Wow. So, after the last book in this series I was pretty ticked off at Mr. Box. Not sure I’ve really gotten over that but I had to see where the story went.
Part of it I expected. There’s a lot happening in this book. There’s a central theme and we get several viewpoints because everyone is separated. Joe is out of town, MaryBeth is holding down the fort, the bad guy is doing his thing and Nate is hunting down the bad guy.
It’s a busy book but it all works well and makes sense. The story was very well written and suspenseful. The description of the surroundings make it easy to picture.
This is an excellent series and I recommend it to others a lot.
I did receive this book as a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.

A plan which could change the nation's trajectory

When an experienced elk-hunting guide and his newly hired assistant set out on a scouting hike in the Wyoming mountains one day, they expect to return to their vehicle in a few hours. When neither has been seen or heard from for more than 24 hours, people in their lives get concerned. One such person is the new assistant's father-in-law, who just happens to be the governor of the state of Wyoming. Since it was the governor's idea for his son-in-law to take the job in the first place, he has every reason to want the men found quickly and discreetly (i.e., before the disappearance is made public and his wife and daughter find out) and reaches out to the man he likes to task with just this type of sub rosa task...game warden Joe Pickett. As Joe reluctantly heads to the area where the men were last seen, other events have been set in motion which may be headed in his direction as well, Joe's friend and master falconer, Nate Romanowski, who along with Joe was targeted for death by the criminal Axel Soledad, has removed himself from civilization as he mourns the death of his wife at Soledad's hands and focuses on his bonds with his birds and nature. He is also hunting Axel, but has as yet been frustratingly unsuccessful. When fellow falconer Geronimo Jones, like Nate with a background in military special operations, tracks him down and asks him to join forces to eliminate Axel together, Nate agrees. The path to Axel may lead through embittered former veterans who have been contacted by Axel and asked to join his (unknown) cause. All roads seem to lead to a high end dude ranch near Battle Mountain which is about to host the annual weeklong gathering of a group known as The Centurions, whose members are a Who's Who of highly placed members of the military, defense industry, and other movers and shakers. Will Axel's plans be uncovered and stopped in time, and will he at last be brought to justice?
In Battle Mountain, the 25th entry in the series featuring Joe Pickett, main character Joe is manipulated into undertaking a search for two missing men without letting the local game warden or local law enforcement know exactly what he is doing or why. He finds that the situation is more serious than what he expected, and is right back where his wife feared he would be....jeopardizing his safety and doing unwise things. His grieving friend Nate along with the imposing Geronimo join forces to hunt down and eliminate a man whose eradication from the planet would be nothing but a positive, and utilize their unique skill sets to track their quarry. Like Joe,they find themselves in the midst of a rapidly developing scenario that they did not anticipate. As the saying goes, "No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy", and all three men (and Axel Soledad) will discover the truth behind that observation. My attention was grabbed from the early pages and didn't waver until the end in this novel of suspense whose various plot lines are carefully woven together. The characters are well-defined, the pacing is non-stop, and the rugged setting and falconry lore are added benefits. Readers of the series will find plenty of surprises mixed in with the familiar characters, while those who haven't read the earlier books can read this as a standalone without problem. Fans of Stephen Hunter, William Kent Kruger and John Sandford should be sure to give this mystery a try....they won't regret it (and will likely have a new author to follow). Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G. P. Putnam's Sons for allowing me early access to another of author C. J. Box's entertaining series.

A big draw of Battle Mountain by C. J. Box is anticipating Nate and Joe coming together to get the criminals. When they finally reach the climatic end readers are not disappointed.

Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett is back in book #25 of this long-running series. Getting revenge on ultra-evil bad guy Axel Soledad is the hub of this mystery but our three musketeers (Nate Romanowski, Geronimo Jones and Pickett) come to it from different angles. Little do they know that Axel is planning a mission that could 'alter the trajectory of this nation itself.'

Very exciting action from start to finish if you are looking for some escapism. I didn't really care for the political views expressed by certain characters in this story. It's kind of an 'us versus them' attitude I think we could do without.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new mystery via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Battle Mountain is the 25th book in the Joe Pickett Series from CJ Box.

"Nate Romanowski drops off the grid after Dallas Cates kills his wife. Nate knows that Alex Soledad is responsible, so he starts searching for him, wanting his revenge.

