JB: ‘Shorthand’?! Guy knows not the meaning of the word. His scripts are rich and full, and as interesting and enjoyable to read as the comic itself. In fact, they are often bloody hilarious, one day I dream of a mega, ‘absolute’ style edition of the collected Hope that includes Guy’s scripts, it’s criminal that so few folks get to see them. I enjoyed the prose immensely. Furthermore, Box is outstanding at setting the scene. Here is an example: I’m not suggesting that I’m in charge, far from it, Guy’s scripts are the most important thing, but he graciously allows me the breathing room I need to do my best work, and tell his stories as best I can, as of course does the boss who actually runs the show- Tharg. Shadows Reel is Box’s most ambitious, sprawling, intricately plotted novel yet, taking him to onto the hallowed ground of James Lee Burke. A brilliant exercise in form and function.” I liked both storylines for Nate and Joe, but some details surprised me - and not in a good way. I was hoping for exciting changes because of the conclusion of the last book. At least, this time, Joe can't be held responsible for bringing trouble home......that was an interesting twist.

Box is a Wyoming native and has worked as a ranch hand, surveyor, fishing guide, a small town newspaper reporter and editor, and he co-owns an international tourism marketing firm with his wife Laurie. They have three daughters. An avid outdoorsman, Box has hunted, fished, hiked, ridden, and skied throughout Wyoming and the Mountain West. He served on the Board of Directors for the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo. Box lives in Wyoming. JB: That is definitely the plan, we want it to feel authentic, it’s essential really, if you want the readers to join you on the ride, you have to draw them in and convince them the journey is worth taking.

That was the right decision," Tibbs said. "I know you have a reputation for inserting yourself into sheriff's department business where a game warden doesn't belong." Finally, both of you, what’s coming up soon and not so soon from you? Both for Tharg and elsewhere. GA: It’s so essential isn’t it? This artform we’re all reveling in needs variety, it needs breadth, it needs a wider range of voices. This morning. I was looking for a couple of missing heifers and I seen it across the swamp. It isn't very far from the edge of my property." He pronounced it prop-ity.

Line twist: Casting, retrieving and using the freespool and clutch adds twist to your line, which can weaken it and reduces casting distance. In extreme cases, the line will bounce off the spool and ball up as it untwists. More expensive reels incorporate various technologies to minimise line twists. JB: Well, not sure how much I can reveal, but Guy and I have pitched a couple of new series ideas to Tharg. We also have a creator owned project in the works. Guy may well wish to spill the beans here….

Customer reviews

We have Alice and her fellow coven-mates getting together and the most powerful man in the world quaking in his boots – what manner of things are you setting up here? And just how will poor Mallory Hope get involved?

C. J. Box has served up three good stories for the price of one. What a bargain – and what a good reading experience as well.” She learns that during World War II several Wyoming soldiers were in the group that fought to Hitler's Eagles Nest retreat in the Alps--and one of them took Hitler's personal photo album. Did another take this one and keep it all these years? When she finds the name of a deceased local man who was likely in the unit, Joe visits the man's son--only to find him brutally tortured and murdered. Someone is after the photo album--but why? And when a close neighbor is murdered, Joe and Marybeth face a new question: How will they figure out the book's mystery before someone hurts them...or their girls?That first episode showed us just how dangerous and deadly she can be – those poor patrons of that doomed diner. It was also an opener that built up the tension perfectly, narrative and art just a superb example of how comics can do this sort of thing like no other. As he drove by, the cattle finally leaped to action and charged past him toward the closed gate. Yup, too late. Readers get a good feel for Joe and Marybeth. Their characters have depth and are well described. She plays a much bigger role in this novel and it was great to see how her research provided much needed knowledge for one of the cases. We also get caught up with the lives of their three daughters. Joe works with the local sheriff and deputies, but, as usual, does some investigation of his own. The antagonists are known early in the novel to the readers so there is no mystery about who they are. It’s more about why they have done it. The supporting characters provide support, humor, and conflict to enrich the reading experience. Although Sheridan stopped by often-not often enough for her mother-April and Lucy had been to the new place infrequently, and separately, depending on their schedules. This wasn't really their home-it was the place where their parents now lived. Joe didn't think it was the right time and occasion to defend himself, so he bit his tongue. Since he'd been assigned to the Saddlestring District nearly twenty years before, there had been exactly one good sheriff who'd done his job well: Mike Reed. He'd also been Joe's friend. All the other county sheriffs had been corrupt, incompetent, or both. The last one, Brendan Kapelow, had falsified his résumé and vanished when the lie was discovered. So of course Joe had involved himself in investigations even though he often wasn't wanted.

In my opinion, the families of these men are important to the overall, continuing plot. I thoroughly enjoyed the conversations between the girls and their mother. More of these interactions would have been a good way to expand the series. Now, I don’t think it’s pushing things to say that Hope looks like nothing else in the Prog and it’s been that way since we first saw the series. What have you both to say about the notion that 2000 AD is a still somewhere that is pushing boundaries in terms of being able to publish a weekly anthology that’s capable of putting out works such as Hope? Dammit, two for two. Let’s try again one last time… So, how close am I to thinking that this series of Hope is feeling like the very last one?

PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and C. J. Box provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for March 8, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine. As usual, Joe and Marybeth’s daughters, now grown, are featured in the story making one wonder where the series will take them. I’m hoping possibly a spin off as the two oldest are very interested in law enforcement.