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Joe Pickett #26
The Crossroads
Bloomsbury presents The Crossroads by C.J. Box, read by David Chandler.
When Joe Pickett is shot in the line of duty, his daughters must work together to find his attacker. The brilliant new thriller from New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box
'Raining here, but I’ve got a cup of hot tea and a Joe Pickett novel, so who has it better than me?' Stephen King
WHEN JOE PICKETT IS SHOT DOWN
HIS DAUGHTERS STEP UP
Marybeth Pickett gets the call she has always her husband Joe is unconscious after being shot in the head.
He was found slumped behind the wheel of his pickup at a crossroads linking the ranches of three powerful families. Each have reasons to want the Wyoming Game Warden dead, but with no witnesses, no one knows who pulled the trigger.
As Joe clings to life, Marybeth keeps watch while their daughters – Sheridan, Lucy, and April – play the role their father cannot, investigating each family to expose long-held grudges and reveal the truth.
But the sisters must be careful – because if this was a warning, what might the attackers do to the people Joe loves most?
When Joe Pickett is shot in the line of duty, his daughters must work together to find his attacker. The brilliant new thriller from New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box
'Raining here, but I’ve got a cup of hot tea and a Joe Pickett novel, so who has it better than me?' Stephen King
WHEN JOE PICKETT IS SHOT DOWN
HIS DAUGHTERS STEP UP
Marybeth Pickett gets the call she has always her husband Joe is unconscious after being shot in the head.
He was found slumped behind the wheel of his pickup at a crossroads linking the ranches of three powerful families. Each have reasons to want the Wyoming Game Warden dead, but with no witnesses, no one knows who pulled the trigger.
As Joe clings to life, Marybeth keeps watch while their daughters – Sheridan, Lucy, and April – play the role their father cannot, investigating each family to expose long-held grudges and reveal the truth.
But the sisters must be careful – because if this was a warning, what might the attackers do to the people Joe loves most?
Audible Audio
Published March 3, 2026
About the author
C.J. Box
125 books7,456 followersC. J. Box is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 24 novels including the Joe Pickett series. He won the Edgar Alan Poe Award for Best Novel (Blue Heaven, 2009) as well as the Anthony Award, Prix Calibre 38 (France), the Macavity Award, the Gumshoe Award, two Barry Awards, and the 2010 Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association Award for fiction. He was recently awarded the 2016 Western Heritage Award for Literature by the National Cowboy Museum as well as the Spur Award for Best Contemporary Novel by the Western Writers of America in 2017. The novels have been translated into 27 languages.
Box is a Wyoming native and has worked as a ranch hand, surveyor, fishing guide, a small town newspaper reporter and editor, and he co-owns an international tourism marketing firm with his wife Laurie. They have three daughters. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He served on the Board of Directors for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Box lives in Wyoming.
--from the author's website
Series:
* Joe Pickett
http://us.macmillan.com/author/cjbox
Box is a Wyoming native and has worked as a ranch hand, surveyor, fishing guide, a small town newspaper reporter and editor, and he co-owns an international tourism marketing firm with his wife Laurie. They have three daughters. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He served on the Board of Directors for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Box lives in Wyoming.
--from the author's website
Series:
* Joe Pickett
http://us.macmillan.com/author/cjbox
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 885 reviews
March 17, 2026
C J Box hits another one out of the park! This is his best as far as I am concerned. Box has written from a perspective that he has not broached before.
From the beginning Joe Pickett is shot in an ambush. All records of what he was doing has disappeared. He is in a coma in the hospital, hanging on to life by a thread. The suspects are the three ranches branching off the Antler Creek Road. Each ranch has it’s own secrets. Enter the three daughters, Sheridan, April and Lucy. They are on a mission to find out who shot their father with or without the new sheriff’s cooperation.
Excellent writing. Believable plot. Interesting character development. Incredible suspense with never a dull moment. I tried savoring this book but it was like having a large bowl of ice cream with all the toppings, I could not resist gobbling it up.
From the beginning Joe Pickett is shot in an ambush. All records of what he was doing has disappeared. He is in a coma in the hospital, hanging on to life by a thread. The suspects are the three ranches branching off the Antler Creek Road. Each ranch has it’s own secrets. Enter the three daughters, Sheridan, April and Lucy. They are on a mission to find out who shot their father with or without the new sheriff’s cooperation.
Excellent writing. Believable plot. Interesting character development. Incredible suspense with never a dull moment. I tried savoring this book but it was like having a large bowl of ice cream with all the toppings, I could not resist gobbling it up.
October 28, 2025
This was another home run by CJ Box and it’s amazing how he can ramp the tension up. This book is very different from his previous installments and while I normally am not a fan of making the “secondary” characters the main POVs this felt earned and continues the excellent world CJ has built with he Pickett family. When Joe is injured and with Marybeth attending him it’s up to Joe’s 3 adult daughters to uncover what happened, why and to apprehend the villain. This story reads as a “who did it” classic style but in the mountains. There are 3 suspects each with their own angle and of course all 3 have issues with Joe and his moral compass. We see a new sheriff taking on a role that many have made a joke or just corrupted the position and it seems like they finally have one that is trying to do the right thing. We do also get some of Joe’s POVs from before the injury and that helps lay some of the foundation of the mystery. I really enjoyed this book and my only “gripe” is it could have been a bit longer but it’s absolutely satisfying and I will be back when the next one is published.
