"Treasure State" by C.J. Box follows PI Cassie Dewell in Montana, hunting a con man and navigating a deadly treasure hunt. In a landscape where beauty masks danger, Cassie uncovers dark secrets while untangling twisted motives. A gripping thriller set against Montana's breathtaking backdrop, it's a must-read for suspense fans.

I almost always adore books with "slippery con man" protagonists.

"Treasured State", a book about a private Investigator's hunt for a slippery con man, failed to make my "Treasured Thrillers" list.

WHY?

1) When I selected the book, I did not realize the book was the #6 in a series.

Although the book was a standalone read, reading the earlier books in the series would have been helpful.

2) The book showcased "anti-masking and anti-vaxxing" political dialogue and I do not enjoy thrillers with an author's political agenda.

3) Overall, the pacing was off and characterizations were shallow.

I listened to the audiobook read by Christina Delaine. The narration was good but not great.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A gripping and well-narrated private investigator mystery featuring Cassie Dewell. CJ Box is a solid, thoughtful, well-plotted author, and it doesn't matter if this is your first CJ Box book or if you've read his entire catalogue - the story is well-contained, twisty, and full of suspense. The audiobook narrator did a fantastic job with the characters and building the suspense and intrigue. This is more of a traditional mystery than a thriller, which is refreshing to me in today's fiction landscape -- and it still has thrills aplenty. I'll read more of CJ Box's books for sure.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Treasure State by C.J. Box is a suspenseful novel that follows private investigator Cassie Dewell as she juggles two challenging cases in Montana. One involves a con man who swindled a wealthy widow out of millions and then disappeared, and the other involves a mysterious poem that promises a hidden treasure to whoever can solve it. Cassie soon finds herself in a web of deception, danger, and dark secrets that threaten her life and those she cares about.

Box delivers a fast-paced and gripping story that keeps the reader hooked as he masterfully blends realistic characters, vivid settings, and clever twists to create a satisfying and memorable read. Fans of the Cassie Dewell series will enjoy seeing her grow as a character and face new challenges, while newcomers will be able to follow along easily. Treasure State is a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery with a touch of western flair.

If you like CJ Box, you'll like the sixth installment in his Cassie Dewell series.

A shorter book, it nonetheless charges along with great characters, several of them returning. He has also married the Pickett and Dewell stories by having Joe's daughter April show up as an employee of Dewell's PI firm. Look for those story lines to cross and grow in each series.

One thing very positive about this book is the crimes are less revolting. The Lizard King of earlier books in the series was a despicable sex criminal who preyed on youth. That gave a couple of books in the series a "yuck" factor even though they are well written and suspenseful (so much so that my 83 year old mother, a CJ Box fan, gave up on the Dewell series).

Great escapism that tells a tale of a scheme to defraud rich women linked (I won't give any spoilers) and a criminal lead who thinks himself a righter-of-wrongs across the generations. HIs confederate is in it for the money and is as corrupt as can be. It also has a strong subplot derived from the Forrest Fenn treasure mania (having read a book on the Forrest Fenn treasure, I enjoyed this tie in).

Unfortunately, this one fell victim during my cell phone malfunction, and I wasn't able to review it.

Treasure State is a riveting novel by C.J. Box that follows the story of Cassie Dewell as she navigates the complex and dangerous world of crime in Montana. Narrated by Christina Delaine, the audiobook brings the characters and their struggles to life, immersing listeners in a tale of suspense, mystery, and intrigue.
In this gripping story, Cassie Dewell, a private investigator, finds herself entangled in a web of crime and deception as she delves into a case that challenges her both professionally and personally. Set against the backdrop of the rugged and unforgiving landscape of Montana, the novel weaves together a compelling narrative that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.
With its rich character development and intricately woven plot, Treasure State offers a captivating glimpse into the world of crime fiction, showcasing the talents of C.J. Box in crafting a compelling and suspenseful story. Christina Delaine's narration adds depth and emotion to the characters, enhancing the overall experience for listeners.

