
As you progress through the series, its characters and its many plot-twists, you’ll learn much about the great western outdoors, game, environmentalism, the green and not-so-green energy industries, and falconry. Joe is the kind of person we need more of: devoted, loyal, honest, and doggedly stubborn. He’s a man of few words, a lousy shot, and sincerely tries to do the right thing. Everyone, it seems, knows Joe as the game warden who gave the governor a citation for fishing without a license.

Joe finds himself drawn into investigating - officially or “off-the-books” - murders, exploding cows, crazed environmentalists, and gangster violence. Spanning 20 novels (so far), we follow Joe Pickett, an underpaid and over-extended Wyoming game warden, described as “lean and of medium height” and his experiences as a loving husband (his wife dabbles in many professions in the series, most notably as a librarian!) and father of three girls.įrequent characters include a mysterious ex-special forces falconer friend committed to protecting Joe and his family, narcissistic bosses, crooked sheriffs, a gold-digging mother-in-law and self-serving politicians. Box’s Joe Pickett series checks all those boxes and more and yet somehow makes for compelling reading for both my wife and me. While not fans of westerns, hunting, or mysteries, C.J.

Review by Brian Auger, county library administrator
