The Bitterroots

The Highway Quartet #5

by C.J. Box

A riveting new novel from New York Times bestselling and Edgar-Award winning author CJ Box.

Former police officer Cassie Dewell is trying to start over with her own private investigation firm. Guilty about not seeing her son and exhausted by the nights on stakeout, Cassie is nontheless managing...until an old friend calls in a favor: she wants Cassie to help exonarate a man accused of assaulting a young girl from an influential family.

Against her own better judgment, Cassie agrees. But out in the Big Sky Country of Montana, twisted family loyalty runs as deep as the ties to the land, and there's always something more to the story. As Cassie attempts to uncover the truth, she must fight against the ghosts of her own past that threaten to pull her back under.

With The Bitterroots, master storyteller C.J. Box delivers another novel that will keep you turning pages, featuring fan favorite Cassie Dewell from the Highway Quartet.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Audiobook, Suspense, Westerns

311 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 13, 2019

About the author

C. 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

Reviews

[Kaceey · Rating 5 out of 5]

C.J. Box is not a new author on my radar. I’ve been reading his Joe Pickett series for years. At first glance, I thought it was a stand-alone. But upon its arrival I realized this is actually book 4 of a completely different series! (Cue the rug being pulled out from under me!) Hesitant...nervous.... jumping into a series can sometimes end in disaster! Not to worry!!

C.J. Box provides just the right amount of background to rapidly bring you up to speed. So you’ll be fully prepared to jump right into the deep-end! A rare feat indeed!

Cassie Dewell has recently quit the Sheriff’s department, now branching out as a PI. At certain times that requires her to perform investigative work for a local defense team in Bozeman Montana.
Her newest case is one she doesn’t want to touch with a ten-foot pole. She’s committed to do the work...but she sure doesn’t have to like it!

Soon enough, Cassie finds herself deep within one of the most off-the-charts, dysfunctional families ever! The more she digs...the more danger she’s putting herself in!

C J Box writes a suspenseful, finely-crafted book I was absolutely unable to put down! I actually flew through it along with Susanne in only 2 sittings! Loved it! I’m hooked on this series and can’t wait for the next!! Hurry Please!

A buddy read with Susanne! That was five stars all the way!

Thank you Minotaur Books for an ARC to read and review.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

PI Cassie Dewell is called into investigate a case that goes against every fiber of her being - a man accused of sexually assaulting his fifteen year old niece. All evidence points to his guilt.

Trying to uncover the truth leads Cassie into some truly dangerous situations. Cassie however never shies away from anything - not even when her own life is on the line.

This was my first foray into the world of C.J. Box and what an introduction it was! Cassie Dewell is my kind of character. Caring, determined, tough and extremely hard working. A woman who will stop at nothing to find the truth. What I loved about this novel, besides the characters, was the vivid descriptions of the land! They made me want to visit Montana asap! I can definitely say this will not be my last C.J. Box novel as I can’t wait to read the rest of this series.

This was another fabulous buddy read with Kaceey!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and to C.J. Box for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Published on Goodreads on 10.17.19.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Box’s latest entry into the Cassie Dewell series is very good. I still have not got as into any of them as I have the Joe Pickett series, but that is kind of comparing apples to oranges. While they are both mystery series that take place in the Rockies, the characters and the scenarios feel so different. I find the Dewell series to be much darker and more brutal – which may be saying a lot and Pickett has his share of dark and brutal, too!

I found the mystery and the twists and turns in this book to be unique and creative. That is a great thing to find in a genre where most scenarios have been used already. While it is still likely that a storyline is going to have shades of a previously used scenario, as long is you don’t feel like you are dealing with something that is blatantly rehashed, that is a success. Box seems to always approach his stories with a fresh eye and adds in twists you never see coming.

For this one, I did not go the full five stars because it was good, but I cannot avoid comparing those apples to oranges in my head. With how strong several of the recent Pickett titles have been, I must put Dewell in second place . . . at least for now. Maybe her next adventure will move her to the top? That is a race I am greatly enjoying being a part of!

