Battle Mountain

Joe Pickett #25

by C.J. Box

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett is back in this riveting new thriller from #1 New York Times bestseller C.J. Box.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Westerns, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook

358 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2025

About the author

C. J. Box is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 24 novels including the Joe Pickett series. He won the Edgar Alan Poe Award for Best Novel (Blue Heaven, 2009) as well as the Anthony Award, Prix Calibre 38 (France), the Macavity Award, the Gumshoe Award, two Barry Awards, and the 2010 Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Award for fiction. He was recently awarded the 2016 Western Heritage Award for Literature by the National Cowboy Museum as well as the Spur Award for Best Contemporary Novel by the Western Writers of America in 2017. The novels have been translated into 27 languages.

Box is a Wyoming native and has worked as a ranch hand, surveyor, fishing guide, a small town newspaper reporter and editor, and he co-owns an international tourism marketing firm with his wife Laurie. They have three daughters. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He served on the Board of Directors for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Box lives in Wyoming.

--from the author's website

Series:
* Joe Pickett

http://us.macmillan.com/author/cjbox

Reviews

[John (JC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read! There was not a dull moment in the whole book. Nate and Geronimo are after Axel Soledad. Axel has a mixed group of people he has trained for nefarious reasons. Agent Orr is after Nate and Geronimo. And if that is not enough you have Joe Pickett wandering into a hornet’s nest while trying to find Governor Rulon’s son in law and his Guide. No one in administration is offering help. Pickett’s only support is Kany, the local game warden. Mary Beth are Sheridan are holding the fort down at home, dealing with their on unique challenges that have popped up. Put all this volatile action together guarantees and explosive ending. This is the book to read if you want a fast paced good read. Enjoy the ride on the roller coaster of excitement.

[Sandra Hoover · Rating 5 out of 5]

BATTLE MOUNTAIN is the 25th book in Author C.J. Box's epic Joe Pickett series featuring Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett. Each book in the series is a gripping, suspenseful masterpiece in characterizations, intertwined plot lines, and explosive action standing alone for the reading pleasure of new readers. However, I highly recommend readers begin with book one and settle in to enjoy a complex, captivating, highly atmospheric ride through the outstanding series with characters you'll either love or hate.

Game Warden Joe Pickett and friend Nate Romanowski, a falconer, are still reeling from a previous vicious attack on their families by a madman that left Nate utterly devastated yet determined to hunt down and wield some old timey western justice to Axel Soledad. Leaving his young daughter with Joe's wife, he disappears off the grid, a ghost in the wind, a villain's worse nightmare in the dark, to team up with Geronimo, another man suffering losses brought about by the same evil man. Joe hasn't heard from Nate in months when, once again, he's tagged to carry out a special mission by reelected Governor Rubon - this time to conduct a discreet search for his missing son-in-law and his hunting guide who've gone dark and are apparently lost somewhere in the Sierra Madre mountain range. Torn between his professional and personal duties, Joe packs his gear into his truck and heads out to touch base with the newcomer game warden in the district including Battle Mountain before heading up the treacherous mountain to begin his search. Always diligent, Joe realizes the journey is perilous; however, he has no idea of the deadly storm brewing overhead and on the ground. Nor does he know that Nate and Geronimo's search for Soledad has led them to infiltrate the same area. Joe's search quickly morphs from tracking down a lost hunter to something more sinister to all concerned. One thing's clear, there's more at stake than two lost men and when the forces of nature and good vs. evil clash, things quickly turn deadly. Will anyone survive Battle Mountain?

BATTLE MOUNTAIN is an explosive, highly atmospheric masterpiece of tautly woven plot lines, insane pacing, and relentless suspense. As always, Box captures the essence of the region with its breathtaking, serene beauty and camouflaged dangers. His descriptive prose transports readers into the towering mountains with panoramic views, deep valleys, and crystal-clear rivers to experience the power of mother nature and bear witness to the fact that she can turn on a dime according to the season and weather. Joe's constant battle to maintain his integrity and follow his high moral compass are at the heart of the story, driving agonizing decisions he's forced to make each time he's faced with stepping over that gray line for a friend. Character development is huge in each book, but greater still in the series overall. The cast is rounded out with an outstanding group of supporting characters who often find themselves trapped in deadly plots of their own. Fans of the series will devour BATTLE MOUNTAIN as I did. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy action-packed, intense suspense thrillers.
A big thank you to G.P. Putnam Sons & Author C.J. Box for a complimentary arc of this title. Opinions expressed in this review are my own. BATTLE MOUNTAIN is scheduled for release on Feb. 25, 2025. This review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is also available on my blog, Cross My Heart Reviews.

