Mr. Box knows how to construct a great story. In this book, Joe Pickett is uprooted from his normal setting and forced to go fill in for a ranger in upscale Jackson Hole, Wyoming. His predecessor committed suicide, and Pickett soon finds himself drawn into a web of intrigue that surrounds an exclusive land development. Animal rights activists, unethical hunters, and a seductress also bedevil the stalwart ranger. The characters are drawn with intelligence and sensitivity, the plot moves at a ripping pace, and the story has actual meat on it. This is the second Joe Pickett novel that I've read, along with "Trophy Hunt." From these reads, I've learned that Mr. Box likes to end his stories with an O. Henry, "Tales of the Unexpected" twist. Obviously most readers love this, given the success of the series. For me it destroys the reality that this fine author has spent a couple hundred pages constructing. I wished the realness of Joe's world could have lasted through the last 10 pages of the book. With that reservation, a skillfully written and enjoyable read. Reviewer: Elizabeth Clare, co-author of the historical novel "To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis & Clark"
