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Cassie Dewell #5
Treasure State
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
#1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box's Treasure State finds Cassie Dewell in Montana on the trail of a con man.
Private Investigator Cassie Dewell’s business is thriving, and her latest case puts her on the hunt for a slippery con man who’s disappeared somewhere in the “treasure state”. A wealthy Florida widow has accused him of absconding with her fortune, and wants Cassie to find him and get it back. The trail takes Cassie to Anaconda, Montana, a quirky former copper mining town that’s the perfect place to reinvent yourself. As the case develops, Cassie begins to wonder if her client is telling her everything.
On top of that, Cassie is also working what's easily one of her strangest assignments ever. A poem that promises buried treasure to one lucky adventurer has led to a cutthroat competition and five deaths among treasure-hunters. But Cassie’s client doesn’t want the treasure. Instead, he claims to be the one who hid the gold and wrote the poem. And he’s hired Cassie to try to find him. Between the two cases, Cassie has her hands full.
In Montana, a killer view can mean more than just the scenery, and Cassie knows much darker things hide behind the picturesque landscape of Big Sky Country. Treasure State , C. J. Box's highly anticipated follow-up to The Bitterroots , is full of more twists and turns than the switchbacks through the Anaconda Range.
#1 New York Times bestselling author C. J. Box's Treasure State finds Cassie Dewell in Montana on the trail of a con man.
Private Investigator Cassie Dewell’s business is thriving, and her latest case puts her on the hunt for a slippery con man who’s disappeared somewhere in the “treasure state”. A wealthy Florida widow has accused him of absconding with her fortune, and wants Cassie to find him and get it back. The trail takes Cassie to Anaconda, Montana, a quirky former copper mining town that’s the perfect place to reinvent yourself. As the case develops, Cassie begins to wonder if her client is telling her everything.
On top of that, Cassie is also working what's easily one of her strangest assignments ever. A poem that promises buried treasure to one lucky adventurer has led to a cutthroat competition and five deaths among treasure-hunters. But Cassie’s client doesn’t want the treasure. Instead, he claims to be the one who hid the gold and wrote the poem. And he’s hired Cassie to try to find him. Between the two cases, Cassie has her hands full.
In Montana, a killer view can mean more than just the scenery, and Cassie knows much darker things hide behind the picturesque landscape of Big Sky Country. Treasure State , C. J. Box's highly anticipated follow-up to The Bitterroots , is full of more twists and turns than the switchbacks through the Anaconda Range.
275 pages, Hardcover
First published September 27, 2022
1431 people are currently reading
11241 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Box
111 books7,174 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 1,063 reviews
August 31, 2022
Oh, this is a really good one! Treasure State can be read on its own although it's part six of the Highway Quartlet series or "Big Sky" series on ABC.
Cassie Dewell is a 40-something single mom and a PI in Bozeman, Montana. Here, she has two cases going on for her, the first is discovering the man who claims to have posted a poem at a local bar pointing to the whereabouts of “Sir Scott’s Treasure” that drew treasure hunters to the area. The person who hires her is the poet himself.
The second mystery involves tracking down a conman who charms widows in multiple cities into investing millions with his nonexistent investment firm. Candyce Fly of Boca Grande, Florida lost all her money to this man. Her first PI has gone AWOL after his last contact from Montana. The clues lead Cassie to an old mining town, Anaconda.
If you're new to the series, I don't think you'll have a hard time warming up to Cassie. She's smart and observant. She takes precautions when on the job, none of that wreckless nonsense here. The small cast of characters makes the book easy to follow.
If you decide to read from the beginning, you're in for a surprise and that's all I'm willing to say! I highly recommend this well-written series.
The audiobook narrated by Christina Delaine gives Cassie the "I mean business" attitude. I think her voice of male characters is a little awkward, but I got used to it eventually. I know it's been a while, but I secretly wish January LaVoy was still reading it.
Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this DRC.
Expected Publication Sep 27, 2022!
Cassie Dewell is a 40-something single mom and a PI in Bozeman, Montana. Here, she has two cases going on for her, the first is discovering the man who claims to have posted a poem at a local bar pointing to the whereabouts of “Sir Scott’s Treasure” that drew treasure hunters to the area. The person who hires her is the poet himself.
The second mystery involves tracking down a conman who charms widows in multiple cities into investing millions with his nonexistent investment firm. Candyce Fly of Boca Grande, Florida lost all her money to this man. Her first PI has gone AWOL after his last contact from Montana. The clues lead Cassie to an old mining town, Anaconda.
If you're new to the series, I don't think you'll have a hard time warming up to Cassie. She's smart and observant. She takes precautions when on the job, none of that wreckless nonsense here. The small cast of characters makes the book easy to follow.
If you decide to read from the beginning, you're in for a surprise and that's all I'm willing to say! I highly recommend this well-written series.
The audiobook narrated by Christina Delaine gives Cassie the "I mean business" attitude. I think her voice of male characters is a little awkward, but I got used to it eventually. I know it's been a while, but I secretly wish January LaVoy was still reading it.
Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this DRC.
Expected Publication Sep 27, 2022!
October 8, 2022
I've read all of C. J. Box's books but this will definitely be my last. I found his use of characters to make fun of people wearing masks and ridiculing people who are afraid of getting covid intolerable and I was so angered by this insensitivity that it overshadowed the plot. For the many who've lost loved ones to covid or are suffering from long term effects, his writing is insulting and hurtful. Our country is incredibly divided right now thanks to the likes of Mr. Box and his rhetoric. This is a shame because otherwise he is not a bad writer.
