After C. J. Box

The Last Ranger by Peter Heller

If Storm Watch's unapologetic celebration of rugged individualism and Joe Pickett's battles against corruption fired your blood, you need Ren Hopper—a backcountry ranger whose self-reliance cuts through the chaos with the same moral clarity. Heller drops you into Yellowstone's raw frontier with authentic outdoor skills, then cranks the stakes with chase scenes that honor every wilderness hunt Box delivers, all while tackling plausible conspiracies about resource exploitation and modern villains intruding on traditional ways of life.

Dead Man's Wake by Paul Doiron

If Joe Pickett's uncompromising defense of backcountry values against government interference got your pulse racing, Mike Bowditch delivers that same raw frontier justice. Paul Doiron's game warden faces down institutional threats and cultural outsiders with nothing but conscience and self-reliance, proving the system fails more often than it saves. This is wilderness suspense for readers who know real heroism happens outside the red tape.