Disappointing. It was shocking to encounter Antifa in this book as if they were ISIS or Al Qaeda, financed by trust fund babies. Previously Box's politics had been rather hazy - veiled by fictional governors and "current events" that the reader knew hadn't happened. It was also jolting to encounter the phrase, "reminded him of the bad old days of the pandemic" - as if that were ancient history. But the main thing was his bringing in Antifa and Black Lives Matter, implying that both were negative movements. And that's not to mention off-the-books US special forces making an appearance, as well as the author's pointed digs at Seattle and Portland.

A series author makes a pact with his readers that if he was writing, say, political thrillers he is not going to veer off his cherished characters into historical fiction or sci-fi. I feel that Mr. Box broke his pact with his readers in this book, and it's a real shame. Could it be that he just plain doesn't care any more, or that he's bored, or that like some other popular authors, he handed over his series to ghostwriters?

As for plotting and characterization in this book, they were just OK.

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I look forward every year to another Joe Pickett novel by C.J. Box. Box has become one of my favorite authors and his stories never disappoint me. In this one, Game Warden Pickett is called by a local rancher reporting that a dead moose is laying just outside his property. But Pickett soon discovers that it is not a moose but a burned body of a local fishing guide. Turns out the man had been tortured and set on fire, but why? Then Joe's wife, Marybeth, the local librarian discovers that a Nazi relic has been dropped off at the library. The relic is a photo album from 1937 that was owned by a Hitler cohort named Streicher. (Note: In the acknowledgments to the book, Box states that the album is real and provides a website where an online version can be viewed.)

It is apparent that someone is after the album which could have belonged to the fishing guide. But why would someone kill for this piece of Nazi history? Well Marybeth gets wrapped up in the mystery and plays a key role in its resolution. In a dual part of the story, Joe's friend, Nate Romanowski is after the man who stole his falcons and attacked his wife in the last book. This leads him to a crazed person who is thought to be a leader of the group antifa. But is he really working for their cause or does he have another motivation?

As usual, this book kept me turning the pages. I finished it in two days and now I'll be patiently waiting for the next offering from Box. Hopefully, not too long!

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This was another fascinating book by C J Box. I saw that others didn't care for it because the subject matter didn't interest them but I found it another excellent read. I read it in a couple days. Joe Pickett and family are like family to me after reading all the books about them. I can't wait until the next book comes out!

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