August 28, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up
Treasure State is the first in the Cassie Dewell series that I’ve read (it’s the sixth in the series), but I found it worked well as a stand-alone. I liked that Cassie was a typical woman - close to 40, slightly overweight, not quite in shape, needs reading glasses. No Super Woman qualities, just a hard working PI. I liked that she didn’t take unnecessary chances and tried to take precautions.
There’s a national treasure hunt going on and people have focused on Montana as the site of the treasure chest. Cassie is working two cases. The first client, supposedly the man who hid the gold, wants her to see if she can discover him. The second is a woman out of Florida looking for a con man she says bamboozled her out her fortune.
Box keeps the story moving along at a brisk pace. The book is told in a nonlinear fashion and includes other POVs besides Cassie’s, which worked well. My one complaint was that the one bad guy was so nasty, at times he felt like a caricature.
Cassie is a single mother and a daughter. Box doesn’t spend a lot of time on her personal life. But what there was worked well and I would have liked to have seen a little more.
The ending worked well for both storylines.
Christina Delaine was a great narrator, perfectly capturing Cassie, while also able to differentiate the other voices (although one of her cackling laughs was pretty irritating.).
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.
Treasure State is the first in the Cassie Dewell series that I’ve read (it’s the sixth in the series), but I found it worked well as a stand-alone. I liked that Cassie was a typical woman - close to 40, slightly overweight, not quite in shape, needs reading glasses. No Super Woman qualities, just a hard working PI. I liked that she didn’t take unnecessary chances and tried to take precautions.
There’s a national treasure hunt going on and people have focused on Montana as the site of the treasure chest. Cassie is working two cases. The first client, supposedly the man who hid the gold, wants her to see if she can discover him. The second is a woman out of Florida looking for a con man she says bamboozled her out her fortune.
Box keeps the story moving along at a brisk pace. The book is told in a nonlinear fashion and includes other POVs besides Cassie’s, which worked well. My one complaint was that the one bad guy was so nasty, at times he felt like a caricature.
Cassie is a single mother and a daughter. Box doesn’t spend a lot of time on her personal life. But what there was worked well and I would have liked to have seen a little more.
The ending worked well for both storylines.
Christina Delaine was a great narrator, perfectly capturing Cassie, while also able to differentiate the other voices (although one of her cackling laughs was pretty irritating.).
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.
November 4, 2022
I have heard so much about C.J. Box, but have never had the opportunity until now to read one of his books. This new book is from his Highway series and features Cassie Dewell, a PI in Montana. Even though this is the 6th book of the series, I had no trouble with jumping in. Box uses enough references to some of the other books in the series so that all makes sense. Here Cassie is working on two different cases. One involves finding the identity of a man who began a Treasure Hunt for a huge chest of gold and hid clues in a poem. In addition she is trying to track down a missing Florida PI, and help this clients recover the money that a man swindled from them. A good plot and believable characters. I enjoyed this book and want to read more of the authors other works.
October 6, 2022
Generally, I found this novel obvious and annoying. First, Box is terrible at writing female characters. Cassie Dewell is dimensionless and Box's continual fat-shaming of her is off-putting. Dewell going all weak-in-the-knees like a love-struck teenager at the touch of the handsome con man is laughable. Come to think of it, his female characters in his Pickett series are also mostly without depth, usually there to make a bad decision (his daughters) or to provide fill-in-the-gaps background (his wife) or as obnoxious foils (his mother-in-law).
In addition, the bad guys were obvious from the moment they entered the storyline as well as the individual who was going to eventually find the treasure.
This is also a novel where Box wears his politics on his sleeve. Usually, Box's conservative/libertarian politics are clear but subdued. Not here, where 'old hippies' are stupid, angry, misguided, and disloyal, where individuals who masked-up for the pandemic are mentally-defective cowards whining behind closed doors, and where the skeptics who worked throughout the pandemic (usually outdoors, here) were brave, clear-eyed patriots.
All in all, a rather dreadful book.
In addition, the bad guys were obvious from the moment they entered the storyline as well as the individual who was going to eventually find the treasure.
This is also a novel where Box wears his politics on his sleeve. Usually, Box's conservative/libertarian politics are clear but subdued. Not here, where 'old hippies' are stupid, angry, misguided, and disloyal, where individuals who masked-up for the pandemic are mentally-defective cowards whining behind closed doors, and where the skeptics who worked throughout the pandemic (usually outdoors, here) were brave, clear-eyed patriots.
All in all, a rather dreadful book.
September 12, 2022
A special thanks to Minotaur Books for my ARC of Author C. J. Box’s “Treasure State”, on sale September 27, 2022 for an honest review 📚 ❤️
I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series but never had a problem with that so this is a great stand-alone book to grab and read. I love authors who do that; you don’t feel cheated or confused by missing information. I really enjoyed the settings descriptions, filled with just enough detail that you felt like you were there but not bored, as well as the conversations. The plot steadily moves through both mysteries that tie up nicely and with satisfaction. Definitely planning on reading the previous books in this series as well as checking out the other books by this author. And now for a vacation to Montana!!
I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series but never had a problem with that so this is a great stand-alone book to grab and read. I love authors who do that; you don’t feel cheated or confused by missing information. I really enjoyed the settings descriptions, filled with just enough detail that you felt like you were there but not bored, as well as the conversations. The plot steadily moves through both mysteries that tie up nicely and with satisfaction. Definitely planning on reading the previous books in this series as well as checking out the other books by this author. And now for a vacation to Montana!!
