Like a magician, C.J. Box waves one hand to grab readers’ attention, and then, when they least expect it, uses the other hand to land a perfectly-timed twist that’ll knock readers right off their feet. It’s something he’s repeatedly done over the course of seventeen previous novels and continues to thrive at. Likewise, Box continues to masterfully develop his brilliant cast of characters ... A smart and compelling plot, razor-sharp writing, and nonstop suspense make this Box’s best novel to date. The standard has been set. . . The Disappeared is the book to beat in 2018.
...the latest in Box’s best-selling series, is a tightly crafted story with a sense of place. Box makes you smell that sawmill burner and feel the cold of a Wyoming blizzard as Pickett struggles through the snow to solve the mystery of Cowboy Kate.
...it’s a treat to see Joe’s daughter pulled into working with her father; there’s an unexpected role for his reptilian mother-in-law, the imperishable Missy Vankueren; a false lead he follows will have readers whooping with laughter; and both cases are wound up in highly satisfactory ways. Best of all, the final pages find Box’s hard-used hero both triumphantly successful and in deep trouble once again in perhaps the most finely balanced conclusion in this rewarding series.
...the book’s key environmental issue enhances the satisfying conclusion. Also welcome are Box’s underrated touches of wry humor, generally overlooked as one of his strengths. Series fans and newcomers alike will be rewarded.
Box writes more in the territory of Daniel Woodrell or Urban Waite, although with a more easy going style. I have to say I really love this book, it’s a classy thriller. A polished telling of a simple story that is really entertaining. The Disappeared keeps you guessing, as there is more to the story than the initial set up leads you to think ... This is a classic American rural thriller. The Disappeared takes full advantage of the weather and the wide open spaces to build an atmosphere, there’s a nice eco angle to the story. The pace is good and there are enough twists to engage the brain ... Box is a consummate story teller. I would happily read some of his other novels off the back of The Disappeared.
