Cairi’s review of The Highway (Highway Quartet, #2) > Likes and Comments

Cairi, So sad that Cody got killed....so much for a series with him!!!!!

Kathy wrote: "Cairi, So sad that Cody got killed....so much for a series with him!!!!!"

That's really what bugs me the most! I was really hoping for another series to complement the Joe Pickett one. And I liked the idea of someone a little more rough and imperfect, but alas, it's not to be. I'm just not sure Cassie will be the type of character I can connect with. Time will tell, I guess.

I was shocked when Cody was killed. I had to re-read that part to confirm it. Have you ever read a book where the hero died halfway through the book? I don't know what to think. I have been talking about this aberration for two days with everyone I can hold down long enough to listen to me!

Jeri wrote: "Have you ever read a book where the hero died halfway through the book? I don't know what to think...."

I really haven't. I've *heard* about stories that have the hero die--a certain infamous beheading in the "A Song of Ice And Fire" series comes to mind--but I tend not to read those, to be honest. I like the "good guy comes out ahead in the end" (or at least WITH his head) stories, since that seems not to happen much in real life. I do have a certain admiration for authors who are brave enough to put every character on the table like that, but in this case, I didn't feel like it worked, in no small part because the secondary protagonist who stepped up to take the lead wasn't as interesting or as well-written. But I guess a lot of people loved it, from the online reactions I'm seeing this week.

I've been venting about it with a lot of people, too. My husband certainly got an earful right after I read that chapter! I hope that this is indeed an aberration and not something we'll see crop up in the Joe Pickett series! I want him to live to be ninety-seven, at least, because that means I'll die before he does. LOL

I was convinced that they would find the truck and dig him up in time to save him. I just couldn't believe that he was killed off.

I was too Joyce! I thought for sure Cody would somehow still be alive! I was so mad when he was killed, what was up with that? ugh!

Joyce wrote: "I was convinced that they would find the truck and dig him up in time to save him. I just couldn't believe that he was killed off."

Same here. I actually looked ahead, which is something I rarely do in a book, to see if he was truly dead. And he was. *sigh*

I stopped reading after he was killed and will be looking to refund the audible book... His character is the reason I purchased the book after Back of Beyond.

You know, I've never thought to try to get a refund on a book. I didn't realize you could. If I don't plan on re-reading a book, I usually donate it to my local library or pass it along to a friend (with a warning that I didn't like it). Normally CJ Box books are keepers, though, and I'll keep this one just because it's the first ARC I've ever received. I just wish it had been one I actually liked. :/ Good luck with the refund!

I have to agree with all of the above, except it wasn't sad for me... it was just plain stupid. We start to like this character in the 1st book and start to understand him a little bit better in the 2nd, and then he's killed off just like that? Feels sloppy and lazy to me. As far as I'm concerned 3 books make a series, this was barely 1 1\2. I feel like I've been ripped off. I didn't get this book for the sidekick, I got it for the protagonist, and all of his human imperfections.I had really been looking forward to this one and now I just feel lie I've been scammed. Shame shame on you Mr. Box!

I didn't get this book for the sidekick, I got it for the protagonist, and all of his human imperfections.I had really been looking forward to this one and now I just feel lie I've been scammed.

This. Yes. Completely! I understand an author being brave enough to put every character on the "at risk" list, but this didn't feel like that so much as, as I said in my review, Box having written the character into a corner and being unable to find a way out. I actually started worrying about that in the chapter where Cody was trying to figure out his future career options and coming up basically with nothing--I had a stab of unease but figured that somehow he'd find a way to carry on. And I think he *could* have found a way to keep on, if he'd survived.

My one consolation with this read is that apparently I'm far from alone in reacting as I did!

I skimmed the book from that point on, too. There were other issues that I had with the book as well, mostly having to do with geographical discrepancies or mistakes. This was a hard book to read for numerous reasons, and I have one or two other Box books waiting to be read that might have to wait even longer. I'm just not sure that I can give him my reading time right now after the bad taste this book left.

I can't say that this one has made me not want to read his others--I'm still eagerly awaiting next March's Joe Pickett book--but I do wonder how many readers he's put off ever reading his stuff again because of this one, especially those who've never tried the Joe Pickett series. Had this been the first one I read, I doubt I'd try any of his others.

This was the first one I've read, and while I was really annoyed with what he did to Cody, I am still interested to read his other books.

