C.J. Box's Open Season is a rare debut mystery that "immediately sets itself apart from the crowd" (Booklist). This thrilling novel stars Joe Pickett, a game warden in Wyoming who finds his life in danger after he looks into a murder investigation and discovers a conspiracy involving an oil pipeline and its threat to an endangered species. "Box remains square on target throughout this superb debut."-Booklist
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"I enjoy this series based around a man who is a wildlife ranger. It melds crime mystery with the interesting backdrop of wild country not only is he solving crime but he is battling the elements. Each book develops the different characters of his family. This book introduces us to the characters that travel through the series. The narrator perfectly captures teh vice of the main character and makes it an enjoyable listening experience "
— RK (4 out of 5 stars)
“A great crime novel.”
— Lee Child“Open Season is a muscular first novel...Box writes as straight as his characters shoot, and he has a stand-up hero to shoulder his passionate concerns about endangered lives and liberties.”
— New York Times Book Review“Pickett [is] an engaging change from the fast-driving, trigger-happy male heroes of so many contemporary crime novels…Open Season offers several unexpected twists and is greatly enlivened by concise but heartfelt descriptions of the Wyoming landscape…a very promising debut.”
— Washington Post Book World“Intriguing, with a forest setting so treacherous it makes Nevada Barr’s locales look positively comfy, with a motive for murder that is as unique as any in modern fiction. Pickett is a refreshingly human and befuddled hero…But it’s Box’s offbeat way of telling the story that puts it on the best of the year track.”
— Los Angeles Times“A fascinating, well-scripted debut novel...It’s a classic tale of Wild West justice.”
— USA Today“An appealing first novel.”
— Boston Globe“The unusual setting and flawed characters make for an enlightening...suspenseful read.”
— New York Daily News“C. J. Box might represent an endangered species himself: a first novelist who is getting his due…Box’s book has it all—suspenseful plot, magnificent scenery, and a flawed male hero who is tough but truly connected to his family…profoundly memorable.”
— Boston Herald“[A] debut mystery to be savored...Joe Pickett is a modern-day Gary Cooper, soft-spoken and good-hearted...Box has created an enduring hero in Joe...Once you stake out Open Season, you won’t want to turn loose until the limit is bagged and the back cover is closed.”
— Jackson Clarion-Ledger“C. J. Box has written a fast-paced, intelligent mystery that draws us into the wide open spaces of Wyoming and introduces a memorable hero: Game Warden Joe Pickett, unwilling detective and a man with a conscience. A page-turner and a remarkable debut.”
— Margaret Coel, author of Buffalo Bill’s Dead Now“[A] superb debut...Without resorting to simplistic blacks and whites, Box fuses ecological themes, vibrant descriptions of Wyoming’s wonders and peculiarities, and fully fleshed characters into a debut of riveting tensions. Meet Joe Pickett: he’s going to be a mystery star.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Every few years a novel appears that immediately sets itself apart from the crowd...Taking dead aim with his first sentence...Box remains square on target throughout this nearly word-perfect debut...Best of all, the soft-spoken Joe Pickett is a Gary Cooper for our time.”
— Booklist (starred review)“A high-country Presumed Innocent that moves like greased lightning.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)" Very slow to get going, and then it improved. Nice characters, but I felt the story line was a bit weak "
— Kate Dayman, 4/23/2023" Great book for a long drive. Just a few characters so easy to follow along and not get confused. Will definitely continue this series. "
— StevenS, 11/29/2020" This is a great Cowboy mystery. Excellent character development and good story line. Working on his 2nd book now. "
— StevenS, 11/25/2020" While all the Joe Pickett novels can be played as free standing stories, there is quite a bit of carry over as the series pregresses, so listen to this excellent debut story first. As you'll discover, you will wund up downloading the full series (20 as of early August 2020). "
— ROGER, 8/3/2020" I loved reading the Nevada Barr series and his books are a little like <br/>hers in that he is a game warden out west so you get the virtual trip <br/>out west when you read. Kind of like taking vacation without leaving home. "
— Candace, 6/16/2011" Didn't even like it enough to read the free preview of the next book in the series. "
— Lora, 6/14/2011" Good story, keeping me on the edge of my seat, but a little over-the-top in some aspects. "
— Julie, 5/14/2011" this is the beginning of a really good series too! "
— Cynthia, 4/26/2011" CJ Box is one of my new favorite writers. I love how each book builds on each other. "
— Heather, 4/3/2011" Great start to a promising series. I'm looking forward to learning more about this area of the country--Wyoming Big Horn Mountains. The main character is honorable but flawed making him so . . . possible. "
— Sue, 4/2/2011" I am not seeing anything really special with this book. I had won the book cold wind in the first reads drawings and loved it, so I decided to give his books another try, but found myself really bored with this one, as I have with other books of his. "
— Naomi, 3/1/2011" Crime/thriller novel with a game warden as the hero. This is the first of the Joe Pickett series. I shall definitely be reading more of them. "
— Jack, 2/25/2011" Book club selection. A bit slow to start. Didn't hold my interest at first, but once I got into it I did enjoy it. A bit predictible. First book in a series. Not sure I would continue reading the series. So many books...so little time! "
— Emanuel, 2/9/2011C. 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.