[Abibliofob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lend me your ear and I will tell you to read Battle Mountain by C.J. Box. It's the latest adventure with our favorite game warden Joe pickett, although the book is mostly centered around Nate Romanowski. Without spoiling the story I can tell you that things are about to get western. I think Box has come up with one of the few series where characters appear and reappear and they develop and become important parts of the story like no other series before. I just love it. I will recommend this book and the series to all I can think of since it is so well written and the characters are so great. I must thank Penguin Random House , G.P. Putnam's Sons and Edelweiss for letting me read this advance copy.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Action Review

An AAR or After Action Review is the overview of what happened during a military or law enforcement action citing what went right and what went wrong. The premise of this book is based on what went wrong with our military industrial complex, and how a domestic terrorist used those things to foment chaos.

In this book, Joe Pickett, is less involved than his friend, Nate Romanowski, as well as Nate’s friend Geronimo Jones. Never fear JOE gets dragged into the fray eventually along with his wife and daughter. This was one of the best books I’ve ever read from the series, with lots of intrigue, action and good people taking care of the bad guys. Like JOE says, things are going to get western in this five star book.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every year I wait patiently for the new C. J. Box books to come out. When they do, I put them on the wait list at the library so I can read them as soon as possible. I have been a fan of Box for several years now and have read everything he has written including all of the exploits of the Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett as well as the Cassie Dewell novels. For the most part, I have enjoyed all of these although recently some of his novels have contained a little too much conservative politics. Battle Mountain was a real page-turner but it did include a rather heavy dose of political views.

This is the 25th novel in the Joe Pickett series. It picks up where the last novel, Three-Inch Teeth left off. Nate Romanowski, the ex-special operative and falconer is on the trail of Axel Soledad who ruthlessly killed Nate's wife. At the same time, Joe is recruited by the Wyoming Governor asking for help in finding his son-in-law who seems to have disappeared in the Wyoming Sierra Madre near Battle Mountain where he was working with an elk outfitter. While Nate and fellow falconer Geronimo Jones are on the trail of Soledad, Joe is also in the same area looking for the Governor's son-in-law who it turns out had already met up with the very violent Soledad and his group of recruits who are planning an attack on a group of high ranking military and political personages called the Centurians who are gathering at a remote ranch in Wyoming near Battle Mountain. So will Nate and Geronimo be able to stop Soledad and get justice?

I enjoyed this one overall. It was full of action but was mostly a story about Nate with Joe playing somewhat of a secondary role. As I said, it did have some definite political points of view including a very negative view of the military commanders and the FBI. I would recommend this one but I do wish that Box would stay within the bounds of his earlier novels and leave the politics out of his stories.

[John Rumery · Rating 2 out of 5]

A slight improvement over the last CJ Box disaster- about the fake bear killing people but this was so disappointing.

Joe Pickett used to be one of my favorite series but now it feels like being in a MAGA Twilight Zone. Up is down. Down is up. Killing purple haired hippies is OK if they are "libs". Militia types are only misguided - the FBI is corrupt. Sovereign citizens and constitutional sheriffs are a western majority. Today's generation doesn't know the meaning of work. College campuses are evil breeding grounds. The Deep State is Democratic. Reading this made me think what it would be like to trapped in a Dentist office - with only Newsmax and FOX being blasted on the TV - then getting a cavity filled without anesthesia.

Making things worse, Nate can see through his falcons eyes when it flies. Yes. We now have the reincarnation of Carlos Castenada's shaman as a bitter far right vigilante falconer.

But, I resisted the urge to mark this as a DNF. Goodbye Joe. It was nice to know you.

