience was transformative for Graham. It gave him a new appreciation for nature, not to mention awakening in him a love for National Parks.

Of all the things that Graham wanted to do as a child, writing mysteries set in National parks did not feature heavily on his list. The author meandered somewhat as a young adult as he tried to find his calling in life.

He had an inkling that writing would play a role in his future. And he was right. While Scott Graham did a lot of odd jobs on his way to publishing success, this including working as a radio DJ and a coal-shoveling firearm, he also had the privilege of working as a newspaper reporter and a magazine editor.

At that particular point in time, though, the author was just trying to make a living. He wasn’t truly content until he became a published author with a dedicated fanbase which appreciated his mystery novels in ways no one ever had.

Graham started his career as a nonfiction writer. When he made the switch to fiction, the concept of the National Park Mystery series immediately appealed to him because the books he would write would permit him to talk about the locations that he so dearly loved.

His first novel (Canyon Sacrifice) immediately stood out from its many competitors. It featured an archeologist by the names of Chuck Bender whose stepdaughter was kidnapped and he was forced to get to the bottom of a deadly secret.

The book was set in the Grand Canyon and it emphasized the mystery of ancient Indian tribes that had settled in the deepest, most remote parts of the National Park.

Canyon Sacrifice set the stage for a mystery series whose installments took readers to new national parks and explored the specific attributes that made them special. That was actually how Scott Graham chose his settings.

He would think about all the National Parks he had visited and then select the one which had a unique aspect that fascinated him. ‘Mountain Rampage’, the sequel to Canyon Sacrifice took readers to Rocky Mountain National Park.

There the author delved into the history of hard-rock mining in and around the park, not to mention the dangers of poaching. After that, he threw the spotlight onto Yellowstone National Park, bringing to the attention of readers the grizzly bears and gray wolves that lived in its forests.

The decision to make Chuck Bender, the hero, an archeologist was easy. Scott Graham knew that he wanted to set each novel in the National Park Mystery series in a different park.

As such, he needed an excuse that would compel his protagonist to make appearances at different parks across the United States. It didn’t take much thinking on the part of Graham to make his protagonist an archaeologist.

The profession gave Chuck the perfect reason to stick his nose into the business of national parks in the United States.

Of course, the decision further complicated the author’s writing process because he had to do extensive research into the profession of archeology. But the work didn’t bother him.

First of all, Graham was already making regular visits to national parks for pleasure. His decision to write the National Park Mystery series gave him reason to increase the frequency of those visits if only to get an even more accurate picture of the settings about which he intended to write.

Throwing archeology into the mix only made Scott Graham’s research into the National Parks and their history more interesting. The author spends a lot of time talking to national park enthusiasts and professionals.

He also talks to scientists who help him craft some of the outlandish concepts that litter his books. Even though the author is very enthusiastic about National Parks, he works hard to balance the educational and entertainment aspects of his novels.

Graham wants to teach people to appreciate the beauty and majesty of National Parks. But he doesn’t want his stories to be lectures. The author is a pretty big fan of the mystery genre and he tries to design his stories in a way that gives his readers more to enjoy than just the descriptions of the National Parks.

The author has a wife who is an emergency physician. The couple has two sons.

+Canyon Sacrifice
Chuck Bender is an archeologist that mostly works as an independent contractor. He met and married Janelle, a young woman with two young girls. Chuck knew Janelle had a troubled past.

But he never thought it would arise to threaten their future. But then Chuck decided to take his new family to the Grand Canyon National Park to give them a taste of his work. Chuck was having a difficult enough time connecting with his two new daughters.

But then the oldest one was kidnapped from her tent and Chuck leaped into action to save her.

+Mountain Rampage
Chuck Benders is an archeologist that works with National Parks. He is also newly married and he is doing what he can to acclimate to his role as a father to two stepdaughters.

Chuck has been charged with leading a summer field-study course at Rocky Mountain National Park. A trip to the Cordero Mine takes an interesting turn when a puddle of blood is discovered. When the police come into play, suspecting Chuck’s brother-in-law of murder, the archeologist gets involved.

One Response to “Scott Graham”

1. Carol Fougere Wade: 2 years ago

   I really enjoyed all your books. It has been years though since I’ve read one. A friend of mine was interested when I told her I had read these books and so I am forwarding her the information and I’m sure she will be so happy to get them because she is currently traveling across the United States and we’ll have seen some of these things personally. thank you for yo your efforts to produce these wonderful novels.your hard work does not go unappreciated. Thank you. Cw

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