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now that the Lizard King has been brought to justice, what is next for Cassie Dewell? Her work as a P.I. is growing in her home base of Bozeman, MT. Bull's daughter, Rachel, calls in a favor and asks Cassie to help investigate a case out of Lochsa County. What she does not realize is that the family she is going to investigate is like a cancer. It is not just the wildfires that are threatening the Bitterroot range and the county beneath. Lurking in the background is a black Peterbilt 18-wheeler. Is it any wonder that truck is a spooky reminder of the past? Will she make it out of Lochsa County alive? This one was full of surprises and Cassie really kicks butt. Will we see more books in this series? I do know there is a TV series called 'Big Sky' on ABC this season based on the Cassie Dewell books. Planning to check it out -- hopefully from my local library.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is labeled as "The Highway Quartet #5" which is strange and confusing. Typically a quartet is group of four persons. A literary definition would be a four-line stanza in the poem or a four-line poem. The protagonist in the first book, Back of Beyond, was Cody Hoyt but the author killed him off in the next book, The Highway. Now he exists only in the new protagonist, Cassie Dewell, frequent references to what her former mentor used to say.

Cassie is a former law enforcement officer turned private investigator. In this story she is asked by defense attorney Rachel Mitchel to look into a case against a client, Blake Kleinsasser, she is representing. He is accused of raping his 15 year old niece. Working for a defense lawyer to help someone get off goes against everything Cassie believes as a former cop. Especially with such a heinous crime. The evidence is overwhelming. Reluctantly Cassie agrees to investigate but after this her debt to Rachel is paid in full.

The Kleinsasser is an old family that rules their small isolated town at the base of the Bitterroot mountains where wildfires are burning. Blake had left Montana as a young man to make his own way in the world. Now he has returned. Supposedly to provide advice on the dispostion of the family ranch and holdings when their father passes on. This does not go over very well with his sibblings. As far as the family is concerned Blake is persona non grata. According to the family trust Blake, as the oldest son, inherits everything. Unless they can show moral turpitude. Like raping your 15 year old niece.

Cassie's plan is to show that the evidence against Blake is strong and he should take a plea deal rather than face 200 years at Deer lodge prison. The local sheriff department should not have any problem with her reviewing the case and evidence. Instead she finds that not only aren't they willing to help but she winds up in jail herself. And several attempts are made on her life. This only makes her dig in harder to uncover the truth.

To say that the Kleinsasser family is a dysfunctional family is an understatement. Their family picture belongs next to the word in the dictionary. It is something like the old prime time soap operas Dallas and Dynasty and then some.

Add in a mysterious black 18 wheeler semi that haunts her. Is she suffering from PTSD? But that doesn't appear to be the case when her son, Ben, is also seeing a mystery semi. Has the Lizard King returned from the dead? This isn't a Stephen King novel so there must a different explanation on why Cassie is haunted by big black 18 wheelers.

Overall a good story. I like Cassie. She is strong, tenacious and smart. Hopefully the author will get away from the big black 18 wheelers and frequent references to what Cody Hoyt used to tell Cassie. Time to move on.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book by C. J. Box. It was not until I started reading the book that I realized it was book five of a series.

The book is well written. The plot twists around. The characters are interesting. The protagonist is Cassie Dewell. She is a former Sheriff’s investigator. She has opened up a private practice as a private investigator. She is hired by a friend to exonerate a man of a crime of rape. The story takes place in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana. The pace is fast. Box provided great descriptions of the countryside. The story kept my attention throughout the book. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and forty-nine minutes. Christina Delaine does a good job narrating the book. Delaine is a stage actor and voice-over artist. Delaine has won multiple Earphone Awards and is an Audie Award nominee.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Box wrote another good book with this one. It had a couple of twists that made it interesting. I felt that the ending was rushed, though, and seemed vague or kind of glossed over. And I found it annoying when he used the word "toxic" so often in describing the people.

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being mentored by Cody Hoyt, a character from another series by this author, Cassie Dewell is off on her own as a private investigator. She's got a son, Ben, and lives with him and her hippie mother in Bozeman, Montana. She's also dragging around a ton of emotional baggage from her past - baggage that continues to bog her down in this, the fourth installment.

It comes in the form of a big black semi, which idles for a few minutes in front of her house - bringing a stark reminder of a now-dead serial killer and fears that some way, some how, someone from that disturbing part of her life has come back to haunt her. Meantime, an attorney friend to whom she owes a favor calls in a big one: she's defending an accused child rapist and wants Cassie to find out how strong the prosecution's case is so she can plan her trial strategy (or beg the client, who denies any wrongdoing, to take a plea deal). Cassie's certain he's guilty, but her friend convinces her that she's really not trying to get him off (and besides, there's that favor thing) so Cassie agrees and heads out to remote Lochsa County.

