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Walt Longmire #8.1
Christmas in Absaroka County
It’s holiday season in Absaroka County and Sheriff Walt Longmire gets personal in this delightful collection of four short stories from New York Times–bestselling author Craig Johnson.
Readers glimpse a softer side of Sheriff Walt Longmire as he grapples with the death of his wife, Martha, and his sometimes turbulent but ever-loving relationship with his daughter, Cady. In these four stories—“Ministerial Aid,” “Slick-Tongued Devil,” “Toys for Tots,” and “Unbalanced” (three of which have been sent to Johnson’s fans over the years in the author’s “Post-it” e-mails)—Walt is alternately at his best and his worst. He helps a somewhat delusional elderly victim of domestic abuse while sporting a bathrobe and a mean hangover on New Year’s Day. He’s sidelined by grief when his wife’s obituary reappears in the paper and there’s an unexpected knock on his door two days before Christmas. He strives to help even those who don’t want it when he picks up a young female hitchhiker, and he’s forced into some last-minute Christmas shopping by the Greatest Legal Mind of Our Time, during which he might just end up saving a young Navy chaplain’s Christmas.
Full of Longmire’s dry wit and good heart, Christmas in Absaroka County is a holiday must-have for every Longmire and Craig Johnson fan, and it also includes the first chapter of The Cold Dish, the first novel in the Walt Longmire Mystery Series. Amazon review
Readers glimpse a softer side of Sheriff Walt Longmire as he grapples with the death of his wife, Martha, and his sometimes turbulent but ever-loving relationship with his daughter, Cady. In these four stories—“Ministerial Aid,” “Slick-Tongued Devil,” “Toys for Tots,” and “Unbalanced” (three of which have been sent to Johnson’s fans over the years in the author’s “Post-it” e-mails)—Walt is alternately at his best and his worst. He helps a somewhat delusional elderly victim of domestic abuse while sporting a bathrobe and a mean hangover on New Year’s Day. He’s sidelined by grief when his wife’s obituary reappears in the paper and there’s an unexpected knock on his door two days before Christmas. He strives to help even those who don’t want it when he picks up a young female hitchhiker, and he’s forced into some last-minute Christmas shopping by the Greatest Legal Mind of Our Time, during which he might just end up saving a young Navy chaplain’s Christmas.
Full of Longmire’s dry wit and good heart, Christmas in Absaroka County is a holiday must-have for every Longmire and Craig Johnson fan, and it also includes the first chapter of The Cold Dish, the first novel in the Walt Longmire Mystery Series. Amazon review
82 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 4, 2012
About the author
Craig Johnson
101 books4,649 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Craig Johnson an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. . He lives in Ucross, near Sheridan, Wyoming, population 25.
Johnson has written twelve novels featuring Sheriff Walt Longmire: The Cold Dish, Death Without Company, Kindness Goes Unpunished, Another Man's Moccasins, Junkyard Dogs, The Dark Horse (which received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal, and was named one of Publisher's Weekly's best books of the year in 2009), Hell Is Empty, As The Crow Flies and A Serpent's Tooth. The Cold Dish and The Dark Horse were both Dilys Award finalists, and Death Without Company was named the Wyoming Historical Association's Book of the Year. Another Man's Moccasins received the Western Writers of America Spur Award for best novel of 2008 as well as the Mountains and Plains award for fiction book of the year.
Former police officer; has also worked as an educator, cowboy, and longshoreman.
AWARDS: Tony Hillerman Award for "Old Indian Trick"; fiction book of the year, Wyoming Historical Society, for Death Without Company, Wyoming Council for the Arts Award.
Craig Johnson an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. . He lives in Ucross, near Sheridan, Wyoming, population 25.
Johnson has written twelve novels featuring Sheriff Walt Longmire: The Cold Dish, Death Without Company, Kindness Goes Unpunished, Another Man's Moccasins, Junkyard Dogs, The Dark Horse (which received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal, and was named one of Publisher's Weekly's best books of the year in 2009), Hell Is Empty, As The Crow Flies and A Serpent's Tooth. The Cold Dish and The Dark Horse were both Dilys Award finalists, and Death Without Company was named the Wyoming Historical Association's Book of the Year. Another Man's Moccasins received the Western Writers of America Spur Award for best novel of 2008 as well as the Mountains and Plains award for fiction book of the year.
Former police officer; has also worked as an educator, cowboy, and longshoreman.
AWARDS: Tony Hillerman Award for "Old Indian Trick"; fiction book of the year, Wyoming Historical Society, for Death Without Company, Wyoming Council for the Arts Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
October 3, 2016
Comprised of four (very) short stories, the collection is padded a little with the opening chapter from the first Walt Longmire novel, "The Cold Dish". They serve a double role: one as a gift to fans of the series and one of marketing, like a teaser / trailer for the main event for readers who try to decide if they want to dig into the main dish or not. In both roles I believe the shorts are succesful, making me ask for more Absaroka stories, preferably of the full blown novel variety.
The common thread of all four stories is the timeline : Four Christmas celebrations. There is though another common denomination to the tales: they are all four dealing with loss and with the need for spiritual solace, with the need to be forgiving and kind to the rest of the world, even to crooks of various vocations.
"Ministerial Aid" is my favorite of the bunch. It is set on the first day of the new millenium, just a couple of months after Walt's wife Martha passed away. Dressed in an old white bathrobe, sporting long unkempt hair, a straggly beard and a monstrous alcoholic headache, Walt looks more like a vagrant than the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming. He's in a foul mood and willing to drive a hundred miles just to prove a point to the pen pushers in the city council: that it is cheaper to pay for postage than to deliver a cheque to a remote outpost by car. At the destination, instead of his lonely deputy, Walt finds an elderly lady in distress and must come out of his well of despair in order to help her. And the first step is to open up and talk about what troubles you:
My Wife died a couple of months ago. It wasn't a perfect marriage by any means; we fought, about stupid things - when our daughter should go to bed, the color of the mailbox, money ... But she was the best thing that ever happened to me.
The reason I like this story better than the other is the touch of humor that is sometimes the only thing that keeps us sane.
"Slick-Tongued Devil" is another story focused on Walt dealing with the death of his wife. An ill-fated newspaper article that reprints his wife's obituary during the holiday season, a year late, sends Walt back to heavy drinking by himself in his log cabin. Reminiscing about their last day together, Walt ponders on Martha accusing him of being to hard-headed, in need of some softening. A knock on the door may bring out either the grizzly bear in Walt or reveal (finally) that much needed flexibility in dealing with life's problems.
