Book Review: Dark Sky by C.J. Box

Published in 2021. Thriller. Game Warden Joe Pickett is called upon by the Governor, himself, to escort social media billionaire, Steven ‘Steve-2’ Price on an elk hunt. The Governor emphasized the fact that Price may consider Wyoming to be the new location for a server hub for his social media platform, Confab, which would bring hundreds of jobs to the area. Reluctantly, Joe agrees and meets Steve-2 at the airport with his entourage. Brock Boedecker, a local rancher, leads the group into the wild to a campsite to search for elk. The next morning, Joe tracks a herd and slowly urges it toward Price and his bodyguard. He waits to hear a gunshot, but doesn’t hear anything, so he circles back only to find intruders in the campsite, and they are after Price. Earl Thomas wants to revenge for the death of his daughter, Sophia, who was bullied and taunted on Confab’s social media site. But Joe helps Price escape into the woods without food, equipment, or weapons.

An exciting story. The father’s grief was raw, but misplaced, blaming Price for his daughter’s suicide. However, he was determined. He was an experienced tracker and hunter, so finding Joe and Price should be easy. But Joe knew a few tricks after years as a game warden, and takes Steve-2 on an adventure he will never forget.