CJ Box is one of the most talented authors on my long reading lists and Christine Delaine made this book so much better. She perfectly conveyed the emotion and excitement when the story was moving quickly and gave the perfect voice to Cassie.

Thank you to C.J Box, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for an advance listening copy of Treasure State! Okay guys, I LOVE CASSIE DEWELL!! I cant wait to go back and start at book number one. With that being said, this is a series but this one definitely read as a standalone. There were a couple of details that elude to previous books but nothing that makes this hard to understand. I loved following Cassie throughout Montana as individuals tried to find a treasure and Cassie tracked down a con man. The supporting characters were great in this one too. Christina, the narrator, did a great job bringing this story to life and I look forward to listening to more of her work. My only ick was the authors clear digs at masking during Covid, but everyone is allowed their own opinion. This one is out now! 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher/author, for an advanced copy of this book! This review reflects my own unbiased opinion!

This book was fast-paced and kept me drawn in. The only reason I'm giving this one only 4 stars is that the author needs help writing the female POVs. The character was not quite realistic. I bet there are only a handful of women who would be like his MC. Also, I gave it 4 stars because it wasn't the nailbiter I expected and rather predictable.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* I had never read any other books from this series but would, i think i may like it more with more background

So like many people, Cassie Dewell came across my radar when the TV Series came into play. While this is not the case, her character is still unique, and this book did not disappoint! While this is a good mystery that plays pretty much like a double mystery that the reader will be on the edge of their seats! I enjoyed the aspect of it! This is the first of her series for me so it won't be the last! Box knows how to write his characters with so much depth in the storyline that it was just fantastic!
I enjoyed Cassie as the P.I. I think that she did amazing, and the way that she was working two cases at once, it seemed that the story was always moving, and this book had a lot of bang for the amount of book it was! I listened to the audiobook and heard it all day because the book was so good! If you are into audiobooks full of adventure and have a great narrator, this should be the next one you listen to! Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the extraordinary opportunity to listen and review this one!

C.J. Box never disappoints! I love his Joe Pickett series, so when he came out with the Cassie Dewell series I immediately started reading those and became hooked!

𝙏𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚 is book 6 in the series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone novel, but I love the depth of character that occurs across a series, so I personally would start with Book One.

SHORT SYNOPSIS:
Cassie Dewell is a private investigator in her mid-forties. She is a single parent with a teenaged son. In this book she gets involved with a couple of tricky cases.

First, she is hired by a woman from Florida to track down the con-artist who swindled her out of her fortune. Cassie learns she is the second investigator hired because the previous investigator disappeared. This case quickly becomes deadly.

Then Cassie is hired by an anonymous client who challenges her to find him! This client is the author of a mysterious poem that sets up a treasure hunt which leads to a fortune in gold.

While Cassie is working on one case she learns something that solves the other!

I listened to the audio version on NetGalley! The narrator, Christina Delaine @thisischristinadelaine does an excellent job! Her voice is perfect for the confident investigator as well as the other characters in the story.

My thanks to @macmillan.audio @netgalley for my gifted copies. My thoughts are my own.

I have heard so much about C.J. Box, but have never had the opportunity until now to read one of his books. This new book is from his Highway series and features Cassie Dewell, a PI in Montana. Even though this is the 6th book of the series, I had no trouble with jumping in. Box uses enough references to some of the other books in the series so that all makes sense. Here Cassie is working on two different cases. One involves finding the identity of a man who began a Treasure Hunt for a huge chest of gold and hid clues in a poem. In addition she is trying to track down a missing Florida PI, and help this clients recover the money that a man swindled from them. A good plot and believable characters. I enjoyed this book and want to read more of the authors other works.

I love CJ Box books, but don't usually read the Cassie Dewall series. That said, I really did enjoy this one. I thought the world that it was built around was interesting and it kept me intrigued. I liked the two different mysteries going on at the same time and wondering if they were going to collide or not.
As for the narrator, she did a great job with all the voice and her tone and pacing were spot on.