"Toys for Tots" : Another year, another Holiday Season, and Walt is back to his grumpy mood, refusing to get into the spirit of the season and to go shopping with his daughter Cady, down from Philadelphis to enjoy Christmas with her father. For Walt, the season and the face of his daughter are just another reminder of his lost wife, so he kind of grumbles and puffs and refuses to name what kind of gift he would like. This time it takes a meeting with an injured Marine soldier/priest in front of a mall to pull Walt out of his funk.
A bit of humor, a bit of flash action and the usual sharp banter between Walt and Cady make the episode a pleasant one.
"Unbalanced" : is the weirdest of the bunch as Walt drives his pick-up truck during a blizzard to pick up Cady from the airport and he stops to pick also a lonely hitchhiker freezing in front of a gas station. Dealing with death of a relative, dealing with the dangers of hitchhiking and dealing with abrasive personalities are the conversation subjects during the trip. Has Walt picked a serial killer, an escapee from an insane asylum or just a lonely, desperate woman from the station? and what is she doing, hiding a gun under her belt?
>><<>><<>><<>><<
I'm getting closer to the main series. Next on my 'catch-up' project is either "Messenger" or "A Serpent's Tooth"
December 24, 2012
Any time I hear of the availability of new Craig Johnson books or stories, I drop what I'm doing and head on over to get my copies because I know good, enjoyable reading awaits.
This compilation of Christmas-themed short stories featuring Craig Johnson's Sheriff Walt Longmire of Absaroka County, Wyoming, shows us four short glimpses into Walt's life during various holiday seasons.
"Ministerial Aid" shows Walt in a beat-up bathrobe and nursing a mean hangover while dealing with a delusional elderly victim of domestic abuse.
"Slick-Tongued Devil" shows Walt blindsided by grief when his wife's obituary reappears in the newspaper and a stranger knocks on his door two days before Christmas.
"Toys for Tots" sends Walt out Christmas shopping with his daughter Cady, and while Cady is inside the mall, Walt just may be able to grant the Christmas wish of a young Navy chaplain.
Last but not least, "Unbalanced" has Walt picking up a young female hitchhiker and trying to help her whether she wants it or not.
All four stories show that-- even when Walt's at his worst-- he's still miles better than most of us on our best days. That's because he genuinely cares about people, no matter if he's hung over or grumbling about human stupidity, and he's willing to go that extra two miles. Like Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch, Sheriff Walt Longmire believes that "everyone counts, or nobody counts." We all know we should be like those two men and live that belief, too-- but they're much better in their follow-through.
If you've watched A&E's Longmire series based on Craig Johnson's books and you've wanted to see what his writing is like, or if you've just heard someone raving about how good this author is, these four short stories will be perfect introductions to his main character without committing yourself to a full-length book. Trust me-- once you've read them, keep on reading because chapter one of the first Walt Longmire book, The Cold Dish, is included. Once you've read that, you're going to be a goner... and a happy one at that.
For those of us who are long-time Craig Johnson fans, three of these short stories will be familiar, but we won't care. We'll re-read short stories, we'll watch a TV series, we'll do practically anything to get a Walt Longmire fix until that next book comes out!
This compilation of Christmas-themed short stories featuring Craig Johnson's Sheriff Walt Longmire of Absaroka County, Wyoming, shows us four short glimpses into Walt's life during various holiday seasons.
"Ministerial Aid" shows Walt in a beat-up bathrobe and nursing a mean hangover while dealing with a delusional elderly victim of domestic abuse.
"Slick-Tongued Devil" shows Walt blindsided by grief when his wife's obituary reappears in the newspaper and a stranger knocks on his door two days before Christmas.
"Toys for Tots" sends Walt out Christmas shopping with his daughter Cady, and while Cady is inside the mall, Walt just may be able to grant the Christmas wish of a young Navy chaplain.
Last but not least, "Unbalanced" has Walt picking up a young female hitchhiker and trying to help her whether she wants it or not.
All four stories show that-- even when Walt's at his worst-- he's still miles better than most of us on our best days. That's because he genuinely cares about people, no matter if he's hung over or grumbling about human stupidity, and he's willing to go that extra two miles. Like Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch, Sheriff Walt Longmire believes that "everyone counts, or nobody counts." We all know we should be like those two men and live that belief, too-- but they're much better in their follow-through.
If you've watched A&E's Longmire series based on Craig Johnson's books and you've wanted to see what his writing is like, or if you've just heard someone raving about how good this author is, these four short stories will be perfect introductions to his main character without committing yourself to a full-length book. Trust me-- once you've read them, keep on reading because chapter one of the first Walt Longmire book, The Cold Dish, is included. Once you've read that, you're going to be a goner... and a happy one at that.
For those of us who are long-time Craig Johnson fans, three of these short stories will be familiar, but we won't care. We'll re-read short stories, we'll watch a TV series, we'll do practically anything to get a Walt Longmire fix until that next book comes out!
March 22, 2016
The Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire is featured in four short stories
“Ministerial Aid” At a the first day of the new year day shortly after the death of Walt Longmire's dead he gets called in and gets mistaken for somebody how is still not returned for his second coming.
“Slick-Tongued Devil” A nice story that almost is written in Leslie Charteris vein about a conman but really laid back. The con kind of makes you lose faith in humanity.
“Toys for Tots”While his daughter Cady does her Christmas shopping at the mall, a grumpy Sheriff Waltmire befriends the young Navy chaplain manning a Toys For Tots box.
On his way to pick up his daughter Cady at the Billings airport, Sheriff Longmire stops at a gas station. He gives a ride to a half-frozen young woman in a blanket who has two possessions: a guitar and a small wood-gripped revolver in case the ride she gets is less than safe. She's wearing an ID bracelet from a psychiatric hospital and she has an experienced way of tuning the truck's CD player.
4 Short stories that make you enjoy the company of Walt Longmire and shows that the writer does not mind exploring the characters he devised. Not strictly for Longmire fans but they are bound to enjoy these in betweens a lot more.
“Ministerial Aid” At a the first day of the new year day shortly after the death of Walt Longmire's dead he gets called in and gets mistaken for somebody how is still not returned for his second coming.
“Slick-Tongued Devil” A nice story that almost is written in Leslie Charteris vein about a conman but really laid back. The con kind of makes you lose faith in humanity.
