Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, Gumshoe, and Barry Award winner C. J. Box's novels featuring game warden Joe Pickett are full of breathtaking thrills. Cold Wind, the 11th tale in the series, finds Pickett's mother-in-law suspected of murdering her husband. Pickett cannot stand the woman, and all the evidence is pointing straight toward her. Caught up in an investigation that is already personal, Pickett tries his best to keep things from getting too messy.
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"How can a C. J. Box Joe Pickett book be anything but good? If you like a mystery set in Idaho (my home state) that includes the great outdoors, great pacing, good characters, a jaw-dropping climax and a cliffhanger that will have me running to the bookstore when the next one comes out, then try C. J. Box. But go back to the beginning and read them all...you won't want to miss a thing...."
— Carolyn (4 out of 5 stars)
“Satisfying…If you’ve never heard coyotes howl through a Yellowstone night or seen the dawn break over the Tetons, Cold Wind will serve as a first-rate travelogue.”
— Washington Post“Searing…Box parlays a heady mix of Wisconsin politics and the advent of wind power into a deadly brew. This engaging series just keeps getting better with each new entry.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“David Chandler’s lean narration is a wide-open corral gate to the series. He deftly portrays Joe and excels at depicting his complicated friend, Nate Romanowski, with his burned voice and cowboy silences. Listeners will delight in twists that continue into the last chapter—and the epilogue.”
— AudioFile“Chandler reads this intriguing blend of courtroom drama and investigative account with a deft touch, offering listeners a near-perfect representation of Joe’s character…Befitting the writing style, Chandler shifts tones and rhythms to reflect tenseness as the plot escalates. In a case leading to a classic courtroom revelation and fully satisfying ending…Chandler does great justice to the novel. A real treat.”
— Booklist (audio review)“The mystery is strong…and the revelations about wind farms will curl your hair no matter which side you’re on.”
— Kirkus Reviews" Follow up to nowhere to run. Don't think we've heard the last of Joe Pickett & Nate Romanowski. Interesting info on wind generation and the controversy regarding renewable energy "
— Mary, 1/21/2014" Quick Read. It was a good set up to what's happening next to Joe and Nate! "
— Marci, 12/28/2013" I liked it because I'm familiar with the setting. I intend to follow up on the Joe Pickett series. "
— Anne, 12/12/2013" I am a big fan of the Joe Pickett series, and this one held my attention as well. My one beef about the series is that there seems to be some political posturing taking place through the plot. This one involves wind power and the misguided governmental policies that allow it to be misused to the common man's detriment. Of course there is a murder, and Joe's least favorite mother-in-law is the suspect. The mystery itself was very readable; I'm just struggling a bit with the politics. "
— Martha, 12/4/2013" A game warden named Joe who spends more time not doing his job. Interesting. Not having read the preceding ten other mysteries in the series I thought the Nate character living in the cave a distraction. But eventually Nate's lifestyle synchronizes with the murder plot around Joe's mother-in-law. At the same time I started reading this book there was an article in the news about a house in Cheyenne that is the address of corporations numbering in the thousands. That issue comes up in this book with the wind companies and the turbines. Joe's wife works as a librarian part time. His oldest daughter has gone off to college. This book ends with Nate realizing that a group known as "The Five" are still after him. Joe's a stand up guy, Wyoming is a beautiful state, and Box writes a page turning book, but I'm still undecided if I'm going to read more in this series. "
— Chris, 11/19/2013" Decent book. Did not grab me and hold on like I like my books to do. It was slow reading for me, but a good story. I don't regret reading it, but I am not sure I'll read more from this author. Maybe I'll give the next book in the series a shot. "
— Rebecca, 11/17/2013" I knew the bitch was evil... "
— Gary, 11/14/2013" I shouldn't actually mark this as "read" since I did not finish it. I had the distinct feeling that I had already read this since it seemed so familiar. I think C.J. Box has fallen into the formulaic trap that so many authors seem to succumb to. I gave up on it. "
— Kris, 9/17/2013" I always enjoy CJ Box, but this wasn t his best. "
— Betsy, 8/29/2013" Poor joe and his family. This is a great book. "