Treasure State by C.J. Box

Cassie Dewell is a 40ish single mom and a PI in Bozeman, Montana. Here, she has two cases going at the same time. The first is discovering the man who claims to have posted a poem at a local bar pointing to the whereabouts of “Sir Scott’s Treasure” that drew treasure hunters to the area. She is hired by the poet himself.

The second mystery involves tracking down a conman who charms widows in multiple cities into investing millions with his nonexistent investment firm. The Florida client lost all her money to this conman. The first PI has gone missing after his last contact in Montana. The clues lead Cassie to an old mining town, Anaconda.

I like the way Cassie operates as a PI she seems to be a no nonsense PI that just wants to get the job done. Both cases are solved by the end of the story. If you like mystery type thrillers this one would be for you. This was a 3 star read for me. I like Cassie and plan on reading more in the future of this series.

Christina Delaine does a good job narrating this story each character was easy to follow along with. She captured Cassie really well. Their is nothing better then an old mining town which has played out in many old time Westerns. C.J. Box captured the atmosphere of the are of Montana.

C.J. Box needs to leave out the political stuff when it comes to making fun of people wearing masks some of us have real life underline health conditions that require us to wear them. I don't make fun of people who choose not to each to their own. When things do not personally affect you need to leave it alone. Each of us have our own autonomy to decide for ourselves what we will and will not do. Some health issues can be a death sentence for people so what each of us choose to do to protect ourselves is our choice remember that when you write. Leave that crap out you don't need it in your book your write well without it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for a free audio copy of Treasure State for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Treasure State is the 6th book in the Highway Quartet series by C. J. Box. Released 27th Sept 2022 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 288 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out in second quarter 2023. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

Cassie Dewell is a 40 something single mom and PI based in Bozeman Montana. This story turns on a dual plot - a buried treasure hunt and a high flying charming con man who steals from rich women. The author is both gifted and experienced with pacing, setting, and dialogue. It's exciting, fast paced, and readable.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours 20 minutes and is capably narrated by Christina Delaine. She has a warm and smoky deep contralto and handles the western accents believably. I alternated between the electronic and audio formats and didn't find her narration intrusive at all.

Four stars. The mystery and solution are self-contained, but there are interactions with returning characters which will be spoiled to some degree by being read out of order. With 6 books extant in the series (5 of which chiefly feature Cassie in a central role), it would be a good choice for a series binge read.

Highly recommended for fans of modern PI stories, especially westerns. Really enjoyable.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

I have never been to Montana even though it is on my bucket list for sure, and this book made me want to go even more. The backdrop for this book is as important to the story as another character because it couldn’t have been set anywhere else! A hunt for buried gold, danger hiding in the woods and a small town perfect to hide from the world in. As Cassie Dewell build her private investigation g empire she is called to not one but two cases, one stranger than the next, as she tries to solve both cases. A funny twisty read!

What a miserable book. It would appear C.J. Box hates the police, fat people (whatever that means) and pretty much anything that doesn't fit his narrative. That is fine, but does not play well with a lot of readers I would expect.. There really were no redeeming qualities to the book.

None of the characters are likable. The “mission” isn’t worthwhile. Corrupt cops are such a common theme. The case doesn’t get solved so much as stumbled into with dumb luck. The main character, Cassie Dewell, is flat, poorly developed, and really just nothing. As the main character, one would expect some development. Just a horrible waste of time.

Cassie has been hired to find a con man. He has absconded with a wealthy widow’s money and she wants it all back. As Cassie digs deeper, she finds many more victims. Not only has she got a con man she must find, but now she has been contacted by a mystery man with a strange poem and a treasure.

I loved Cassie. She is witty, strong and she is kind. You usually do not see kindness in a private investigator but Cassie makes it work well. I also enjoyed the dual story lines…the con man and the treasure hunt. Very unique and intriguing!

I cannot believe I have never read a book by this author. I am going to have to remedy that soon. How have I missed him? 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️. I am definitely going to get more of his books! Especially if Christina Delaine is the narrator. She is excellent and she nailed Cassie, in my opinion.

Need a captivating mystery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.