“Toys for Tots”While his daughter Cady does her Christmas shopping at the mall, a grumpy Sheriff Waltmire befriends the young Navy chaplain manning a Toys For Tots box.
On his way to pick up his daughter Cady at the Billings airport, Sheriff Longmire stops at a gas station. He gives a ride to a half-frozen young woman in a blanket who has two possessions: a guitar and a small wood-gripped revolver in case the ride she gets is less than safe. She's wearing an ID bracelet from a psychiatric hospital and she has an experienced way of tuning the truck's CD player.
4 Short stories that make you enjoy the company of Walt Longmire and shows that the writer does not mind exploring the characters he devised. Not strictly for Longmire fans but they are bound to enjoy these in betweens a lot more.
February 22, 2023
Very enjoyable insight into Walt Longmire and his wonderful personality. He truly cares about people and he has such an easy way about him. A great set of short stories all set around the Christmas season.
November 16, 2017
“Christmas in Absaroka County” is a collection of four holiday themed Longmire short stories which reveal more personalized moments from Sheriff Walt Longmire’s life. The themes are personal, involving his struggles with moving on from the death of his wife, Martha, and challenges with being a father to his daughter, Cady, as she grows up into the Greatest Legal Mid of Our Time.
“Ministerial Aid” - On the first New Year’s morning following the death of his wife, Walt finds himself sporting a killer hangover and answering a call in his bathrobe that ends up dealing with a domestic abuse situation in a most unique well. There are a couple of poignant and endearing moments in this story, especially when the reader discovers that Walt is actually wearing a bathrobe in public.
“Slick-Tongued Devil” – Two days before Christmas Walt sees his wife’s obituary listed in the local paper while having breakfast at the Busy Bee Café. Heading home he solaces in beer and a nap, but is woken by an unexpected knock at the door, and gentleman who has arrived to deliver a personalized edition of the Bible that Walt’s wife placed a special ordered for before she died. This story provides a surprising mystery that should not be ruined for the reader, and includes a brief flashback scene with Martha that provides a rare insight into her influence on Walt’s character.
“Toys for Tots” – Walt and his daughter, Cady, go Christmas shopping in what may be her last holiday home with dad before her impending wedding to Deputy Moretti’s brother. Walt is his typical grumpy self as Cady tries to get him in the Christmas spirit of giving, and an unusual opportunity arises for Walter to do just that with a young Navy Chaplain. To be honest, this was my least favorite story of the four, but it provided a nice bonding moment between father and daughter and a pair of handcuffs.
“Unbalanced” – On his way to pick up Cady at the Billings airport for Christmas, Walt picks up an unusual hitchhiker along the way. The young female lady seems more than a bit unbalanced and provides Walt an interesting challenge as they exchange stories during the drive. The story reflects a bit on Walt’s Vietnam past and shares a sensitive side of the relationships between fathers and daughters.
Each of these stories were first published electronically and then were included in Johnson’s short story collection, “Wait for Signs”.
Overall, the “Christmas in Absaroka” stories are sarcastic, funny, and full of personalized moments that reveal both the outer strength and inner vulnerability of Walt Longmire. Those moments are well worth reading.
“Ministerial Aid” - On the first New Year’s morning following the death of his wife, Walt finds himself sporting a killer hangover and answering a call in his bathrobe that ends up dealing with a domestic abuse situation in a most unique well. There are a couple of poignant and endearing moments in this story, especially when the reader discovers that Walt is actually wearing a bathrobe in public.
“Slick-Tongued Devil” – Two days before Christmas Walt sees his wife’s obituary listed in the local paper while having breakfast at the Busy Bee Café. Heading home he solaces in beer and a nap, but is woken by an unexpected knock at the door, and gentleman who has arrived to deliver a personalized edition of the Bible that Walt’s wife placed a special ordered for before she died. This story provides a surprising mystery that should not be ruined for the reader, and includes a brief flashback scene with Martha that provides a rare insight into her influence on Walt’s character.
“Toys for Tots” – Walt and his daughter, Cady, go Christmas shopping in what may be her last holiday home with dad before her impending wedding to Deputy Moretti’s brother. Walt is his typical grumpy self as Cady tries to get him in the Christmas spirit of giving, and an unusual opportunity arises for Walter to do just that with a young Navy Chaplain. To be honest, this was my least favorite story of the four, but it provided a nice bonding moment between father and daughter and a pair of handcuffs.
“Unbalanced” – On his way to pick up Cady at the Billings airport for Christmas, Walt picks up an unusual hitchhiker along the way. The young female lady seems more than a bit unbalanced and provides Walt an interesting challenge as they exchange stories during the drive. The story reflects a bit on Walt’s Vietnam past and shares a sensitive side of the relationships between fathers and daughters.
Each of these stories were first published electronically and then were included in Johnson’s short story collection, “Wait for Signs”.
Overall, the “Christmas in Absaroka” stories are sarcastic, funny, and full of personalized moments that reveal both the outer strength and inner vulnerability of Walt Longmire. Those moments are well worth reading.
December 16, 2020
Four short stories set at Christmastime — complete with the Walt Longmire legend, humor, sadness, and a touch of goodwill.
April 5, 2015
An anthology of four short and sad stories revolving around the Walt Longmire series (he refers to them as the Walt Longmire Christmas Stories); they range from shortly after Martha's death to after Cady's recovery.
I keep forgetting to add that this is a story ARC I got from the publisher.
Series:
"Ministerial Aid", #0.5 (a few months after Martha died)
"Slick-Tongued Devil", #1.5?? (6 years after Martha died)
"Toys for Tots", #7.2
"Unbalanced", #0.75 (Cady is working in Philadelphia)
The series is also a television series on A&E, Longmire .
My Take
Sad with a homey touch and revolving around memories of Martha's death or Cady being home for Christmas. Snapshots really that showcase Walt and his downhome approach.
The Stories
"Ministerial Aid" takes place on January 1, 2000 as the new millennium is dawning in the early morning. Happenstance finds Walt in Powder Junction giving the county commissioners what for. Fate finds him delivering hope as Jesus H. Christ.
Oh man, this is such a combination of emotions from sadness to LMAO when Walt encounters the hapless Esther Decker waiting on the Lord.
I think this story alone is worth the price!
"Slick-Tongued Devil" is sad and pathetic. It's been six years since Martha passed on that sunny afternoon, and an accident found her obituary published a few weeks ago. Enough to expose a nasty little scam.
I really don't understand why Walt follows through on this…? Unless it's guilt?
