Joe Pickett has long been a staple in the western/mystery genre. Happily, C.J. Box has brought him back for a 23rd time in STORM WATCH, an exciting thriller set in Saddlestring, Wyoming. A married game warden with three grown children and a dog named Daisy, Joe has solved his fair share of murders. This time he has another chance to do his job, investigate a mysterious death and right several other wrongs.

As a dangerous storm descends upon the town, Joe is tracking bloody prints from a wounded elk that was hit by a car and gets permission to search the Double D ranch. Aware that a prominent professor from the University of Wyoming has gone missing, Joe first finds the man’s vehicle on a mountainside and then his legs sticking out of an empty building full of fans and computers that emits a strange sound. The professor was obviously murdered since the top of his head is open. Then someone takes a shot at Joe.

"C. J. Box has a stellar reputation as a mystery/thriller writer. His characters are well-limned, his plot lines intersect flawlessly, and he expertly brings his various stories to a clear and shocking conclusion."

Joe questions the rancher who owns the thousands of acres that comprise Double D, but he gets nowhere. Local law enforcement is not interested in the case thanks to the political power structure, which is made up of Governor Colter Allen, the FBI and extreme environmentalists. The sheriff claims that no signs of a body or bloody remains were found at the scene. Joe is told to mind his own business and stand down, and the governor berates him. But sometimes even a game warden is called upon to do what he believes is right. Fortunately Joe took photos of the dead man, indisputable proof that a homicide took place.

Joe hooks up with his old pal, Nate Romanowski, a former government operative who is busy crypto mining to rebuild his falconry company. He has a sketchy background and is always open to listening to nefarious schemes. When he is approached by an extremist who wants him to join a group devoted to having Wyoming secede from the Union, he listens carefully but skeptically. He does not trust the man or his mission.

Another character who makes an appearance in STORM WATCH is Geronimo Jones, who helps Joe solve crimes and is involved in Nate’s crypto mining project. The three men --- along with Joe’s oldest daughter, Sheridan, and his wife, Marybeth --- work together to solve the mysteries plaguing Saddlestring. In the meantime, the storm is barreling down on the state, burying everything in snow.

While working against the corruption that plagues Saddlestring, Joe remains true to his moral compass. He and his faithful family and friends work in spite of those who plot against them so they can get to the bottom of this grisly murder and set the record straight. His relationship with Nate is tested when the two men appear to be at odds regarding the best approach to righting the town’s wrongs. This helps raise the level of suspense and makes for some compelling reading.

C.J. Box has a stellar reputation as a mystery/thriller writer. His characters are well-limned, his plot lines intersect flawlessly, and he expertly brings his various stories to a clear and shocking conclusion. Fans and newcomers alike will not be disappointed with STORM WATCH.