Missing Joe Pickett

The plot was a little hard to swallow. The excess violence was a distraction from the story. Seeing the "good guys" cross the line so many times was disheartening. Sometimes gritty realism is hard to take.

14 people found this helpful

Spiralling Out Of Control

It’s all too much.

A couple discovers they have to give up their adopted baby because the birth father did not sign away his parental rights. Interesting premise. Then it all falls apart.

Don’t worry, no spoilers here: The birth father turns out to be a teenager – but not any kind of teenager; a dark brooding teenager. But not any kind of dark brooding teenager; a dark brooding teenager who doesn’t “get along with dogs”, has a suspicious past, has gang ties and is the son of a judge. But not any kind of judge; a super powerful Federal judge. But not any kind of super powerful Federal judge; a sinister super powerful Federal judge with secrets to hide…

The psycho-teen taunts and spooks the family with his strange behaviours, warning them that they had to “keep him happy” or he won’t sign the papers saying things like “I own you now”…

So, the parents decide to “do everything they can to save their child”, start their own investigation and high octane action ensues, twists and turns and murders and intrigue and double crosses…ARGH! ENOUGH! it was just too over-the-top for me.

22 people found this helpful

Couldn't stop listening.

As soon as I figured out the story, I didn't want to listen to it, knowing that the subject matter would break my heart. But, I couldn't stop, and the story didn't disappoint. This book was riveting.

6 people found this helpful

Another excellent C.J Book

Ive read most of Boxes books and they are all really good. He is true to form on this one. Very exciting. I think a little slower pacec than his Joe Joe Pickitt novels but he is also tackling a little more serious and issue. Solid suspens novel.

5 people found this helpful

C.J. Box what did you do???O

Would you try another book from C. J. Box and/or John Bedford Lloyd?

I will only read a Joe Pickett book, apparently C.J. Box can only create a sympathetic/lovable character in the Joe Pickett character.

Any additional comments?

I would rather go to the dentist than to listen to this book again.

9 people found this helpful

Violent

When Jack and Melissa adopt Angelina, they feel their lives have been completed until one Saturday morning Jack receives a strange call from the adoption agency. It seems the birth father didn't sign the papers after all and he's the son of a high ranking, sitting Federal judge. Their lives turn upsidedown and Jack, with his friends Brian and Cody attempt to get Garrett to sign the papers or find "something" on the judge to prevent them from taking Angelina away. The book touches on some of the problems in the US adoption laws, which can be devastating for some adoptive parents, as the book shows. But CJ Box throws in a mystery and Angelina is in the center of all of it. As the plot unravels, the book becomes very violent. A lot of killing goes on. Bodies are hidden and never found. Jack also engages in some of the violence and the listener finds that to fall outside of his character. So it becomes confusing and you never decide if a man that could get as involved in the violence as Jack does should even have a child. But yet you're not sure if he's just caught up in it or not. I think the problem here is that CJ Box doesn't accurately protray the parental bonding between Jack and Angelina which is the vehicle by which we are to excuse his actions. That part is not well done. There is a lot of action. The plot keeps moving and has twists and turns. There is sufficient information so that the reader can solve the mystery and if you pay attention, you can solve it just past the halfway point and watch to see if the characters come up with it. The reader is very good and I was impressed with his range of voices since there are a lot of characters. As with other Box novels, the ending is not laden with fairy tale drippings. Even the good characters suffer consequences. The violence, however, is overdone.

9 people found this helpful

CJ Box at his best!

Great spellbinding story! Lots of twists and turns-hard to stop listening to! Thank you.

3 people found this helpful

Not Saying Goodbye

Loving all of C.J. Box's series about Joe Pickett I did not know what to expect with this stand alone. Well, I loved it and could not stop listening to it. I have added John Bedford Lloyd to favorite narrrator status for myself.

3 people found this helpful

A struggle to the end.

I wish there was a minus one star rating, which is more appropriate for this book. Naive, unbelievable characters doing silly things with a slow moving, frustrating plot. I tried to make it to the end, but struggled.

10 people found this helpful

A Disappointing; Not a Joe Pickett character

Having read all of C J Box’s books and truly enjoyed them all, especially the Joe Pickett Series I found this this “novel” both disappointing and a bit disgusting. The “hero” is a self-righteous father who with his life long friends proceed to basically become violent vigilantes. Even though the hero (father) and his wife are sympathetic (they adopted a baby several months previous and are ordered to give her up to the birth father) they are determined to keep the baby.
There is excessive violence and abuse of the law that seems to be acceptable in the end, which I found disturbing. If this had been my first of Box’s books, it would have been my last and I’d never have found my love of the rest of his books, which I’ve grown to love over the past years
If you enjoy vigilantism and violence, this is the book for you. I almost wish I’d read the previous reader’s reviews though they are rather varied and I’d probably have read it anyway.
I definitely will not read it again.

1 person found this helpful