Joe Pickett Reading Order

C.J. Box's Joe Pickett is a Wyoming game warden — underpaid, stubbornly honest, perpetually outgunned — who keeps stumbling into conspiracies over land, money, and murder in the wide-open West. Modern Western thrillers with a conscience.

Our Recommendation: Publication Order Read in publication order, which matches chronological order exactly. Each book has a self-contained case, but Joe's family and his dangerous friend Nate Romanowski develop across the series.

Where to Start

Open SeasonBuy Now Audible2001
Savage RunBuy Now Audible2002
WinterkillBuy Now Audible2003
Trophy HuntBuy Now Audible2004
...through Three-Inch Teeth (2024) and Battle Mountain (2025)2025

Own the Complete Series Buying the whole series at once is usually cheaper than individual books, and box sets make a great gift. See Joe Pickett box set options on Amazon ›

The Full Series

25 main novels from Open Season (2001) to Battle Mountain (2025), with The Crossroads due in 2026. Two short stories (Dull Knife, Shots Fired) and the related Cody Hoyt/Cassie Dewell 'Highway Quartet' are optional extras in the same universe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to read Joe Pickett in order?

Publication and chronological order are identical here, and while each mystery stands alone, Joe's family arc and his ally Nate Romanowski build across the books — so in order is best.

How many Joe Pickett books are there?

25 main novels through Battle Mountain (2025), with The Crossroads forthcoming in 2026, plus a couple of short stories.

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