Endangered

I've been working my way through CJ Box's catalog for a while. I enjoy his work a lot, but it's not pressing for me. I like Joe Pickett, but some of his decisions frustrate me. The family dynamic is compelling, though, and with Endangered, Box proves that an old dog can sometimes have new tricks. It is, by far, one of the best books in the Joe Pickett series.

Joe's daughter, April, ran away with a cowboy at the end of the previous book, and in the first chapter of this one, Joe receives word that April has been found beaten severely, unconscious, and near death. The likely suspect is the cowboy she ran off with, Dallas Cates.

Those of you who know Joe know that if you mess with his family things are like to get a little Western...

The mystery of who really hurt April comes together nicely, and there's a subplot with the enigmatic Nate Romanowski, of course. The story twists and turns well until it arrives at a climax that merges all the loose ends into a well-written knot.

Dallas Cates's family, particularly his mother, Brenda, are an interesting nest of vipers, and Box allows that to shine through.

This is a worthy entry in the Pickett series. Well worth the time.