Murder, fraud and treasure hunting take center stage in Treasure State, a fast-paced and entertaining novel focused on exploring the lengths people will go to in the quest to obtain a financial windfall. C.J. Box has crafted another intriguing and enjoyable story sure to please fans of the Cassie Dewell/Big Sky universe.
Cassie Dewell receives a mysterious call from an individual with an unusual request - they want to hire her to see if she can find them. You see, this person is responsible for the biggest treasure hunt in the United States and wants to ensure his identity is protected to make sure whomever finds the treasure does so on their own merits by figuring out the clues in the poem that started it all. So if Cassie, an excellent private investigator, can’t find them then they will rest easy knowing their identity will remain secret. Meanwhile Cassie takes on another case to track down an accused con artist who loved and left a wealthy widow, disappearing with millions of her money and leaving her heartbroken. A case made dangerous by the fact the prior PI hired by the woman has gone missing. Which means Cassie will need to be extra vigilant to avoid the same fate.
The dichotomy of the two main plotlines is very well-done and makes for a compelling read. By having two simultaneous cases for Cassie to explore and switching back and forth between the amusing treasure hunt investigation and the treacherous search for the confidence man, Treasure State expertly balances moments of lightheartedness with tension. Which seems like a proper way to highlight the variability of cases undertaken by a private investigator and is a breath of fresh air from thrillers that solely focus on ratcheting up the tension from start to finish.
The big question is…will the storylines from Treasure State make their way into the television series Big Sky? There’s a lot of good stuff in this novel that would adapt well to the small screen and hopefully we’ll see it happen in a future season. But for now, enjoy it in book form because it’s another stellar and engaging book from C.J. Box.
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