"Toys for Tots" finds Cady home from Philadelphia for Christmas. Her last Christmas home, most like, and Walt is feeling pretty miserable. At least until he makes one Navy chaplain's Christmas a heck of a lot better. Cady ain't no slouch either...
Sad and cute at the same time, a reflection of the real world.
"Unbalanced" is a late-night and snowy ride with an unbalanced hitchhiker who loves her music and her DJ dad who taught her everything she knows about audio engineering as Walt heads to Billings to pick up his daughter for Christmas.
The Cover
The cover is perfect. Just Walt's cowboy hat lying in the snow.
The title simply rounds the stories up, for it's Christmas in Absaroka County.
I keep forgetting to add that this is a story ARC I got from the publisher.
Series:
"Ministerial Aid", #0.5 (a few months after Martha died)
"Slick-Tongued Devil", #1.5?? (6 years after Martha died)
"Toys for Tots", #7.2
"Unbalanced", #0.75 (Cady is working in Philadelphia)
The series is also a television series on A&E, Longmire .
My Take
Sad with a homey touch and revolving around memories of Martha's death or Cady being home for Christmas. Snapshots really that showcase Walt and his downhome approach.
The Stories
"Ministerial Aid" takes place on January 1, 2000 as the new millennium is dawning in the early morning. Happenstance finds Walt in Powder Junction giving the county commissioners what for. Fate finds him delivering hope as Jesus H. Christ.
Oh man, this is such a combination of emotions from sadness to LMAO when Walt encounters the hapless Esther Decker waiting on the Lord.
I think this story alone is worth the price!
"Slick-Tongued Devil" is sad and pathetic. It's been six years since Martha passed on that sunny afternoon, and an accident found her obituary published a few weeks ago. Enough to expose a nasty little scam.
I really don't understand why Walt follows through on this…? Unless it's guilt?
"Toys for Tots" finds Cady home from Philadelphia for Christmas. Her last Christmas home, most like, and Walt is feeling pretty miserable. At least until he makes one Navy chaplain's Christmas a heck of a lot better. Cady ain't no slouch either...
Sad and cute at the same time, a reflection of the real world.
"Unbalanced" is a late-night and snowy ride with an unbalanced hitchhiker who loves her music and her DJ dad who taught her everything she knows about audio engineering as Walt heads to Billings to pick up his daughter for Christmas.
The Cover
The cover is perfect. Just Walt's cowboy hat lying in the snow.
The title simply rounds the stories up, for it's Christmas in Absaroka County.
January 17, 2014
Four unrelated Christmas stories about Walt Longmire:
'Ministerial Aid' featured a hungover Longmire on the New Year's Day following the death of his wife being mistaken for a modern day Jesus by a mentally unstable woman. A bit less realism here than in the rest of the series, but enjoyable as a Christmas fable.
'Slick-Tongued Devil' involved Longmire treating a con man with compassion. I didn't care for it, despite the positive message, as I would have preferred reading about Longmire kicking the con man's ass, compassion be damned.
'Toys for Tots' has Longmire meeting a Iraq war vet while out Christmas shopping with his daughter Cady, and brightening his Christmas in a unique way. This was probably my favorite story in the collection.
'Unbalanced' sees Longmire picking up a hitchhiker with a sad story to tell. Not much I can say without spoiling it, but a short enjoyable read, if a bit somber.
While these four stories were each okay, the collection is not a must read, except for Walt Longmire completists.
'Ministerial Aid' featured a hungover Longmire on the New Year's Day following the death of his wife being mistaken for a modern day Jesus by a mentally unstable woman. A bit less realism here than in the rest of the series, but enjoyable as a Christmas fable.
'Slick-Tongued Devil' involved Longmire treating a con man with compassion. I didn't care for it, despite the positive message, as I would have preferred reading about Longmire kicking the con man's ass, compassion be damned.
'Toys for Tots' has Longmire meeting a Iraq war vet while out Christmas shopping with his daughter Cady, and brightening his Christmas in a unique way. This was probably my favorite story in the collection.
'Unbalanced' sees Longmire picking up a hitchhiker with a sad story to tell. Not much I can say without spoiling it, but a short enjoyable read, if a bit somber.
While these four stories were each okay, the collection is not a must read, except for Walt Longmire completists.
November 25, 2020
It's always good to visit with Walt Longmire and the good people of Absaroka County - this is 4 very short stories set around the holiday season. If you enjoyed the Longmire series, you will probably enjoy this.
December 7, 2022
These were four easy to read short stories. I am a Walt Longmire fan so I’m familiar with his character. He is the earnest but flawed lawman. If you are looking for a quick entertaining read, this is it.
January 3, 2015
This collection contains four short stories that drop in on Walt during or leading up to the Christmas holidays. Don't expect cosy scenes of fireside cheer though. The first story kicks off with Walt being mistaken for both a tramp and Jesus. It's set not long after his wife's death and he's caught up in grief and depression. He's at work in his dressing gown, smells something bad and there are foreign objects in his beard. But he still has his dry wit and the hint that things can get better. The other stories are further along in Walt's timeline. The stories here use that peculiar quality of Christmas that focuses and gathers memories of family in our minds. For some of a certain age it can be a difficult time of the year. What we have lost comes to the fore of our minds. But these short Longmire stories aren't ultimately sad. There is hope, dignity, warmth and humour to soften the poignancy.
December 17, 2012
Great short read. Wonderful opening to Slick-Tongued Devil: "You steel yourself against those unexpected surprise visits in your mind, but it does nothing to prepare you for the physical evidence of a life shared, a life lost; her voice on the backlogged messages of the answering machine, photographs used as bookmarks, a song she used to hum, people who knew her but didn’t really, asking about her in casual conversation. Others telling you they know what it’s like when they don’t. If you’re lucky, you convince yourself that the only real world is the one in your head, and you make a fragile and separate truce that lasts until one of those depth charges eruptes and you can no longer run silent or run deep."
December 26, 2020
Longmire stories are always good. Yes these are short Christmas stories, but they're just as witty and funny and as well written as the regular novels in the series.
I've read these previously, and used this issue to register 2019 and 2020's Christmas stories "Who's Your Daddy" and "Musical Chairs" for my Goodreads challenge. Both are available on Craig Johnsons' official site, under the 'Post It's" header.
Excellent reads to cap off Christmas day.
I've read these previously, and used this issue to register 2019 and 2020's Christmas stories "Who's Your Daddy" and "Musical Chairs" for my Goodreads challenge. Both are available on Craig Johnsons' official site, under the 'Post It's" header.