There, she bumps heads with a family from hell - descendents of a branch of religious cult Hutterites who, quite literally, own everything and everybody in the county. Her friend's client, it seems, is their first-born son, who essentially has been disowned because he left home to make his home and fortune elsewhere. Besides that, the young girl he's accused of raping is his niece - the daughter of a brother who stuck with the family program. It goes without saying, then, that Cassie isn't welcome in them there parts.

Threats to her life notwithstanding, Cassie ferrets out enough evidence to make her visit worthwhile; the trick now is getting back out alive. While she's trying to deal with some of the nastiest characters I've read about in a while, her son is having issues of his own, including teenage infatuation, a grandmother who's firmly rooted in the 1960s and yes, that big black semi.

It all makes for a very readable, fast-paced book with a couple of surprises thrown in at the end. Enjoyed it!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a great story somewhere in this book. I have read all the Cassie Dewell books and I am tired of the overweight comments (if she were 10-15 pounds thinner) she might be interesting and he has her believing that tripe. He won't give her a decent relationship either. They die or are jerks or both. Pull up her panties and make her a big girl C.J. and give her a decent life. She deserves it and I would be more appreciative in future books :)

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addition to original review after re-reading on 9-3-22:

Now I am ready for the next addition to this series, Treasure State, publishing Sept 27, 2022. I've been waiting 3 years for this sequel. Plus, now I am ready for the 3rd season of Big Sky on Sept 21.

I remember seeing the family, The Kleinsassers, in the first season of Big Sky. They're as repulsive as ever. Is Cassie truly done with the remaining members of this family or will some of them reappear in the next book?

The Bitterroots may have been the best of the series since Cody Hoyt's departure.

++++++++++++++
4.5 stars. The first half was a 4.5 star but the second half was definitely a 5 star.

Former sheriff's deputy Cassie Dewell stakes out the Grand Hotel to catch Antlerhead, a bail jumper. What a name and there's a story behind it. That's just one of the cases Cassie is working on in her new job as a Montana private investigator.

Attorney Rachel Mitchell calls in a favor from Cassie. The oldest son of a wealthy ranch owner is accused of raping his own niece. Cassie wants nothing to do with such a case but she owes Rachel so she agrees to determine if the facts of the case are presently correctly.

I loved the Montana setting. As with all of Box's books, he describes the outdoors so vividly. In this book, wildfires are burning down the mountain and Box made it feel so real with his depictions of the smoke and the fleeing wildlife.

That big rig was so scary. It reminded me of previous books with the Lizard King. Every member of the family Cassie was investigating was toxic and Box made me dislike them thoroughly. The last third of the book moved very fast with several surprising revelations. C.J.Box never lets me down!

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t my favorite CJ Box novel. The premise was exciting, but Cassie as PI story wasn’t up to par. I don’t think she was as likable as before, perhaps due to monotonous audio. Decent but not great.

[Laura Wonderchick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Box hits it out of the park again with this latest installment of the Cassie Dewell series. All kinds of dirty family secrets come to a head and an ending that leaves you shaking your head with amazement of how it all goes down.
Thanks to Minotaur for this early copy:)

[Sharon Mensing · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old friend calls in a debt, and Cassie Dewell leaves the comfort of her new business as a PI in Helena, Montana, to look into the circumstances surrounding the arrest of a member of an influential family in a small, rural community. After the intensity of her previous job in law enforcement, her business conducting investigations for insurance companies and car dealerships feels like a breath of fresh air. As she heads into the Bitterroot mountains, where a fire is raging, that fresh air disappears both literally and metaphorically. The family of the accused is the worst kind of dysfunctional, and there’s a trucker who seems bent on killing Cassie and her family, harkening back to her stressful days chasing a serial rapist and murdering trucker. After a slow start filling in Cassie’s history, Box shifts into high gear, pulling the plot lines together while writing lyrically of the western landscape.

This review first appeared in Library Journal.