Thank you to Putnam Books for this Advanced Reader Copy
Thank you to Putnam Books for this Advanced Reader Copy
March 6, 2026
Poor, old Joe Pickett. Not only does C.J. Box age him in real time, but the intrepid Wyoming game warden is shot in the head and left for dead in this 26th book of the series. While I expected his deadly and dangerous best friend, Nate Romanowski, to jump into the foray to hunt down the perpetrators, Box assigned this duty to Joe’s three young adult daughters…Sheridan, Lucy, and April. With each of them bringing forth a different set of skills, they investigate three malicious and secretive large landowners; any, of whom, might be responsible for the attempted murder of their father.
Despite my enjoyment of this series, I was initially hesitant to pick up this book, as I still related to Joe and Marybeth’s three daughters as the children and adolescents they once were in the earlier part of the series…..and somehow forgot that they had grown into very capable and independent adults. Thus, in the talented hands of CJ Box, the story moved quickly into high gear. In this regard, with the help of the new, young sheriff, Joe’s three daughters carefully put together the pieces of a complex puzzle to solve the case and identify their father’s attempted killers
While I’m always sad to see a beloved, but aging, protagonist replaced by younger characters…there’s no doubt that Lucy, April, and/or Sheridan could move forward to take a lead role in this incredible series.
Despite my enjoyment of this series, I was initially hesitant to pick up this book, as I still related to Joe and Marybeth’s three daughters as the children and adolescents they once were in the earlier part of the series…..and somehow forgot that they had grown into very capable and independent adults. Thus, in the talented hands of CJ Box, the story moved quickly into high gear. In this regard, with the help of the new, young sheriff, Joe’s three daughters carefully put together the pieces of a complex puzzle to solve the case and identify their father’s attempted killers
While I’m always sad to see a beloved, but aging, protagonist replaced by younger characters…there’s no doubt that Lucy, April, and/or Sheridan could move forward to take a lead role in this incredible series.
March 5, 2026
I've loved most of the books in this series. I really enjoyed how Joe's three daughters took center stage while trying to solve the ambush that put their father in the hospital (in a coma,) along with the flashbacks of the days leading up to the ambush from Joe's perspective. C.J. Box brings Wyoming to life in each and every book, and I really loved how this was structured as a mystery with three suspects, each of them with a strong motive. Very well done.
My only (tiny) complaint -- I have listened to the series on audio, and David Chandler is fantastic as a narrator. To me, he's the voice of Joe Pickett. He's always done Mary Beth's voice well for a man voicing a woman, so it's never bothered me. But because this story was unusually female driven for a Joe Pickett novel, I felt some of the voices were off-putting. It might have been better to read this in print. But that won't change my plan to listen to future books by this narrator.
Listened on 1.25X speed.
My only (tiny) complaint -- I have listened to the series on audio, and David Chandler is fantastic as a narrator. To me, he's the voice of Joe Pickett. He's always done Mary Beth's voice well for a man voicing a woman, so it's never bothered me. But because this story was unusually female driven for a Joe Pickett novel, I felt some of the voices were off-putting. It might have been better to read this in print. But that won't change my plan to listen to future books by this narrator.
Listened on 1.25X speed.
March 17, 2026
In C.J. Box’s newest Joe Pickett novel - “The Crossroads” – we face one of the most emotional and scary beginnings of any book in this series. Trust me, it grabs the reader from the first sentence – “For Marybeth Pickett, it was the call she’d dreaded for over twenty years.”
Joe’s 26th outing may be his last. He’s been found in his pickup, shot multiple times and barely alive, including a bullet lodged in his head. The EMT’s find a slight pulse, and have him airlifted to the Billings hospital, hoping that he stays alive long enough to get there.
However, Joe’s three daughters refuse to sit around and wait. While their father, Marybeth, is by his side addressing his medical needs and praying for his survival, they decide to take immediate action to find who tried to kill their father. April leaves her boss, private investigator Cassie Dewell with Marybeth providing moral support and returns home to meet with Sheridan and Lucy, who has driven back from college.
The power trio have a lot of challenges in trying to find who shot their dad.
The first is where Joe was found, which was the crossroads at Antler Creek Junction where the public road separates into three separate private roads, each leading to a different ranch ran by dangerous families whose members have had problems and struggles with Joe as the local game warden. It is easy to see that any of the three families had plenty of reasons for wanting to remove Joe, but from where Joe’s truck was located, there’s no way to tell which ranch he was headed to, and Joe didn’t tell anybody where he was going that morning.
The second is the newly elected sheriff Sondergard is brand new on the job and doesn’t have all of the local relationships down yet putting him behind the eight ball in investigating Joe’s shooting. There was an eyewitness who called in the attack, but that individual left no information and has disappeared.
The third is that other than April’s training and tutelage as a private investigator trainee, the three sisters have no experience in conducting an investigation, let alone working together effectively. There is one thing that may benefit them. Sheridan and sheriff Sondergard have had some interactions already and it appears he has a personal interest in her that the sisters can use to their advantage.
