FICTION

Off the Grid

by C.J. Box
Putnam. (Joe Pickett, Bk. 16). Mar. 2016. 384p. ISBN 9780399176609. $27; ebk. ISBN 9780698410053. F
COPY ISBN
In his 16th outing (after Endangered), Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett heads for the Red Desert, where longtime friend, falconer, and off-the-grid recluse Nate Romanowski has been blackmailed into assisting a deeply hidden faction of the U.S. government. It needs Nate to stop a plot by a domestic terrorist group to wipe out the huge metadata stores the National Security Agency (NSA) has compiled on unsuspecting Americans. In particular, Nate is tasked with making contact with one of the terrorists, who is also a fellow falconer and a member of Middle Eastern royalty. Joe goes along on the hunt, which turns urgent when he discovers that his daughter is about to become collateral damage. The tense action that results mirrors Nate's experiences in Afghanistan and brings to life his nightmares.
VERDICT While some of the villains here are mere stereotypes, Joe's character continues to develop. Readers of Ted Koppel's Lights Out will enjoy the fictionalization of the cyberattack threat on the electric grid, and devotees of other outdoor mysteries such as those by Nevada Barr, Craig Johnson, and William Kent Krueger will find much to like in Box's evocative depiction of the Western landscape. [See Prepub Alert, 11/1/15.]
Reviewed by Sharon Mensing, Emerald Mountain Sch., Steamboat Springs, CO , Feb 12, 2016
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

Secret Fling with the Billionaire
by Douglas, Michelle
FICTION

Holiday Under Wraps
by Mettner, Katie
FICTION

Tracking Down the Lawman’s Son
by Fossen, Delores
FICTION

Cold Case Protection
by Helm, Nicole
FICTION

One Waltz with the Viscount
by Martin, Laura
FICTION

When Cinderella Met the Duke
by Williams, Sophia
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?