Back of Beyond

June 13, 2011
In this sprawling, ambitious stand-alone from Edgar-winner Box (Three Weeks to Say Goodbye), Cody Hoyt, an investigator in the sheriff's department of Montana's Lewis and Clark County, and a (barely) recovering alcoholic, goes in search of the man who burned his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor to death. What at first appears to be a random crime broadens in scope to include multiple murders, the unresolved disappearance of a private plane in Yellowstone National Park, and a Mexican drug lord. The action culminates with a chase into the "back of beyond," a remote wilderness area of Yellowstone, where Hoyt's son, Justin, who's in his late teens, is on an expedition with his new stepfather. Box makes the rugged expanses of the American West even more palpably compelling than his largely appealing characters; he provides backstories for even the most minor ones. This padding and some improbable plot twists tend to undercut the suspense, but Box's many fans won't mind a bit. 125,000 first printing; 10-city author tour.

September 26, 2011
When dedicated Montana police detective Cody Hoyt looks into the suspicious death of his Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor, his investigation leads to a trek through the most remote reaches of Yellowstone National Park, and a quest to save his own son from a mysterious serial killer. Narrator Holter Graham’s renditions of the book’s characters are effective and distinct—and his portrayal of Bull Mitchell, the gruff but lovable retired trail guide, is particularly memorable. Graham also deftly handles the adolescent banter of Gracie and Danielle Sullivan, teenage sisters and tourists who find themselves caught up in a web of suspicion, danger, and murder. While the book’s twists and turns may seem over the top at times, Graham’s crisp and steady narration makes for a fun ride. The audiobook contains a bonus interview with the author. A Minotaur Books hardcover.