There they find three more dead bodies (friends of Ote) and a lone live person, Clyde Lidgard, who pointed his weapon at Wacey and Deputy McLanahan and was promptly shot by both. The investigation into Ote’s death takes Joe and his Game Warden friend, Wacey Hedeman, and Deputy McLanahan into an area where only horses can reach. When the dust clears, Sheridan sees some animals in the woodpile that she and Lucy promptly name and adopt as “pets”. Luckily, he keeps some poop in an envelope in his desk as well. Joe grabs the poop to send it off to Cheyenne for analysis. In Ote’s possession is an empty cooler with a few pieces of scat (poop) in it. Joe goes out to make sure everything is safe, but, as he looks around he sees a very dead Ote Keeley near the woodpile (Why did Ote come all the way to Joe’s house to die?). Joe and Ote come to an agreement that is mutually beneficial to both, that is, Joe lives and Ote keeps his outfitters license.įast forward a few months and Sheridan “dreams” that she saw a monster outside the house. As Joe is writing Ote a ticket, Ote grabs Joe’s gun and threatens to kill him.

His pay sucks, but, he is doing what he always wanted to do, and the family is happy and healthy.Īs the book opens, Joe confronts Ote Keeley who has just shot a buck out of season for, apparently, the antlers. The family lives in a State owned house that is small and, since Marybeth is pregnant, about to get smaller. He has a beautiful wife, Marybeth, and two wonderful daughters, Sheridan (7) and Lucy (3), a Labrador Retriever, Maxine, and his horse Lizzie. Joe Pickett has a pretty good life as a Game Warden in Saddlestring, Wyoming (replacing recently retired Vern Dunnegan). I can guarantee you….I will read more! This is one terrific book. This is the debut novel (published in 2001) by C. Every now and then I read a book that I simply cannot put down.

Open Season by C.J. Box