This was a great book! I was born in Wyoming and the author's depiction of the characters and some of politics were so Wyomingite. The story was a page turner. The hero was just a average Joe like most of us, who was just trying to do his best job in a occupation he loved and not getting any breaks. Been their! Can't wait to read more of this author!

A robust read that is first in a series!

Great story!

his 1st book. Key characters:

Ote and jeannie Keeley - Ote is an outfitter who stole Joe's gun previously
Vern - Joe's mentor - a greedy man now working for an oil co
Wacey - Joe's former colleague/partner, looking to become sheriff (in cohoots with Vern)

An endangered species (Miller's weasel) is found by some outfitters that Ote was freinds with. Ote brings evidence to Joe, hoping this will stop Joe from having Ote punished for stealing Joe's gun. Ote - and his outfitter friends - were shot by Wacey (ote died arriving at Joe's house with evidence of the endangered species - 3 still alive)

Vern was behind all this - an oil pipeline project was in the planning for the area, but would be stopped if an endangered species was discovered

The weasels barricaded themselves in the Picketts woodpile, where Sheridan found them - her new, secret pets. She fed them, keeping them a secret from everyone

Wacey watching Joe's house figured the weasels were in the woodpile, protected by Sheridan. He terrorized her (I'll kill your parents and your sister and you...)

Joe figured this out (Vern and Wacey behind it). Shot both - jail. No pipeline in the area. Joe and Sheridan kept the secret of the weasels between them - they'll take them to a new home later.

Ote and Jeannie had 2 kids (April was the elder) and anothr on the way. After Ote died, Jennie gave birth, left with the newborn. The existing son died of illness. Joe and marybeth adopted April

CJ Box definitely got better writing as he got more experience - some VERY long paras

Great story.

Joe Pickett - a depressed wimp? Crazy talk. In Joe Pickett and his family, C.J. Box has created men and women of character and integrity in the wild lands Wyoming. Joe is a Game Warden whose strong moral code is born out in his work and his devotion to his family. No superheroes here, just real people in situations that will educate and entertain. This is the first book in the Joe Pickett series - read and enjoy!

Joe Pickett is the new, by-the-books game warden in Twelve Sleep, Wyoming.

Easy to read and interesting. I found myself skimming some of the descriptive paragraphs, I just couldn't get into the authors details. I felt sorry for the hero, the situation he was living in and the way he was treated by his coworkers and mother-in law. The mystery and the situation was interesting. I really liked how the author acknowledge the two sides of the endangered species and hunting issues. I will read the next in the series

Blerg. This was so disappointing that I couldn't even get through to Chapter 3. I have abandoned it. And will be returning this book. Unfortunately, Joe Pickett is just too depressing as a character. Oh well.

Read it because of the great reviews here. Very disappointed. Ineffectual, wimp intimidated by the people he is supposed to be stopping from poaching, by his mother-in-law, and other law enforcement officers. He spends most of his time feeling inadequate as a husband, provider, and father. This is nothing like Johnson's Walt Longmire series it has been compared to because there is nothing funny, the other characters are flat, and even the dog isn't interesting. I applaud the effort, but I'm sick of characters who spend their lives feeling put upon and depressed.