While their father remains unconscious in the hospital and Nate not easily available (he’s off the grid again with his daughter), the girls know time is of the essence, so they divide and conquer. Each takes one of the ranches and heads off to discover the truth, putting their lives at risk…
Things will also get worse when the killers discover that Joe is still alive, and are instructed to finish the job no matter what it takes…
Wow! What an absolute blast of a ride this one was. For me, it was easily one my all-time favorite Joe Pickett novels in the entire series, which should really be branded as “Joe Pickett and family” (with the understanding that Nate is part of the Pickett family).
It had suspense, mystery, strong characters, emotion, and payoffs. And there was something elevated in the excellent layered plotting of this one. Box used multiple conflicts to amplify the tension of the plotlines as he peeled them away, one scene at a time. As much as enjoy Joe, it was really cool to see Sheridan, April, and Lucy bond together in crisis mode and respond with a sense of united purpose to protect their family. Each of the girls – let’s be honest, they’ve grown into women – have their moments on the stage, displaying quick-thinking, problem-solving skills, and different levels of unselfishness and growing adulthood. Even April showed some signs of maturity. And Nate still got his moment of violent retribution that we needed to cleanse ourselves in the end.
C.J., Box has done so many wonderful things with these Joe Pickett novels. The plotting, characters, and settings mix together in a masterful recipe in the mystery/thriller genre using a modern western style that delivers a winning formula. In my opinion, this novel displays why his plotting skills are masterful, especially as he weaves storylines, characters, and conflicts over multiple books, setting things up in one that will come back and pay off in later books. There were some things in this book that we know will carry on and show in future books, building them into even more emotional outcomes.
For me, C.J. Box’s strongest skill is his characters, built on the foundation of Joe Picket, his wife, Marybeth, and three daughters, and Joe’s brother from another mother, Nate, who serves as Joe’s physical protector much like Hawk does for Spenser in Robert B. Parker’s classic mystery series. Nate takes care of the things that Joe’s personal code won’t allow him to do. Nate and Hawk are two of my all-time favorite literary characters.
I also want to add that C.J. Box writes some of the strongest female characters. Marybeth is smart, analytical, mentally and emotionally strong. So are her daughters – Sheridan, April, and Lucy – each in their own ways. I am strongly endeared to Sheridan, watching her grow into an independent, headstrong woman and falconer. I love April’s robust spirit after all that she’s been through and suffered from. I would love to see her private investigator role be explored even further in future books. I also look forward to seeing Lucy’s future, which should be bright and full of potential success.
Over 26 books, we’ve experienced firsthand the lives of these characters, their relationships, strengths, weaknesses, challenges, conflicts, and growth, which have connected with us (the readers) on an emotional level that makes them part of us. Their love and sacrifice for each other is the heart of this series. It is C.J. Box’s secret sauce that compels his readers to keep coming back over and over again to find out what happens next to them. Joe’s family is our family. Nate’s battles are our battles. Joe and Marybeth’s daughters are our daughters. What happens to them, happens to us. It is personal. And that is the magic C.J. Box delivers to us. It’s why I keep coming back.
My only struggle with this book was having to force myself to slow down enough to make it last two evenings instead of one. It was so hard not to devour it all in one sitting. It was that good. 5-star good.
Now, I just have to sit back and wait a whole flipping year until the next one comes out… That just feels like a long time from now…
Joe’s 26th outing may be his last. He’s been found in his pickup, shot multiple times and barely alive, including a bullet lodged in his head. The EMT’s find a slight pulse, and have him airlifted to the Billings hospital, hoping that he stays alive long enough to get there.
However, Joe’s three daughters refuse to sit around and wait. While their father, Marybeth, is by his side addressing his medical needs and praying for his survival, they decide to take immediate action to find who tried to kill their father. April leaves her boss, private investigator Cassie Dewell with Marybeth providing moral support and returns home to meet with Sheridan and Lucy, who has driven back from college.
The power trio have a lot of challenges in trying to find who shot their dad.
The first is where Joe was found, which was the crossroads at Antler Creek Junction where the public road separates into three separate private roads, each leading to a different ranch ran by dangerous families whose members have had problems and struggles with Joe as the local game warden. It is easy to see that any of the three families had plenty of reasons for wanting to remove Joe, but from where Joe’s truck was located, there’s no way to tell which ranch he was headed to, and Joe didn’t tell anybody where he was going that morning.
The second is the newly elected sheriff Sondergard is brand new on the job and doesn’t have all of the local relationships down yet putting him behind the eight ball in investigating Joe’s shooting. There was an eyewitness who called in the attack, but that individual left no information and has disappeared.
The third is that other than April’s training and tutelage as a private investigator trainee, the three sisters have no experience in conducting an investigation, let alone working together effectively. There is one thing that may benefit them. Sheridan and sheriff Sondergard have had some interactions already and it appears he has a personal interest in her that the sisters can use to their advantage.
While their father remains unconscious in the hospital and Nate not easily available (he’s off the grid again with his daughter), the girls know time is of the essence, so they divide and conquer. Each takes one of the ranches and heads off to discover the truth, putting their lives at risk…
Things will also get worse when the killers discover that Joe is still alive, and are instructed to finish the job no matter what it takes…
Wow! What an absolute blast of a ride this one was. For me, it was easily one my all-time favorite Joe Pickett novels in the entire series, which should really be branded as “Joe Pickett and family” (with the understanding that Nate is part of the Pickett family).