The governor asks Joe Pickett to help find his son-in-law who disappeared along with the guide he was working with. Joe and the local game warden trace him to the area of Warm Springs.

They have no idea their paths will converge at Battle Mountain."

This series has always included falconry and it's even more prevalent in this book. There are even a couple of "Woo-woo" moments with Nate and one of his birds. Soledad is one of those charismatic bad guys that seems to be able to convince people to do bad things. (There's also a funny oat milk moment.)

Box has shown he is not afraid to kill any character and there are tense moments with some family. The final scenes on Battle Mountain are pretty wild.

I am not an outdoorsy person but I still enjoy these stories. Joe and Nate are great characters and this is another great story from Box.

Another Joe Pickett, that I couldn't put down. Not only are the characters all great, the storylines always teach this old dog something new.

Axel Soledad is again trying to wreak havoc as he nurtures both disgruntled vets and civilians for one of his missions. Nate Romanowski has been off the grid after the devastation of the previous book. Geronimo Jones finds Nate, and they both go on a manhunt to finally destroy Axel. They accidentally come across Axel's plan to attack a large group of military/government/industrial leaders. Meanwhile, Joe Pickett is asked by Governor Rulon to again undertake a private mission - this time to find his missing son-in-law...and to do so quietly. Joe's search crosses paths with Nate and Geronimo's search for Axel on Battle Mountain.
C.J. Box certainly has a flair for writing - as this series is fast-paced and tension-filled. The characters are 'fleshed out' in previous books and would better serve new readers to start with the first in the series to get the full picture. Devoted readers of this series will jump right in and be swept away as Nate, Geronimo, Joe, Marybeth and Sheridan do what they do best.
Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons, C. J. Box and NetGalley for this ARC.

C.J. Box remains one of the best thriller writers in the business, and his Joe Picket series is wonderfully consistent. That said, Battle Mountain was to me perhaps the weakest so far (and I've read all of them). Perhaps it's partly that Picket himself wasn't as central to this volume as to most of the others; Picket is a much more convincing character. I also roll my eyes a bit at the conspiracy theories that often invade thrillers, with bad guys able to attract large numbers of adherents to mount huge attacks. Lone wolves are rather more common. So all in all, I enjoyed Battle Mountain but not as much as the others in the series.

Battle Mountain brings us a story about Nate. If you’ve read the previous books in the series, you will know who Nate is. It was nice to get more Nate, Jim, and Geronimo. They certainly take us on one wild ride!
The story is tension filled with suspense mystery galore.
I have loved this series from the beginning….each installment keeps me engaged and intrigued as to where the authors is going to take us this time. I do encourage reading the series in order of release. There is so much back story to all the characters that is importance to know.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

As always with this series, CJ Box entertains! I love the characters in this series and am always excited to get back in their world. I would recommend you having read the previous books to thoroughly enjoy this one. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

Battle Mountain is the 25th book in C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett, Game Warden series. Even though I haven’t personally read every book, although I’m slowly acquiring them all, the ones I have read are phenomenal. I was first introduced to Joe Pickett when Paramount+ aired 2 seasons of his show and I was instantly hooked and knew I had to read the series. Each book is filled with action and suspense and the authors superb writing makes you feel like you are right there in the thick of things. The stories all use the same main characters and each book keeps you updated on each character. Joes family members are always included but it’s his good friend, Nate Romanowski, a local falconer, and Joe that are the main attraction. In Battle Mountain, the story mainly centers around Nate Romanowski and Geronimo, who together go after Axel Soledad, a bad guy who played a big part in a previous book. Joe is included but his part is more of a sideline in this story. I was really impressed with Sheridan, Joes daughter, with the part she plays in this book. She’s really turned out to be a ballsy, kickass character now that she’s an adult. I just really love this series and can’t recommend it enough. Once I own every book, I will start from the beginning and read them all in order. I really feel I would appreciate them more that way although they can be read as standalones. I’d like to thank Penguin Group Putnam Books for accepting my request to be an early reader and NetGalley for the arc. I really enjoyed returning to Wyoming and being a part of Joe Pickett’s world and look forward to reading more of this series very soon. I’m giving this book a much deserved 5 star rating!

Battle Mountain: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box is the latest in this long running series. While Joe Pickett is certainly in it, this is more of a Nate Romanowski novel. For very good reason as Nate is still on the hunt and his quest for revenge though the trail has gone cold in more ways than one.

