Migrations of Butterflies and Lies

Migrations of Butterflies and Lies by J.M. Mitchell

In 1765, Capitan Juan Rivera and a company of men left Santa Fe with orders to find a route into what is now Colorado, to look for gold and silver. He made two trips, found a little silver, and was largely forgotten by history.

Over 250 years later, a leather-bound journal is discovered. It claims Rivera wasn’t so much forgotten as he had chosen to disappear. He had plans—plans disrupted by a Comanche raid, but not before Rivera hid gold near present day Piedras Coloradas National Park.

In Mexico, a butterfly biologist is murdered. That same night, an archeologist was killed near the park. Nothing suggested the murders—miles apart—are connected. They are.

These and other events, seemingly unconnected, put Ranger Jack Chastain on a quest for answers. 

J.M. (Jerry) Mitchell had a long career with the National Park Service and knows the challenges of protecting beloved places. He retired as Chief of the agency's Biology Division, after working in Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks. He now writes national park mysteries.

In his latest Jack Chastain adventure, Jerry Mitchell captures the landscape and drama of the American Southwest, creating a strong sense of place while keeping the action galloping. His fully-wrought characters, not just steely-eyed men but strong, authentic women, wrestle with contemporary conflicts and issues in an austere and ancient landscape that Mitchell brings fully to life. A great read that doesn’t back away from the struggles of the modern West.  -Mary Taylor Young, author of Bluebird Seasons, witnessing climate change in my piece of the wild

In Migration of Butterflies and Lies, J.M. Mitchell has created a suspenseful and complex tale that masterfully interweaves human greed and exploitation with the malicious harm being done to and destruction of our natural world and to native cultural treasures. In the telling, Mitchell explores the root causes and effects of the social pathologies afflicting American culture. Migration of Butterflies and Lies not only captivates, it also helps to further educate the reader about the treasures our national parks hold and the never-ending work it takes to maintain their legacy and integrity.

• Jerry Fabyanic, Award Winning Author of Sisyphus Wins, The Lion’s Den, and Food for Thought: Essays on Mind and Spirit

"Unscrupulous interest groups and nefarious motives rule in this complex, close-to-life Southwestern cross-border thriller of a murderous struggle for gain and control, which is as historic as it is acutely contemporary. Mitchell's book is palpably driven by the author's deep care for our natural environment and cultural heritage, his concern a clarion call to stand up for what so desperately needs protecting." - Katayoun Medhat, author of The Milagro Mysteries