Breaking Point

Book Description Joe Pickett always liked Butch Roberson-a hardworking local business-owner whose daughter is friends with his own. Little does he know that when Butch says he is heading into the mountains to scout elk, he is actually going on the run.

Two EPA employees have been murdered, and all signs point to Butch as the killer. Soon, Joe hears of the land Butch and his wife had bought to retire on-until they are told the EPA declared it a wetland-and the penalties they charged Butch until the family was torn apart by debt. Finally, it seems, the man just cracked.

It's an awful story. But is it the whole story? The more Joe investigates, the more he begins to wonder-and the more he finds himself in the middle of a war in which he must choose sides.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist Box has always been adept at giving Joe Pickett, his old-school Wyoming game warden, modern issues to confront. Here, Joe finds himself tracking Butch Roberson, the father of his younger daughter's best friend, after Butch seemingly kills two armed EPA agents and heads for the hills. Armed EPA agents? You read that right. In this nightmarish scenario, the EPA carries guns, the Forest Service has a SWAT team, and an unhinged administrator can target a fugitive with a missile-carrying drone. "Hell had broken open, and hundreds of bureaucrats were gushing out," laments Pickett, wondering whether he can stand to wear his badge anymore. Should "war" break out between the government and the people, he knows whose side he would be on. His outrage is understandable, but, still, this is a far cry from the thoughtful, balanced takes of previous Picketts. And, despite a fiery, thrilling ending, it's not as seamlessly structured as usual, either. But, whether you watch the skies for black helicopters or not, you'll still have a hard time putting this one down and turning out the light. --Keir Graff

Review 'I love Joe Pickett' Michael Connelly. 'Solid-gold A-list must-read' Lee Child. 'Heart-stoppingly good' Daily Mail.