Nate is still looking for Axel Soledad. An evil man who has done many horrible things. Nate is going to get him, no matter what. Soledad killed Nate’s wife, Liv, and must die. He knows it won’t bring Liv back. But, every day Soledad breathes is another day that he has lived far too long.

The chase continues this early October as Nate is lowly getting closer and closer to a showdown with Soledad. In a surprising turn of events, Geronimo has found Nate high up in a mountain range as he contemplates what to do. Geronimo also wants Soledad dead for going after his wife and child. They survived. But, Geronimo thinks if he and Nate unite in the hunt, they have a better chance of ending the evil man finally before he spills more blood and hurts anyone else.

At the same time this is happening, Governo Rulon wants Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett’s help. His son in law, Mark Eisele, has gone missing as has the elk hunting guide, Joseph “Spike” Rankin. They were preparing for elk hunting season in the vicinity of Battle Mountain in Southern Wyoming. Spike was supposed to let the Governor know every day how his son in law was doing as the man is an outdoor novice with no experience at all. Not only is his daughter and wife starting to worry a little bit, Rulon does not want the local sheriff involved as he is one of those Sovereign Nation idiots, and does not want the media to get wind of anything. Rulon wants Pickett to go down there and find the two men and do it as quietly and discreetly as possible.

One can’t say no to the Governor. Not only is a force of nature, Pickett owes him several times over for past situations. Saying no was never an option.

The result is a fast paced read as various forces converge on Battle Mountain. While you now know the two primary storylines, much more is going on in the read that will culminate in a battle on the mountain. History tends to repeat itself.

As always, politics is present in this read, though in this case it works better for the story and is not so heavy handed as some of the recent reads in the series have been. More than anything, Battle Mountain: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box is an action adventure read with no character development as the primary characters were fleshed out long ago. The read also serves as a great escape from the world madness that infects our lives on a daily basis now.

Strongly recommended.

My digital ARC came by way of the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, through NetGalley.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2025

Battle Mountain is the latest entry in C J Box's long-standing series. Set in Wyoming, and featuring falconer Nate Romanowski, Battle Mountain is much more focused on action than it is on the series' beloved characters. Asked by the Governor to find his son-in-law and the guide with whom he was training in the rough terrain of the state's mountains, Joe Pickett sets off to a part of the state with which is not familiar, joined by his female counterpart. The action converges around Alex Soledad, who was responsible for killing Nate's wife Liz (in a previous book) as well as burning down the home of Nate's new companion Geronimo Smith, who are in pursuit of Soledad and takes place around at the annual gathering of the oligarchs and military leaders of the military-industrial state at a high-end ranch. In its way, Battle Mountain is more formulaic than the previous books in the series and it held much less interest for me. But, devotees of the series will welcome it eagerly. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

In this 25th Joe Pickett novel, Joe is showing his age but nonetheless is carrying the day (with a little help from Nate Romanowski). Battle Mountain, a fictional landmark in Wyoming, is home to two resorts, one old and abandoned and the other very much thriving. In BATTLE MOUNTAIN, the latter resort is hosting a meeting of top-level government officials while the former is being used as a staging zone by Joe and Nate's arch enemy, Alex Soledad. The book begins with a scouting trip gone wrong that involves a hunting guide and his assistant, the son-in-law of the sitting governor of Wyoming. Joe is called in by the governor to find his son-in-law, and the resulting mayhem provides the reader with a fast-paced, impossible to put down, thriller.

As always in this series, Box does an outstanding job of further developing the ongoing series characters while at the same time not shortchanging the reader's understanding of plot-specific characters. He also writes evocatively of the Wyoming landscape. Readers may find it difficult to pull themselves away from the remote wilderness, even though it is often filled with danger. The plot is complex, highly-engaging, and well-resolved.

The book can be read as a standalone, but it refers back to events from previous books, knowledge of which helps inform the reader about why both Joe and Nate would like to see Soledad disappear. The series is strong throughout, and I recommend starting way back at book #1, OPEN SEASON, if you are unfamiiar with Joe Pickett and the series. Box has done a tremendous job of building characters and relationships throughout the full set of 25 books, something that stymies many series authors.

As always, as I closed the pages of this book, I found myself hoping Box writes quickly so that I can re-enter Pickett's Wyoming in book #26.

