Shots Fired by C.J. Box

Joe Pickett is a top shelf character for the guys here at MRB and that makes C.J. Box a fixture in our power rotation of authors. Whenever a new release is announced, we are on board. This is a break from the norm being neither a Joe Pickett novel nor one of Box’s quality standalone books. Shots Fired is a collection of 10 short stories by Box, most of which had been previously published in other outlets. Four are about Pickett and another about the primary supporting character and falconer-in-residence, Nate Romanowski. The stories range from a very short 1000 word piece originally contracted by a newspaper to a tale of modern Indians being recruited by Euro Disney to play bit parts in their live action shows (and keep the local Parisian ladies with child) to the early 1800s and two long-time partners in the fur trapping business now isolated by a Rockies blizzard.

For me, the Pickett and Romanowski stories are easily at the top of the heap, but fans of Box will not be disappointed by any of the others. A satisfying escape on a rainy weekend. 

East Coast Don

It's now 7/13/23, nearly nine years since EDC wrote the above review, and I discovered there was a Box book I had not yet read. I rarely take on a book of short stories, but this is, after all, C.J. Box. 10 stories as listed in ECD's review, and the only one I thought was a bit far fetched was a non-Pickett book titled in French, The Noble Savage, set in Paris in the 19th century. However, that too was entertaining. The Pickett and Romanowski stories are a delight, so have a go at this one.

West Coast Don