Endangered

Box’s writing keeps improving and the violence keeps rising. Of course everyone gets their due karma with satisfying violence. This chapter of the Pickett series is excellent reading. Box always resolves the plot in such a way that it’s both expected but in such a twist that you feel gratified because this is exactly why we read books in this genre.
I like Joe Pickett because he is us. He crosses lines that we would cross too if those situations were presented. Box keeps it “western” but there is always a moral bedrock under it all. The device he uses here of contrasting families is well done . By this time you can feel the cohesiveness of a living family we have been reading about. The other family literally implodes in shocking speed. It’s Nate to the rescue yet again. And I suspect a new character for the series that is along unexpected lines but good to see. I highly recommend this one. See done Mr .Box.

My favorite Joe Pickett story, and I think one of C.J. Box’s best works. Now, I must share some things for Box’s editors that I’m sure Joe Pickett would tell them if he could. Some readers care about the realism of the details. An entire flock of sage grouse would not stay on the lek while they were all killed. Sage grouse are more wary during courtship than are many other grouse species. Elk shed their antlers by spring green up, and so couldn’t be bull dogged by their antlers. One might run down a bull elk on a snow machine in deep snow, but not with just a few inches of snow in the sagebrush hill country. They would run back in the timber given the chance. Running a snow machine wide open through sagebrush is pretty dangerous — when a ski snags a stout bush the snow machine stops forward progress much quicker than does the rider. Since illegal outfitter camps are in violation for both State and Federal law, the Forest Service cooperates enthusiastically with game wardens on prosecuting those violations. Through two lengthy processes, RARE I and RARE II, the Forest Service inventoried all roads and wheel tracks going onto the National Forests. If you can follow them in an F-150 pickup, you can see them on an aerial photograph — specially if they go through timber. There a few, if any, secret places left in Wyoming that you can drive to with motorized transportation. By the way, I’ve been dreaming about that break in the rock wall my entire life and still haven’t found it. I’m happy to observe that Joe Pickett is becoming a better cop and not doing as many dumb things that put him in danger. Loved the book.

I will not take the time to write about the plot and storyline, as you can read this in the book description or in other reviews. Box continues to demonstrate his knack of satisfying long time readers while giving sufficient ‘back story’ to those new to this series. I did have one minor disappointment, which unfortunately many of the current mystery writers engage in. Using ‘Endangered’ as an illustration, Box uses most of the narrative laying out a very complex series of characters and events, which is great. However, as I see with some of my other favorite mystery writers, there is a tendency to ‘cram’ a great deal of facts and events into the final few pages, which always leaves me wanting. As someone that has read the entire Joe Pickett series, I am a loyal reader and can’t wait for the next book to be released. But in this case, I would have liked to see Mr. Box use more pages (and depth of discussion) to describe the ending, and tie up all the loose ends. But even with that, I highly recommend ‘Endangered’.

I’ve really enjoyed these 15 (actually 16, I read “Off the Grid” already, although I’m going to re-read it in sequence) books by CJ Box. I hope there are more by the time I finish number 19.

The narrative flows effortlessly to a startlingly suspenseful climax. Totally recommend this book to anyone who likes the outdoors and action adventure.
There were a couple of possible slips. How did Nate get in touch with Viv? She had lost her phone. Then, back on page 180 CJ had a bucket bouncing off rungs of a ladder that had already been removed. But no biggie, excellent work.

I now own all 15 books in the C.J. Box series, starring Joe Pickett, a Wyoming Game Officer. I put my order in through Amazon as soon as #15 (Endangered) was posted months ago and waited impatiently for the release date to arrive. Did I like it? I started reading it on Thursday evening, read all the way through the night, and FINALLY finished it at 5:15 A.M FRIDAY morning!! And my alarm was scheduled to go off at 6:00 A.M.!! Did I like it? Definitely! Mr. Box has written another ‘best seller’ in the Joe Pickett series, and each book gets BETTER than the previous one. A totally admirable main character, unexpected story twists that are fast paced based in the picturesque background of Wyoming. Mr. Box knows his state intimately and his description of the mountains and weather is so accurate that you actually feel that you are experiencing the weather changes along with Joe Pickett as he battles mountain snowstorms. Thoroughly entertaining reading that keeps you (definitely did ME!!) turning the next page to find out what will happens though I KNEW that my alarm was going to go off soon and I would be facing another full work day! I recommend anything that C.J. Box writes! He is definitely a gifted story teller! Sincerely, Louise Mustain May 15, 2015

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