by C. J. Box
First published 2011
Cody Hoyt finds his AA sponsor Hank Winters burned to death in a mountain cabin. The scene looks like suicide, but Cody knows better. Hank had fourteen years of sobriety and never missed a call when Cody needed help. Evidence at the crime scene points to a murderer who has joined a tourist horseback expedition into Yellowstone's backcountry. Cody's son Justin is on that same trip. The killer seems to know Cody's every move as he races to reach the group before they disappear into the wilderness. Among the tourists, fourteen year old Gracie Sullivan grows suspicious that someone in their party means harm. Cody must overcome his own demons and navigate the remote corners of Yellowstone to stop a murderer who threatens the only person he truly cares about.
Genres: adventure, suspense, mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family, race-against-time
Setting: Yellowstone, Yellowstone's Backcountry
Period: Contemporary
372 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books
Content warnings: addiction, death, murder