Long Range

By: C. J. Box

Narrated by: David Chandler

Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett must investigate an attempted murder - a crime committed from a confoundingly long distance - in the riveting new novel from number one New York Times best-selling author C. J. Box.

When Joe Pickett is asked to join the rescue efforts for the victim of a startling grizzly attack, he reluctantly leaves his district behind. One survivor of the grizzly's rampage tells a bizarre story, but just as Joe begins to suspect the attack is not what it seems, he is brought home by an emergency on his own turf. Someone has targeted a prominent local judge, shooting at him from a seemingly impossible distance. While the judge was not hit, his wife is severely wounded, and it is up to Joe to find answers - and the shooter.

The search for the would-be assassin becomes personal when Joe's best friend, Nate Romanowski - just as he's adjusting to the arrival of his first child - falls under suspicion for the crime. It's a race against the clock as Joe tries to clear Nate's name and identify the real shooter, all while deciphering the grizzly encounter. Beset by threats both man-made and natural, the two men must go to great lengths to keep their loved ones safe.

©2020 C. J. Box (P)2020 Recorded Books

Mixed review

It pains me to make this review. I feel so loyal to Joe Pickett and the series but I owe it to readers to be honest.

The plot was good.

Character development, as always was very strong. But inexplicably the author decided to spend a great deal of time on a characters backstory the way you do if the character is going to be prominently featured in the story or that is important for the reader to be able to understand the characters motives and actions.

This was done with a number of characters when it was completely unnecessary yet we get no insight into one particular important new character (the new Sherriff). The majority of the book was spent describing these other characters and scenes centering on them. Our characters that we love and crave more of just didn’t get that much page time.

I wondered at several points in the book if the author needed more material to bring the book to a certain length and so he went in and added a lot of this fluff to get to the length it needed to be. Five hours into the story I was thinking that everything that it had contained up to that point should have been condensed into maybe two.

Also, the author David Chandler is a great narrator and he’s well-suited to the Joe Pickett series but I checked my Audible app several times because I thought I must have slowed down the playback or something even though I hadn’t. He just seem to narrate so slowly.

I got so bored at several points in the book that my mind just drifted away and I would realize I’ve been listening for several minutes without even hearing the story and I would have to back it up and re-listen.

Another Persecution of Nate Romanowski rehash

David Chandler even seems bored reading this unoriginal story. I've always looked forward to a Joe Pickett book, and while I like the characters well enough, Box is going to have to come up with a new theme. I'm more than half way through this book and there is not a single idea, issue or situation not covered in the other Pickett books. I'm disappointed. He's a good writer--I'd hoped he could dig deeper and bring something new to this one. Even if he surprises me, six hours in, it's too late--I lost interest two hours ago.

You need to quit getting shot!!

Everyone did what they should do in a Joe Picket novel - dependably provide entertaining action. I loved it!

Long Range - another winner

As usual, I could not stop listening once I began the latest Joe Pickett novel. I am already anticipating next events in the lives of Joe and Nate. Since I lived over 30 years in Montana, many spots mentioned in the setting are familiar to me. Please never change narrators! Davis Chandler is THE perfect voice for Joe and Nate. No one could do it better. Love the characters of Joe and Nate and expect to meet them if I make it to Saddlestring, Wyoming.

Best one

One of the best of Pickett series if not the best. And I have heard them all.

Hard to get into.

The reader was mechanical. I won't listen to any more if his readings. I love the Joe Picketts series and have read ir intended to them all. I may buy the book and read it because I did not get a sense of what I know a CJ Box Pickett story is.

Best book yet

i was a little worried that Box had lost his touch,because the book before this just fell flat.But this book was FANTASTIC weaving multiple stories together like a master. SOOOO GOOD

Should Nate have come back on the grid?

Joe Pickett is back, helping to solve a crime when the elected sherrif is stomping around making stupid mistakes. You, the reader, can decide if Nate Romanowski made the right decision by coming back on the grid . . .

Joe Pickett is at it again!

Per usual, the characters in this story are well defined , well described and seem so very real. Box has created a whole new situation, but with some characters we know well and admire. They’re so believable! Action, excitement, humor - everything needed to catch and keep the reader’s interest. I’d recommend this book to those who enjoy the well told story of a master storyteller!

as usual a story by

CJ Box moves along at a good pace. sub plots ate relevant to the main plot. characters have depth and substance. can be read as a stand alone or in the serial order!