It had suspense, mystery, strong characters, emotion, and payoffs. And there was something elevated in the excellent layered plotting of this one. Box used multiple conflicts to amplify the tension of the plotlines as he peeled them away, one scene at a time. As much as enjoy Joe, it was really cool to see Sheridan, April, and Lucy bond together in crisis mode and respond with a sense of united purpose to protect their family. Each of the girls – let’s be honest, they’ve grown into women – have their moments on the stage, displaying quick-thinking, problem-solving skills, and different levels of unselfishness and growing adulthood. Even April showed some signs of maturity. And Nate still got his moment of violent retribution that we needed to cleanse ourselves in the end.
C.J., Box has done so many wonderful things with these Joe Pickett novels. The plotting, characters, and settings mix together in a masterful recipe in the mystery/thriller genre using a modern western style that delivers a winning formula. In my opinion, this novel displays why his plotting skills are masterful, especially as he weaves storylines, characters, and conflicts over multiple books, setting things up in one that will come back and pay off in later books. There were some things in this book that we know will carry on and show in future books, building them into even more emotional outcomes.
For me, C.J. Box’s strongest skill is his characters, built on the foundation of Joe Picket, his wife, Marybeth, and three daughters, and Joe’s brother from another mother, Nate, who serves as Joe’s physical protector much like Hawk does for Spenser in Robert B. Parker’s classic mystery series. Nate takes care of the things that Joe’s personal code won’t allow him to do. Nate and Hawk are two of my all-time favorite literary characters.
I also want to add that C.J. Box writes some of the strongest female characters. Marybeth is smart, analytical, mentally and emotionally strong. So are her daughters – Sheridan, April, and Lucy – each in their own ways. I am strongly endeared to Sheridan, watching her grow into an independent, headstrong woman and falconer. I love April’s robust spirit after all that she’s been through and suffered from. I would love to see her private investigator role be explored even further in future books. I also look forward to seeing Lucy’s future, which should be bright and full of potential success.
Over 26 books, we’ve experienced firsthand the lives of these characters, their relationships, strengths, weaknesses, challenges, conflicts, and growth, which have connected with us (the readers) on an emotional level that makes them part of us. Their love and sacrifice for each other is the heart of this series. It is C.J. Box’s secret sauce that compels his readers to keep coming back over and over again to find out what happens next to them. Joe’s family is our family. Nate’s battles are our battles. Joe and Marybeth’s daughters are our daughters. What happens to them, happens to us. It is personal. And that is the magic C.J. Box delivers to us. It’s why I keep coming back.
My only struggle with this book was having to force myself to slow down enough to make it last two evenings instead of one. It was so hard not to devour it all in one sitting. It was that good. 5-star good.
Now, I just have to sit back and wait a whole flipping year until the next one comes out… That just feels like a long time from now…
March 28, 2026
Just got my yearly fix of C.J. Box and the Joe Pickett series. This has been one of my favorite mystery/thriller series for several years. I've read everything Box has written and I wait patiently each year for his new books to come out and then reserve them at the library. Although I have been a little disappointed in some of the more recent books because they tended to include too much conservative politics, The Crossroads did not disappoint and was a real page-turner that I read in a couple of days.
The book starts out with Marybeth Pickett getting a call that her game warden husband, Joe, had been shot in the head and is in critical condition. He apparently had been ambushed in his pickup which was parked at the crossroads at Antler Creek Junction. The road connected three ranches each of which were run by families that were not the usual ranchers and could have had it in for Joe for various reasons. Joe's notebook and phone have disappeared so the new sheriff has nothing to indicate which of the three ranches Joe was going to. Joe is in a coma at the hospital in Billings so his three daughters decide to investigate the case along with the new sheriff. But as they visit each of the ranches, it becomes even more murky when all of the owners appear suspect. Can they discover the truth before the killers finish the job to eliminate Joe?
This was definitely written from a different perspective than the other books in the series. Joe is in a coma for most of the book but his story before the shooting and his visits to the three ranches is included. The novel also has a cameo appearance by Cassie Dewell who drove from Bozeman with April, Joe's daughter, who works with Cassie as a private investigator but she doesn't get involved in the investigation. Nate Romanowski also has a role in the story which always makes things interesting. The storyline was compelling and kept me turning the pages. Overall a solid recommendation for this one.
The book starts out with Marybeth Pickett getting a call that her game warden husband, Joe, had been shot in the head and is in critical condition. He apparently had been ambushed in his pickup which was parked at the crossroads at Antler Creek Junction. The road connected three ranches each of which were run by families that were not the usual ranchers and could have had it in for Joe for various reasons. Joe's notebook and phone have disappeared so the new sheriff has nothing to indicate which of the three ranches Joe was going to. Joe is in a coma at the hospital in Billings so his three daughters decide to investigate the case along with the new sheriff. But as they visit each of the ranches, it becomes even more murky when all of the owners appear suspect. Can they discover the truth before the killers finish the job to eliminate Joe?
This was definitely written from a different perspective than the other books in the series. Joe is in a coma for most of the book but his story before the shooting and his visits to the three ranches is included. The novel also has a cameo appearance by Cassie Dewell who drove from Bozeman with April, Joe's daughter, who works with Cassie as a private investigator but she doesn't get involved in the investigation. Nate Romanowski also has a role in the story which always makes things interesting. The storyline was compelling and kept me turning the pages. Overall a solid recommendation for this one.
