paradise valley
reviews
A TRUE TREAT FOR CRIME rabid wolf
TORPEDO-FAST,
THRILLER AFICIONADOS!
SUSPENSE-FILLED!
C.J. Box gives his stalwart series staples
Joe Pickett and Nate Romanowki a
book off, but Cassie Dewell proves to
be every bit their equal in the perfectly
plotted Paradise Valley.
Cassie is lead
investigator for the
Bakken County
Sheriff ’s
Department,
located in the
hinterlands of
western North
Dakota, a sleepy
C.J. Box
area until oil
bubbled to the
surface and drastically changed its
landscape, literally and figuratively.
Those changes include the presence of
a serial killer known as the “Lizard
King,” who’s claimed, among others,
Cassie’s own fiancé. Her pursuit of
him through badlands both old and
new is replete with the expected twists
and turns, as well as unexpected
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Fear reigns throughout Los Angeles as
an attacker goes on a massive killing
spree targeting women of all ages.
Harboring deep resentment towards the
many women who have hurt him,
Hunter is taking out his anger using his
super-human abilities. One by one he
stalks his prey, utilizing gruesome
methods to satisfy the wolf within.
Meanwhile, Adelaide goes undercover
at Parantaa Research company––the
sister company to Olento Research. It's
there that she
meets Mika Lenna
and learns the
mastermind she's
up against. Under
financial pressure
from his investor's,
Mika is willing to
undergo more
extreme measures
Sarah Noffke
to recover his
investments.
Beneath his supervision, the nightmarish
scientific experimentation being
~Jon Land, TopShelf Reviews
produced could not only recapture
the wolves––but bring the Lucidite
Institute to its knees. Darker than its
predecessors, this third book in the
series continues to be more delightful
than the last. When an extremely
troubled young man is genetically
engineered to become a werewolf––
hence a killer––what are the
repercussions? The author creates a
riveting storyline of a deranged
killer seeking perceived retribution,
yet still ironically manages to make
the character empathetic. A difficult
feat that is pulled off organically
and masterfully. Added in to this
supernatural circus is additional
wolves with various powers, invisible
twins, neanderthals, clairvoyants,
action-packed scenes along with the
usual sarcastic banter that makes this a
deliciously fun filled read. Rabid Wolf is a
torpedo-fast, suspense-filled,
spellbinding story that will have you
furiously flipping the pages and leave
you in baited anticipation of the next.
political ramifications she must
confront along the way.
The personal touch alone makes
Paradise Valley a true treat for crime
thriller aficionados. Box’s trademark
Hemingway-esque minimalist prose is
on keen display here as usual, and in
Cassis Dewell he’s created a female
protagonist every bit the equal of more
traditional male genre staples.
Riveting and relentless.
REVIEWS
~Kris Miller, TopShelf Reviews
TOPShelf magazine
OCTOBER2017 29