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Walt Longmire #5
The Dark Horse
Wade Barsad, a man with a dubious past and a gift for making enemies, burned his wife Mary's horses in their barn; in retribution, she shot him in the head six times, or so the story goes. But Sheriff Walt Longmire doesn't believe Mary's confession and is determined to dig deeper. Unpinning his star to pose as an insurance investigator, Walt visits the Barsad ranch and discovers that everyone in town--including a beautiful Guetemalan bartender and a rancher with a taste for liquor--had a reason for wanting Wade dead.
318 pages, Hardcover
First published April 15, 2009
About the author
Craig Johnson
101 books4,648 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 1,374 reviews
December 28, 2014
Review from https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/...
I’m a fan of Walt Longmire (first review here), an aging sheriff who represents many solid Western values, including independence, justice and connection to land and history. This is the 5th book in the series, and for me, the weakest. Luckily, I already have the next in the series available.
The story begins with a woman named Mary Barsad who is transferred to Walt’s tiny two-cell ‘jail’ as a means of making space–and revenue. And, just perhaps, the nieghboring sheriff’s sneaky way of arousing Walt’s interest in the case. Mary is accused of murdering her husband Wade shortly after he burned down their barn, including her beloved horses trapped inside. Everyone agrees Wade had it coming, but since Mary confessed and has since refused to talk, a guilty sentence seems unavoidable.
Some days you are in the mood, and some you aren’t, you know? Many of the ingredients I enjoyed previously are here: Walt’s taciturn character, the brave Dog, the scrabble of the small town life, the rich description of the desolate setting, and the subtle humor. The narrative structure, however, was an utter fail for me–although by other reviews, I wouldn’t say that’s a universal opinion. It starts “October 27, 11 a.m.” backtracks to “October 18: nine days earlier, morning,” and then continues alternating forward through the two timelines until they dovetail. Apparently, I’m supposed to pay attention to the date in order to orient myself, but as a person that has a hard enough time remembering today’s date, it didn’t work. The result was a disjointed narrative that failed to achieve finesse or subtlety. Johnson used a similar technique in the prior book, Another Man’s Moccasins, but as those stories were separated by decades as well as countries, there was a better sense of time and place.
My second issue might very well be present in all the other books, but I fancy there was a bit more subtlety in earlier books. This time, ingredients felt more boilerplate, and I have to wonder if Hollywood was showing its tendrils. Animal abuse clearly identified The Bad Guy(s). There was the single mother with Big Aspirations and her Observant and Gutsy kid. There was the Undercover Friend, sneaking into town to provide back-up. The Old Ranch Hand served as lead dog on the case. There was also the strange moment of Walt’s generosity, which I realized later was a plot point to move the story to where it needed to go. It isn’t that his being generous didn’t make sense; it was the sheer unprecedented nature of it, in a county where most are living check to check. One of the solutions to a small mystery was telegraphed from the beginning, and there never was a good reason why Walt believed Anna was innocent.
Ending on a everything neatly tied note, I found myself wondering if it was time for a break. But the first chapter of Junkyard Dog was tacked on to the end of the book, and quickly found myself chuckling, so there’s at least one more Walt story in my immediate future.
I’m a fan of Walt Longmire (first review here), an aging sheriff who represents many solid Western values, including independence, justice and connection to land and history. This is the 5th book in the series, and for me, the weakest. Luckily, I already have the next in the series available.
The story begins with a woman named Mary Barsad who is transferred to Walt’s tiny two-cell ‘jail’ as a means of making space–and revenue. And, just perhaps, the nieghboring sheriff’s sneaky way of arousing Walt’s interest in the case. Mary is accused of murdering her husband Wade shortly after he burned down their barn, including her beloved horses trapped inside. Everyone agrees Wade had it coming, but since Mary confessed and has since refused to talk, a guilty sentence seems unavoidable.