July 21, 2022
BIG thanks to Minotaur Books, as well to NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Treasure State!
In Montana, a killer view can mean more than just the scenery, and Cassie knows that much darker things hide behind the picturesque landscape of Big Sky Country. She's on the hunt for a slippery con man who’s disappeared somewhere in the “treasure state” and the trail takes Cassie to Anaconda, Montana - a quirky former copper mining town. There is a secondary plotline about the hunt for a buried treasure chest filled with gold worth millions and they touch and then interweave nicely.
I. Loved. This. Book. I think my favorite character was Kyle, although the rest of the "good guys" were very likable, as well. Cassie's investigation skills were brilliant! Ah, Cassie. This brings me to the only thing that prevented this from being a five-star read for me. Possibly I'm the only person who feels this way, but I couldn't care less about a character's weight. I found the multiple references to Cassie's weight to be distracting.
However! I seriously did not want to put Treasure State down and felt extremely resentful when life kept preventing me from sitting and reading it all at one time! The book's alternating viewpoints and nonlinear timeline were easy to follow, even after my being forced to put the book down. I can't wait to read where Cassie, et al, go from here!!
In Montana, a killer view can mean more than just the scenery, and Cassie knows that much darker things hide behind the picturesque landscape of Big Sky Country. She's on the hunt for a slippery con man who’s disappeared somewhere in the “treasure state” and the trail takes Cassie to Anaconda, Montana - a quirky former copper mining town. There is a secondary plotline about the hunt for a buried treasure chest filled with gold worth millions and they touch and then interweave nicely.
I. Loved. This. Book. I think my favorite character was Kyle, although the rest of the "good guys" were very likable, as well. Cassie's investigation skills were brilliant! Ah, Cassie. This brings me to the only thing that prevented this from being a five-star read for me. Possibly I'm the only person who feels this way, but I couldn't care less about a character's weight. I found the multiple references to Cassie's weight to be distracting.
However! I seriously did not want to put Treasure State down and felt extremely resentful when life kept preventing me from sitting and reading it all at one time! The book's alternating viewpoints and nonlinear timeline were easy to follow, even after my being forced to put the book down. I can't wait to read where Cassie, et al, go from here!!
October 28, 2022
4.5 Stars for Treasure State: The Highway Quartet, Book 6 (audiobook) by C. J. Box read by Christina Delaine.
Montana Private Investigator Cassie Dewell is juggling two cases this time. One where a rich woman was swindled out of millions and another where man had hidden millions in gold in the forest and he is providing clues to the public so they can find his treasure.
Montana Private Investigator Cassie Dewell is juggling two cases this time. One where a rich woman was swindled out of millions and another where man had hidden millions in gold in the forest and he is providing clues to the public so they can find his treasure.
October 11, 2022
I have enjoyed many books by C.J. Box in the past - namely the first 5 or 6 in the Joe Pickett series, and all the books in the Cassie Dewell series... until this one.
There are things I didn't like in terms of covid and characters being anti-masking, and the weird focus on Cassie feeling bad for eating anything other than salad and thinking she's fat all the time, and the unrealistic aspect of Cassie being "pushing forty" and covered with wrinkles and needing readers etc, while a 50-something male character has no wrinkles (it specifically says this!) and is really fit and gets all the ladies... ugh. But I recognize that not every book or author has to have the same opinions/views as me, and that's fine. However, beyond these things that I did not like and left a bad taste in my mouth, there was the fact that the story was just bad. Previous Cassie Dewell books were fast-paced thrillers with lots at stake and twisty plots. This one felt like it barely got started and then it was over. No real mystery or sense of danger at all. Cartoonish characters who did their duty for the plot then conveniently died. Another character just seemed thrown in to be able to talk about date rape in a gross way for no reason. It could have been relevant to the plot but Cassie just remembered the person mentioning it after she "solved" the mystery. I just felt like the book was all over the place and seemed like a very rough draft, not a finished product.
I recall having some issue in previous Cassie books with the plots always being about horrible rape and abuse of women. The show ( Big Sky) has continued that and I had to stop watching it. And there were definitely hints of basically opposite beliefs than mine (heavily pro law enforcement, anti union and anti "useless city folk") but I could overlook them when the plot was entertaining enough. This one closed the door on that for me.
There are things I didn't like in terms of covid and characters being anti-masking, and the weird focus on Cassie feeling bad for eating anything other than salad and thinking she's fat all the time, and the unrealistic aspect of Cassie being "pushing forty" and covered with wrinkles and needing readers etc, while a 50-something male character has no wrinkles (it specifically says this!) and is really fit and gets all the ladies... ugh. But I recognize that not every book or author has to have the same opinions/views as me, and that's fine. However, beyond these things that I did not like and left a bad taste in my mouth, there was the fact that the story was just bad. Previous Cassie Dewell books were fast-paced thrillers with lots at stake and twisty plots. This one felt like it barely got started and then it was over. No real mystery or sense of danger at all. Cartoonish characters who did their duty for the plot then conveniently died. Another character just seemed thrown in to be able to talk about date rape in a gross way for no reason. It could have been relevant to the plot but Cassie just remembered the person mentioning it after she "solved" the mystery. I just felt like the book was all over the place and seemed like a very rough draft, not a finished product.
