C.J. Box

It's always great fun to be turned onto a mystery series that's already several books old. It means you can stack the whole batch on the bedside table and not worry about reading material for weeks. (It's also a reminder of how many terrific authors there are out there we maybe haven't heard about. Thanks for the head's up on this one, Albie!) Pickett is a Wyoming game warden whose sense of integrity and honor fly in the face of bureaucracy and scoff-laws - often placing family, friends and innocents in harm's nefarious path. Box writes beautifully of the culture and geography of the Golden West, but don't underestimate his penchant for darkness. Fortunately, Pickett's morally ambiguous pal, Nate Romanowski, a mystical ex-Special Forces dude, is on hand to help out. I'm four books into the series - and it's special.

- RICK KOSTER