In Plain Sight

I like Joe Pickett. He stands for something. He is a tad bit cliche in the tropes of the western hero, but that doesn't hurt. In fact, it probably helps. It helps because when Joe does something out of character, you know it. You feel it. It sits with you as being something that was absolutely necessary to do, otherwise he wouldn't have done it. The true joy of Joe Pickett books is not the mystery itself. It's not the inevitable white-knuckle climax. It's the delight in watching Joe navigate and overcome the maddeningly frustrating world of bureaucrats and governmental red tape. CJ Box knows how to torture his protagonist with the hateful, short-sighted world of pencil-pushers and micromanagers, and that's what keeps me coming back for more. I can't wait for the day when Joe finally snaps and starts slapping the holy hell out of those idiots who deserve to be slapped.