Joyce wrote: "This was the first one I've read, and while I was really annoyed with what he did to Cody, I am still interested to read his other books."

The Joe Pickett novels are terrific... nothing like this one, thank goodness! I haven't read all his other stand-alone novels, but I liked "Three Weeks to Say Goodbye".

I honestly cried when I got to that point in the story where Cody is killed. Then still not believing it I skimmed ahead because I thought no way would CJ Box kill off Cody. I thought maybe he got the stunned gun like the girls did. Then when I realized I was wrong I cried again. Honestly Cody was my favorite character in all of my favorite books. Mostly because he is so flawed and he knows it. And while so many people see him as "bad" his heart is so good. I am so angry at CJ Box for this. I have looked forward to this book for a year. I read Back of Beyond and Three Weeks to Say Goodbye where Cody has a small part in this book as well and Cody is truly one of my favorite characters. Some folks say Cassie will take over Cody's role. But no one can be Cody. No one.

Ooh, ooh ooh! My sentiments exactly, Cairi et al!! Here's how I would have written it: Lagersty TASERS him in the face, drags him off and "buries" him somewhere till he has time to do away with him. Meanwhile with all the other stuff he has to deal with he doesn't have time to go back and check on Cody.

Cody is found alive. As he should be, dammit.

As for Cassie...Lord! I hated her from the beginning, throwing Cody under the bus like that...her partner!!! You never do that, rookie or not. How stupid. All she had to do was say she never saw him. Or that she couldn't make it. Make something up for goodness sake! On the one hand she's a submissive twerp who can't stand up for herself and then 1/2 way thru she grows some ovaries!!And THEN...(spoiler alert) she shoots Lagersty POINT BLANK, in cold blood? Where did that come from? Couldn't Lagersty at least have reached into his pocket so she could have the PRETENSE of "defending" herself! I don't think I've ever seen or read of a cop deliberately shooting a bad guy like that. There's always some thought and usually it's a rogue cop. Cassie is not "rogue." It didn't fit her character. And why is she still putting up with her mother? She can put the kid in daycare. I hate her.

Three Weeks to Say Goodbye where Cody has a small part in this book as well...

It's been several years since I read that one... I didn't remember Cody in it! Shoot. That's really going to bite when I do re-read it someday, knowing Cody's fate. *sigh*

Ms. Vicki wrote: "Ooh, ooh ooh! My sentiments exactly, Cairi et al!! Here's how I would have written it: Lagersty TASERS him in the face, drags him off and "buries" him somewhere till he has time to do away with him..."

That's it... someone needs to write an alternative-universe fanfiction where CODY LIVES!!

she grows some ovaries!!

This... made my day! LOL! And you have put your finger on a big part of what bugged me about Cassie. It was almost as though, with Cody gone, there was a rogue character vacuum in the story's framework, so she just sort of got sucked into that role, without any hints that she might prove to have an inner bad*ss.

Yep!

You took the words right out of my mouth. Not only did we lose Cody, but then the bad guy gets away clean? Not a very satisfying read at all.

I just feel so betrayed by this. Mostly because I loved Cody as a character and I think his stories would have been loved and well received. We could have continue to watch Cody grow as a person with even set backs thrown in. We could have watched him develop as a father. There were so many possibilities. He could have become a PI in that area continuing to bug the crap out of the sheriff. He could have joined the Montana BCA (much like a Montana Virgil Flowers). I am still so sad. I really feel I lost a friend.

I remember the first time I found myself skipping through a Lee Child book, and not wanting to read every singe word because his original style was no longer quite good enough for him. I had that same feeling here for the first time with Mr Box. I adore the thought processes he gives us in the Joe Pickett books, and the violence in the Pickett books seems plausible and fits in with the story without seeming sensational. This violence is too casually presented. And killing off Cody Hoyt with such a fizzle? I kept checking to see him come back to life toward the end - but, alas, it is not to be. Don't DO this to us, C.J! I'd like to grow old reading you.

One comment mentions geographic inaccuracies--best part of book was strong sense of place but that place unfamiliar to me so this is serious.

I just finished Cassie #2 and can't find Cassie #1 so I'm thinking it is The Highway. I was devastated when Cody was killed but that woke me up. It is just like the Fire and Ice books/Game of Thrones. In the blink on an eye your favorite character dies and you get a new favorite. I am invested in the story and will keep reading everything CJ Box writes.

