Long Range

One

 

The sleek golden projectile exploded into the thin mountain air at eight thousand feet per second. It was long and heavy with a precise pointed tip and a boat-tail design tapering from the back shank, and it twisted at over three hundred and fifty thousand rotations per minute.

 

Designed by ballistic engineers and weighing one hundred and eighty grains, or slightly less than half an ounce, the bullet was entirely jacketed by a smooth gilding of ninety-five percent copper and five percent zinc, with a wall-thickness variation of near zero. The pointed red ballistic tip of the nose also served as a heat shield. The projectile was engineered to withstand the extreme aerodynamic heating effects produced by the speed of its trajectory.

 

Inside the jacketed round was a soft lead core. Upon impact and deep penetration, the ballistic tip would drive backward into the lead core and expand the projectile into a mushroom shape in order to create a large wound cavity.

 

It sliced through the windless evening in absolute silence. But far behind it, two distinct sounds rang out: the report of the shot itself and the sharp crack in the air as the bullet broke the sound barrier.

 

The rocky rise and the sagebrush-encrusted foothills of the Bighorn Mountains receded from view until they blended into the layered landscape.

 

One second.

 

The crowns of river cottonwood trees passed far below, as did the lazy S-curves of the Twelve Sleep River. Two distant drift boats hugged the eastern bank as fishers cast to deep pools and holes darker in color than the rest of the river. As if in bas-relief, fishing guides manned the oars and pointed out rising trout for their clients.

 

Below, a V of geese held in a frozen pattern over the river as they glided toward a field to the south. Above, a red-tailed

C. J. Box

[A] fast-paced, tightly written tale The main plot, along with several subplots, is filled with so many twists and red herrings that Box keeps readers guessing almost to the end. --Associated Press

Box has established a terrific cast of Western characters When it comes to western contemporary thrillers with intriguing characters, no one does it better than Box. --Columbus Dispatch

Long Range (with its surprise ending) shows Box has lost none of his punch as both he and Joe Pickett grow older. --Denver Post

"Clever plotting keeps this conspiracy yarn moving briskly, and the scenes depicting Nate s abuse while in prison are harrowing. This is another top-flight crime yarn illustrating why Box s readers are never happier than when Joe and Nate have reason to get western. --Publishers Weekly (starred review) 

"[An] incredibly good read, a fast-paced, riveting mystery thriller with so many twists and turns and surprises you never saw coming that it will have you on the edge of your seat all the way to the end."--Washington Times

"Box has secured his reputation as an author who can take this increasingly popular genre the modern western and make it do whatever he wants...with a clear, easy style that plays nicely against the pulse-pounding tension. Box remains the gold standard among writers of modern western-mystery blends."--Booklist

"Fans of this outstanding series will know better than to place their money against Joe."--Kirkus Reviews

Box has expertly woven together a tense action-filled story, a true page-turner, which incorporates greed, unrequited love, revenge and the worst of luck luck that destroys lives and puts some favorite characters at ultimate risk. --Durango Herald