10 More Series for Fans of Joe Pickett

Plus, everything we know so far about Joe's next case

It's been a year since Storm Watch, the last book of C. J. Box's hit Joe Pickett series, was released. Storm Watch was an instant #1 New York Times best seller and stayed on the list for three weeks, with fans loving its twists and turns. The 24th installment of the series, Three-Inch Teeth, releases on February 27 and we can't wait to head back to Saddlestring with Game Warden Joe Pickett.

What we know so far about Three-Inch Teeth

Though the book isn't out yet, here's what we know so far about Box's next page turner.

Joe Pickett faces two different kinds of rampaging beasts this time—one animal, one human. The first, a rogue grizzle bear on a rampage, claiming many victims including one close to Joe. The second, Dallas Cates, a serial killer Joe helped lock up. When he's released from prison he plans to use the grizzly attacks as a cover for more victims. The kill list he made in prison includes a judge, prosecutor, lawyer, plus Joe and his friend Nate Romanowski.

Early readers of the book are thrilled—No pun intended on the genre! They are saying it's a shade darker than a usual Joe Pickett book, makes sense with it being about a vicious serial killer. We also hear there are some sad moments, and a well-liked character has left the police department. Early reviewers say the plot plays out intricately and masterfully, with plenty of the twists and turns that C. J. Box excels at.

More series to check out

If you have already read the extensive Joe Pickett backlog, here are ten thrillers and westerns that we know fans of Joe Pickett love. Click or tap the name of the series to see all of the books in order.

Walt Longmire Mysteries by Craig Johnson

If you haven't read this bestselling series this yet, here's your next push to get it! Longmire is also set in Wyoming, so if you love setting of Joe Pickett this series is a perfect match. The series follows Sheriff Walt Longmire, who has worked Absaroka County for over twenty-five years and sees retirement on the horizon. If only people would stop going missing, or committing murders…

The Kevin Kerney Series by Michael McGarrity

Set in New Mexico, ex-Sante Fe chief of detectives Kevin Kerney is drawn back into action in the first book, Tularosa, after an early (and forced) retirement. This series excels at complicated characters and motives. McGarrity worked on this series for over twenty years and gave us fourteen books plus a prequel trilogy. You can get most books in this series for under $5 each.

Wilde by Harlan Coben

This is a newer series, with only two books so far and the latest released in 2022, so if you like to get in on fads early or just love the anticipation of a new book then this is one to check out! This series focuses on Wilde, who was found living feral in the woods as a boy and is now a man looking for answers about his mysterious past. The author is best known for his standalone thrillers Tell No One and I Will Find You.

Charlie Mack Motown Mystery Series by Cheryl A. Head

If you love a strong main character who jumps off the page, Charlene "Charlie" Mack is the PI for you. Charlie built up a successful private investigator firm on her own. Mainly set in Detroit, the series also takes you to Birmingham. This series has mysteries that span several books while she also solves new cases each read, giving you something to latch onto. We think Joe Pickett would respect Charlie's relentless need to get the bad guys.

The Joanna Brady Series by J.A. Jance

Set in the American Southwest with the blistering Arizona sun always overhead, this is another great thriller series where the setting is a star. The series focuses on Joanna Brady, not a cop or a detective but a wife with a strong sense of justice who stops at nothing to clear her husband's name. She finds that she has a knack for solving tough cases and becomes sheriff in this nineteen-book series that is still ongoing.

Alvarez & Pescoli (AKA the "To Die" series) by Lisa Jackson

The title of every book of this thriller series ends in the words "to die" which serve as an ominous warning of the dark tales within. A straight up thriller, this series is a good next pick if you love the scares and the chase of Joe's mysteries, with chills haunting every page of this page-turning serial full of killers. You can get every book in this ongoing eight-book series for under $5 each.

The Cork O'Connor Series by William Kent Krueger

Krueger's hit Cork O'Connor series is about a PI of the same name in Aurora, MN, where he was once Sheriff, who takes on many complicated and perplexing missing persons cases. Cork is part Irish, part Anishinaabe Indian, and once worked Chicago's southside, which makes him a unique character with a fascinating, layered perspective. This bestselling mystery series is loved by Joe Pickett author C.J. Box himself.

Japantown Mystery Series by Naomi Hirahara

If you're looking for a distinct, historical crime series, this duology is perfect. Hirahara's Japantown takes you to 1941 Chicago and its Little Tokyo neighborhood, where twenty-year old Aki Ito wants answers about the disappearance of her sister. You can get both books in this series for under $20 total. Clark & Division, the first book, was named a best mystery of 2021 by the New York Times.

Lucas Davenport (AKA The Prey Series) by John Sandford

This long-running series from bestselling author John Sandford nearly needs no introduction. The series is up to #34, with more on the way, so if you're looking for a long series like Joe Picket this one is great to sink into. This series is a great read for fans of detective and police procedurals, and is full of multi-dimensional characters who have families, lives, and problems beyond the cases on the page.

The Last Mountain Man by William W. Johnstone

Our last recommendation is a breathtaking Western adventure series. The Last Mountain Man is not a mystery, but if what you love most about Joe Pickett is the celebration of nature or the action, then this series is for you. It tells a story of the young Smoke Jensen and the Mountain Man at his side who teaches Smoke everything he needs to know to survive in a wild west.

Read more by Amanda Cleveland