I recall having some issue in previous Cassie books with the plots always being about horrible rape and abuse of women. The show ( Big Sky) has continued that and I had to stop watching it. And there were definitely hints of basically opposite beliefs than mine (heavily pro law enforcement, anti union and anti "useless city folk") but I could overlook them when the plot was entertaining enough. This one closed the door on that for me.
November 8, 2025
With the 6th Cassie Dewell story, readers will find the criminal conspirators quite corrupt and chilling.
Along with…An interesting plot with shifting timelines.
As well as…Endless clever and interesting twists which makes this an action-packed page turner.
Stay with it…For a satisfying conclusion.
Last note…This can be read as a stand-alone…
But…With previous characters some time popping into the story, it might be best to read the series in order.
Along with…An interesting plot with shifting timelines.
As well as…Endless clever and interesting twists which makes this an action-packed page turner.
Stay with it…For a satisfying conclusion.
Last note…This can be read as a stand-alone…
But…With previous characters some time popping into the story, it might be best to read the series in order.
July 9, 2022
Special thanks to the publisher for a free, physical ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: September 27, 2022
C.J. Box’s “Treasure State” sees the return of beloved private investigator Cassie Dewell. In this newest installment, Dewell is heading to Anaconda, Montana, in search of a con man who weaseled millions of dollars out of unsuspecting widows from all over the country. One of the women has already hired a P.I. to help find the con man, but he’s gone missing, too, and now Dewell is looking for two disappearing men. Then of course there’s the poem randomly written on a restaurant’s menu board that speaks of buried treasure, sending local treasure hunters into a frenzy, which just adds to Cassie’s case load when an old friend from her past becomes involved in the hunt.
Box’s “The Highway Quartet” series recently became even more popular with the television adaptation, Montana Sky (I’m a huge fan, by the way), and “Treasure State” is his sixth novel with P.I. Cassie Dewell at the helm. Dewell is a fabulous character, full of emotional dysfunction and imperfections, which makes her completely lovable and relatable. Her investigation skills are top notch, and any reader will be compelled to root for her success.
The novel is told almost exclusively by Cassie, and although there are snippets by others, those are almost exclusively told in the third person narrative. Each chapter is short, which just makes the powerful twists and turns that much more addictive. I wanted to read this book in one sitting once I got started, and this was one of those novels that I didn’t want to end (for all the right reasons).
It is not necessary to read all of the Dewell series’ in order to follow along with this one, as Box covers all the important highlights of the characters’ relationships in short segments where necessary. I was thoroughly impressed with the thrill ride “Treasure State” took me on, from the treasure hunting, to the con man hunting, and every twist and turn in between.
Expected publication date: September 27, 2022
C.J. Box’s “Treasure State” sees the return of beloved private investigator Cassie Dewell. In this newest installment, Dewell is heading to Anaconda, Montana, in search of a con man who weaseled millions of dollars out of unsuspecting widows from all over the country. One of the women has already hired a P.I. to help find the con man, but he’s gone missing, too, and now Dewell is looking for two disappearing men. Then of course there’s the poem randomly written on a restaurant’s menu board that speaks of buried treasure, sending local treasure hunters into a frenzy, which just adds to Cassie’s case load when an old friend from her past becomes involved in the hunt.
Box’s “The Highway Quartet” series recently became even more popular with the television adaptation, Montana Sky (I’m a huge fan, by the way), and “Treasure State” is his sixth novel with P.I. Cassie Dewell at the helm. Dewell is a fabulous character, full of emotional dysfunction and imperfections, which makes her completely lovable and relatable. Her investigation skills are top notch, and any reader will be compelled to root for her success.
The novel is told almost exclusively by Cassie, and although there are snippets by others, those are almost exclusively told in the third person narrative. Each chapter is short, which just makes the powerful twists and turns that much more addictive. I wanted to read this book in one sitting once I got started, and this was one of those novels that I didn’t want to end (for all the right reasons).
It is not necessary to read all of the Dewell series’ in order to follow along with this one, as Box covers all the important highlights of the characters’ relationships in short segments where necessary. I was thoroughly impressed with the thrill ride “Treasure State” took me on, from the treasure hunting, to the con man hunting, and every twist and turn in between.
December 26, 2023
My first C.J. Box novel. The mystery draws you in immediately. Filled with interesting and memorable characters, surprising twists and turns, it makes for a fast page turning read. I’ll definitely be seeking out the earlier entries in the series.
September 25, 2022
Looks like this book is book 6, the final installment to The Highway Quartet series. A mystery thriller located in Montana. I'm new to C.J. Box books but I'm loving it especially since I haven't read any books located in Montana. I'm interested to read the first five books of this series when time permits.
This book followed a private investigator Cassie. Her mom Isabel settled for a salad dinner because she rant about how those poor chickens were raised inhumanely for people to eat. I liked how Cassie mad at herself for eating a donut when she told herself not to. Cassie however, has a sharp mind and was known for being the best in her field. She's investigating on the missing private investigator from Florida. She was hired by a lady who got swindle out of a lot of her money. She was also hired to find out who created the treasure hunt that was dangerous for many treasure hunters. The second view was of the con man. Another view was of Kyle who actively hunt for the treasures. The audiobook at first was not what I'm used to but I got to liking it. The narrator did well with different voices. Cassie is closing in on catching the bad guys and she just discovered a bug under her car. She planned to play smart with this bug instead of letting the bad guys know that she knew. I like how smart Cassie is when she covers herself with backup knowing she entered into dangerous territory. I had to refer to the book a few times because the story goes off then comes back and started 3 days before or 18 days before to let readers know what had happened previously. Excellent read and audiobook!