May 2, 2026
Joe is shot in the head and left for dead. He is put in a coma until the surgeon decides what to do. Marybeth is by his side. The story is mostly about their three young adult daughters. They come home and decide to investigate the three ranches in the area where Joe was shot. Nate remains on the sidelines as well although he watches over the girls his way. This is one of the best books in the series as the girls face dangers in the hope of getting to the bottom of it. The book is interesting in that it takes you forward from the shooting but intermittently takes you back through the last couple of weeks before the shooting from Joe’s perspective.
December 10, 2025
This was an another great addition to the Joe Pickett series. The stakes are at an all time high as Joe is ambushed and in critical condition. His daughters work together to try to solve the mystery behind the shooting.
This was a really cool entry with the daughters being the main focus and it was awesome seeing them work together. It was an intense ride and the last few chapters took this already dramatic book to the next level. I highly recommend this one!
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel for my honest review.
This was a really cool entry with the daughters being the main focus and it was awesome seeing them work together. It was an intense ride and the last few chapters took this already dramatic book to the next level. I highly recommend this one!
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel for my honest review.
March 15, 2026
CJ Box was trying some new ideas out, and I highly approve.
This is the whole propulsion of the plot. It's not a spoiler. Right away in chapter 1, Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett is found in his vehicle with a bullet hole through his forehead. What a way to start off the book! In case you're thinking bait-and-switch, nope. It really is Joe, and he's really shot through the head. Mary Beth races to the scene and a Life Flight helicopter zooms them to the nearest major trauma center in Billings, Montana.
In chapter 2, we are introduced to the shooters. Not kidding! We follow these two jerks as they mull over the events of the morning, like whether their target died and if they picked up all the spent cartridges. Maybe this is weird, but with everything Joe's been through as a game warden in the series, I wanted the bad guys to be super professional assassins - I guess it would seem more respectful if they were. Alas, these guys are total amateurs. Sheesh.
The Pickett girls - Sheridan, April and Lucy - come from wherever they were (only Sheridan stayed local) to get to the bottom of who shot their dad because they don't trust the new sheriff. Since Joe was left for dead at the crossroads of 3 major ranches, they decide to split up and interview the landowners individually.
At this point my thoughts are, 1) How are you girls functioning normally with your dad nearly shot to death? I would be lying in a puddle of my own tears. 2) Why the hell aren't you just siccing Nate Romanowski on the situation?? I suppose they don't want him to go scorched earth, but really. Maybe the earth needs scorching sometimes.
There are flashbacks to the last few days before Joe is shot, walking us through the stuff he was poking his nose into. Of course, these memories hold the best information leading to who was behind his attempted murder. Fresh faces include a new sheriff who's sweet on Sheridan, a questionable deputy with a short fuse, and the three landowners (some of them may have appeared in prior novels, but they all kinda run together, don't they? I mean, this is #26 in the series, and I can't keep all the minor characters straight.)
My biggest complaint is that it wraps up too quickly on the last few pages; otherwise, the structure was really fresh and I welcome the differentness. Making Joe grievously injured from the get-go created lasting tension. We don't know if Joe will make it to the hospital, if he'll survive the surgery, or whether the damage to his brain will leave him altered in some way. The Crossroads is the most intense Joe Pickett novel since the one about the raid on the compound when April was a child. The reading experience was interesting and if you're a fan of Box and Joe, this one's a must-read.
This is the whole propulsion of the plot. It's not a spoiler. Right away in chapter 1, Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett is found in his vehicle with a bullet hole through his forehead. What a way to start off the book! In case you're thinking bait-and-switch, nope. It really is Joe, and he's really shot through the head. Mary Beth races to the scene and a Life Flight helicopter zooms them to the nearest major trauma center in Billings, Montana.
In chapter 2, we are introduced to the shooters. Not kidding! We follow these two jerks as they mull over the events of the morning, like whether their target died and if they picked up all the spent cartridges. Maybe this is weird, but with everything Joe's been through as a game warden in the series, I wanted the bad guys to be super professional assassins - I guess it would seem more respectful if they were. Alas, these guys are total amateurs. Sheesh.
The Pickett girls - Sheridan, April and Lucy - come from wherever they were (only Sheridan stayed local) to get to the bottom of who shot their dad because they don't trust the new sheriff. Since Joe was left for dead at the crossroads of 3 major ranches, they decide to split up and interview the landowners individually.
At this point my thoughts are, 1) How are you girls functioning normally with your dad nearly shot to death? I would be lying in a puddle of my own tears. 2) Why the hell aren't you just siccing Nate Romanowski on the situation?? I suppose they don't want him to go scorched earth, but really. Maybe the earth needs scorching sometimes.
There are flashbacks to the last few days before Joe is shot, walking us through the stuff he was poking his nose into. Of course, these memories hold the best information leading to who was behind his attempted murder. Fresh faces include a new sheriff who's sweet on Sheridan, a questionable deputy with a short fuse, and the three landowners (some of them may have appeared in prior novels, but they all kinda run together, don't they? I mean, this is #26 in the series, and I can't keep all the minor characters straight.)