[Viking Jam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review: This was filled with the many tropes that bludgeon thriller literature. Former spec. ops guys hunting Dr. Evil. One is black and moves like a cat. The other a falconer with a pony tail whom can see through the eyes of his pet perrigrine falcon. I am not kidding. Joe Pickett is the only one worth following but he is too good to be true along with his perfect wife and smart (x50) daughter. Yawn.

This story line was lacking a good foundation to justify hunting someone for killing reasons. The reasoning is vague, but somehow, someone died blah, blah and maybe I missed the whole story in prior works. Still, it is as limp a reason as the cultish Ivy league college students toting guns with murder on their minds. Again, not kidding.

Joe is hiking around and hears a gun go BOOM in a canyon, and immedately knows that it is a .454 Casull. Really? I have shot all my life, been in tournaments around the country and I could not tell you, without guessing, what caliber is being shot. Maybe the difference between a pistol vs. rifle vs. shotgun but no more than that. Maybe a .22LR all by itself. This must be like seeing the terrain through a Falcon's eyes kinda voodoo. The other annoying mis-representation, are that chukar fly in erratic patterns and are thus, hard to hit with a shotgun, hence the name "Devil Birds" as ascribed to in the novel. Just No. I have been hunting chukar for 50 years and they generally fly straight, with little deviation. Why some people in Wyoming and Idaho call them devil birds, is because of their ground agility. They can move rapidly up or down steep slopes.

I think Mr. Box is trying to sell novels based on his self-representation as a western kinda guy whom took people fishing. The idea that someone can see through a birds eyes when in a trance, moves this novel into the Fantasy genre.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

2.1/5

[Valleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett is back in this riveting new thriller! Battle Mountain is a story of murder and vengeance - and one of war between the good guys and the bad. The destruction that Axel Soledad and Dallas Cates wreaked on Nate Romanowski and Joe Pickett left both men in tatters in Three Inch Teeth. However ... the war is far from over!

It's my opinion that Battle Mountain doesn't work as a stand-alone. I highly recommend that you read, at the very least, Three Inch Teeth before this one. On the other hand, it's such a great series, start at #1!!

I've been reading the Joe Pickett series since 2001, when Sheridan was a wee girl trying to save a weasel in the Pickett's wood pile. The 2025 Sheridan is a force to be reckoned with. I love her! I also thoroughly enjoyed Nate's friend, Geronimo Jones, and I hope he shows up again.

Battle Mountain is such a page turner! I hated it when real life got in the way and I had to stop reading!! Seriously.

HUGE thanks to #GPPutnamsSons for providing this book for review consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. This book is #25 in the series, and it has an expected publication date of Feb 25, 2025.

#CJBox #Thriller #Vengeance #GameWarden #Friendship

[Allison Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be my favorite of all the Joe Pickett books. Definitely in the top two or three. It resolves a continuing storyline to my complete satisfaction -- especially after the emotional roller coaster of the last book. I'd give this 10 stars if I could.

I listened to the audio book at 1.3X speed.

[Daniel Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

The governor asks Joe to find his son-in-law, last seen on a somewhat remote Battle Mountain. And Nate and his friend are out for revenge to kill Axel Soledad. Soledad murdered Nate’s wife and tried to kill his friend’s family. They are tracking Soledad to the same mountain. Joe and Nate are initially unaware of each other’s missions. However, Joe and Nate both learn separately that Soledad has a plan to assassinate a group of government leaders on an annual retreat to a resort on the mountain. Soledad is a former soldier angry at the way leadership is handling our military. And the group is called The Centurions; a private, secretive organization largely responsible for running the military. A great series, a great cast of characters, and a great story teller. My favorite Wyoming game warden!

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could have, should have been better.

[Jeremy Peers · Rating 5 out of 5]

C.J. Box's series might be named after Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett, but Battle Mountain is the Nate Romanowski show. Just as the good Lord intended. And Nate Romanowski is one of the last people I'd want hunting me. While Nate is scorching the earth, the governor asks Joe to find his idiot son-in-law and will run headfirst into Nate's path.
For me, C.J. Box is the ultimate 'don't judge a book by its cover' author. Cowboys, hunting and fishing, horses, and the dusty range aren't my jam. However, I quickly learned the not my-jams were very much indeed my-jams. The outdoors stuff is a vehicle into the real essence of the Joe Pickett series: family, friendship, personal growth, loyalty, courage, doing what's right no matter what.
Thanks to G.P. Putnam's & Sons for the advanced copy of Battle Mountain via NetGalley.

