I have been anticipating this book for over four months and the wait was well worth it. C.J.
Box has written another fantastic story!

From the opening pages to the end, this book has all the elements a reader wants: mystery, thriller, intrigue, suspense, and all supported by a list of nefarious characters who just won’t behave.

Nate Romanowski is on a tear to find Alex Soledad, an evil and downright scoundrel who murdered Nate’s wife, Liv. And if you’re not familiar with Nate, he is someone who is relentless and lethal about reaching his target. Nate has a connection to his falcons like no other; and this novel showcases that well without going overboard.

As Nate moves toward his target, you suspect Joe Pickett will end up in Nate’s crosshairs. But you will momentarily put that aside because you will be caught up wondering if a lot of people will be ambushed and murdered before the killers can be stopped.

There are a lot of moving parts in Battle Mountain, and C.J. Box keeps things moving at a fast pace. And because of C.J.’s ability to move through the story at such a clip, I couldn’t find a dead spot in it.

My only problem with this novel is FBI Agent Orr. He’s near retirement and has no authority, so I didn’t think he served a real purpose. C.J. would have fared well had he made Agent Orr a real problem for Nate.

Even though you can read this as a standalone, you might appreciate it more if you read Three-Inch Teeth first. Battle Mountain is a sequel to it.

Battle Mountain has turned out to be one of C.J. Box’s best! This novel Does. Not. Disappoint.

Hello Everyone.

It’s been a difficult journey getting my bearings to rewrite this book, but I can finally say that I’m off to a good start. I hope my momentum will propel me to the finish line with a clean draft by the end of December. I most certainly hope I’ll be ready to hit the publish button by June of 2027. We’ll see.

Here is a synopsis of White Castle:

SYNOPSIS

Along Highway 1, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, lies three hundred and fifty acres commonly known as The Hammond Plantation. Splattered in the center of it is a decrepit forty-eight-room house in dire need of a family. Beyond its dilapidated wrought-iron gate, unhinged doors and broken windows, peeling and crumbling wallpaper, is a mysterious power that has carefully curated and preserved the mansion as it waits to be loved.

Love is not something Melba Chaveaux has encountered lately, and the sudden death of her husband heightens her yearning. Desperate for a distraction, she follows her best friend’s advice to return to a place that has been a source of contention since childhood. Not once did Melba give credence to her mother’s implausible assertions: that the white plantation owner was her father who, given the era in which he lived (1940s and 50s), uncharacteristically bequeathed all that he owned to her.

Although it’s safe to remain within her cenobitic existence, the town’s secrets prompt questions almost everyone is reluctant to answer, and the deeper she digs the more acutely personal they become. Fueled by a reignited hatred for Louisiana, her only means of retaliation is to own the town, work the land, and renovate the mansion. For a time, she will do so out of spite but will later be confronted with a difficult choice as her hatred makes a pivotal transformation. Where is her real home? Is it her Ditter’s Hill estate in New Hope, Pennsylvania or is it the deserted mansion among the swampy bayous of Louisiana?

White Castle is a work of literary fiction that shines a light on all who are tempted to neglect what our forefathers fought so hard to preserve and pass on to us. White Castle, Louisiana is a real place and is the one and only truth about this novel. This story is a dazzling fictional portrait of a fierce and determined woman who overcomes life’s pitfalls to redefine herself, forgive the unforgivable, and experience an immeasurable love for all that matters—family and the earth beneath her feet.

If you are interested in White Castle and would like to follow my writing escapades throughout the completion of this novel, consider signing up for my newsletter. This link connects to a sample newsletter so you can see what you’ll be receiving. To sign-up, simply send me your email in a private message. You will be added to my subscriber’s list and automatically receive the next month’s issue.

Once I’ve completed White Castle, you will be among the first to know the publication date.

Donna B. Comeaux

Author