Every year I have early-March circled on my reading calendar for one specific reason – Joe Pickett returns! It’s an interminable annual wait, impatiently anticipating the next adventure for Joe, Nate, Marybeth, and the whole Pickett family. Because when that book is finally in your hands, it’s like catching up with old friends you dearly love, picking up right where you left off like no time has passed at all. Maybe you don’t get to see them as often as you prefer, but like a great friendship, time and distance can’t break the emotional bond you have built over the years.
That might sound silly or sappy to some, but it’s absolutely 100% true. And therein lies the brilliance of CJ Box. He has created characters and storylines that connect to readers on a deep level. Look no further than myself as exhibit A. I’m a city slicker through and through. I have never been hunting and never went camping growing up. I’ve been to Wyoming only once in my life and it was just this past summer (side note: it was a magical camping trip to Yellowstone and The Grand Tetons. Highly recommend!). By all accounts, I never should have picked up a book about a Wyoming game warden. But I have. All 20 of them. As a result, it’s not hyperbole to say the Joe Pickett Series is an all-time favorite and one of the most anticipated books each year that I can’t wait to read.
Dark Sky is another splendid Joe Pickett adventure that I hungrily devoured in one sitting. This time out, Joe is guiding a tech mogul on an elk hunt that goes sideways when a family of local outfitters seek revenge for the devastation social media has brought upon their family. Joe must use every piece of knowledge of the area and every tool in his proverbial toolkit to outwit and outlast the determined opponent, saving himself and his charge from certain death.
In addition, others from Joe’s crew feature prominently in the book. Nate is on the warpath against an outlaw falconer who’s encroaching on his territory and his moral code. Sheridan, who is apprenticing with Nate, plays a prominent role that shows her growth into a fearless young woman who can hold her own. And Marybeth is her unstoppable brains-of-the-operation self, working behind the scenes to make things happen. For long term fans of the series, Dark Sky is incredibly satisfying.
Oh…and the ending leaves us with the possibility of a killer Nate Romanowski revenge book. I really hope that happens, though I guess it’s possible that by next year Nate has resolved that storyline and we only hear about it via flashbacks. Regardless, it’s a cruel but exciting tactic by CJ Box that will simultaneously heighten reader’s anticipation for next year’s book while making the incessant wait feel even longer. Well played Mr. Box.
Once again, CJ Box has provided a masterclass in storytelling and character development. Dark Sky is a phenomenal book, guaranteed to be enjoyed by long-time fans and newcomers alike. If you don’t listen to anything else I say, trust me on this one and immerse yourself into the Joe Pickett series immediately. You can thank me later.
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