Nevada Barr (born March 1, 1952) is an American author of mystery fiction.

Although Barr was born in Yerington, Nevada, she was named not after her state of birth but after a character in one of her father's favorite books.

[2] Barr trained in drama and was a professional actor on stage and in voice-overs for 18 years after receiving her master's degree at University of California at Irvine.

She lived in New York City and Minneapolis and had a brief early marriage before moving to Clinton, Mississippi, to work as a Park Ranger and where she married her second husband.

Pigeon is a law enforcement ranger with the United States National Park Service.

The books in the series take place in various national parks (and other protected areas) where Pigeon solves murders that are often related to natural resource issues.

Her husband developed an interest in the physical environment and took a position in the National Park Service.

Her husband took an early retirement in 1996 and shortly after, Nevada resigned her position to write full time.

The award recognizes an individual or organization that has effectively communicated the values of the National Park System to the American public.