Thank you Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen, read and review!
This book followed a private investigator Cassie. Her mom Isabel settled for a salad dinner because she rant about how those poor chickens were raised inhumanely for people to eat. I liked how Cassie mad at herself for eating a donut when she told herself not to. Cassie however, has a sharp mind and was known for being the best in her field. She's investigating on the missing private investigator from Florida. She was hired by a lady who got swindle out of a lot of her money. She was also hired to find out who created the treasure hunt that was dangerous for many treasure hunters. The second view was of the con man. Another view was of Kyle who actively hunt for the treasures. The audiobook at first was not what I'm used to but I got to liking it. The narrator did well with different voices. Cassie is closing in on catching the bad guys and she just discovered a bug under her car. She planned to play smart with this bug instead of letting the bad guys know that she knew. I like how smart Cassie is when she covers herself with backup knowing she entered into dangerous territory. I had to refer to the book a few times because the story goes off then comes back and started 3 days before or 18 days before to let readers know what had happened previously. Excellent read and audiobook!
Thank you Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen, read and review!
September 24, 2022
TREASURE STATE would have been a reasonably solid PI procedural featuring Cassie who is hired for 2 different cases that she works at the same time. There is one for a wealthy woman in Florida who was swindled by a man for millions and who sent a previous PI after him - but then the PI went missing. There is also a man who has set up an elaborate treasure hunt for millions of dollars worth of gold coins who has hired Cassie to see if she can discover his identity (if she can do so, then the hunt would not be as "pure" because learning his identity would lead to someone finding it rather than doing it through his clues). The cases were interesting enough, though the villains a bit cartoonish in some ways. The reader is also brought into it a bit early for one case, so it did not have quite the same air.
This could have been a pretty decent read for me, but I was particularly troubled by a scene that was added just to make a statement about COVID and those who are cautious. It was misinformed and unnecessary to the plot. Cassie visits the home of a writer who is concerned about catching COVID and asks her to wear a mask before coming into his house. She makes sure to point out that masks are useless (which is not true - lots of research has shown that masks actually help save lives) and ridicule him for being concerned about COVID, when it is in fact still quite deadly for people and not something everyone is just OK with catching (she had it and is fine, so... obviously that would be the case for everyone). I am honestly just baffled as to why this scene needed to be there at all, and it ruined the book for me. Just a heads up in case you have lost loved ones to the pandemic or have concerns about it, this scene is just ridiculous.
Anyway, I would not overall recommend the book. It would have been a solid 3-4 stars, but I just can't support it. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
This could have been a pretty decent read for me, but I was particularly troubled by a scene that was added just to make a statement about COVID and those who are cautious. It was misinformed and unnecessary to the plot. Cassie visits the home of a writer who is concerned about catching COVID and asks her to wear a mask before coming into his house. She makes sure to point out that masks are useless (which is not true - lots of research has shown that masks actually help save lives) and ridicule him for being concerned about COVID, when it is in fact still quite deadly for people and not something everyone is just OK with catching (she had it and is fine, so... obviously that would be the case for everyone). I am honestly just baffled as to why this scene needed to be there at all, and it ruined the book for me. Just a heads up in case you have lost loved ones to the pandemic or have concerns about it, this scene is just ridiculous.
Anyway, I would not overall recommend the book. It would have been a solid 3-4 stars, but I just can't support it. Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
September 16, 2022
The sixth in the series featuring private investigator Cassie Dewell puts her in the middle of two very different cases and pulls in a tie with the author's other popular series about Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett. The tie-in is simply this: Cassie hires April Pickett, the daughter of Joe and his wife Marybeth, as an intern at her office in Bozeman, Montana, much to the annoyance of Cassie's hippy dippy blabbermouth mother, Isabel. April isn't seen much, although she and Cassie's son, Ben, do play roles in helping to solve one of the cases.
One of the cases involves a poem left in a restaurant that alludes to an alleged $3.5 million in gold known as Sir Scott's Treasure. It's quite the mystery, both as to who sneaked in and wrote the poem and where the treasure is hidden (if, in fact, it exists at all). Cassie remains uncertain even after she receives a call from the person who claims to be the author - not only can she not tell whether it was a man or woman, the caller challenges Cassie to find not the treasure itself, but the person who hid the treasure and wrote the poem. If she does, the caller says, she'll get a reward of $25,000.
Not long thereafter, Cassie gets a call from an older woman who's been taken to the financial cleaners by a charming con artist; the previous private eye she hired has gone missing, she says, and she still needs someone to try and get her money back. Since she's still got enough money to pay Cassie's retainer, they seal the deal - and Cassie ends up in the old mining town of Anaconda. Right away, she bumps heads with local law enforcement jerks who don't like outsiders (especially female) poking their nose in their business.
But she persists, even if getting to the bottom of things takes her all over Montana - with readers getting an extensive look at the lay of the land. Her investigation also puts her back in touch with a character who should be familiar to readers of previous books and, of course, smack dab in the middle of liars, cheaters and murderers (nope, no details - read the book for yourself). I'll just end with thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a pre-release copy to read and review. Another good one!
