Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett is a fascinating character and the central focus of the 12 book mystery series by C.J. Box, beginning with Open Season. A man who loves his job and family, Pickett fights everything from bureaucracy to environmental terrorists in the series,  all the while he remaining true to himself and his sense of justice. Pickett is a happily married man, in love with his wife and daughters, and works hard to protect his family and the land and animals that he loves and respects. These are stories of an honorable man trying to do the right thing in every circumstance, and not always getting it right–a very likeable, human and flawed character. Game Wardens are unique in that nearly every encounter in their capacity as law enforcement officers is one that involves another person that is armed, often in an isolated area, making it a dangerous profession, and Pickett finds himself in many dangerous situations throughout the series. This is a series that should be read in order–the character interactions continue through the series as Pickett’s family changes and grows and the local community changes as well. Box has won several awards for his mystery writing and lives in Wyoming, making the locations in this series realistic and believable. This is a series to read start to finish–check on Novelist to find the order of the titles. You will find Joe Pickett a memorable character and this an outstanding mystery series!