The Crossroads

by C. J. Box

Overview

“Raining here, but I’ve got a cup of hot tea and a Joe Pickett novel, so who has it better than me?” —Stephen King

Game warden Joe Pickett fights for his life as his daughters try to uncover who shot him and left him for dead in this riveting new novel from #1 New York Times bestseller C. J. Box.

Marybeth Pickett gets the call she has always dreaded: her husband Joe is in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head.

Joe was found in his pickup at Antler Creek Junction, a crossroads connecting three ranches. Each road leading to a dangerous family. Each family with a different bone to pick with the local game warden. Marybeth and the new sheriff assume that Joe was ambushed by one of the families, but they have no idea which one since Joe didn’t say where he was going or why.

With Joe unconscious and fighting for his life with Marybeth at his side, Sheridan, April, and Lucy split up and investigate each of families to uncover the truth of what happened to their father, before it’s too late.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593851098
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/24/2026
Series:	Joe Pickett Series
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

C. J. Box is the author of twenty-six Joe Pickett novels, eight stand-alone novels, and a story collection. He has won the Edgar, Anthony, Macavity, Gumshoe, and two Barry awards, as well as the French Prix Calibre .38, the Western Heritage Award for Literature, and two Spur Awards. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He has been executive producer on television series based on his books, including ABC TV’s Big Sky and Joe Pickett on Paramount+.

Editorial Reviews

"Everything hangs in the balance in C.J. Box’s The Crossroads—life and death, lawlessness and justice. But under the dangers, the bonds of family provide the beating heart to this riveting thriller. I devoured this book in a single, breathless sitting." —Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of You Belong Here and All the Missing Girls

“The Crossroads proves why C.J. Box owns the modern American frontier. Joe Pickett is down but not out—and every page cuts deeper than the last." —Jack Carr, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Cry Havoc

“Warning: don’t open The Crossroads if you’ve got a busy week. Once you start it, there’s no walking away. Box’s writing is like a porcupine quill. It hooks into you and won’t let go.” —Steven Rinella, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars

“The terrific C.J. Box shifts into overdrive at The Crossroads . . . the Pickett family fills this riveting thriller with heart as big as the American West.” —Lisa Scottoline, #1 bestselling author of The Unraveling of Julia

“The Crossroads by C.J. Box drops readers into a high-stakes world of deceit and danger in the wilderness of Wyoming, where every moment counts. Box delivers yet another riveting Joe Picket thriller that explores the unbreakable bonds of family amid a backdrop of action and treachery. This one is a smashing read!” —Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Hard Line


Praise for the Joe Pickett Series

“One of today’s solid-gold, A-list, must-read writers.” —Lee Child

“Joe Pickett is the one man you’d want by your side in a crisis.” —John Sandford

“I love Joe Pickett.” —Michael Connelly

“Joe Pickett, the conscientious game warden in these rugged novels . . . shows the tough-and-tender qualities that make him such a great guy to have on your side.” —The New York Times

“An outstanding series.” —The Wall Street Journal

“Pickett is one of the most appealing men in popular fiction.” —Chicago Tribune

“Picking up a new C. J. Box thriller is like spending quality time with family you love and have missed. . . . It’s a rare thriller series that has characters grow and change. An exciting reading experience for both loyal fans as well as newcomers.” —Associated Press

“Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett strides in big boots over the ruggedly gorgeous landscape of C. J. Box’s outdoor mysteries.” —The New York Times Book Review

“C. J. Box vividly evokes life in the west.” —People

“Will keep you on the edge of your seat.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer

From the Publisher