Excellent reads to cap off Christmas day.
December 9, 2018
a collection of short stories that all occur around Christmas. classic Walt Longmire. I think an interesting thing this collection does is show that Walt is never not on duty. an interesting, hopeful, melancholy read. 4 stars because this is VERY short and I would have liked more.
December 31, 2019
Four very short stories of Walt Longmire and some atypical, and very short, encounters with some of the people in his county. The only problem I had with these stories was that they were so short. And yet each was satisfying in its own way and very Christmasy.
December 10, 2019
Four short stories set at Christmastime — complete with the Walt Longmire legend, humor, sadness, and a touch of goodwill!
November 14, 2020
Short and sweet!
December 7, 2022
Listened to the audio versions of these short stories. They were some of my favorite from Wait for Signs collection.
November 7, 2023
A few short stories around the holiday times. I loved the first one the most. Very melancholy. 4 stars
March 9, 2013
This collection of four short stories can best be considered as book number 8.5 in the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson - 5 stars (well, not quite as perfect as a 5 star rating implies - it's too short to be perfect ;-) ). This collection is less about Walt solving mysteries (although he does resolve some criminal issues) than it about him interacting with the world around him. The four stories are:
Ministerial Aid - On New Year's Day, 2000, Walt is in Powder Junction delivering a paycheck to one of his deputies when he responds to a call from the local gas station about a suspicious car that has been in the parking lot overnight. Walt talks to the elderly woman in the car and becomes the object of an hilarious case of mistaken identity at the same time discovering that she has been the victim of domestic abuse. The use of humor to make the woman's problems of abuse, aging, and reduced abilities (physical and mental) more real and important set this story apart and will have me thinking about her (and Walt) for a long time to come.
Slick Tongued Devil - Just before Christmas several years after Walt's wife had died, the local newspaper inadvertently reran her obituary bringing back memories that cause Walt to go home and grieve. While he is home, Walt receives a visit from a Bible salesman telling him that he has the Bible his wife had ordered before her death. There is a sadness in this story that I could feel deep down, but there is also the positive message of positive change in Walt and his response to the salesman - and how that response honored his wife's memory.
Toys For Tots - It is just a few days before Christmas and Walt's daughter, Cady (The Greatest Legal Mind of Our Time), is visiting from Philadephia. Walt takes her to Billings, Montana to the Best Buy for Christmas shopping. Walt remains outside with Dog and strikes up a conversation with a young Marine corporal, a Chaplain recently returned from Afghanastan and recovering from his injuries and manning the Toys for Tots collection point outside the store. During the conversation the young man recounts his father's disappointment that he was a Chaplian rather than a war hero. About that time Walt observes a disturbance inside the store - a robbery occurrs and Walt comes to the rescue - leaving things better for both the young man and the store.
Unbalanced - A few days before Christmas Walt is driving to Billiings, Montana to pick up his daughter Cady. Walt stops for gas and picks up a young woman looking for a ride. This is the hardest story in the collection to describe, and possibly the one that sticks with me the most. In the end nothing really happens - they converse, Walt learns a bit about her problems and her travels, and takes her to where she was planning to go. There is no further resolution than that - her problems are not Walt's to fix - some things can't be changed.
As I said before, the only way this book could have been better is to have been longer - with writing this good there will never be enough Walt Longmire to keep me happy.
Ministerial Aid - On New Year's Day, 2000, Walt is in Powder Junction delivering a paycheck to one of his deputies when he responds to a call from the local gas station about a suspicious car that has been in the parking lot overnight. Walt talks to the elderly woman in the car and becomes the object of an hilarious case of mistaken identity at the same time discovering that she has been the victim of domestic abuse. The use of humor to make the woman's problems of abuse, aging, and reduced abilities (physical and mental) more real and important set this story apart and will have me thinking about her (and Walt) for a long time to come.
Slick Tongued Devil - Just before Christmas several years after Walt's wife had died, the local newspaper inadvertently reran her obituary bringing back memories that cause Walt to go home and grieve. While he is home, Walt receives a visit from a Bible salesman telling him that he has the Bible his wife had ordered before her death. There is a sadness in this story that I could feel deep down, but there is also the positive message of positive change in Walt and his response to the salesman - and how that response honored his wife's memory.
Toys For Tots - It is just a few days before Christmas and Walt's daughter, Cady (The Greatest Legal Mind of Our Time), is visiting from Philadephia. Walt takes her to Billings, Montana to the Best Buy for Christmas shopping. Walt remains outside with Dog and strikes up a conversation with a young Marine corporal, a Chaplain recently returned from Afghanastan and recovering from his injuries and manning the Toys for Tots collection point outside the store. During the conversation the young man recounts his father's disappointment that he was a Chaplian rather than a war hero. About that time Walt observes a disturbance inside the store - a robbery occurrs and Walt comes to the rescue - leaving things better for both the young man and the store.
Unbalanced - A few days before Christmas Walt is driving to Billiings, Montana to pick up his daughter Cady. Walt stops for gas and picks up a young woman looking for a ride. This is the hardest story in the collection to describe, and possibly the one that sticks with me the most. In the end nothing really happens - they converse, Walt learns a bit about her problems and her travels, and takes her to where she was planning to go. There is no further resolution than that - her problems are not Walt's to fix - some things can't be changed.
As I said before, the only way this book could have been better is to have been longer - with writing this good there will never be enough Walt Longmire to keep me happy.
July 21, 2014
These are four unrelated Christmas short stories featuring Walt Longmire. I particularly enjoyed the first one where Walt helps a woman who's been beaten and she thinks he's Jesus. You'll have to read the story to figure out how that comes about.
The least effective for me was the one about the Bible salesman after the death of his wife. I can't imagine Walt ever letting the guy get away with his scam, but that's just my personal take on Walt.
The least effective for me was the one about the Bible salesman after the death of his wife. I can't imagine Walt ever letting the guy get away with his scam, but that's just my personal take on Walt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2016
Short vignettes of Walt, after his wife passed. They were short, sad sweet stories. Where I had issues was the price of the book. People new to Johnson's writing won't take a chance with that price on a short ebook. Merry Christmas Penguin, you got your Christmas money from me, but it won't happen again.
January 10, 2016
Good stories to give some background on Walt and in typical form, he does a lot of "walt" things...Only drawback for me is how childish Cady seems,
I do love the Longmire series, may be time to do a re-listen while waiting for the next book.
