Out of Range (Joe Pickett Series #5) by C. J. Box

From the Publisher

A good friend and fellow game warden has killed himself, and Joe Pickett's been chosen to temporarily run his district. Compelled to investigate his friend's suicide, he watches his own life spiral out of control the closer he comes to the truth-and soon realizes that he could be the next victim.

Publishers Weekly

In Box's taut, suspenseful fifth Joe Picket novel (after 2004's Trophy Hunt), the Wyoming game warden is temporarily transferred from his backwater base, Saddlestring, to Jackson, a sophisticated tourist mecca, to replace warden Will Jensen, who apparently shot himself to death. Joe has his doubts about Will's "suicide," but little time to investigate given other distractions: a vast and remote territory to patrol, questionable practices by a hunting outfitter, pressure to approve an exclusive housing development on a wildlife trail and protests by animal rights activists. At home, Joe's contentious wife, Marybeth, deals with mysterious threats and daughter Sheridan's teenage angst. To complicate matters further, Joe's reputation as a hardheaded law enforcer, unwilling to play politics, precedes him. Unusual for the genre, the skillfully orchestrated climax doesn't include a chase and the conclusion is ambivalent. Adept at setting his scenes, physically and psychologically, Box approaches Nevada Barr in his ability to describe the West's natural beauty. With each book he creates plots of greater complexity, but in contrast to his ever more nuanced male characters, his women remain too often flirtatious or angry. Agent, Ann Rittenberg. Author tour. (May 5) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Saddlestring, WY, game warden Joe Pickett (Trophy Hunt) takes a temporary assignment in upscale Jackson, when friend and coworker Will Jensen dies from an apparent suicide. Joe immediately finds himself embroiled in the community's political games as various factions-animal rights activists, environmental extremists, and old-time hunters-compete for his endorsement. After his pickup truck is set afire, Joe becomes convinced that Will's death was a homicide, probably at the hands of one of these groups. His refusal to sign off on a building permit earns him the community's enmity, but it's not until an unforgettably tense trip into the high country that he realizes just how many people want him dead. Though a subplot involving wife Joe's wife, Marybeth, stretches credibility, Box's depiction of family tensions rings true. This fifth in a series is a Western lover's mystery, relying heavily on guns and honor; clearly, Joe's the real sheriff in town. Changing venue opens up future plot possibilities for the likable hero. Recommended for libraries with other series titles and for Tony Hillerman and Michael McGarrity fans. Box lives near Cheyenne.-Teresa L. Jacobsen, Santa Monica P.L., CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Crime-fighting Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett outdoes himself during a temporary transfer from sleepy Saddlestring to fashionable Jackson Hole. Will Jensen, the Jackson game warden, was a great guy and a model warden, but once his wife left him six months ago, he spiraled into madness and suicide, and now Joe's been called to replace him. The transition is anything but smooth. There's no question of Joe's family coming with him, so he's reduced to hoping he can get a signal for the cell-phone calls he squeezes into his busy schedule. En route to his new posting, Joe has to pursue a marauding grizzly. He arrives to meet a formidable series of challenges. Cantankerous outfitter Smoke Van Horn wants to go on attracting elk with illegal salt licks without the new warden's interference. Animal Liberation Network activist Pi Stevenson wants him to publicize her cause and adopt a vegan diet. Developer Don Ennis wants to open a housing development for millionaires who like their meat free of additives. Ennis's trophy wife Stella simply wants Joe-and he wants her back. As he wrestles with these demands, and with a supervisor riled over Joe's track record of destroying government property in pursuit of bad guys (Trophy Hunt, 2004, etc.), Joe slowly becomes convinced that Will did not kill himself. Joe's fifth case is his best balanced, most deeply felt and most mystifying to date: an absolute must.. . . Burke, James LeeCRUSADER'S CROSSSimon & Schuster (336 pp.)$25.95CD $29.95cassette $49.95Jul. 12, 2005

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