Blue Heaven

By: C. J. Box

Narrated by: John Bedford Lloyd

Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Blue Heaven is the break-out novel from C. J. Box, the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Joe Pickett series.

A twelve-year-old girl and her younger brother are on the run in the Idaho woods, pursued by four men they have just watched commit murder—four men who know exactly who William and Annie are. And where their mother lives.

Retired policemen from Los Angeles, the killers easily persuade the local sheriff to let them lead the search for the missing children. Now there's nowhere left for William and Annie to hide…and no one they can trust. Until they meet Jess Rawlins.

Rawlins, an old-school rancher, knows trouble when he sees it. He is only one against four men who will stop at nothing to silence their witnesses. But in this thrilling mystery novel from C.J. Box, these ex-cops don't know just how far Rawlins will go to protect William and Annie…and see that justice is done.

Blue Heaven is the winner of the 2009 Edgar Award for Best Novel.

©2007 C.J. Box (P)2008 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“John Bedford Lloyd's rich, distinctive voice brings a strong sense of power to his reading of Box's first stand-alone thriller…Lloyd's crisp, laconic delivery easily handles a multitude of characters, accents and shifting points of view, creating just the right tone for the material and drawing the listener deep into the action of the story. He portrays his villains (a band of dirty ex-cops) with just the right amount of ruthless menace without going overboard, and he perfectly captures the essence of the aging rancher, imbuing him with the quiet strength and dignity of an iconic western hero.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Blue Heaven is a non-stop thrill ride--a provocative suspense novel that has you rooting for the characters every step of the way.” —Harlan Coben, author of The Woods

“Blue Heaven is a relentless thriller. C.J. Box sucked me in with good cops, bad cops, and missing money, then blind-sided me with unexpected twists and surprises in this novel of clashing cultures and dark secrets. Box delivers the goods!” —Robert Crais, author of The Watchman: A Joe Pike Novel

Excellent Read

Absolutely loved the story. The narration....CJ Box is the best. Kept me on the edge of my seat.

Repeat Listen

Would you listen to Blue Heaven again? Why?

I have listened to this book many times. The story line and setting are intriguing to me. I like stories set in mountain settings.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Blue Heaven?

Jess climbing the hay bales when he thinks the missing kids are in his barn.

What does John Bedford Lloyd bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I enjoy his voice and cadence.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Just an enjoyable drama/mystery

Interesting and exciting

Great book to listen to but not to use for trying to sleep. Really enjoyed.

Loved it

Great story. Couldn't wait to finish it! Another winner by CJ Box. Keep them coming.

Another fantastic book!

Easy to listen to, always a new direction
Great detail in the research!
Down to earth, extremely entertaining
Thanks

Volume fluctuates

When driving and the story take you to a whisper or some quiet speaking character you just can’t hear what is said. I enjoy the way the narrator uses different dialects. Makes the story come alive. This is the second C.J. Box book and they both have the same problem.

CJ Box is a wonderful writer

The story keeps you guessing and is full of plot twists. A very good listen.

My Favorite CJ Box Novel

"Blue Heaven" was my first Audible listen in 2011. Fortunately, it was a great experience for me, and I have read almost all of CJ Box's novels since that time.

I came back to write this review now, because of all of his novels, this one was my favorite. Box is a fantastic writer, and I have liked all of his books. But this one is the most down to earth, and I believe the one that best captures that natural surroundings of the American West.

John Bedford Lloyd, who is in my top 3 narrator list, deserves a large part of the credit. His narration nails the "cowboy" and "rancher" roles.

If you passsed this one by, go back and listen. It will be worth your time.

Good story, satisfying ending

For me, it started slow as some of the characters were developed. It took hold by mid way, and held me tuned right through to the end. I enjoyed it, and would recommend.

Good for a one time read

This contains too many bad and half bad guys. Wanted a different end. Kids were well done.