I do love the Longmire series, may be time to do a re-listen while waiting for the next book.
February 2, 2013
Loved this collection of short stories from a author whose on my must-have list. His characters just pop off the page and make me wish Mr. Johnson was a much faster writer. I can't wait for the next one in his series.
January 15, 2019
Over the past two years I've become quite a fan of the Longmire series. Now when I open a new book I feel the pages ushering me in to a happy reunion of sorts: Ruby keeping the show running, the alluring, don't-mess-with-me Vic, Double Tough, Dorothy, the "chief cook and bottle washer" at the Busy Bee, and, of course, Henry Standing Bear. Anchoring it all is self-deprecating, Shakespeare-quoting Walt "Long Arm of the Law" Longmire, a man whose modestly is only exceeded by his wisdom as a lawman and his dedication to his family, friends, and those he's sworn to protect.
This short book of four short stories is a good place for those who might be wanting to dip their toe into the pool of Craig Johnson literature to begin (Actually, this would be my second choice for those who wanted a brief introduction to Walt Lonmire & Co. My first choice would be Spirit of Steamboat (Walk Longmire #9.1) as that gives a great portrait of Lucian Connaly, Walt's predecessor as sheriff of Absaroka county and current Tuesday night chess partner, as well as a lesson in World War II. One gets to know and love the hard-boiled Lucian. His character is indicative of Johnson's mastery of creating characters you just want to be around.)
In "Slick-Tonged Devil" we see Walt at his best when a salesman from the American Bible Company appears at the front door asking to speak with Mrs. Longmire, Walt's late and beloved wife Martha. Martha died six years earlier, but because of an editorial mistake in the local paper, the Durant Courant , her obituary was recently republished, opening the wound for Walt once again. Gene Sherman, the ersatz Bible salesman, has picked the wrong scam at the wrong time to foist upon the wrong person. Mr Sherman is not long into his spiel before Walt lets him know that he's seen this scam, and the derivatives thereof, many times before. Sherman, forever accustomed to being on the offensive, is suddenly on defense, being pressured by the former USC offensive lineman who now wears a badge. If you've read Longmire books before, you know that Walt will be stern but just, and maybe a bit too just: the con-artist is thwarted, but perhaps does not get as bad as he has given.
In "Toys for Tots" Walt takes us to a seen most of us have witnessed: a service member collecting for the Toys for Tots program. In this case the service member is a Navy chaplain who has been wounded and is on medical leave. As the story progresses, it is Walt who bestows perhaps the greatest gift, helping the young chaplain, while staying as far in the background as possible while stymieing a very public crime. The events of this tale are a bit stretched, but in the holiday spirit that pervades these stories that's to be forgiven. For in stretching the fabric of events just a bit, we can easier see through to the goodness that runs deep in Walt Longmire.
As is common with short stories, the endings of some of these stories leave the reader with more questions than answers: what happened? or what comes next? While the endings of the long Longmires stories are generally tied up, the ambivalence these stories trail in their wake leave the reader pondering that fate of the characters and also ready to read even more Craig Johnson.
This short book of four short stories is a good place for those who might be wanting to dip their toe into the pool of Craig Johnson literature to begin (Actually, this would be my second choice for those who wanted a brief introduction to Walt Lonmire & Co. My first choice would be Spirit of Steamboat (Walk Longmire #9.1) as that gives a great portrait of Lucian Connaly, Walt's predecessor as sheriff of Absaroka county and current Tuesday night chess partner, as well as a lesson in World War II. One gets to know and love the hard-boiled Lucian. His character is indicative of Johnson's mastery of creating characters you just want to be around.)
In "Slick-Tonged Devil" we see Walt at his best when a salesman from the American Bible Company appears at the front door asking to speak with Mrs. Longmire, Walt's late and beloved wife Martha. Martha died six years earlier, but because of an editorial mistake in the local paper, the Durant Courant , her obituary was recently republished, opening the wound for Walt once again. Gene Sherman, the ersatz Bible salesman, has picked the wrong scam at the wrong time to foist upon the wrong person. Mr Sherman is not long into his spiel before Walt lets him know that he's seen this scam, and the derivatives thereof, many times before. Sherman, forever accustomed to being on the offensive, is suddenly on defense, being pressured by the former USC offensive lineman who now wears a badge. If you've read Longmire books before, you know that Walt will be stern but just, and maybe a bit too just: the con-artist is thwarted, but perhaps does not get as bad as he has given.
In "Toys for Tots" Walt takes us to a seen most of us have witnessed: a service member collecting for the Toys for Tots program. In this case the service member is a Navy chaplain who has been wounded and is on medical leave. As the story progresses, it is Walt who bestows perhaps the greatest gift, helping the young chaplain, while staying as far in the background as possible while stymieing a very public crime. The events of this tale are a bit stretched, but in the holiday spirit that pervades these stories that's to be forgiven. For in stretching the fabric of events just a bit, we can easier see through to the goodness that runs deep in Walt Longmire.
As is common with short stories, the endings of some of these stories leave the reader with more questions than answers: what happened? or what comes next? While the endings of the long Longmires stories are generally tied up, the ambivalence these stories trail in their wake leave the reader pondering that fate of the characters and also ready to read even more Craig Johnson.
November 10, 2020
I like a really good short story - especially those that pack such a punch in a few short pages. This #8.5 in the series is only available in e-book form and these shorts do exactly that. The four take place around the Christmas holidays and each provides some character development for Walt and his daughter Cady.
1. - MINISTERIAL AID - It is 2000 on New Year's Day and Walt's wife has been dead only a couple of months. He decides to hand deliver a paycheck to Turk, his deputy out at the substation in Powder Junction. It's obvious that Walt is still mourning his late wife and depressed as he arrives wearing a dirty white bathrobe, long shaggy hair, and a major hangover. Turk is not there, but Walt answers the phone when it rings. It is Elaine Whelks, the Methodist Minister, and she says that there is an elderly woman that has been sitting all night in her car at the Sinclair Station with a knife in her hand and waiting for the Messiah. When Walt approaches the car in his white robe, guess who Ester Decker thinks he is? She turns out to be a victim of domestic abuse.
2. - SLICK TONGUED DEVIL - Martha, Walt's wife, has been dead for six years when he is taken aback by the accidental appearance of her obituary in the newspaper. Two days before Christmas, there is a knock on his door; and when he opens it, a man with a Bible in his hand asks to speak to Mrs. Longmire.