Some days you are in the mood, and some you aren’t, you know? Many of the ingredients I enjoyed previously are here: Walt’s taciturn character, the brave Dog, the scrabble of the small town life, the rich description of the desolate setting, and the subtle humor. The narrative structure, however, was an utter fail for me–although by other reviews, I wouldn’t say that’s a universal opinion. It starts “October 27, 11 a.m.” backtracks to “October 18: nine days earlier, morning,” and then continues alternating forward through the two timelines until they dovetail. Apparently, I’m supposed to pay attention to the date in order to orient myself, but as a person that has a hard enough time remembering today’s date, it didn’t work. The result was a disjointed narrative that failed to achieve finesse or subtlety. Johnson used a similar technique in the prior book, Another Man’s Moccasins, but as those stories were separated by decades as well as countries, there was a better sense of time and place.
My second issue might very well be present in all the other books, but I fancy there was a bit more subtlety in earlier books. This time, ingredients felt more boilerplate, and I have to wonder if Hollywood was showing its tendrils. Animal abuse clearly identified The Bad Guy(s). There was the single mother with Big Aspirations and her Observant and Gutsy kid. There was the Undercover Friend, sneaking into town to provide back-up. The Old Ranch Hand served as lead dog on the case. There was also the strange moment of Walt’s generosity, which I realized later was a plot point to move the story to where it needed to go. It isn’t that his being generous didn’t make sense; it was the sheer unprecedented nature of it, in a county where most are living check to check. One of the solutions to a small mystery was telegraphed from the beginning, and there never was a good reason why Walt believed Anna was innocent.
Ending on a everything neatly tied note, I found myself wondering if it was time for a break. But the first chapter of Junkyard Dog was tacked on to the end of the book, and quickly found myself chuckling, so there’s at least one more Walt story in my immediate future.
October 14, 2020
3.5 to 4 stars
I know that some of you might be familiar enough with my reviews to know that Longmire is not my favorite Wyoming mystery novel series *cough*Joe Pickett*cough*. So, I won't risk sounding like a broken record getting into that again. I will say that The Dark Horse is a decent and entertaining entry in this series.
The novel takes place over a 10 day period with a lot of time jumps from present to "such-and-such" days ago. Overall this format worked and kept progressing what the reader knew based on what Longmire had learned on his way to his current predicaments. A few times the time jumps had me confused and I couldn't remember if I was now or then, but all in all it was not too much of a distraction and worked for the story.
There is something about the way that Johnson writes that makes it a chore for me to stay engaged. I cannot quite put my finger on it other than to say I am never quite comfortable in the narrative. It is probably the main thing that has kept me from loving any of his books. I keep hoping I find one that clicks for me.
If you enjoy or are interested in trying out Western mysteries, Longmire is certainly a decent option. It is not quite where I would suggest you start *cough*Joe Pickett*cough*, but it wouldn't hurt to give him a try. While The Dark Horse could possibly stand alone, there are enough references to the previous novels that it is probably best to start at the beginning.
I know that some of you might be familiar enough with my reviews to know that Longmire is not my favorite Wyoming mystery novel series *cough*Joe Pickett*cough*. So, I won't risk sounding like a broken record getting into that again. I will say that The Dark Horse is a decent and entertaining entry in this series.
The novel takes place over a 10 day period with a lot of time jumps from present to "such-and-such" days ago. Overall this format worked and kept progressing what the reader knew based on what Longmire had learned on his way to his current predicaments. A few times the time jumps had me confused and I couldn't remember if I was now or then, but all in all it was not too much of a distraction and worked for the story.
There is something about the way that Johnson writes that makes it a chore for me to stay engaged. I cannot quite put my finger on it other than to say I am never quite comfortable in the narrative. It is probably the main thing that has kept me from loving any of his books. I keep hoping I find one that clicks for me.
If you enjoy or are interested in trying out Western mysteries, Longmire is certainly a decent option. It is not quite where I would suggest you start *cough*Joe Pickett*cough*, but it wouldn't hurt to give him a try. While The Dark Horse could possibly stand alone, there are enough references to the previous novels that it is probably best to start at the beginning.