My biggest complaint is that it wraps up too quickly on the last few pages; otherwise, the structure was really fresh and I welcome the differentness. Making Joe grievously injured from the get-go created lasting tension. We don't know if Joe will make it to the hospital, if he'll survive the surgery, or whether the damage to his brain will leave him altered in some way. The Crossroads is the most intense Joe Pickett novel since the one about the raid on the compound when April was a child. The reading experience was interesting and if you're a fan of Box and Joe, this one's a must-read.
November 25, 2025
WOW!! The Crossroads nearly gave me a heart attack, and more than once! This book shifted focus to Joe Pickett's family, as he fought for his life after being shot and left for dead. Joe had been found in his pickup at Antler Creek Junction, a crossroads connecting three ranches. Each road led to a dangerous family, with each one having a different bone to pick with the local game warden.
I enjoyed reading about the three daughters, as they each have a different strong suit. Each girl decided to investigate one of the three neighbors, bound and determined to discover which one might have shot Joe, and WHY! If only Joe had told someone where he was going...
I've limited this review to details that are readily available, so that means this review is at its end. You'll have to read the book, my friends, to find out more!
HUGE Thanks to #GPPutnamsSons, for providing this book for review and consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Crossroads has an expected publication date of February 24, 2026.
#CJBox #Crime #Mystery #Series #Thriller
I enjoyed reading about the three daughters, as they each have a different strong suit. Each girl decided to investigate one of the three neighbors, bound and determined to discover which one might have shot Joe, and WHY! If only Joe had told someone where he was going...
I've limited this review to details that are readily available, so that means this review is at its end. You'll have to read the book, my friends, to find out more!
HUGE Thanks to #GPPutnamsSons, for providing this book for review and consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The Crossroads has an expected publication date of February 24, 2026.
#CJBox #Crime #Mystery #Series #Thriller
April 3, 2026
Game Warden Joe Pickett is shot and left for dead. Pickett is helicoptered to a hospital.
Joe Pickett’s wife flies to the hospital with him where he’s placed in an induced coma.
Since Joe Pickett is out of commission, their three daughters try to solve the mystery of who wanted to kill their dad & why.
Is this the end of Joe Pickett?
Do the daughters take over future stories?
I found this book slower paced than the previous ones in the series.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
I may be an outlier so please read the other reviews.
Joe Pickett’s wife flies to the hospital with him where he’s placed in an induced coma.
Since Joe Pickett is out of commission, their three daughters try to solve the mystery of who wanted to kill their dad & why.
Is this the end of Joe Pickett?
Do the daughters take over future stories?
I found this book slower paced than the previous ones in the series.
Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked.
I may be an outlier so please read the other reviews.
March 1, 2026
not his best work
This book had the regular characters and a bit of an interesting storyline, but to be honest it was not a page turner. It took me about five days to read it. I hope that he returns to a more action packed approach that he had in previous books.
This book had the regular characters and a bit of an interesting storyline, but to be honest it was not a page turner. It took me about five days to read it. I hope that he returns to a more action packed approach that he had in previous books.
March 18, 2026
I always look forward to the next Joe Pickett release, and this one was a doozie.
Pros: a unique and different split storyline, Joe Pickett's girls, and NATE.
Cons: his bad guys are so bad. I felt like I need a shower after reading some of the chapters.
If you're a Joe Pickett fan, you won't be disappointed.
Pros: a unique and different split storyline, Joe Pickett's girls, and NATE.
Cons: his bad guys are so bad. I felt like I need a shower after reading some of the chapters.
If you're a Joe Pickett fan, you won't be disappointed.
January 29, 2026
The Crossroads by C.J. Box is another fantastic mystery thriller that involves the entire family in a thrilling whodunit. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and everyone in the novel seems guilty. The family dynamics are intriguing and enduring. I gained a new perspective on Joe’s life. The book captivated me from the very first chapter, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks, G.P. Putnam’s Sons via NetGalley.
Thanks, G.P. Putnam’s Sons via NetGalley.
March 5, 2026
This is probably my favorite book of Joe Pickett. I’m gonna leave it that…….. five stars from me.
February 27, 2026
I have read all of the Joe Pickett books and used to really look forward to them each year. However, I have noticed over the life of the series the violence/gore against wildlife has increased dramatically and as much as it may be a reality, I find it doesn’t add to the mystery or suspense. I realize I am out of the norm from most people who continue to love the books but for me personally I will not continue reading the series.
March 18, 2026
When Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett is found ambushed and shot in the head at the crossroads, his daughters, Yarak Inc, Ceo, Sheridan Pickett, detective April Pickett, and college student Lucy Pickett determine to find out who attacked their dad. The new sheriff has not yet settled into his office. Twelve Sleep County has not had good sheriffs, for the most part, and this one remains to be tested and tried. The girls will not take chances.
As Joe's wife, Marybeth, hovers at his side, the girls investigate the three ranches in question near the crossroads. All have motivations for disliking, and perhaps killing, Joe. One rancher and his wife inherited their ranch amid family turmoil. Something strange is going on in a shack near the house. Joe visited the house of two sisters a couple weeks before the ambush after receiving a complaint that the women had hunters who shot an elk tied in their corral. The third couple are rich. The husband pressured Joe to sign off on a project that would involve Joe's lying about the nesting site of sage grouse. All three possibilities involve big money. If the girls get too close to the truth, they may be the next to die.
