C. J. Box Books in Order
C. J. Box is an American crime and thriller author best known for the Joe Pickett series following a Wyoming game warden who keeps finding himself in the middle of investigations that go beyond the scope of his job. C. J. Box is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose debut, Open Season, won four Best First Novel awards including the Anthony and Barry Awards, and whose standalone Blue Heaven won the Edgar Award for Best Novel. His books have been translated into more than 27 languages and have sold over twenty million copies worldwide.
This page lists all C. J. Box books in order, including the Joe Pickett series, the Cody Hoyt/Cassie Dewell series, standalone novels, and short stories.
Latest C. J. Box Books
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Joe Pickett Series (Books in Order)
The Joe Pickett series follows Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett, who goes regularly on patrol on the public lands of Twelve Sleep County and keeps stumbling into cases that go well beyond poaching and wildlife violations. Corrupt officials, environmental cover-ups, violent outsiders are just some of the things he comes across in addition to threats to his own family.
Joe is an average man rather than a typical thriller hero. He is married with daughters, and he also admits he is a lousy shot. The series is set in the Mountain West, and the Wyoming terrain is the main background of the books. Nate Romanowski, a former Special Forces operative turned falconer with a complicated past, is a recurring character who becomes more important as the series goes on.
Reading Order
- Open Season, 2001
- Savage Run, 2002
- Winterkill, 2003
- Trophy Hunt, 2004
- Dull Knife, 2011
- Out of Range, 2005
- In Plain Sight, 2006
- Free Fire, 2007
- Blood Trail, 2008
- Below Zero, 2009
- Nowhere to Run, 2010
- Cold Wind, 2011
- The Master Falconer, 2011
- Force of Nature, 2012
- Breaking Point, 2013
- Stone Cold, 2014
- Shots Fired: Stories from Joe Pickett Country, 2014
- Endangered, 2015
- Off the Grid, 2016
- Vicious Circle, 2017
- Disappeared, 2018
- Wolf Pack, 2019
- Long Range, 2020
- Dark Sky, 2021
- Shadows Reel, 2022
- Storm Watch, 2023
- Three-Inch Teeth, 2024
- Battle Mountain, 2025
- The Crossroads, 2026
Other Joe Pickett Books
Cody Hoyt / Cassie Dewell Series (Books in Order)
The Cody Hoyt/Cassie Dewell series begins with troubled investigator Cody Hoyt and his rookie partner Cassie Dewell tracking violent crimes across the Montana and Wyoming backcountry. The series features a more isolated version of the Mountain West than the Joe Pickett books, and its focus is more on serial crime and the vulnerabilities of people living in such remote places.
The Highway was adapted into ABC’s Big Sky television series. Back of Beyond introduces Cody Hoyt, and Cassie eventually takes over as the main character, working as a private investigator starting from Badlands, while already becoming an important character in The Highway.
Reading Order
- Back of Beyond, 2011
- The Highway, 2013
- Badlands, 2015
- Paradise Valley, 2017
- The Bitterroots, 2019
- Treasure State, 2022
Standalone Novels
- Blue Heaven, 2008
- Three Weeks to Say Goodbye, 2009
- Inherit the Dead, 2013 (with Lee Child, Mary Higgins Clark, John Connolly, Jonathan Santlofer, and Lisa Unger)
Novellas and Short Stories
- Honor & …, 2018 (with Sandra Brown)
- Pronghorns of the Third Reich, 2012 (Bibliomysteries)
Short Story Collections and Anthologies
- The Best American Mystery Stories 2006, 2006
- Once Upon a Crime, 2009
- Hook, Line & Sinister, 2010
- Live Noir or Die Trying (Damn Near Dead #2), 2010
- Mysterious Writers: The Many Facets of Mystery Writing, 2010
- Inherit the Dead, 2013
- Death Sentences, 2014
- The Highway Kind, 2016
- Best American Mystery Stories 2017, 2017
- MatchUp, 2017 (edited by Lee Child)
- Murder, They Wrote, 2018
- Gather at the River, 2019
- The Best American Mystery Stories 2020, 2020
- Birds of Prey, 2022
- Killin’ Time in San Diego 2023, 2023
- Hard Country, 2026
Non-Fiction Books
- Travel Smart: Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, 1998 (with Paul Otteson)
C.J. Box Biography
C. J. Box is an American crime and thriller author whose work includes the Joe Pickett series, the Cody Hoyt/Cassie Dewell series, several standalone novels, and short stories. He has published more than 30 books since his debut, Open Season, in 2001.
Official website: cjbox.net
Born in 1958 in Casper, Wyoming, Charles James Box, Jr. grew up in the state and has lived there most of his life. He graduated from the University of Denver with a degree in Mass Communications, then spent several years as a reporter and editor at a small newspaper in Saratoga, Wyoming. Before writing full-time, he also worked as a ranch hand, fishing guide, and surveyor, and co-owned an international tourism marketing firm with his wife Laurie.