One of the cases involves a poem left in a restaurant that alludes to an alleged $3.5 million in gold known as Sir Scott's Treasure. It's quite the mystery, both as to who sneaked in and wrote the poem and where the treasure is hidden (if, in fact, it exists at all). Cassie remains uncertain even after she receives a call from the person who claims to be the author - not only can she not tell whether it was a man or woman, the caller challenges Cassie to find not the treasure itself, but the person who hid the treasure and wrote the poem. If she does, the caller says, she'll get a reward of $25,000.
Not long thereafter, Cassie gets a call from an older woman who's been taken to the financial cleaners by a charming con artist; the previous private eye she hired has gone missing, she says, and she still needs someone to try and get her money back. Since she's still got enough money to pay Cassie's retainer, they seal the deal - and Cassie ends up in the old mining town of Anaconda. Right away, she bumps heads with local law enforcement jerks who don't like outsiders (especially female) poking their nose in their business.
But she persists, even if getting to the bottom of things takes her all over Montana - with readers getting an extensive look at the lay of the land. Her investigation also puts her back in touch with a character who should be familiar to readers of previous books and, of course, smack dab in the middle of liars, cheaters and murderers (nope, no details - read the book for yourself). I'll just end with thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a pre-release copy to read and review. Another good one!
September 26, 2022
“Private “Investigator Cassie Dewell’s business is thriving, and her latest case puts her on the hunt for a slippery con man who’s disappeared somewhere in the “treasure state”. A wealthy Florida widow has accused him of absconding with her fortune, and wants Cassie to find him and get it back. The trail takes Cassie to Anaconda, Montana, a quirky former copper mining town that’s the perfect place to reinvent yourself. As the case develops, Cassie begins to wonder if her client is telling her everything.”
First off – What’s with cover art lately? All “chick lit” seems to be in shades of teal, whereas all thrillers/murder mysteries, yellow and blue. The Best Seller shelf in my library is looking tragically homogenous.
Second – This book is just not for me; both in the did-not-enjoy and the not-the-target-audience ways.
I love a good murder mystery as much as the next bibliophile, but I found this one flat.
The plot was fine, but the characters were especially shallow. A person was either Good or Bad, with zero nuance.
Added to that, the heavy-handedness in regards to the author’s feelings about Covid protocols? Those concerned are brainless, spineless, and heartless, whereas all the skeptics were brave, hard-working, and clear-eyed. I get that Mr Box has to appeal to his base, but as stated, I am not that base.
5/10
Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.
First off – What’s with cover art lately? All “chick lit” seems to be in shades of teal, whereas all thrillers/murder mysteries, yellow and blue. The Best Seller shelf in my library is looking tragically homogenous.
Second – This book is just not for me; both in the did-not-enjoy and the not-the-target-audience ways.
I love a good murder mystery as much as the next bibliophile, but I found this one flat.
The plot was fine, but the characters were especially shallow. A person was either Good or Bad, with zero nuance.
Added to that, the heavy-handedness in regards to the author’s feelings about Covid protocols? Those concerned are brainless, spineless, and heartless, whereas all the skeptics were brave, hard-working, and clear-eyed. I get that Mr Box has to appeal to his base, but as stated, I am not that base.
5/10
Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.
August 11, 2022
Mixed feelings about the way the pandemic was referenced in this. I read to escape every day life, not be reminded about what a shitty situation we’re still in because of other people’s selfish ass decisions.
Thanks to edelweiss for an advance copy.
Thanks to edelweiss for an advance copy.
November 25, 2022
The 5th book in the Cassie Dewell series, Treasure State returns us to the hugely open state of Montana with the private investigator crossing paths with yet another selection of reprobates.
Cassie’s small PI firm is fortunate enough to pick up two jobs in a matter of a day. The first is a little weird and is related to a treasure hunt that was prompted after a poem was posted at a local bar. Cassie’s job is to find the man responsible for the poem.
The second case involves a little more hard work. A PI from Florida arrived in the small town of Anaconda, Montana. He was on the trail of a conman who had fleeced a wealthy widow to the tune of $7 million. Soon after reporting to the widow that he had arrived in town, he vanished. Cassie has been hired to find the missing PI and, while she’s at it, look for the conman.
What she doesn’t realise is that she’s about to walk into a very dangerous situation and that asking the most seemingly innocent questions could have dire consequences.
Treasure State continues on what has been a compelling hardboiled PI series set in some of the most remote but picturesque countryside in the US. Cassie Dewell is a highly accomplished former sheriff’s deputy who knows exactly how to get to the heart of the matter. As the series has progressed we are being given a greater insight into what makes her tick so that she has become a far more fully-fleshed character.
The story is told in a non-linear fashion, jumping back in time to explain the fate of the missing PI then returning to the present and Cassie’s progress in her investigation. It’s a method that’s effective in heightening the tension, giving us an immediate reminder of the danger she’s facing.
The pace is brisk with the existence of the statewide treasure hunt providing an entertaining diversion, thanks in no small part to the inclusion of Kyle Westergaard, a character from an earlier book in the series. He pops in and out of Cassie’s orbit throughout the course of the book so it’s no real surprise that he’ll play an important part somewhere along the line.
Although the book is part of a growing series, I thought it could be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel too. The clever story development proved to be consistently entertaining while managing to produce the odd unexpected twist. C.J. Box continues to display a flair of the dramatic and the series continues to improve.
Cassie’s small PI firm is fortunate enough to pick up two jobs in a matter of a day. The first is a little weird and is related to a treasure hunt that was prompted after a poem was posted at a local bar. Cassie’s job is to find the man responsible for the poem.