[3 no 7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Bitterroots” by C. J. Box is the fourth book in the Cassie Dewell series. Each book can be read individually, and all feature Cassie Dewell, whose previous career in law enforcement was intense and tumultuous as she pursued and apprehended a serial rapist and murderer who operated as a long-haul trucker. She is still haunted by his menacing presence every time an eighteen-wheeler thunders by her on the highway. A quick but thorough history of the events between the last book and this one details just how Dewell reached her status as a licensed private investigator in Bozeman, Montana.

Dewell finds herself with a case far removed from her usual skip-trace clients when a friend asks her to investigate the arrest of Blake Kleinsasser, the oldest son in a prominent family who owns a huge ranch near Bitterroot Range. Kleinsasser, who left the family business to run a successful hedge fund, is charged with scandalously inappropriate behavior with a minor relative. Dewell’s job is not to determine his guilt or innocence, but to assure that every step taken by the prosecutor is legal, one hundred percent by the book.

Box pulls readers into the distasteful investigation as Dewell interviews participants and learns more than she ever wanted to know about the Kleinsasser Family Trust. The Kleinsassers remind her more of a cult than a family. Dewell discovers that what really binds the family together is envy, resentment, and hate.

The geography of Montana plays an important part in the story with mountains, valleys, rivers, and plains, pushed together as if jammed against a wall. It is the “Summer of Fire” in Montana, with long fire lines that extend across the mountains and layers of smoke that give the impression of truncated buttes not mountains.

“The fire seemed like a living thing, a snake, a nocturnal beast more alive at night than during the day. It burned bright enough that it stained the bellies of low-hanging clouds with pink hues.”

Readers can use Google Earth to absorb the intensity of the massive mountains and the intervening valleys; follow the road as Dewell choses to leave Interstate Highway 90 after Butte and cuts south and west on two-lane state roads, or take a casual look around Deer lodge prison farm and Lolo Hot Springs.

Box keeps Dwell’s sense of justice and respect for the law remained intact, but pushes her to the limit as she uncovers inconsistencies in the statement of a girl who was likely traumatized and contends with a family that is toxic, twisted, and paranoid. Box pushes readers to the limit as a massive eighteen-wheel tractor-trailer, a black Peterbilt tractor, with a boxy cab and long nose like the lizard king’s, idles on a suburban street and the driver watches a neighborhood school with his eyes.

“The Bitterroots” starts as a routine investigation for Dewell and gains momentum until it the crushing, traumatic ending. When the Montana smoke clears, there is surprise for everyone. I received a review copy of “The Bitterroots” from C. J. Box, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books. Box has written a detailed, intense story that moves quickly and authoritatively. The geography is stunning, the characters complex, and the plot compelling. It is a book for new readers and die-hard Box fans alike.

[Kelsie Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve found a new author to add to my favorites list. The Bitterroots by C. J. Box is book four in his Cassie Dewell series. I’m new to this author, but I love this book and will read others from him.

Cassie Dewell is a Montana private investigator and former sheriff’s deputy. She has been contracted by the Mitchell-Estrella Law Firm to investigate their latest client, Blake Kleinsasser, who’s been accused of molesting and sexually assaulting the fifteen-year-old daughter of his younger brother. Cassie is wary of this assignment despite the fact that Rachel Mitchell had assured her that she’d never ask her to do work that would “offend her sensibilities.”

C. J. Box makes great use of the Montana scenery. The mountains and wildfires are characters unto themselves. The human characters are well-developed and relatable, if not all likable. There are great plot twists. Some will have you catching flies with your open mouth. Totally unexpected! I literally couldn’t put it down. The Bitterroots is a definite 5 out of 5 and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

[Brittany McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the new freedom that Cassie has as a PI to dig into a case.

I also loving having been to and grew up around places in the book. Corvalis was more of a team that we played in sports, so I don't know a lot about the fele of the community there, but like any small town, there is usually some corrupt BS going on and ranching isn't cheap.

A great thriller, and I honestly wasn't sure if Cassie was going to make it out of this one alive.

Loved to nods ot some of the local Montana businesses. I miss some of them that I can't get in Texas.

Solid 4 Stars.

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars for The Bitterroot (audiobook) by C. J. Box read by Christina Delaine. I read this one out of order but I had no problem figuring out what was going on. I really liked the main character and I’m looking forward many more books about her adventures.