3. - TOYS FOR TOTS - Cady has arrived from Philadelphia for the holidays and wants to stop at the mall and do some Christmas shopping. Walt is not in the Christmas spirit and lags behind outside the Best Buys store. There is a wounded Navy Chaplain outside with a sign asking for donations for Toys for Tots. He tells his story to Walt and about the disappointment his father has in him. An incident occurs which Walt handles and then does a compassionate thing for this deserving man.
4. - UNBALANCED - On his way to pick up Cady from the airport in Billings, Walt stops at a Conoco station to gas up when he spots a girl with strange eyes and a vulnerable face wrapped in a blanket and sitting on a bench freezing to death. He asks her if she needs a ride; and when she reluctantly accepts, he quickly deduces that she is carrying an old guitar case, has a gun clutched in her hand under the blanket, has escaped from a mental institution, and has a vast knowledge of music.
There is a bonus at the back of the book where the first chapter of THE COLD DISH is included. That was the first novel in the Walt Longmire Mystery series. Each of the shorts explores something different in Walt's character and reveals his grief over losing his wife, that he genuinely cares about people underneath the gruff exterior, his dry wit, and love for Cady. We definitely get to see Walt and Cady together and their good humored sparring. A great read to enhance the rest of the books in the series.
1. - MINISTERIAL AID - It is 2000 on New Year's Day and Walt's wife has been dead only a couple of months. He decides to hand deliver a paycheck to Turk, his deputy out at the substation in Powder Junction. It's obvious that Walt is still mourning his late wife and depressed as he arrives wearing a dirty white bathrobe, long shaggy hair, and a major hangover. Turk is not there, but Walt answers the phone when it rings. It is Elaine Whelks, the Methodist Minister, and she says that there is an elderly woman that has been sitting all night in her car at the Sinclair Station with a knife in her hand and waiting for the Messiah. When Walt approaches the car in his white robe, guess who Ester Decker thinks he is? She turns out to be a victim of domestic abuse.
2. - SLICK TONGUED DEVIL - Martha, Walt's wife, has been dead for six years when he is taken aback by the accidental appearance of her obituary in the newspaper. Two days before Christmas, there is a knock on his door; and when he opens it, a man with a Bible in his hand asks to speak to Mrs. Longmire.
3. - TOYS FOR TOTS - Cady has arrived from Philadelphia for the holidays and wants to stop at the mall and do some Christmas shopping. Walt is not in the Christmas spirit and lags behind outside the Best Buys store. There is a wounded Navy Chaplain outside with a sign asking for donations for Toys for Tots. He tells his story to Walt and about the disappointment his father has in him. An incident occurs which Walt handles and then does a compassionate thing for this deserving man.
4. - UNBALANCED - On his way to pick up Cady from the airport in Billings, Walt stops at a Conoco station to gas up when he spots a girl with strange eyes and a vulnerable face wrapped in a blanket and sitting on a bench freezing to death. He asks her if she needs a ride; and when she reluctantly accepts, he quickly deduces that she is carrying an old guitar case, has a gun clutched in her hand under the blanket, has escaped from a mental institution, and has a vast knowledge of music.
There is a bonus at the back of the book where the first chapter of THE COLD DISH is included. That was the first novel in the Walt Longmire Mystery series. Each of the shorts explores something different in Walt's character and reveals his grief over losing his wife, that he genuinely cares about people underneath the gruff exterior, his dry wit, and love for Cady. We definitely get to see Walt and Cady together and their good humored sparring. A great read to enhance the rest of the books in the series.
September 21, 2018
“Christmas in Absaroka County” is a collection of four short stories each, as the name suggests, with a festive theme. These tales give us glimpses into the man behind the badge that our Sheriff wears. And, if, after the first eight books, we didn’t already like Longmire enough, what see in these tales only further endears him to us.
Two of these stories fall nicely into the Longmire timeline between “As The Crow Flies” and “A Serpent’s Tooth”, the eight and ninth books. The first in the collection, “Ministerial Aid”, takes place just a few months after the death of Longmire’s wife, Martha. “Slick-Tongued Devil”, possibly my favourite of these pieces, occurs six years after Martha’s death.
I believe that most of these stories were sent as emailed treats to subscribers to the Longmire newsletter. Full of the author’s dry humour, charm and keenly observed character observations, I can only imagine the delight that readers felt on opening their inboxes in early December 2012. These brief tales subtly add to the marvellous body of work that Craig Johnson has crafted. They enhance and enrich our experience and enjoyment of Absaroka, the fictional county in Wyoming, in which Longmire exists.
The festive season is a time for hope and joy, for celebration and family. It can often be a period of sadness and regret too. Walt Longmire shows these emotions in this collection of stories and we grow to understand him a little more as a result.
These tales are not the mysteries or adventures as revealed in the full-length books. Instead, they are brief glimpses into Longmire’s non-Sheriff roles as a man and a husband and as a father. As such, they are funny and quirky and tender and a welcome addition to the Longmire series.
Two of these stories fall nicely into the Longmire timeline between “As The Crow Flies” and “A Serpent’s Tooth”, the eight and ninth books. The first in the collection, “Ministerial Aid”, takes place just a few months after the death of Longmire’s wife, Martha. “Slick-Tongued Devil”, possibly my favourite of these pieces, occurs six years after Martha’s death.
I believe that most of these stories were sent as emailed treats to subscribers to the Longmire newsletter. Full of the author’s dry humour, charm and keenly observed character observations, I can only imagine the delight that readers felt on opening their inboxes in early December 2012. These brief tales subtly add to the marvellous body of work that Craig Johnson has crafted. They enhance and enrich our experience and enjoyment of Absaroka, the fictional county in Wyoming, in which Longmire exists.
The festive season is a time for hope and joy, for celebration and family. It can often be a period of sadness and regret too. Walt Longmire shows these emotions in this collection of stories and we grow to understand him a little more as a result.
These tales are not the mysteries or adventures as revealed in the full-length books. Instead, they are brief glimpses into Longmire’s non-Sheriff roles as a man and a husband and as a father. As such, they are funny and quirky and tender and a welcome addition to the Longmire series.
August 28, 2021
The absolute worst of all the Longmire series. This is a set of four short-stories set around Christmas and New Years.
Ministerial Aid:
One of the better from the book, but nothing special. A little slice of life in Longmire-land, although ludicrously, he’s policing in a bathrobe.