Me too! I feel sad and cheated. I love Joe Pickett and was ready to love Cody, who was completely different from Joe. A flawed hero. Then half way through he was just.....gone. I have to admit I kept on reading till the scene where they buried Cody's truck with him in it. I had been thinking surely he's not dead. At that point I had to go back, reread and resist throwing the book.

Me too! I feel sad and cheated. I love Joe Pickett and was ready to love Cody, who was completely different from Joe. A flawed hero. Then half way through he was just.....gone. I have to admit I kept on reading till the scene where they buried Cody's truck with him in it. I had been thinking surely he's not dead. At that point I had to go back, reread and resist throwing the book.

Not to forget Cody's best pal Larry...I thought this book might include a bit about the cop on the inside who killed Larry....but, hell with him... Cassie isn't able to take her son out from under the tyranny of Mother much less take off and rescue the lost girls.. Speaking of moms,Lizard boy's wacky abusive mom should have lived on to share a flat with Cassie's mom. Flip sides of a coin. Danielle could move in while undergoing counseling..They'd be good for each other.the foster care system having shown rare interstate cooperàtion claiming custody. Meantime,Cassie ,her son, and the little sister live happily together ready for the next big case. Following the above GOT reference, if this goes to film let's hope Cody is played by Sean Bean.

I completely agree with your review. Killing off Cody was just wrong. I also didn't like it that the Lizard King got away scott free.

Yes!

I totally agree with this review!

Sad what happened to Cody but isn't the series called the "Highways series" not the Cody Hoyt series?

I have to admit like most of the other readers here I was done with this book as soon as Cody was killed. I didn’t just put it down, I didn’t even finish it. I was flabbergasted. Better yet, just plain ticked off that he killed off the main character halfway through the book. i’m pretty sure It was the “Cody Hoyt Series” until more people realized the bait and switch and at some point it was renamed “The Highway Series.” Anyway, I absolutely loved Back of Beyond. So how could he do this to his readers? It almost made me not want to read anything else with the “C.J. Box” name on it. But I did. I did because I enjoy his books. Then something funny happened. After about two or three years I got over it and started the book over again and finished it. I’m glad I did because the rest of the series is pretty good. I eventually liked the book, but I only rated it three stars because really C.J.? Really? Don’t kill off the main character.

This was my first book by this author, now I’m confused because that means I came in in the middle of a series and that distresses me. I enjoyed he book as a well written cliff hanger and thought about getting more of his books but now it looks like I’ll need to do some research.

Well I’m glad I read this review. I will not read this book now that I know Cody is cut loose. I loved his flawed character. I’ve read one of the Cassie books already and I’m not glued to her. So this is the novel the Lizard King comes into the picture? Ok. He does live on in at least one more novel. I think I’ll pass on this for now and go back to another Joe Picket series one.

Box's novels, at times, strain plausibility. This novel makes no effort at plausibility. Discarded it early in the story.

It’s like I wrote this review. The only reason I picked up the second book in this series is because of Cody Hoyt.

Returning to this page nearly a decade after publication of the Highway series, I was glad to see Cody killed off and the emergence of Cassie Dewell early in the third book of the Hoyt/Highway series. As noted earlier, C.J. Box seemed to have written himself into a corner with such a weak character; Cassie was a stronger character who was a good replacement. The books with Cassie matching wits with the evil trucker were among Box's best works so far. Unfortunately, the ABC television series has been a Highway wreck.

Ohmygosh. I came here to say this exact thing in my review. I was so disappointed and even wondered if I’d misheard (listening to the audiobook) to the point that I had to go back and listen again! And then I kept thinking… he can’t really be dead. This is his story, after all.

Ohmygoodness! I burned through the Joe Picket books at the speed of light after a reader friend recommended them. Now I'm reading Back of Beyond. I think Cody Hoyt is a fascinating character, but... I so get why Box would decide to find a new main character for this series. He's just too much trouble and he sows chaos and... Anyway. Looking forward to The Highway.

Was the teenage girl really that bad Cairi?😠

I read the book soo fast after he was “dead” assuming he wasn’t. That he somehow lived and they would dig him up just in time, or it wasn’t actually him that was shot… but nope. Everyone’s crying and I’m like how do you kill him off in the first third of the second book? He was supposed to get sober and help people