Joe Pickett Books in Order

Below is the complete list of C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett books in publication order. For this series, the chronological reading order is the same as the order of publication.

Joe Pickett Books in Publication Order

1. Open Season (2001)
   by C.J. Box
   Open Season was published in 2001 and is listed as book #1 in the Joe Pickett series.
2. Savage Run (2002)
   by C.J. Box
   Published in 2002, Savage Run is listed as book #2 in the Joe Pickett series.
3. Winterkill (2003)
   by C.J. Box
   Winterkill is a 2003 release and appears as book #3 in the Joe Pickett series.
4. Trophy Hunt (2004)
   by C.J. Box
   In the Joe Pickett series, Trophy Hunt is book #4 and was published in 2004.
5. Out of Range (2005)
   by C.J. Box
   Out of Range was first published in 2005; within the Joe Pickett series, it is listed as book #5.
6. In Plain Sight (2006)
   by C.J. Box
   In Plain Sight was published in 2006 and is listed as book #6 in the Joe Pickett series.
7. Free Fire (2007)
   by C.J. Box
   Published in 2007, Free Fire is listed as book #7 in the Joe Pickett series.
8. Blood Trail (2008)
   by C.J. Box
   Blood Trail is a 2008 release and appears as book #8 in the Joe Pickett series.
9. Below Zero (2009)
   by C.J. Box
   In the Joe Pickett series, Below Zero is book #9 and was published in 2009.
10. Nowhere to Run (2010)
    by C.J. Box
    Nowhere to Run was first published in 2010; within the Joe Pickett series, it is listed as book #10.
11. Cold Wind (2011)
    by C.J. Box
    Cold Wind was published in 2011 and is listed as book #11 in the Joe Pickett series.
12. Force of Nature (2012)
    by C.J. Box
    Published in 2012, Force of Nature is listed as book #12 in the Joe Pickett series.
13. Breaking Point (2013)
    by C.J. Box
    Breaking Point is a 2013 release and appears as book #13 in the Joe Pickett series.
14. Stone Cold (2014)
    by C.J. Box
    In the Joe Pickett series, Stone Cold is book #14 and was published in 2014.
15. Endangered (2015)
    by C.J. Box
    Endangered was first published in 2015; within the Joe Pickett series, it is listed as book #15.
16. Off the Grid (2016)
    by C.J. Box
    Off the Grid was published in 2016 and is listed as book #16 in the Joe Pickett series.
17. Vicious Circle (2017)
    by C.J. Box
    Published in 2017, Vicious Circle is listed as book #17 in the Joe Pickett series.
18. The Disappeared (2018)
    by C.J. Box
    The Disappeared is a 2018 release and appears as book #18 in the Joe Pickett series.
19. Wolf Pack (2019)
    by C.J. Box
    In the Joe Pickett series, Wolf Pack is book #19 and was published in 2019.
20. Long Range (2020)
    by C.J. Box
    Long Range was first published in 2020; within the Joe Pickett series, it is listed as book #20.
21. Dark Sky (2021)
    by C.J. Box
    Dark Sky was published in 2021 and is listed as book #21 in the Joe Pickett series.
22. Shadows Reel (2022)
    by C.J. Box
    Published in 2022, Shadows Reel is listed as book #22 in the Joe Pickett series.
23. Storm Watch (2023)
    by C.J. Box
    Storm Watch is a 2023 release and appears as book #23 in the Joe Pickett series.
24. Three-Inch Teeth (2024)
    by C.J. Box
    In the Joe Pickett series, Three-Inch Teeth is book #24 and was published in 2024.
25. Battle Mountain (2025)
    by C.J. Box
    Battle Mountain was first published in 2025; within the Joe Pickett series, it is listed as book #25.
26. The Crossroads (2026)
    by C.J. Box
    The Crossroads was published in 2026 and is listed as book #26 in the Joe Pickett series.