C. J. Box leads his readers on a heart-thumping chase. Although most of the story follows MaryBeth and the girls, we get glimpses into Joe's prior two weeks when he dealt with each of the ranchers and into the ambushers. Box does a great job hiding those behind the ambushers. It's a rollicking good modern Western. It has some bad language and Joe's good friend Nate backs the girls with his ear extractions, but it is a fun mystery that keeps Joe's would-be killers well-hidden until the end.
As Joe's wife, Marybeth, hovers at his side, the girls investigate the three ranches in question near the crossroads. All have motivations for disliking, and perhaps killing, Joe. One rancher and his wife inherited their ranch amid family turmoil. Something strange is going on in a shack near the house. Joe visited the house of two sisters a couple weeks before the ambush after receiving a complaint that the women had hunters who shot an elk tied in their corral. The third couple are rich. The husband pressured Joe to sign off on a project that would involve Joe's lying about the nesting site of sage grouse. All three possibilities involve big money. If the girls get too close to the truth, they may be the next to die.
C. J. Box leads his readers on a heart-thumping chase. Although most of the story follows MaryBeth and the girls, we get glimpses into Joe's prior two weeks when he dealt with each of the ranchers and into the ambushers. Box does a great job hiding those behind the ambushers. It's a rollicking good modern Western. It has some bad language and Joe's good friend Nate backs the girls with his ear extractions, but it is a fun mystery that keeps Joe's would-be killers well-hidden until the end.
April 9, 2026
Another terrific Joe Pickett novel. This one is particularly exceptional.
March 2, 2026
*** MINOR SPOILERS ***
This book is one of the Joe Pickett series and is one of the best.
Joe gets shot and nearly dies and his wife, Marybeth, gets a call telling her that something happened to him. At first, you are not sure if he is even alive, but she finds out that he needs to be airlifted out to a hospital for emergency care. Marybeth watches over him at the hospital. Their three children, Sheridan, April, and Lucy, decide to investigate what happened to find out what happened to their dad.
Joe is a game warden in Wyoming. Joe was shot in his pickup truck at a fork in the road. The fork leads in three different directions. Each one has someone who might be responsible for the shooting. Even if they are not involved in the shooting, they are up to their eyeballs in something.
The county where Joe lives and was shot has a new sheriff and deputy. They are unfamiliar with the history of the people and their relationships in the county: some good, some bad. Sheridan offers the sheriff the help of the Pickett women. Sheridan and the sheriff are interested in each other. April works in Montana for Cassie Dewell, a private investigator, and Cassie appears in the story. Cassie has her own series of books.
I have read most of CJ Box’s books and the Joe Pickett series is great. When Marybeth gets the call that Joe has been shot, I cried right along with her.
The story is told from different points of view, including Joe’s as you see the events that led up to the shooting.
The pace of the story is good and the dialogue is realistic. There were some funny lines particularly with the banter between the sisters.
The author obviously did a lot of research on the medical issue facing Joe.
The landscape and weather of Wyoming is a part of the book which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed the descriptions of various animals that live in the area: elk, bear, wolves, and different birds.
CJ Box has won multiple awards for his writing. He deserves another one for this book.
I plan on continuing reading this series.
This book is one of the Joe Pickett series and is one of the best.
Joe gets shot and nearly dies and his wife, Marybeth, gets a call telling her that something happened to him. At first, you are not sure if he is even alive, but she finds out that he needs to be airlifted out to a hospital for emergency care. Marybeth watches over him at the hospital. Their three children, Sheridan, April, and Lucy, decide to investigate what happened to find out what happened to their dad.
Joe is a game warden in Wyoming. Joe was shot in his pickup truck at a fork in the road. The fork leads in three different directions. Each one has someone who might be responsible for the shooting. Even if they are not involved in the shooting, they are up to their eyeballs in something.
The county where Joe lives and was shot has a new sheriff and deputy. They are unfamiliar with the history of the people and their relationships in the county: some good, some bad. Sheridan offers the sheriff the help of the Pickett women. Sheridan and the sheriff are interested in each other. April works in Montana for Cassie Dewell, a private investigator, and Cassie appears in the story. Cassie has her own series of books.
I have read most of CJ Box’s books and the Joe Pickett series is great. When Marybeth gets the call that Joe has been shot, I cried right along with her.
The story is told from different points of view, including Joe’s as you see the events that led up to the shooting.
The pace of the story is good and the dialogue is realistic. There were some funny lines particularly with the banter between the sisters.
The author obviously did a lot of research on the medical issue facing Joe.
The landscape and weather of Wyoming is a part of the book which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed the descriptions of various animals that live in the area: elk, bear, wolves, and different birds.
CJ Box has won multiple awards for his writing. He deserves another one for this book.
I plan on continuing reading this series.
March 18, 2026
So disappointing. For me the "departure" from his usual writing wasn't good. The beginning was good but it quickly turned into a Hallmarkish type book where everything is quickly tied up in bows at the end. Unrealistic. Didn't hold my attention and was just so unbelievable I kept thinking, Who actually wrote this book? No thanks CJ Box . As someone who's read all of your books and looks forward to each book with anticipation I was disappointed.
February 28, 2026
This was beyond terrible, the last time I'm bothering to listen to or read a CJ Box book.
Among other discrepancies:
When you can be seen on top of a ridge or hill, it's skylining, not skylighting.
Cattle don't bleat (though sheep do), they low or more commonly moo.