[Lu Paddock · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read all 25 of the Joe Pickett series written by CJ Box...so disappointed in this latest book. So predictable and far too political. Mr. Box, please get back to hunting, fishing and game warden stories; I miss the old Joe Pickett lore.

[Ike Lajoie · Rating 4 out of 5]

CJ Box...always a good read!!! Box is a damn good writer!!!

[Terri Mulks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series but there wasn’t enough of Joe in this one!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

In C.J. Box’s 25th and newest Joe Pickett novel - “Battle Mountain” – we pick up the pieces of destruction that took place in last year’s book “Three-Inch Teeth”. Dallas Cates and Axel Soledad wreaked havoc and death on Joe and Nate Romanowski’s families, leaving them in emotional tatters.

When “Battle Mountain” begins, Nate is off the grid again and hunting for Soledad, seeking revenge for the man who caused him so much personal pain and loss. Unfortunately, Nate is also realizing his time living on the grid in a civilized manner has made soft and vulnerable, and he needs to find and renew his killer instinct in order to accomplish what needs to be done. This time, Nate realizes that he will need help, and he knows exactly where to go for it…

As for Alex Soledad, he’s not sitting around waiting for Nate to attack. He’s busy on a mission of his own, gathering weapons, ex-military soldiers and anti-government protestors in preparation for an attack on the country’s most powerful military and defense contractors. If he succeeds, Soledad can strike at the heart of America’s highest military leadership.

At the same time the game warden in the county of Twelve Sleep, Wyoming, has been called to meet with Governor Rulon who has a personal favor to ask. Rulon’s got his nephew, Mark Eisele, a job working with an elk-hunting guide near Battle Mountain. The problem is that his nephew and the guide have gone missing. Rulon needs Joe to go find them before word gets out to the press and public that the Governor’s nephew can’t be found. More importantly, before Rulon’s wife and his daughter, Mark’s wife, find out and hold Rulon responsible.

Joe heads out to Warm Springs, where he and the local game warden, Susan Kany, begin their search for the two missing men. Joe is trying to keep things under the radar, but things are not going well for him. Local law enforcement is not believing anything he says, and Susan knows that he’s withholding key information.

What neither Joe nor Nate realize is that both of their paths are headed for an ultimate showdown with their biggest enemy, who will be executing his biggest act of retribution of his own, at Battle Mountain…

I have now finished all 25 of C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett novels (and related short story collection). Most of them binged over the last six months. And what a rewarding this reading experience has been for me. Many hours of fun, thrilling, and emotional connections have been made with Joe, Marybeth, their daughters, Nate, their friends, associates, and supporting characters.

On a personal note, Governor Rulon has been one of my absolute favorites. His fast thinking, always several steps ahead of everyone else, and charismatic no-nonsense attitude in dealing with others makes him so interesting to me. And he serves an important role in both putting Joe in dangerous situations yet also be his biggest political protector.

“Battle Mountain” also introduced two new characters that I hope we get to see again in future books. There’s FBI Special Agent Rick Orr, who’s been tracking Nate’s activities for a while. Usually, FBI agents have played the role of bad guys or spoilers in the series, but Orr seems to be different, a more rebel-type-of government agent that bucks the system and could play a potential role in Nate’s future activities. Who knows. We’ll see. The other one is lawyer, Cheryl Tuck-Smith, a seven-foot-tall lawyer. We don’t learn a lot about her, but her interactions with Nate was interesting. She could also play a role with Nate and Geronimo in future storylines.

Let me add a few comments about why I enjoyed this book and series, and then one constructive piece of feedback about how I felt on the ending of this one.

C.J., Box has done so many wonderful things with these Joe Pickett novels. The plotting, characters, and settings mix together in a masterful recipe in the mystery/thriller genre using a modern western style that delivers a winning formula. In my opinion, his plotting skills are excellent, especially as weaves storylines over multiple books, setting things up in one that will come back and pay off in later books. It made me glad that he had already published over 20 books when I started this series, so I could just pick up the next one after finishing the last one. Unfortunately, now that I’m all caught up, I have to wait a year between each book, and that really sucks. Oh well.