[Karen R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie Dewell, former cop, now private detective, is uncomfortable working for aggressive defense attorneys. She is investigating an assault in a small town where one family is in control of the entire valley. Cassie still sees things from a police officer perspective and wants to validate investigative procedure, due diligence and that evidence is properly obtained. There are unscrupulous people trying to intimidate and force her to back down. Many twists and turns and a great plot.

This is my 2nd C.J. Box book and I am loving this author. Box stunningly describes Montana, the Northwest, surrounding valleys and mountains with the backdrop of fires burning through timbered areas.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

In C.J. Box’s fifth highway book “The Bitterroots” which are now really better titled the Cassie Dewell novels, we find our former sheriff’s investigator has started a new life as a private investigator in the state of Montana. Following several rough years as a formal member of law enforcement, Cassie is taking to being her own boss and avoiding the political issues that have plagued her in the past. On the other hand, her ability to pay her bills and take care of her son is completely dependent on getting her work done and billing her clients. However, even as tired as she is most of the time, Cassie would have it no other way.

That is until an old friend, Rachel Mitchell, calls in a favor that Cassie hoped would never happen. Rachel’s retired and ailing father, Bull, had previously helped Cassie track a serial killer into the Yellowstone wilderness. Of course this was against his daughter’s wishes, and Cassie knew eventually that favor would come back to bite her. And it has, big time.

Rachel is co-partners of a criminal defense firm run by women. She wants Cassie to investigate the circumstances of the arrest of the firm’s new client, Blake Kleinsasser, the oldest son of a very prominent and powerful ranch family, and had been away for several years under a black cloud. He recently returned, albeit under mysterious circumstances, and was now being charged with sexually assaulting his younger sister’s fifteen-year-old daughter.

This is a big problem for Cassie and she wants nothing to do with it. Cassie doesn’t want to be involved with defending someone who is most likely a child rapist. Rachel insists that there are highly unusual circumstances regarding her firm being asked to take on his defense, including Blake’s previous lawyer withdrawing from the case due to health reasons, as well as Blake refusing to plead anything other than not guilty. She’s only asking for Cassie to take an independent investigative look and report back on what she finds, regardless of what those results turn out to be.

Against her better judgment, Cassie agrees to take an independent review of the case, examine the evidence, interview the witnesses, and review the police reports. But she is not happy about it at all.

However, upon arriving in Lochsa County, Cassie finds herself unwelcome by pretty much everyone. Local law enforcement doesn’t want her around, the Kleinsasser family members are dismissive of her, and even the local citizens don’t want to say anything to her. Then things get worse when Cassie feels like she’s being watched and everyone seems to know what she’s doing before she does it. Everybody wants her to leave and the longer she stays, the worse it gets, and she finds her very life in danger…

This book started off with an interesting premise with Cassie investigating what appears to be an obvious outcome supported by very strong physical and circumstantial evidence. It also puts Cassie in a conflicting position of reviewing something that conflicts with her own personal code of morality. I am impressed with how well C.J. Box set-up this emotional conundrum that would bother most any reader when contemplating the evilness of that kind of crime.

However, C.J. Box takes that set-up and delivers a masterfully structured and multi-layered tale of a family torn apart in jealousy, power and scarred history. The Kleinsasser family’s influence extends to small-town corruption, politics, and even abuse of the law. C.J. Box puts Cassie in the middle of a situation that is so much bigger than something she resolve on her own. Her life is in danger. Serious danger, as she forced to decide whether she can walk away or stay long enough to find out what’s going on behind the scenes. It is so well done and the readers are along for the ride, sitting right next to Cassie all the way through. As a matter of fact, I could the emptiness of the old decrepit house on the Kleinsasser’s ranch as Cassie walked through it at night, as well as the burning heat of the forest fire flares while I was reading. C.J. Box put you right there for all of the action as Cassie peeled away the mystery, one layer at a time.

As much as have loved both of C.J. Box’s series - Cassie Dewell and Joe Pickett – and have enjoyed reading them all of them, I must say that this was one of the most suspenseful and multi-layered mysteries that C.J. Box has put together. It’s pretty much a straightforward mystery, but he uses all three key elements – plotting, characters, and setting – like the experienced and masterful writer that he is.

