Where to Start the Cody Hoyt & Cassie Dewell Series
If you want the full story, the absolute best starting point is Back of Beyond (2011). This book introduces Cody Hoyt, a brilliant but deeply troubled police detective struggling with alcoholism. The plot sets up the personal stakes, family dynamics, and rugged Montana/Yellowstone settings that define the early part of the series.
While the series began with Cody, it underwent a major evolution with the second book, The Highway (2013). This novel introduces Cassie Dewell, Cody's former rookie partner. Over the course of the book, the focus begins to shift, and by the third book, Badlands (2015), Cassie takes over as the central protagonist. Because Cassie's professional growth and the consequences of earlier investigations carry over, we highly recommend reading in strict publication order.
Publication and Chronological Reading Order
Because the chronological timeline of the books matches their publication sequence, there is no need to jump around. Read the Hoyt/Dewell series in this exact order:
- Back of Beyond (2011) — Cody Hoyt investigates his AA sponsor's suspicious death in Yellowstone, realizing his own son's life is on the line.
- The Highway (2013) — Cody and Cassie Dewell team up to hunt a serial killer known as the "Lizard King" operating on Montana's highways.
- Badlands (2015) — Cassie Dewell takes the lead, moving to a chaotic oil boomtown in North Dakota to work as an investigator.
- Paradise Valley (2017) — Cassie goes undercover to finally bring down the Lizard King serial killer, wrapping up the arc that began in The Highway.
- The Bitterroots (2019) — Operating her own private detective agency, Cassie helps a friend's family in a messy and dangerous case in Montana.
- Treasure State (2022) — Cassie is hired to track down a smooth-talking con man and find a missing private investigator in Anaconda, Montana.
The Joe Pickett Shared Universe and Crossovers
Fans of C.J. Box's famous Joe Pickett series will be pleased to know that the Hoyt/Dewell series shares the same universe. Keep an eye out for these connections:
- April Pickett's Internship: Joe Pickett's daughter, April, interns for Cassie Dewell's private investigation firm, serving as a direct link between the two series.
- The Crossroads (2026): Cassie Dewell makes a direct crossover appearance in the 2026 Joe Pickett novel, solidifying the connection between Box's two major franchises.
TV Adaptations and Other Media
The Hoyt/Dewell series served as the foundation for the ABC television thriller series Big Sky (created by David E. Kelley). The show adapts the events of The Highway and subsequent books, bringing Cassie Dewell and Cody Hoyt's tense hunt for the highway killer to the screen.