Joe Pickett Short Stories/Novellas Books in Publication Order

1. Dull Knife (2005)
   by C.J. Box
   Published in 2005, Dull Knife is listed as book #27 in the Joe Pickett series.
2. The Master Falconer (2011)
   by C.J. Box
   The Master Falconer is a 2011 release and appears as book #28 in the Joe Pickett series.
3. One-Car Bridge (2015)
   by C.J. Box
   In the Joe Pickett series, One-Car Bridge is book #29 and was published in 2015.
4. Pirates of Yellowstone (2015)
   by C.J. Box
   Pirates of Yellowstone was first published in 2015; within the Joe Pickett series, it is listed as book #30.
5. Honor & … (2017)
   (With Sandra Brown)
   by C.J. Box
   Honor & … was published in 2017 and is listed as book #31 in the Joe Pickett series.
6. Precious Cargo (2022)
   by C.J. Box
   Published in 2022, Precious Cargo is listed as book #32 in the Joe Pickett series.

Joe Pickett Collections Books in Publication Order

1. Shots Fired: Stories from Joe Pickett Country (2014)
   by C.J. Box
   Shots Fired: Stories from Joe Pickett Country is a 2014 release and appears as book #33 in the Joe Pickett series.

About Joe Pickett

The Joe Pickett series began with Open Season in 2001 and quickly established itself as one of the defining crime franchises set in the modern American West. Joe Pickett is a Wyoming game warden, responsible for enforcing wildlife laws across vast rural territories. Unlike urban detectives or federal agents, Joe’s jurisdiction covers rugged landscapes, isolated ranches, and communities where politics, land use, and survival intersect.

Reading the Joe Pickett novels in publication order is essential because the series follows Joe’s life in real time. His career develops, his family grows, and the political landscape of Wyoming shifts across more than two decades of storytelling. While each book presents a self-contained investigation, the broader arc of Joe’s personal and professional journey unfolds cumulatively.

The early novels—Open Season (2001), Savage Run (2002), and Winterkill (2003)—introduce Joe as a principled but sometimes underestimated warden. He is married to Marybeth Pickett, and together they are raising daughters in a small Wyoming town. From the beginning, Joe’s commitment to fairness and conservation often puts him at odds with powerful local interests.

These first installments establish recurring themes:

• Tension between federal and local authority
• Conflicts over land, wildlife, and development
• Rural political extremism
• The personal cost of integrity

Publication order matters immediately because Joe’s reputation evolves. Early professional missteps and conflicts influence how he is perceived in later books.

As the series progresses—through titles such as Trophy Hunt, Out of Range, and In Plain Sight—Joe’s family life becomes increasingly central. Marybeth’s own career shifts, and the children mature, creating new emotional stakes. Chronological reading preserves these gradual developments, particularly the way Joe’s role as husband and father influences his investigative decisions.

A major turning point in the series is the introduction of Nate Romanowski, a former special operations soldier turned falconer. Nate becomes a recurring ally whose methods often contrast with Joe’s steadier, rule-bound approach. Nate’s expanding presence across later novels, including Below Zero and Free Fire, deepens the series’ moral complexity. Reading in publication order highlights the growth of their partnership and the tensions within it.

In later installments such as Cold Wind, Force of Nature, and Long Range, the scale of threats widens to include national conspiracies, environmental exploitation, and organized violence. Joe himself matures into a more confident and seasoned investigator, though he remains guided by a strong internal code.

Stylistically, the series is known for:

• Vivid depictions of Wyoming’s landscape
• Detailed attention to wildlife law enforcement
• Character-driven procedural structure
• Exploration of rural American politics

The natural environment plays a defining role in each investigation. Snowstorms, remote mountains, and open plains are not background details but active forces shaping the narrative.

Over more than twenty novels, the Joe Pickett series charts a continuous evolution. Publication order preserves the layered development of Joe’s career, his family’s changing circumstances, and the shifting dynamics within Wyoming’s political and ecological landscape. The cumulative effect is a long-form character portrait embedded within Western crime fiction, where each book builds meaningfully upon the last.