September 9, 2013
Most people go through their lives believing in things that they never have much contact with - the police, lawyers, judges, and courts. They have an unstated belief in the system; that it'll be impartial, fair and just. But then there's the moment when it comes to them that the police, the courtroom, and the laws themselves are just human, vulnerable to the same shortcomings as all of us, that they're a mirror of who we are, and that's the heartbreaking dychotomy of it all - that the more contact you have with the law, the less belief you have.
And that's when you need somebody like 'Walt Long-arm-of-the-law, protector of lost women, lost dogs, and lost causes' Longmire. As his own Absaroka County is largely pacified, one of these lost causes is sent to his generally empty jailhouse to await trial. Mary Barsad is a self-confessed murderer, but Walt instincts tell him something is not right with her case. As his superiors probably intended all along, he takes it personally, and sets up to find out more about the woman and her crime.
In order to investigate the murder of Wade Barsad, Mary's husband, Walt must go undercover to Absalom - population 40 and all of them suspicious of strangers and authorities. The locals are giving him a real hard time, but Walt is not a quitter, and slowly he begins to gather evidence about the victim and his anturage.
The move away from Absaroka County brings a welcome change of air for the series and an occasion to steer closer to the classic western genre, not only by finally featuring horses, cowboys and Indians, sweeping vistas of Powder River and Twentymile Butte, even a barroom bare knuckles fight, but with the whole plot structure of the Lone Stranger come to bring justice to the lawless frontier town. The regulars of the series (Vic Moretti, Henry Standing Bear, etc) are all in with good scenes, but they play on the fringes of the main storyline. Dog has a much better exposure than in previous novels and he rises to the occasion admirably. This latest book also has the bonus of offering a glimpse at Walt's childhood, as his parents farm is right here, near Powder River. Of
the new characters introduced my favorite is by far the 'miniature stagecoach robber' Benjamin - a ten years old tough man ( In this country you don't touch a man's horse without his permission ). I loved the way Walt handled him, never talking down or making fun of the little guy, stern and authoritative, yet open to all questions and considerate of the boy's feelings. The portraits of Mary Barsad and of Hershel, an old hand at her farm showcase why I like this series and the author so much : understated yet intensely emotional glimpses at broken, lonely people, lost in personal nightmares or in drink. Walt's empathy for their cause is explained in one passage that should be a matter of common sense to all of us:
There was a lesson my mother had instilled in me at an early age, which had been reinforced by my experience in Vietnam and by my twenty-four years as sheriff of Absaroka County. She said I should protect and cherish the young, the old and the infirm, because at some point I would be all of these things before my own journey ended.
A few words about the title : as with all good choices, it has multiple meanings, all of them valid :
The origin of the phrase 'dark horse' is based on a story about a nineteenth-century breeder who would arrive in a strange town and pretend to be riding an ordinary pack animal, which was in truth a very fast black stallion. He'd enter the dark horse in a race and, when the horse would win (much to the surprise of the locals), he would pocket the prize money and more than a few bets on the side and move on to the next gullible community.
- there's a rodeo prize horse missing (Wahoo Sue), burned in a suspect fire with all the rest of Mary Barsad's horses and insured for a hefty sum;
- Walt himself is a dark horse for the Absalom locals, an unknown entity come to their town to stir up trouble
- Wade Barsad the victim has some secrets in his past too, being either a fugitive from the East Coast Mafia or in the Witness Protection Program, or both.
-
I used in the review to the first volume of the series a comparison to Dick Francis, the English crime writer who set most of his novels around the racetrack, featuring a stoic, intelligent, hardy protagonist with a passion for horses and very strong inner compass for right and wrong. The Dark Horse is the closest the Walt Longmire series has come to the British author style (read it and I believe you'll see why), and that's why I will close my review with one of Walt's remarks about horses:
In my life, I have been kicked by horses and bitten by them. I've been stepped on, crushed against gates, and thrown to the ground, but I have also been nuzzled, rubbed against, carried by, nickered at, and warmed by the greta beasts. I thought of all the horses I'd known and couldn't think of a bad one.