Among other discrepancies:
When you can be seen on top of a ridge or hill, it's skylining, not skylighting.
Cattle don't bleat (though sheep do), they low or more commonly moo.
February 27, 2026
4.4 stars. Box has done it again. Pickett is shot in an ambush at a crossroad leading to 3 ranches. All 3 of the ranch owners are sketchy and could conceivably have a motive. This all happens in the first chapter.
A new sheriff is just taking over the job, so Joe's daughters are investigating themselves. Great characters and an exciting story.
Nate is basically a cameo, but as always every page involving him is pure gold.
A new sheriff is just taking over the job, so Joe's daughters are investigating themselves. Great characters and an exciting story.
Nate is basically a cameo, but as always every page involving him is pure gold.
April 26, 2026
This one was ok. Not my favorite
April 30, 2026
I really enjoyed reading about the development of the Pickett girls, Sheridan, April, and Lucy. They really stepped up to the plate.
March 1, 2026
The Crossroads is the 26th book in the Joe Pickett series from CJ Box.
"Marybeth Pickett gets the call she's been dreading for years. Her husband, Joe, has been shot and critically injured. He was found at Antler Creek Junction, a crossroads that leads to three different ranches - each one a family that many would call dangerous.
Joe's daughters - Sheridan, April and Lucy - decide to find who shot their dad. It's more dangerous thatn they know."
Box keeps you guessing which family is responsible for almost the whole book, even though you know who the shooters are. Box shows them plotting to clean up so the tension stays high, especially when another killer enters the picture. There is a bit of a dual-timeline with Pickett trying to find out what's going on with some of the ranches.
Cassie Dewell makes an appearance (The Bitterroots, Treasure State) The sisters manage to talk to all of the families trying to put the pieces together. It all comes to a head when the killers come after them. Nate even has a cameo. The final scene is explosive. You're surprised at who ends it. And there's a little surprise with Joe Pickett's coma.
A great addition to the series.
"Marybeth Pickett gets the call she's been dreading for years. Her husband, Joe, has been shot and critically injured. He was found at Antler Creek Junction, a crossroads that leads to three different ranches - each one a family that many would call dangerous.
Joe's daughters - Sheridan, April and Lucy - decide to find who shot their dad. It's more dangerous thatn they know."
Box keeps you guessing which family is responsible for almost the whole book, even though you know who the shooters are. Box shows them plotting to clean up so the tension stays high, especially when another killer enters the picture. There is a bit of a dual-timeline with Pickett trying to find out what's going on with some of the ranches.
Cassie Dewell makes an appearance (The Bitterroots, Treasure State) The sisters manage to talk to all of the families trying to put the pieces together. It all comes to a head when the killers come after them. Nate even has a cameo. The final scene is explosive. You're surprised at who ends it. And there's a little surprise with Joe Pickett's coma.
A great addition to the series.
May 16, 2026
The return of Joe Pickett
Or sort of. Joe is shot by an ambush at the end of a road that leads to three ranches, all who have past and recent issues with Joe and law enforcement in general. Joe spends most of this book in a coma and the three Pickett daughters are the stars here. Working with a new, and presumably honest for a change, Sheriff, they uncover a lot of information on all three ranch families. But it takes Nate Romanowski to finally solve the crime. Classic whodunit, skillfully written.
Or sort of. Joe is shot by an ambush at the end of a road that leads to three ranches, all who have past and recent issues with Joe and law enforcement in general. Joe spends most of this book in a coma and the three Pickett daughters are the stars here. Working with a new, and presumably honest for a change, Sheriff, they uncover a lot of information on all three ranch families. But it takes Nate Romanowski to finally solve the crime. Classic whodunit, skillfully written.
April 10, 2026
When Joe gets shot and flown to Montana, his wife goes with him, and their three daughters pick up the investigation on who shot their father. The new sheriff is feeling his way around the county, doing his own investigation, and there are a few conflicts. Where are the shooters and who hired them? Another exciting read from CJ Box.
March 30, 2026
Not one of his better books
March 12, 2026
Once again, thx to the Author for sending me a great read.
February 28, 2026
Just as gripping as the others, this one takes us away from Joe and focuses more on the three Pickett girls as they try to determine who shot their father in a hail of bullets on a deserted country road. While Joe clings to life in a coma in Billings with MaryBeth at his side, the new sheriff in town investigates a series of criminal acts, including Joe's shooting. Lucy, April, and Sheridan try to isolate Joe's enemies and their possible motives for murder. Nate, of course, hovers in the background, ready to tear ears off to protect the Picketts.
I like Joe as an MC more than the daughters, although they certainly have grown up into three solid, unique women with varied interests, skill sets, and personalities. I missed MaryBeth in this one, since she's mainly with Joe. I liked that we learned a little more about how they met and fell in love. Thankfully, we didn't get much Missy in this one!
The "bad guys" seemed like cheesy caricatures compared to previous books. They were more idiotic than usual. But overall, the book is solid.
I like Joe as an MC more than the daughters, although they certainly have grown up into three solid, unique women with varied interests, skill sets, and personalities. I missed MaryBeth in this one, since she's mainly with Joe. I liked that we learned a little more about how they met and fell in love. Thankfully, we didn't get much Missy in this one!
The "bad guys" seemed like cheesy caricatures compared to previous books. They were more idiotic than usual. But overall, the book is solid.
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