THE CROSSROADS

4 stars out of 5

Every once in a while, IMHO, all long-running series need a creativity kick in the derriere. Even loyal fans (as I most certainly am of this series) get a little tired of the same place, same people chasing different bad guys and gals. In this one, the 26^th, Three Sleep County, Wisconsin, game warden Joe Pickett doesn’t get much page time except in flashbacks, nor does his off-the-grid “outlaw” buddy and falconer, Nate Romanowski – it’s Joe’s three daughters – Sheridan, April and Lucy - who take center stage.

Joe, you see, is being held elsewhere – a hospital in nearby Billings, Montana – and his family, including his wife Marybeth, don’t know whether he’ll live or die (or what his life will be like if he does make it). At the moment, he’s in an induced coma as a result of being shot through the windshield of his truck at the Antler Creek Junction – a (ahem!) crossroads where three roads split off, each leading to a large ranch owned by wealthy, powerful and very secretive people. Which of the three ranches he was planning to visit is unknown, as is the reason for his visit.

Leading the investigation is the new kid in town – Sheriff Steve Sondergard, who hasn’t even had time to organize his office. Steve has met and seems intrigued by Sheridan, who is heading up the bird abatement company owned by Romanowski while he remains off the grid with his young daughter Kestral. April works in Bozeman, Montana, at a private investigation agency, while Lucy attends the University of Wisconsin. When they get the news, April and Lucy waste no time returning home to help in any way they can.

That turns out to be running their own full-on investigation, with agreement – though grudgingly – from the sheriff. It doesn’t take long before Joe’s long-time friend Nate makes his presence known as well, offering a few suggestions and tidbits of advice. With almost nothing to go on – Joe’s phone and daily journal are nowhere to be found – the girls begin by making plans to independently interview each of the ranch owners; not an easy task since none are friends of Joe or any other law enforcement officials. Along the way, a couple of other dead bodies turn up that seem to be related to Joe’s shooting. Overarching the entire story, of course, is Joe’s condition; all that’s known till the end is that he’s in very capable hands at the hospital.

Also of course, any other details from me will not be forthcoming (especially the ending) so as not to spoil things for other readers, but I certainly enjoyed it myself and thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. But while this one was highly entertaining, I’m ready for Joe to stand front and center in the next one. Pretty please?

The Crossroads by C.J. Box (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, February 2026); 352 pp.