When the Governor's son-in-law goes missing, Joe gets called in to find him. Nate is still out trying to find the man who killed his wife. All things converge at Battle Mountain in southern Wyoming. Wonderful story telling, great characters and plenty of suspense to keep you reading! Box has done it again with a great book!

Autumn in the wilds of Wyoming. The air is brisk, the elk are plentiful, there’s snow on the peaks, and…fully armed paramilitaries sneaking through the woods? This contemporary Western thriller follows game warden Joe Pickett and a varied cast of characters in a case that touches on current issues and events, including recent international military engagements. Can Joe and his compadres prevent a staggering act of domestic terrorism in rural Wyoming? Can they finally stop a seemingly indestructible criminal in his tracks? And how does falconry play a role in catching the bad guys?
This is only the second C.J. Box novel I have ever read, and the first was early in the series. It’s great to know that the same quality of plotting, characterization, and lyrical descriptions of the Western landscape—not to mention the page-turning suspense—are maintained throughout the long-running series. Recommended! Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this review copy of the book.

Battle Mountain is the new addition to the Joe Pickett novels. A new twist is that there is a little less Joe, and a lot of the powerful character, Nate Romanowski. Nate is out for revenge and it’s aimed at arch enemy Axel Soledad. Nate joins up with his friend Geronimo Jones, and together they set off on deadly, no holds barred mission to track down Soledad. This duo will stop at nothing to get even with Soledad, but first they have to find him. Meanwhile by orders from the Governor, Joe sets out to find the Governor’s missing son-in-law who has gone off the scope while on an Elk hunting guide trip to Battle Mountain. They are all headed in the same direction, unbeknownst to each other. This leads up to one of the best action filled endings that C.J. Box has written to date. WOW, you do not want to miss this very exciting installment to an already great series.
Thank You to NetGalley, The Author CJ.Box and Publisher PENGUIN GROUP PUTNAM/G.P. Putnam’s Sons for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Battle Mountain by C. J. Box is a riveting, very highly recommended intense thriller and the 25th novel featuring Joe Pickett. This one directly continues the story in Three-Inch Teeth, which I would recommend reading before enjoying Battle Mountain. They are both 5 star reads so this is a win/win suggestion.

Outlaw falconer Nate Romanowski left his daughter in the care of Marybeth and Joe Pickett and is living off grid while following the trail of Axel Soledad the man who murdered Nate's wife. He eliminated three of his followers, but Axel was not there. Later Geronimo Jones finds Nate and the two men set off to track Axel down and make sure he is taken out.

At the same time Governor Rulon asks Joe for a personal favor. His son-in-law Mark Eisele and elk hunting guide Spike Rankin have both gone missing. He wants Joe to go down and find him. The two different searches are heading to converge at Battle Mountain.

This is an extremely well-written, un-put-downable, compelling character-driven thriller. The complex, tension-packed, fast-paced narrative follows multiple storylines until everything eventually merges toward the end. The two different searches are equally interesting. The final confrontation is larger than expected and becomes a real showdown.

All the characters are fully realized, complex individuals. At this point, readers know their strengths and weaknesses and the moral dilemmas they have encountered. It certainly helps that I've read several books in the series now and know all the characters, their abilities, the background, and the setting.

Each new Joe Pickett novel I read makes me an even greater fan of C. J. Box. Thanks to Penguin/Putnam for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

This may be Book 25 In the Joe Pickett series, but it reads as fresh and exciting as Book 1. While falconer Nate Romanowski takes a major role in the plot, Joe Pickett’s mission to find two hunting guides-,one of them the Governor’s son-in-law— also provides suspense and excitement. The ruthless target of Nate’s revenge, Alex Soledad, illuminates raw fanaticism and evil. HIS mission-thwarted by Nate and Joe- is especially chilling. Another 5-star adventure, Battle Mountain was a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. Battle Mountain is the 25th book in the Joe Pickett series. It continues after the events of the previous book. The story is focused on Nate Romanoswki and his revenge on Axel Soledad. We see Nate and Geronimo Jones follow the path to Axel Soledad. Meanwhile Joe Pickett is sent to find a missing hunting guide and his apprentice by the Governor. This task is not as simple as it seems. I enjoyed the story. I do feel like there were too many character perspectives. I found that as I was getting into one storyline it would change to a different character and their story. I also wish the book focused more on Joe. It was very Nate heavy.