Free Fire

This one took place in Yellowstone National park. I thought the Yellowstone Zone of Death was something the author made up. Nope! He mentions at the end of the book that the Zone of Death and the microbes are real. I looked on line for more information on the Zone of Death. Scary. I enjoyed the book, and I liked it even more that I was able to learn some true information. Being set in Yellowstone was another plus.

This was worth staying up late to finish! After all the changes Joe experienced in the last installment, In Plain Sight, I knew we were in for a big adventure with Free Fire! The Governor is sending Joe to Yellowstone National Park to investigate the murder of four campers and to "quietly" look into the activities of the confessed killer, a lawyer who weaseled his way out of murder charges. As usual, Joe finds a lot more than he bargains for in a wild country that will not be tamed or controlled by any man. I enjoyed seeing Joe's confidence again. It was great to see him working with Nate and I particularly liked the moments when Marybeth joined in to help the investigation. Having the three of them working side by side was a rare treat! Doomsayer's predictions and the normal level of precautions required around the geysers and hot springs added a unique element of danger that kept me flying through the pages! Yellowstone became more than just a setting. It became a living breathing force that Joe constantly battled, embraced, questioned, and respected. This is a must read for C. J. Box fans!

Nice job, C.J.-- our hero Joe Pickett is (re)hired by a slimy politician governor to search out killings in Yellowstone, out of his jurisdiction; murder investigation by a game warden. Then, the family shows up; you knew they were in danger from the first hour of the listen. Nate takes care of business and some really bad parkies get their comeuppance. Great book. 7th in the series--where's number eight?

I learned so much about Yellowstone National park in this story of backstabbing, insanity and murders. Joe Pickett, the hero, has lost his game warden job. It was only a matter of time. But the new Wyoming Governor has decided to turn Joe into a sleuth by sending him on a Mission Impossible-type position. Find out why a prominent lawyer killed four people and who else was involved. An excellent tale from an author that I enjoy more each book!

I read a C.J. Box book a couple of months ago after hearing him interviewed on WAMC. I like it a lot, Badlands, and I picked this one up at a library book sale recently. The other book is not part of the Joe Pickett series. This is the first one the series that I have read, it is the seventh one, out of 16 now, and I'll be reading more. Although there were references in the book to past events that must have been the subject of previous entries in the series, I did not feel like I was missing anything by reading this book first, and the book was fully understandable despite not knowing the history of the characters. Joe has been fired from his position as a State Game Warden, and is working as a foreman for a ranch, when the Governor offers to reinstate him if he agrees to investigate some murders that occurred in Yellowstone National Park. A lawyer had killed four employees of a franchise that operates the Park's hotels. One of the victims had sent an email to the Governor that implied that the State's revenues were in jeopardy. The lawyer got away with the murders because they occurred in a part of the park within the boundaries of Idaho, and due to a legal loophole, no criminal proceeding would be brought against him. Joe's investigation pits him against the Park Service and the FBI, who resent his interference with their operations and second-guessing of the investigation that they conducted. And as he gets closer to the truth, more people start getting killed, and Joe and his family are in jeopardy. This is high quality crime fiction. I was entranced and wanted to keep reading the book once the plot took off, after Joe gets to Yellowstone.