Plotting – this is one of his best plotlines in my opinion. C.J. Box includes drivers from the past to create present day conflict and Shakespearian drama that drive the mystery and investigation. He strings out clues and throws in some red herrings, while moving everything forward at a steady pace that builds up tension and conflict to a strong climactic ending that pays off emotionally for the readers. For me, the journey from beginning to end was a constant and deliberate thrill ride that moved along like a smoothly, speeding roller coaster. Cassie Dewell was really put through the physical and emotional ringer in this one, as well as the reader.

Characters – this one had some of the best characters in this one. The dynamics of Cassie and her relationships with her fifteen-year-old son, Ben; and her hippy mother, Isabel; really shine in this one. Their dysfunctions and strengths bounce back and forth throughout in contrast to their love and support for each other. In addition, all of the other main and supporting characters are well-developed, authentic, and three-dimensional. Which is interesting because most of them are bad guys for the most part, being a combination of evil, selfish, willing to give in someone stronger, and even just a bit crazy. I would list off several of them who I really hated or disliked, but I don’t want to spoil or taint your own reading experience, so I will hold back on sharing them, except to say that in my opinion C.J. Box writes some of the strongest women I have ever read in fiction. There’s several in this one that took my breath away with their cunning, patience, and downright brilliance.

Setting - I’ve said this before, but it is probably the most fitting with this book in particular. C.J. Box finds creative and interesting ways to use small town settings in Montana and Wyoming to create wild west type situations where investigating crime is its own untamed adventure. This is especially the case in this one. Lochsa County in the Bitterroots mountains is the perfect setting for the story of the Kleinsasser family. Their power and influence over the local town, economy, politics, and law enforcement could only thrive in a small community like this. I am sure there are other small towns that are greatly driven and influenced by strong families and businesses in the community. Kind of scary if you think about it even if this is a work of fiction.

Overall, this was a strong 4.5-star rating for me. The characters, plotting, and setting all came together to deliver a winning reading experience in this well-delivered high-octane mystery thrill ride.

Needless to say, I am already three chapters into the next and most current Cassie Dewell novel – “Treasure State”, which is already starting off well…

[Eliece · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed every one of C.J. Box's novels, including this one; although it was not my favorite. Particularly of the Cassie Dewell series, I did not think it measured up to the others he has written featuring her.

[Bill Riggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another knock-it-outta-the-ballpark thriller from Box.

As a former LEO, Cassie has always been disgusted with defense attorneys. Now, as a PI, she finds herself hired by one to help a man accused of raping his own niece. Convinced the man is guilty she heads to a small town at the base of the Bitterroot Mountains in Montana. There she finds a twisted, toxic family and learns that nothing is as it appears.

[Tonya Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opening up a C. J. Box book is like turning on your favorite movie.
The intense anticipation is one of a kind, one you know you’ll be pulled in and held captivated until the final scene.
Now that she has her own Private Investigative Company, Cassie Dewell is trying to piece her and Ben’s lives back together after the harrowing ordeal with a serial killer, The Lizard King, a notorious long haul truck driver who wrecked havoc across the country’s highways and truck-stops.

However, her peace of mind may be cut too short.
Cassie has taken on a case up in The Bitterroots Mountains, a case that will lead her into an evil cliquish territory.

C. J. Box has created an amazing plot, intertwined with a nail-biting conclusion, which will raise the hair on the back of his reader’s necks.

I received an arc copy of Bitterroots in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

[Christine PNW · Rating 3 out of 5]

Centers around one of those families that is Shakespeare level fucked up.

[Valleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note to self: Never even slow down while driving through Lochsa County...

As a former law enforcement officer, Cassie doesn’t want to work for a defense attorney. Especially on a case where a man has been arrested for raping his 15-year-old niece. However, Rachel assures Cassie she doesn’t have to dig up exculpatory evidence, but just follow the trail where it leads. "Assure me that there are no holes in the case," the lawyer says, "and I'll talk my client into a plea deal."

Once in Lochsa County Cassie finds herself hitting brick wall after brick wall in her investigation. She can't figure out why everyone in town is taking the trouble to thwart the investigation of a case that is as rock-solid as this one’s supposed to be. Cassie isn’t one to back down, however, and there are plenty of twists and turns leading to the very end!

[Abibliofob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what a ride. I usually prefer the Joe Pickett series but this one is great. What a way to tell a story and keep the reader wondering about earlier events coming back or not... I must recommend this to all my followers.

