... another stunning, must-read thriller following one the genre’s best heroines ... The Bitterroots has plenty of twists and turns, as Box again shows his ability to keep readers guessing right up until the very end ... Box’s pacing is on point and, as always, he manages to make the setting—in this case, Montana—come to life in an intricate way that makes Bozeman feel more like a supporting character than just the story’s location ... Expertly plotted and filled with nonstop suspense, The Bitterroots is another stunner from C.J. Box, and a clear favorite for top crime thriller of the year.
C.J. Box’s latest thriller, The Bitterroots, follows a family that redefines the word dysfunctional ... Box is in top form here, gilding his reputation for finely crafted suspense novels of the New West—a place you wouldn’t necessarily want to live but that is endlessly intriguing to read about.
Reading The Bitterroots is like cheering for the New England Patriots. The Patriots are the most gifted football team in the business, but their owner, coach and quarterback are all Trump supporters. Something the same goes for Cassie Dewell, a PI in Bozeman, Mont., and the central character in The Bitterroots ... That bit of myopia aside, Dewell takes us through a terrific adventure, traditional in style but inventive in plotting.
Corrupt towns are a staple of both crime fiction and westerns, as are twisted families ruled by evil patriarchs. Here, Box entwines those tropes with a harrowing subplot...and fashions a snare that will render readers utterly immobilized until they’ve closed the book. Game warden Joe Pickett may be Box’s main man, but Cassie is equally compelling, and readers will be delighted to have her back. Not content with merely ruling Wyoming, Box has become the dominant mystery/thriller author of the mountain West—and deservedly so.
After a slow start filling in Cassie’s history, Box shifts into high gear, pulling the plotlines together while writing lyrically of the Western landscape ... Box gives a scathing look at the perverted nature of a backwoods isolationist family, at the same time providing a strong female protagonist. This will appeal to readers who enjoy works by Craig Johnson, Paul Doiron, Brian Panowich, and Nevada Barr.
... [an] outstanding novel ... Vividly etched characters and a realistic plot lift this outing, and the well-done Montana setting is a plus. Box remains at the top of his game