For me, C.J. Box’s strongest skill is his characters, built on the foundation of Joe Picket, his wife, Marybeth, and three daughters, and Joe’s brother from another mother, Nate, who serves as Joe’s physical protector much like Hawk does for Spenser in Robert B. Parker’s classic mystery series. Nate takes care of the things that Joe’s personal code won’t allow him to do. Nate and Hawk are two of my all-time favorite literary characters.

I also want to add that C.J. Box writes some of the strongest female characters. Marybeth is smart, analytical, mentally and emotionally strong. So are her daughters – Sheridan, April, and Lucy – each in their own ways. I am strongly endeared to Sheridan, watching her grow into an independent, headstrong woman and falconer. I love April’s robust spirit after all that she’s been through and suffered from. I would love to see her private investigator role be explored in future books. I also look forward to seeing Lucy’s future, which should be bright and full of potential success.

These characters, their relationships, strengths, weaknesses, challenges, conflicts, and growth, are what drives this series. Their love of family and each other, is the heart of this series. It is C.J. Box’s secret sauce that compels his readers to keep coming back over and over again to find out what happens next to them. Joe’s family is our family. Nate’s battles are our battles. Joe and Marybeth’s daughters are our daughters. What happens to them, happens to us. It is personal. And that is the magic C.J. Box delivers to us. It’s why I keep coming back.

My only complaint about “Battle Mountain” is that I feel like C.J. Box was short when it came to the book’s ending.

** WARNING – BRIEF SPOILERS FOLLOW ** ** WARNING – BRIEF SPOILERS FOLLOW **

There were several storylines that were missing their payoff moments. For example, I loved Sheridan’s moment of strength with Sherriff Bishop, but the outcome of their interaction is not shown, takes place offscreen, and is only referenced to briefly. I felt robbed of not experiencing that moment directly, as well feeling like that part of the storyline was set-up and then just dropped at its most crucial moment. Also, Nate’s reunion with his daughter is also offscreen and only referenced to briefly. I also felt robbed of not experiencing that moment directly. Missing the emotional payoffs left me feeling letdown and disappointed. Maybe that’s just me, but after such emotional set-up it feels wrong not to get the payoff side of it.

** END OF BRIEF SPOILERS ** ** END OF BRIEF SPOILERS **

Overall, this was a strong 5-star rating until the end. Per my comments on missing out on two of the emotional payoffs, I am knocking it down half-a-star to 4.5-stars. I realize that this rather immaterial and may come across as petty to some readers. If so, I understand. I am still loving “Battle Mountain” and the Joe Pickett series, which has easily become one of my favorites.

Now, I just have to sit back and wait a year until the next one comes out… That feels like a long time from now…

[Debbie Wentworth Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a year since Axel Soledad murdered Nate Romanowski's wife Liv (in Three-Inch Teeth). At that time, Nate gave his toddler daughter to Marybeth and Joe Pickett for safekeeping and his bird abatement business to their oldest daughter, Sheridan, to run while he was gone. Nate had two goals: to get closer to the natural state of a predator, called yarack among falconers, and to put Axel closer to nature, via a casket. Joe and Marybeth have enjoyed caring for Kestrel and looking forward to having grandchildren.

When Joe receives a call from Governor Rulon's aide, he knows it's trouble, but Rulon has gotten him and Nate out of trouble more than once, so he can't turn the governor down. Rulon had advised his nerdy son-in-law to take some time to toughen up by assisting a popular outfitter. However, the two men have disappeared, and Rulon's wife and daughter don't realize it. Rulon sends Joe south to seek them around Battle Mountain.

Geronimo Jones, a friend of Nate's and fellow falconer, finds Nate by contacting Sheridan. Axel has burned Geronimo's house, but Geronimo has a lead on him, a lead that will take them to Battle Mountain.

Meanwhile, some of the nation's most important men from the military industrial complex and their wives have gathered for their annual Centurion getaway, a secret society, at a ranch near Battle Mountain. Nearby, a group of bitter vets and campus Wokesters led by Axel Soledad plan to strike a blow against those who send them to war and then act as if they're fodder.