[George · Rating 2 out of 5]

Box has apparently (and mystifyingly) developed a deep contempt for his fellow westerners, and it comes through loud and clear in his one-dimensional characters in this book. Too bad; he used to be fun to read.

[Chris Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie is one smart woman! C.J. Box does a wonderful job of creating people and situations that feel horribly real.

[John (JC) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoying his books.

[Ron Wroblewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

More close calls for Cassie as she takes on a corrupt Montana County in search of facts facing a client of the defense law firm she contracts with. How will a ranch be divided up once the Father of the clan dies? A long lost son returns from success in New York to try to assist in dividing up the inheritance, only to discover that his siblings know things about the land that makes them not want it divided. A corrupt County Sheriff backs the family. Cassie is a bulldog as she questions evidence and one by one discovers the facts.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 STARS

First there was Joe Pickett. Now we have Cassie Dewell! C. J. Box is all over it … great read!

Dewell first appeared as a supporting character as a sheriff’s investigator in The Highway with increasingly more prominent roles in Back of Beyond, The Badlands and Paradise Valley. In The Bitterroots, Cassie is the main protagonist in an intriguing and addictive tale that weaves loyalty, lies (layer upon layer upon layer of them!) and deadly retribution in an investigation into the influential, dysfunctional and notoriously toxic Kleinsasser family of Lochsa County Montana.

Dewell recently became a fully licensed private investigator, Montana PI license #7775, and launched Dewell Investigation LLC, her own investigatory agency, to escape the frustrations and endless disappointment of years in the backstabbing bureaucracy of local law enforcement. Despite her resounding success in breaking the infamous Lizard King serial killer case at significant personal emotional and physical expense and chief investigator work in North Dakota to tear down a violent MS-13 bankrolled drug ring, Cassie was scapegoated and discredited by a politically motivated and highly ambitious county attorney. Despite her exoneration and offered reinstatement, there was absolutely no way she could go back to her traditional law enforcement job.

Dewell Investigation LLC was born!

Her typical cases involved asset searches, skip traces, asset searches, background checks, fraud, domestic cases and surveillance and given her extensive law enforcement background and honest, professional approach, she had more work than she could handle. She had the luxury of not taking unsavory cases … until Rachel called … the call meant it was Rachel’s time to collect!

Rachel Mitchell, of Mitchell-Estrella notoriety in Montana legal circles, called in the favor for her assistance with the Lizard King case. The firm of Mitchell-Estrella, Rachel Mitchell and Jessica Estrella, a highly unusual criminal defense firm run by women in the prejudiced and misogynistic backward pockets of Montana, was less than ten years old and carved out an infamous reputation for successfully defending criminal lowlifes and winning acquittals at some very high profile criminal trials. Rachel was an aggressive lawyer that bulled through loop holes to beat the system. The last thing Cassie wanted to do was help Rachel exonerate one of her criminal clients.

Rachel assured Cassie she would never ask her to do work that would “offend her sensibilities” … this case did. She was asked to investigate the circumstances of the firm’s newest client, Blake Kleinsasser, the oldest son of the prominent Kleinsasser ranch family that operated in the shadow of the Bitterroots, accused of molesting and raping the fifteen year old daughter of his younger sister … Blake raped his niece!

Despite her revulsion for the case and the distinct possibility that Rachel will leverage Cassie’s investigative findings to exonerate Blake, she accepts the assignment in return for no further obligation to Rachel. Quid pro quo. Her next stop … the Iron Cross Ranch!

A seemingly open and shut case proves to be so much more than Cassie ever imagined. The Kleinsasser family owns Lochsa County – business owners, law enforcement, county officials – and the deeper she digs, the more corruption, deception, family dysfunctionality and toxicity she uncovers. It seems the cult of Kleinsasser wants Blake to be guilty and will do anything to keep it that way. As Cassie peels back psychotic layer after psychotic layer of family dysfunctionality and ulterior motivations, her assumptions about Blake Kleinsasser slowly shift while tendrils of the century old Kleinsasser Family Trust inch their way closer to Cassie’s family back in Bozeman.

A true page turner, the twists and turns are unrelenting, each revelation exposing the conflicted and opposing interests of a family fabric woven together by greed and deception.

The Bitterroots marks the full blown emergence of Montana private investigator Cassie Dewell. I can’t wait to experience her next adventure. I highly recommend this book!