The second case involves a little more hard work. A PI from Florida arrived in the small town of Anaconda, Montana. He was on the trail of a conman who had fleeced a wealthy widow to the tune of $7 million. Soon after reporting to the widow that he had arrived in town, he vanished. Cassie has been hired to find the missing PI and, while she’s at it, look for the conman.
What she doesn’t realise is that she’s about to walk into a very dangerous situation and that asking the most seemingly innocent questions could have dire consequences.
Treasure State continues on what has been a compelling hardboiled PI series set in some of the most remote but picturesque countryside in the US. Cassie Dewell is a highly accomplished former sheriff’s deputy who knows exactly how to get to the heart of the matter. As the series has progressed we are being given a greater insight into what makes her tick so that she has become a far more fully-fleshed character.
The story is told in a non-linear fashion, jumping back in time to explain the fate of the missing PI then returning to the present and Cassie’s progress in her investigation. It’s a method that’s effective in heightening the tension, giving us an immediate reminder of the danger she’s facing.
The pace is brisk with the existence of the statewide treasure hunt providing an entertaining diversion, thanks in no small part to the inclusion of Kyle Westergaard, a character from an earlier book in the series. He pops in and out of Cassie’s orbit throughout the course of the book so it’s no real surprise that he’ll play an important part somewhere along the line.
Although the book is part of a growing series, I thought it could be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel too. The clever story development proved to be consistently entertaining while managing to produce the odd unexpected twist. C.J. Box continues to display a flair of the dramatic and the series continues to improve.
October 17, 2022
I've enjoyed the Joe Pickett books quite a bit. They are well written with interesting (if sometimes unbelievable) characters. The Cassie Dewell books, however, have not landed so well with me. As others have said, the characters seem less well drawn and more cartoony. I did not find either main plot line of this book to be particularly compelling, and the storytelling seemed lazy and did not draw me in. Part of the problem there, too, was the Box's obvious intent to inject his personal politics into the narrative. I've always been impressed with his ability to balance viewpoints without actually landing anywhere in his books, but he failed this time. It's clear where he stands, and I can't say I like that person very much. I'll read the next Joe Pickett book, but if he fouls that one with his personal politics like this one, then we are done.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2022
I don't know much in life but I do know people lose their minds about treasure hunts and there is a certain gravity to "Dateline mysteries." In Treasure State, C.J. Box weaves multiple storylines involving a strange poem with ties to said treasure hunt, a cat and mouse game between Cassie Dewell and the treasure burier(?), a loverboy conman and the disappearance of a P.I. who has searching for the loverboy. Each thread on their own play a crucial part in the overall vibe but the way Box interweaves the darker threads with the more lighthearted treasure hunt angle is essential. Otherwise, Treasure State might be too dark for some people.
Instead, you get a fun, quick read with fantastic characters written with the expertise Box fans are accustomed. Treasure State. while it is the sixth book featuring Cassie Dewell, can be read as a standalone but don't be surprised if you find a new series to delve into.
My sincere thanks to C.J. Box, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Treasure State.
Instead, you get a fun, quick read with fantastic characters written with the expertise Box fans are accustomed. Treasure State. while it is the sixth book featuring Cassie Dewell, can be read as a standalone but don't be surprised if you find a new series to delve into.
My sincere thanks to C.J. Box, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Treasure State.
October 15, 2022
The book started out great! I LOVE the area around Butte and Anaconda where this takes place. I felt the story kinda started to fizzle as it went along. It became another book with a check off list. I think it is the weakest book in the series so far.
October 16, 2022
This book would have scored a 3-3.5 star rating for being a perfectly decent Cassie Dewell novel, except for the anti-mask, anti-vax segment of the book that makes fun of people who take COVID seriously. It saddens me that Mr. Box apparently doesn't have any sympathy for those of us with compromised immune systems, or for the millions of families who lost loved ones during the pandemic. Shame on you, C.J. Box. Between this and the anti-BLM plot in the last Joe Pickett book, I'm starting to wonder just how much I enjoy C.J. Box's books.
October 20, 2022
Another great addition to the Cassie Dewell series. I love her common sense. I also like the new character of April the receptionist.
September 21, 2022
This was my first CJ Box book. I enjoyed the setting of the book. I have always wanted to travel to Montana. I enjoyed my first encounter with Cassie Dewell. I like that she is a PI and I like the people she surrounds herself with. It was interesting, but not necessary to read the other books in the series. This was easily a stand alone novel. I liked the concept of the book and where it developed. What really turned me off though, and caused me to lower my rating were the constant remarks against wearing masks during the pandemic. This book would have been really good without these comments. They were not necessary and not needed. The book didn’t even need to mention the pandemic. It was not apart of the storyline, except for when the author through in his political beliefs through a character. For me, it was a turnoff.
Thanks so much to Minotaur for sending me a gifted copy of this book.
Thanks so much to Minotaur for sending me a gifted copy of this book.
July 23, 2022
Treasure State is the lates installment of the Cassie Dewell series written by C. J. Box. Dewell is a middle aged female private investigator and former law enforcement officer in Bozeman, Montana. A quick read that held my attention as Box interlaced two stories. Dewell is hired to track down a missing private investigator, investigating a conman who was defrauding rich women. Box 's descriptions of the countryside and small cities left behind by changing times set the scene in Montana. He is great at building the tension as Dewell without a safety net deals with the local Sheriff's office who doesn't want her around. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 3, 2022
Publication date: September 27, 2022
Thank you to Goodreads and Minotaur Books for this advance copy to read.
