Off the Grid

Starred review from January 11, 2016
Bestseller Box’s 16th Joe Pickett adventure (after 2015’s Endangered) opens with some of the sweetest words any true fan of the series could hope to see: “Nate Romanowski knew trouble was on the way when he saw the falcon’s wings suddenly flare in the distance.” The best Joe Pickett novels are those that prominently feature Nate, the original off-the-grid freeman, and Nate dominates at least half of this yarn, while Joe’s equally fine alternating chapters lead to their inevitable crossing of paths late in the story. The action involves elements as disparate as a killer grizzly bear, noxious government agents with nearly limitless power, a Julian Assange–type activist with a messiah complex, Wyoming’s irrepressible Governor Rulon, and one of the most brutal bands of terrorists you would never want to find on American soil. A master at managing multiple plot lines, Box brings them all together for a nerve-wracking climax that rivals The Wild Bunch for utter havoc. With this exceptional entry, Box solidifies his place at the upper level of the crime fiction pantheon. Author tour. Agent: Ann Rittenberg, Ann Rittenberg Literary Agency.

Back for the sixteenth time as the voice of Warden Joe Pickett, David Chandler remains a superb choice as narrator. In this installment, which picks up not long after the last novel, Pickett's friend, Nate Romanowski, is recruited by intelligence agents for a counterterrorism operation in Wyoming, and Pickett is detailed to keep tabs on the federal agents, whose agendas are suspect. As Chandler describes the Western landscape, the high country springs to life as the story erupts into the thriller Box is renowned for creating. Chandler transitions easily between characters, whether male or female. His gravelly portrayal of Romanowski fits perfectly, and his descriptions of falconry will fascinate listeners with this esoteric sport. Chandler's consistent series narration produces a compelling listening experience that fans will relish. M.L.R. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine