Blood Trail

This was one of the best Joe Pickett novels yet. I especially liked the way that Joe is more respected (even grudgingly) instead of ridiculed and and treated badly through the first half of the story. The plot is strong and well executed and the suspense is constant. Not a huge thing, but my only issue is the way the bad guy tells his parts in italics – that is very annoying and I wish novelists wouldn’t do that. Believe me, readers know who’s talking and do not need page after page of hard-to-read italics to set those parts off. As always, I love Joe’s wife, Marybeth, and her contributions to the tale. Joe’s interesting relationship with the governor and the flash back to his training days were spot on – just right. It was wonderful to have Nate back in the story, too – what an original and realistic character! It was also fun to see another state issued truck destroyed. There was a “surprise” at the end, but I had already guessed whodunit – and I’m quite proud of that (wasn’t so easy). All the clues were there from the beginning, but it took me more than three quarters of the book to guess it. It was simply a great read. I’ve already put the next one on my Kindle. Even though there is never a cliffhanger in this series, if you are thinking of reading it, you will have more fun if you start with the first one – Open Season (2001).

Did anyone proof read this? My concern is not with the plot, characters or prose, it’s the constant confusion I encountered having to go back and check facts. He had the keys to an Escalade turned over to him and the next thing I read he is in a Yukon and then back in an Escalade and then turns the Yukon back in for his repaired pick up. Come on Man, what’s he driving? On Tuesday he makes pancakes, reads the FBI file, etc. The next chapter begins, “For the rest of Saturday and Sunday…” We discover it was actually Tuesday and Wednesday after all and then he wants to meet with the FBI informant Wednesday night after the informant has checked in with the FBI. Unfortunately the informant checks in on Mondays and Thursdays. Come on Man, what day is it? These are just two examples, there are more.

I have been reading C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett books now for several years and have had to purchase the ones that my library doesn’t have. In doing this, I have read a few out of chronological order but this really isn’t a problem and doesn’t spoil the ones that I missed and go back to read. I think that what drew me to this series was Mr. Box’s colorful description of the land, forests, nature and wildlife and infusing them with suspenseful plot lines and characters.

I won’t even go into the story as many of the other reviews have done quite a good job of that, but will focus more on his development of Joe Pickett and his family and the many people that enter their lives. He puts as much detail into Joe’s horses and dog as he does the unfolding stories and they become familiar friends. I have gained much insight into the lives of game wardens and their families and realize that this is a very tough, underpaid career that is generally done for the love of nature and right and wrong. They certainly don’t do it to get rich or for the short work hours.

A tv series based on Joe Pickett would be a winner, kind of like the Longmire series except with more nature. C.J. Box writes from experience and has created many enjoyable reading hours for me.

For me, this book in the series was not quite as good. Although the storyline was diverse, the outdoors, nature, and game warden-ish aspects were not and took a back seat as compared to previous books in the series. Similarly, the enviro-politics in this book are limited to anti-hunting (boring, old topic) and nothing else. Some of it not as believable as I’d like. Good ending though. As other reviewers have noted, there are some minor story inconsistencies (driving an Escalade or a Yukon example) and editorial issues like full-word CAPITAL LETTERS where they don’t belong at beginning of several paragraphs.

This is my last Joe Pickett novel. C.J. Box continues to present me with a loser-type character whose career is going nowhere. Worse, sizeable portions of the narrative are presented from the standpoint of Pickett’s family. His daughters and wife are always in danger, always whining, and finally, uninteresting. Pickett solves crimes that his superiors never give him credit for solving. C.J. Box needs to take a clue from Lee Child and Vince Flynn. These authors know better that Box that characters that try to do the right thing but continually fail are tolerable only in short doses.

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