C. J. Box is one of my favorite secular writers. I like Joe Pickett who is a good, decent family man, devoted to his wife, children, and personal integrity. He has the reputation for fining a governor for fishing without a fishing license and for being the state employee who has cost the state the most money in damaged trucks. Joe is the old-fashioned man who will try to do right even if it costs him and who has to find answers to problems, a True Grit type of guy.

As in most of Box's stories, the reader can expect plenty of action. I read this book in two days, which means some things didn't get done at my home that should have. It is an exciting and fun story for readers who like thrillers.

[Carol Crane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really used to love this series. But I think this might be the last one I read. Goodbye Joe Pickett. It was good knowing you.

[MR. JAN PIOTROWSKI · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bad

Not the best kind of boring save your money. In fact the last two books were just O.k. Mr. Box seems to be losing his toucch.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Battle Mountain is the 25th book in the Joe Pickett Series from CJ Box.

"Nate Romanowski drops off the grid after Dallas Cates kills his wife. Nate knows that Alex Soledad is responsible, so he starts searching for him, wanting his revenge.

The governor asks Joe Pickett to help find his son-in-law who disappeared along with the guide he was working with. Joe and the local game warden trace him to the area of Warm Springs.

They have no idea their paths will converge at Battle Mountain."

This series has always included falconry and it's even more prevalent in this book. There are even a couple of "Woo-woo" moments with Nate and one of his birds. Soledad is one of those charismatic bad guys that seems to be able to convince people to do bad things. (There's also a funny oat milk moment.)

Box has shown he is not afraid to kill any character and there are tense moments with some family. The final scenes on Battle Mountain are pretty wild.

I am not an outdoorsy person but I still enjoy these stories. Joe and Nate are great characters and this is another great story from Box.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Again, Box focuses way too much on right-wing politics. I'm tired of Nate being such a prominent character in the books since "Forces of Nature" was published. I liked Nate more when he was just a secondary character, I don't find him that interesting. If Box continues to put right-wing conspiracy politics as the center of his stories I'm done with the series. Please Box, get back to basics. "Free fire" is my favorite Pickett novel. I loved how you could tell Box really loved Yellowstone National Park, or his passion for talking about problems with wind power, stock detectives taking on environmental activists. Those were fantastic stories, and you could still tell Box was more conservative. Now he just seems to have his stories revolve around something that pissed him off on Fox News or Newsmax.

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally caught up, and one of my least favorite story arcs has been closed! Win/win.

Axel Soledad has been lurking around the last few Pickett novels. He's a scumbug who uses up other people to further his wacko political agenda. Battle Mountain sees Nate and Geronimo track him across a few states only to wind up back in Wyoming at an exclusive enclave hosting the top US military bigwigs for cabalistic gathering.

Spencer Rulon, meanwhile, has been elected governor again after the last guy left office in disgrace. He's tapped Joe for another special "range rider" mission: Rulon's son-in-law and his hunting guide are missing, and apparently only Joe can find them.

That's all there is! Until next February anyway, when I presume CJ Box will publish another edition. Whew, go me!

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, another excellent Joe Pickett novel.

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long a favorite series of mine - this is the 25th installment - this one puts Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett in more of a background role, centering more on his falconer buddy Nate Romanowski. After Nate got married and had a daughter, he put his raptor talents up for sale in a legitimate business - aided by Sheridan Pickett, daughter of Joe and his wife Marybeth. But Nate's situation changed dramatically in the previous book (what happened I won't say to spoil things for those who haven't read it), and he turned the business over to Sheridan, his daughter Kestral over to Joe and Marybeth and once again headed off the grid.

Actually, Nate is out to find Axel Soledad, the man responsible for his troubles and return to the wild. As it turns out, Nate wasn't the only one hurt by the guy, though; his friend Geronimo Jones is also on the hunt. So, they team up, hoping to eliminate Alex outright - or at least render him incapable of harming anyone else.

As their quest gets under way, Joe's is just beginning; his old friend, once again the governor of Wyoming, calls him in to ask a favor. His son-in-law, it seems, went off on some kind of elk-hunting expedition and seems to have gone missing. To avoid worrying his daughter and aggravating his wife for recommending the excursion, the governor wants Joe to track him down on the Q.T.