Cassie Dewell is now a very well established private investigator and her company is thriving. She takes on a case of a PI out of Florida who has turned up missing. He had made his way to Montana in pursuit of a charming con man. Meanwhile, Cassie is simultaneously working on another case which involves a treasure hunt of sorts. A mysterious man has left an anonymous poem at a local restaurant regarding the whereabouts of a treasure chest of gold. The author of said poem hires Cassie to try to figure out who he is in the hopes that no other treasure hunter would be able to find the missing treasure via this route. Between both of these stories, the book ends up being quite the page turner! It feels to me like Cassie has really settled into her new career. I really like her character. She reminds me of Kinsey Milhone from Sue Grafton’s alphabet series. She’s smart while also having a good amount of common sense. She’s honest with herself, real and human. She makes some mistakes but usually tries to do what’s right. This is a very good installment in this series which I can highly recommend.
Side note: I started reading this series about the same time I started reading the Joe Pickett series. I am now caught up with these books while I’m about 6-7 books into Joe Pickett. So, imagine my surprise when Cassie’s new intern turns out to be April Pickett from Saddlestring, WY! Clearly I need to get back to that series to see how this happened!
Thank you to Goodreads and Minotaur Books for this advance copy to read.
Cassie Dewell is now a very well established private investigator and her company is thriving. She takes on a case of a PI out of Florida who has turned up missing. He had made his way to Montana in pursuit of a charming con man. Meanwhile, Cassie is simultaneously working on another case which involves a treasure hunt of sorts. A mysterious man has left an anonymous poem at a local restaurant regarding the whereabouts of a treasure chest of gold. The author of said poem hires Cassie to try to figure out who he is in the hopes that no other treasure hunter would be able to find the missing treasure via this route. Between both of these stories, the book ends up being quite the page turner! It feels to me like Cassie has really settled into her new career. I really like her character. She reminds me of Kinsey Milhone from Sue Grafton’s alphabet series. She’s smart while also having a good amount of common sense. She’s honest with herself, real and human. She makes some mistakes but usually tries to do what’s right. This is a very good installment in this series which I can highly recommend.
Side note: I started reading this series about the same time I started reading the Joe Pickett series. I am now caught up with these books while I’m about 6-7 books into Joe Pickett. So, imagine my surprise when Cassie’s new intern turns out to be April Pickett from Saddlestring, WY! Clearly I need to get back to that series to see how this happened!
October 12, 2022
⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️
Treasure State by C.J. Box is such an impressive and entertaining read, Cassie Jewell is a brilliant character in this tale of two mysteries.
Cassie Jewell is an effective, middle-aged Private Investigator who heads out to Anaconda, Montana on the trail of a scam artist. Her client, wealthy widow Candyce Fly has accused a man of stealing her fortune and she wants it back, she also wants Cassie to investigate the disappearance of private eye she had enlisted name J. D. Spengler.
The former copper mining town is a place where darkness, violence and murder emerge. There’s also a public treasure hunt where an anonymous poem hints at buried treasure - five deaths have already occurred from people trying to find the treasure. A man claiming to be the author of the poem ‘Sir Scott’s Treasure’ wants Cassie to discover his identity in exchange for payment.
I loved the setting, I could picture it so clearly, this is a highly satisfying and pacey read with plenty of intrigue and mystery to keep you hooked! I will definitely read another CJ Box novel in the future!
Publication Date 05 October 2022
Publisher Head of Zeus
Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for the surprise copy
Treasure State by C.J. Box is such an impressive and entertaining read, Cassie Jewell is a brilliant character in this tale of two mysteries.
Cassie Jewell is an effective, middle-aged Private Investigator who heads out to Anaconda, Montana on the trail of a scam artist. Her client, wealthy widow Candyce Fly has accused a man of stealing her fortune and she wants it back, she also wants Cassie to investigate the disappearance of private eye she had enlisted name J. D. Spengler.
The former copper mining town is a place where darkness, violence and murder emerge. There’s also a public treasure hunt where an anonymous poem hints at buried treasure - five deaths have already occurred from people trying to find the treasure. A man claiming to be the author of the poem ‘Sir Scott’s Treasure’ wants Cassie to discover his identity in exchange for payment.
I loved the setting, I could picture it so clearly, this is a highly satisfying and pacey read with plenty of intrigue and mystery to keep you hooked! I will definitely read another CJ Box novel in the future!
Publication Date 05 October 2022
Publisher Head of Zeus
Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for the surprise copy
November 3, 2022
The latest in the Cassie Dewell quartet. It was fun to see C.J. Box bring back a character from Badlands. IMO, it's time to rename the series as a quartet is four books and we are now two books past that.
Since we have seen Cassie in several other books, this one will of most interest to fans of the other five titles.
Since we have seen Cassie in several other books, this one will of most interest to fans of the other five titles.
August 18, 2022
It is always exciting when a new book from C.J. Box is out and Treasure State the latest Cassie Dewell is no exception. The storyline is great and the writing is as always good. This one is in my opinion one of the best in this series and it will be interesting to see where he will take the characters next. Thanks to Minotaur Books, Macmillan and Edelweiss for letting me read this advance copy.
October 7, 2022
anti-masking and anti-vaxxing nonsense intruded on ok story. female characters aren't particularly well-written from this writer.
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