Slick Tongued Devil:
Here a slimy Bible salesman tries to scam Longmire. The problem? The story isn’t original at all. The scam was presented much better in the 1970S “Paper Moon.” Walt mentions the scam originated in the 1930s. I can’t imagine it’s still being run in the modern world. Just dumb that we’re expected to buy it.
Toys for Tots:
The real problem of the book. Longmire encounters an injured Navy chaplain at a Toys for Tots donation stand outside a Best Buy. The guy feels like he’s disappointed his dad because he never did anything heroic. When a guy tries to steal a laptop, Walt nails him, but tells people the Navy guy did it. He even suggests to the store manager that he call the media.
Yup. It’s kind-hearted to try and help the guy out. But it’s also dishonorable. Does it show how broken Walt is (that he’s willing to do this?)? Sure. But I didn’t get the feeling that was the goal.
More importantly, the story completely ignores the facts that:
1. It’s a Best Buy before Christmas. Someone else would have witnessed it.
2. It’s a Best Buy: there would be video cameras. And the media would ask for the footage.
Blatant disregard of the real world.
Unbalanced:
Walt picks up a hitchhiker who is loose from a psych facility. She fixes the bass on his radio.
There is no real character development for Walt in any of these stories. Nothing interesting happens. It felt like a cash-grab from Johnson. Highly disappointing.
Ministerial Aid:
One of the better from the book, but nothing special. A little slice of life in Longmire-land, although ludicrously, he’s policing in a bathrobe.
Slick Tongued Devil:
Here a slimy Bible salesman tries to scam Longmire. The problem? The story isn’t original at all. The scam was presented much better in the 1970S “Paper Moon.” Walt mentions the scam originated in the 1930s. I can’t imagine it’s still being run in the modern world. Just dumb that we’re expected to buy it.
Toys for Tots:
The real problem of the book. Longmire encounters an injured Navy chaplain at a Toys for Tots donation stand outside a Best Buy. The guy feels like he’s disappointed his dad because he never did anything heroic. When a guy tries to steal a laptop, Walt nails him, but tells people the Navy guy did it. He even suggests to the store manager that he call the media.
Yup. It’s kind-hearted to try and help the guy out. But it’s also dishonorable. Does it show how broken Walt is (that he’s willing to do this?)? Sure. But I didn’t get the feeling that was the goal.
More importantly, the story completely ignores the facts that:
1. It’s a Best Buy before Christmas. Someone else would have witnessed it.
2. It’s a Best Buy: there would be video cameras. And the media would ask for the footage.
Blatant disregard of the real world.
Unbalanced:
Walt picks up a hitchhiker who is loose from a psych facility. She fixes the bass on his radio.
There is no real character development for Walt in any of these stories. Nothing interesting happens. It felt like a cash-grab from Johnson. Highly disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2017
This was short and to begin with gave little Christmas spirit. Four short stories and the first chapter of "The Cold Dish" - the first Longmire novel.
In the first two stories Walt is sad. His wife has died - recently or six years ago, he's still sad.
In the first story; 'Ministerial Aid' he also has his Christmas spoiled by a battered wife who thinks he's a divine messenger. Being Walt, he sorts it out. The beginning gives a good introduction to Walt and Absaroka County and his place in it.
In the second story 'Slick-Tongued Devil' he reads an obituary of his wife that was printed six years late - and meets a bible salesman who specializes in conning grieving family members. I was disappointed when Walt didn't settle this with his fists!
In 'Toys for Tots' we get a bit of U.S. Marine history and a chance for Walt to finally knock someone down - a thief - and shift the credit to a deserving boy. This was a little more upbeat.
And finally in 'Unbalanced' Walt picks up a hitch-hiker, escaped from a mental institution and carrying a gun. With his usual disrespect for the proprieties he does not punch her out and cart her off to jail but instead befriends her.
In the last two stories Cady shows up to brighten the season which always improves his humor.
In conclusion a thin collection with nary a Christmas tree in sight and Merle Haggard instead of Bing Crosby. Not so much Christmas. But hey, Craig Johnson and Walt Longmire: a truly dynamic duo!
In the first two stories Walt is sad. His wife has died - recently or six years ago, he's still sad.
In the first story; 'Ministerial Aid' he also has his Christmas spoiled by a battered wife who thinks he's a divine messenger. Being Walt, he sorts it out. The beginning gives a good introduction to Walt and Absaroka County and his place in it.
In the second story 'Slick-Tongued Devil' he reads an obituary of his wife that was printed six years late - and meets a bible salesman who specializes in conning grieving family members. I was disappointed when Walt didn't settle this with his fists!
In 'Toys for Tots' we get a bit of U.S. Marine history and a chance for Walt to finally knock someone down - a thief - and shift the credit to a deserving boy. This was a little more upbeat.
And finally in 'Unbalanced' Walt picks up a hitch-hiker, escaped from a mental institution and carrying a gun. With his usual disrespect for the proprieties he does not punch her out and cart her off to jail but instead befriends her.
In the last two stories Cady shows up to brighten the season which always improves his humor.
In conclusion a thin collection with nary a Christmas tree in sight and Merle Haggard instead of Bing Crosby. Not so much Christmas. But hey, Craig Johnson and Walt Longmire: a truly dynamic duo!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2020
Ok, ok, I'm not fickle enough to say that I was disappointed because it's short! It is Short Story collection after all! But, I am very disappointed that a third of the book was for something I had already read!
I admit the 4 short stories were a delight to read and I enjoyed Craig Johnson's take on what Christmas would be like for Walt in Absaroka County! That's why I'm giving it a few stars.
I also knew that we were going to get a taste of Cold Dish, but a ⅓ of the book, really! And yes, I felt cheated! Either make the book shorter/cheaper or better yet just give us an honest pg count! Or if you must pad the book, since this one is numbered 8.1 give us something that makes sense, like maybe... I don't know, an excerpt from bk 9, or the most recently released book or for that matter if you had it available, a snippet from the next pre-release!
I admit the 4 short stories were a delight to read and I enjoyed Craig Johnson's take on what Christmas would be like for Walt in Absaroka County! That's why I'm giving it a few stars.
I also knew that we were going to get a taste of Cold Dish, but a ⅓ of the book, really! And yes, I felt cheated! Either make the book shorter/cheaper or better yet just give us an honest pg count! Or if you must pad the book, since this one is numbered 8.1 give us something that makes sense, like maybe... I don't know, an excerpt from bk 9, or the most recently released book or for that matter if you had it available, a snippet from the next pre-release!
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