— LaRaine, 8/25/2013" I have read most of the books by C.J. Box and he never disappoints me. His mysteries are well-plotted and the pacing is excellent. His character development is terrific. Joe Pickett and his family are central to most books and they continue to grow and change enough to keep interest high. "
— Susan, 6/14/2013" Lots of twists & turns in this one "
— Laurie, 4/18/2013" Excellent; Continuing character: Joe Pickett; when his hated mother-in-law is charged with her latest husband's murder, Joe has mixed feelings about helping to prove her innocence; meanwhile, someone's trying to kill Joe's friend Nate "
— Joe, 3/26/2013" I have enjoyed all the books in this series about game warden, Joe Pickett. They just keep getting better and better. This one was especially interesting because it gave interesting information about the many wind farms that are being built to provide electricity. "
— Judy, 3/1/2013" If you are a Joe Pickett fan you will like this one. "
— Joan, 11/12/2012" This book was pretty good; I enjoyed the way it ended. "
— Wilma, 8/14/2012" this book was not very believable and it missed the level of excitement that I have come to expect from C.J. Box. "
— Steve, 8/14/2012" Another good installment in the life of Joe Pickett and family. "
— Linda, 6/26/2012" Well wrought suspense and nice twist at the end. My only issue is that it has an epilogue spoiler for the next book with the same character.....takes away from the ending of THIS story. "
— Cynthia, 4/29/2012" Always glad to see Joe Pickett back. This was an enjoyable story but didn't quite grip me like some of the previous in the series. Still entertaining with a great landscape, Box is an evocative writer that always paints a scene. "
— Reid, 12/7/2011" Perhaps I should have started with an earlier book. Many people raved about this but I found the main character Joe Pickett, a game warden uninteresting, and the storyline did not keep me interested. The accused was unlikeable, and I did not want her to get off. Probably won't pick up another Box. "
— Sharon, 11/22/2011" pretty good he did have an agenda though which at least for me was too intrusive i won't read anymore "
— Tom, 6/29/2011" Like David Baldacci. Cliche and predictable. "
— Jami, 6/28/2011" Once again, C.J. Box comes up with an engrossing, stay-up-late reading book out in the hills of Wyoming. Really enjoy this author's books and this one did not disappoint. "
— Sjfstudio, 6/22/2011" CD. Good CJ Box tale with a lot of information on wind energy in WY. Brings things with his Mother-in law to a head nicely. Always a good read. "
— Janet, 6/21/2011" The Joe Pickett series is very, very good. I like the action, plus the setting is made a part of the story. "
— Harry, 5/25/2011" Very good book, look forward to more Joe Pickett, and Nate. "
— Mary, 5/23/2011" Love C.J. Box as a different type of mystery writer...a game warden who always ends up involved...setting Wyoming; this time it is the newly installed energy wind mills...opening scene for setting murder scene definitely gets your attention. "
— Jane, 5/21/2011" I really like C.J. Box’s stories about Joe Pike, but COLD WIND wasn’t up to his usual high standards. Usually I breeze right through a Box novel because they are so interesting, it seemed to take a long time to finish this one. "
— Jmrathbone, 5/17/2011" Mr. Box gives us an interesting insight to wind power in this novel where his Wyoming game warden seems to be the only person using their brain to solve an especially gruesome murder.<br/><br/>The twists caused by enormous greed make for a very satisfying tale. "
— Richard, 5/17/2011" Although I like Box's stand alone books, I'm not a huge fan of his Joe Pickett novels. I think it's because I just can't relate to his settings - ranches and the woods, mostly. I enjoyed this book, but not one I'd rave about. "
— Dawn, 5/15/2011" This author keeps getting better. Excellent book. "
— Elizabeth, 5/12/2011" This Joe Pickett story lumbered along to a double surprise ending. "
— Marge, 5/10/2011C. J. Box is the New York Times bestselling author of the Joe Pickett series, six stand-alone novels, the Cody Hoyt series, the Cassie Dewell series, and a story collection. He has won the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, Gumshoe, and Barry Awards, as well as the French Prix Calibre .38, and the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Award for fiction. He has also been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His novels have been translated into twenty-seven languages. A Wyoming native, he has worked on a ranch and as a small-town newspaper reporter and editor. He is an executive producer of ABC TV’s Big Sky, which is based on his Cody Hoyt/Cassie Dewell novels, as well as executive producer of the upcoming Joe Pickett television series for Paramount TV.
David Chandler is an Earphones Award–winning narrator who has read numerous titles for New York Times bestselling authors William Kent Krueger and C. J. Box, among others.