That background in rural Wyoming inspired his books, as the Joe Pickett series is known for the real-life portrayal of the job of game wardens. As a result, C.J. Box has received a certificate of appreciation from the Wyoming Game Warden Association for his accurate portrayal of this profession.
Open Season started the Joe Pickett series, and it immediately became a bestseller, winning four Best First Novel awards. Blue Heaven, his first standalone novel, won the Edgar Award for Best Novel the year after its publication. In addition, he has also won two Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America for Off the Grid and Dark Sky, as well as the Western Heritage Award for Literature from the National Cowboy Museum. He has been executive producer on two television adaptations of his work: Big Sky, which was based on the Cassie Dewell series, and Joe Pickett.
In addition, C. J. Box is a frequent public speaker on outdoor and wildlife issues, and over the years, he has served on the board of directors for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo and the Wyoming Humanities Council. He currently lives with his family in Wyoming.
C.J. Box Book Adaptations
- Cody Hoyt / Cassie Dewell series – adapted into the television series Big Sky (2020–2023)
- Joe Pickett series – adapted into the television series Joe Pickett (2021–2023)
C.J. Box Awards and Honors
Awards
- Open Season – Anthony Award for Best First Novel (2002)
- Open Season – Barry Award for Best First Novel (2002)
- Open Season – Macavity Award for Best First Novel (2002)
- Open Season – Gumshoe Award for Best First Novel (2002)
- Blue Heaven – Edgar Award for Best Novel (2009)
- Blue Heaven – Prix Calibre .38, France (2009)
- Badlands – Barry Award for Best Novel (2016)
- National Cowboy Museum Western Heritage Award for Literature (2016)
- Off the Grid – Spur Award for Best Contemporary Novel, Western Writers of America (2017)
- Breaking Point— Falcon Award, Japan (2021)
- Dark Sky – Spur Award for Best Contemporary Novel, Western Writers of America (2022)
Nominations and Shortlists
- Open Season – Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller (2002)
- Open Season – Edgar Award for Best First Novel (2002)
- Free Fire – Lefty Award (Rocky Mountain Region) (2008)
- Nowhere to Run – Barry Award for Best Novel (2011)
It’s not vital to read them in order – but I think you’ll enjoy them more if you do. The back story never swamps the plot, but there’s wry humour in the adventures of Marybeth’s mother, and watching Sheridan grow up, and develop from a child into a key player. And Joe himself has a back story that gently comes out over the span of these great novels.
Dear Mr. Box
Have just finished your book “Off The Grid” and while I liked it as much as I have
enjoyed reading all of your Joe Pickett and Nate series.
However I have one serious complaint with how Daisy was abused.
In portraying Joe’s Trek across the desert it was explained that Joe’s
feet were burning right through his work boots. With that description in mind
Daisy’s paws would have been raw, blistered and bleeding.
Also when he returned to his vehicle in the desert Daisy remained inside the
Vehicle with her head cocked, expectantly. It was sent on fire and burned. See page #276.
No where do you have her getting out. Nor do you say that she jumps down and follows
Joe and the girl, taking cover behind rocks. Next mention of Daisy is when she went
with Sheridan and others to the rock formations.
My input is that Joe knew he was going to be in the desert and should have left Daisy home.
Gasped when I thought Daisy was stilled in the vehicle. Fortunately I didn’t think you
would kill her. She is very special to me.
Keep the series going.
Audrey Doherty
i have just started reading the joe pickett series again. to get the best out of the series start with number one and read in order. this way you get the feel off the characters and understand when you lose them in the series. the growing up of his daughters and foster daughter is compelling. the joe pickett series tells of family life and his job and his help for nate .
i reccomend this series to every one who likes good books
le Sauvage Noble, 2007 (short story – and long price! sadly it’s only available as used book)
This is included in Shots Fired: Stories from Joe Pickett Country published in 2014.
I definitely read series in order. If I read the first 2 books and like them staying in order is the best experience for me. I like to follow the characters as they age. I love CJ Box books😍
Would be good to have a stand alone Nate R series telling how he became the man he is
Can’t wait for cjs next book.
i would suggest reading the joe pickett series in publication order . this fits all characters into the series
I have read them all in order & that is most certainly the way to read them. I can’t wait till the next Joe Pickett!
Love the Joe Pickett books. I was really shocked by Cody Hoyts death. Didn’t see that coming. Great characters. Very enjoyable. Can’t wait for the next book. Keep up the good work.
I felt the same way. I was so sure he would be found alive; perhaps c j box has a surprise in stor!
Thanks, haven’t read those yet!!! Probably won’t now!
Ignore the spoilers! They are really good reads and good characters anyway!
I love your books.
What is the name of the book where Nate meets
Joe & his family? How did they meet & become such
good friends?
Winterkill, just finished it yesterday.