The story follows both search efforts (mostly those of Nate and Geronimo), until - no surprise here - they begin to merge. Of course, everything takes place in remote places, where cell phone coverage is spotty at best and not watching where your feet are going can prove dangerous (as can some nasty folks with powerful weapons and no qualms at all about who they're pointed at). All told, it's an exciting adventure with a few edge-of-seat moments and an ending that promises fodder for the next installment - to which, of course, I'm looking forward. For now, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Battle Mountain CJ Box
Another Nail Biter...
The build-up of the storyline in Battle Mountain is slow, taunting the reader towards Joe's favorite line when Nate is involved... its "gonna get western" and western it gets. Geronimo Jones shows up and has joined forces with Nate. This new team has been pushed to a whole new level with Nate in tuned with his falcons and Geronimo's firearms. After Box's last book, 3-inch Teeth, Nate is seeking revenge for the murder of his wife, Liv by Axel Soledad. Nate's disappeared off the grid and even the Pickett's have had no contact. It "gets western" somewhere around the last several chapters. I could feel the storyline building to a climatic ending. I had to put the book down several times during the last 5 chapters as it made me anxious. I gave this book 5☆s for creativity, storyline and how well it held my attention. I don't know where CJ Box gets his ideas, but I hope he doesn't run out anytime soon. CJ Box is one of my top three favorite authors. I won't provide the upcoming reader with detailed spoilers as it's not fair to them. I can tell you that all my favorite characters and not so favorite characters are in this book and it held my attention to the very last page.

[Joy]

I love Joe Pickett. He's a great character. He's getting older, but he wears his experience well. Joe wants the best for everyone and appreciates peace and quiet. I appreciate Joe. His place in the world is enviable. I would gladly read about his adventures, no matter how ridiculous, for another twenty-five books.

Nate Romanowski, not so much. Apparently, while he was missing in the caves a million books ago, he got a guest spot on Game of Thrones and learned how to warg into his falcon. I forgive a lot in a detective series, but I can't forgive that kind of nonsense. If I want fantasy, I'll read horror or, ya'know, fantasy. He's gone from being a handy guy to have around to a tragic deus ex machina that can't lose in battle. It's boring. Nate sucked most of the fun out of the book for me.

I'd welcome Nate's departure from the series. Stick him with the pointy end. Geronimo would make a nice replacement. He's badass, but normal. Kind of like Joe.

I can't rate this with the usual stars. If it were a book about Nate, it would be one mostly undeserved star. Cut Nate out, and I loved it! Sheridan got to shine, and her role made me laugh.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always a pleasure to receive an ARC of a Joe Pickett novel and I immediately dive in with anticipatory glee. I have never read one I didn’t like and this one does not disappoint. Filled with the beauty of the West and characters that meld so well together, I found myself wanting to belong to this band of friends and join their posse in the fight against evil and injustice.

Does this one have a dramatic ending? Add it to your reading list for next year and you will have your answer. Don’t miss it!

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yawn, another brain dead revenge story with fan pandering this time. Welcome back Governor. Feels like a rehash of an earlier novel in the series. This is your typical Joe Pickett-cookie cutter story. Don’t expect much and you won’t be disappointed. With the ending of the last book and the beginning of this one, I have to wonder if Box even knows who these characters are anymore. Romanowski is completely out of character. The Nate I used to know would never abandon his child, hell he’s never abandoned Joe’s children.

[Vannetta Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment in the Joe Pickett series. One way to know a good series, and a good writer, is when you don't get tired of the characters! I was so happy to see Joe and Nate and Geronimo and the entire Pickett clan.

The pace is excellent, the storyline believable, and the ending satisfying.
Is the plotline a bit "right" leaning? It is. But that seems natural to me, given Joe Pickett's location and profession, and I didn't feel like Box leaned too heavily on it.

Looking forward to the next one!
Note: Some language and violence as is customary in the genre.

[Tannis T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have always liked the Joe Pickett books, but this might be the last one I read. Nate can see through his falcon's eyes??? Really??!! Come on. And the whole thing is just leaning toi far right for me.