Blue Heaven by C.J. Box

[Outdoor Writer]

Hey Keith,

 

My wife picked up a copy of Box's latest book at the library last week. It had just arrived. It isn't a Joe Pickett saga, but a separate tale. Here's the blurb from his web site. -TONY

 

Blue Heaven

A twelve-year-old girl and her younger brother go on the run in the woods of North Idaho, pursued by four men they have just watched commit murder -- four men who know exactly who William and Annie are, and who know exactly where their desperate mother is waiting for news of her children's fate. Retired cops from Los Angeles, the killers easily persuade the inexperienced sheriff to let them lead the search for the missing children.

 

William and Annie's unexpected savior comes in the form of an old-school rancher teetering on the brink of foreclosure. But as one man against four who will stop at nothing to silence their witnesses, Jess Rawlins needs allies, and he knows that one word to the wrong person could seal the fate of the children or their mother. In a town where most of the ranches like his have turned into acres of ranchettes populated by strangers, finding someone to trust won't be easy.

 

With true-to-life, unforgettable characters and a ticking clock plot that spans just over 48 hours in real time, C.J. Box has created a thriller that delves into issues close to the heart: the ruthless power of greed over broken ideals, the healing power of community where unlikely heroes find themselves at the crossroads of duty and courage, and the truth about what constitutes a family. In a setting whose awesome beauty is threatened by those who want a piece of it, BLUE HEAVEN delivers twists and turns until its last breathtaking page.

[KGAINES]

Tony I got it for my birthday, I just finished it, I like the Pickett series books better, but this one is pretty good.

[Outdoor Writer]

Aha. Good. I just started reading it last night and only got part way thru Chap. 1 before the Suns game began. So don't tell me the ending.

 

I think a new Pickett series book is due out in a couple months. -TONY

[KGAINES]

How did you like the book Tony.

[Outdoor Writer]

How did you like the book Tony.

 

Keith,

 

I haven't finished it yet!! I'm about 1/2-way thru it but need to get it done by Fri. when it's due back at the library. Gonna go have some wine and read a bit more now before dinner. Of course, I'll have to quit to watch Shaq's debut.

 

So far, it's a decent read, tho. -TONY

[KGAINES]

How did you like the book Tony.

 

Keith,

 

I haven't finished it yet!! I'm about 1/2-way thru it but need to get it done by Fri. when it's due back at the library. Gonna go have some wine and read a bit more now before dinner. Of course, I'll have to quit to watch Shaq's debut.

 

So far, it's a decent read, tho. -TONY

 

 

I will be watching that as well.

[Outdoor Writer]

Keith,

 

Finished Blue Heaven yesterday morning. Although I didn't enjoy it as much as the Joe P. tales, it was a decent read. Box did a pretty good job of weaving a LOT of people into a complicated, yet believable plot. Best of all, he did well in describing his characters where I could almost visualize them. That was especially true of the old rancher.

 

Another thing I enjoy about his writing is the almost flawless factual stuff, such as the description of firearms and the places. I've spent time in that part of Idaho, so I could relate to his descriptions of it. That was the same with his last Joe P. book that took place in YNP.

 

So far, the only factual goof I'm found after reading ALL of his books was the one where he had some dude poaching a trophy elk in either April or May and then having the mount back by fall. That was likely two goof-ups in one; I bet there's not a taxidermist in the country who is that efficient. -TONY