March 25, 2022
5 Stars for The Dark Horse: Walt Longmire Mystery Series, Book 5 (audiobook) by Craig Johnson read by George Guidall.
This was a great story. Walt Longmire going under cover in a small town to save a woman that has wrongly confessed to a murder. I love this rural Wyoming setting, with beautiful landscapes and interesting characters. I really enjoyed this story but the best part of this audiobook was the interview with the author by the narrator. It was fascinating to find out where the inspiration for this series came from.
This was a great story. Walt Longmire going under cover in a small town to save a woman that has wrongly confessed to a murder. I love this rural Wyoming setting, with beautiful landscapes and interesting characters. I really enjoyed this story but the best part of this audiobook was the interview with the author by the narrator. It was fascinating to find out where the inspiration for this series came from.
October 29, 2020
An excellent outing with Sheriff Walt Longmire and his crew. When another sheriff dumps a prisoner on Walt, it isn't a case of keeping the jail cell locked for a week or two. We follow his train of thought as he begins to wonder whether this prisoner really was the murderer she is accused of being. Though the case is "open and shut" with her own confession Walt picks away at the layers and discovers something about himself as well. Highly entertaining with that special Western taste.
April 2, 2017
An excellent entry in the series I love so much featuring Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire. This one is an “away game”, in which we get Walt by himself on a case without major contributions of his tough and lovely Detective Vic Moretti, bosom buddy Henry Standing Bear (“The Cheyenne Nation”), and lawyer daughter Katy. Walt has in his jail a woman who has confessed to shooting her husband Wade after he burned her beloved horses alive in their barn. He has some nagging doubts about her story, prompting him to go undercover as an insurance claims agent into the nearby county to investigate. He soon learns that Wade had some serious enemies and some characters who know more than they want to reveal, including the woman proprietor of the town’s only bar and an old cowboy that worked at Wade’s fancy ranch.
The action in the plot is a great variation on some classic Western themes. It gets Walt involved in a bar fight and in a dangerous mission alone on a horse by himself in a remote desert mesa. Of course he does have his trusty canine companion, Dog. When the bad guys put him in serious trouble, his last reserves of courage and ingenuity are called on to win the day. The safety of a young boy becomes a significant burden to his responsibilities, and he is able to draw bravery from him as if from his own self as a boy. A magnificent dark horse becomes a focal point for Walt to tame enough to use in an escape from danger. As typical, when Walt gets to the extremes of endurance, he gets hallucinatory visions that help him survive. Some pieces of the puzzle of Walt’s own origins and childhood are brought out in a satisfying way. Given how I like a good mystery and love it when the story gets me outdoors in beautiful country, this was a very satisfying tale for me.
The action in the plot is a great variation on some classic Western themes. It gets Walt involved in a bar fight and in a dangerous mission alone on a horse by himself in a remote desert mesa. Of course he does have his trusty canine companion, Dog. When the bad guys put him in serious trouble, his last reserves of courage and ingenuity are called on to win the day. The safety of a young boy becomes a significant burden to his responsibilities, and he is able to draw bravery from him as if from his own self as a boy. A magnificent dark horse becomes a focal point for Walt to tame enough to use in an escape from danger. As typical, when Walt gets to the extremes of endurance, he gets hallucinatory visions that help him survive. Some pieces of the puzzle of Walt’s own origins and childhood are brought out in a satisfying way. Given how I like a good mystery and love it when the story gets me outdoors in beautiful country, this was a very satisfying tale for me.
February 5, 2016
This is book 5 in the Walt Longmire series. I enjoyed it and give it 4 out of 5 stars. Walt Longmire is the Sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming. The author says he is the Sheriff of "the least populous county in the least populous state." He accepts prisoners from other counties to help out with his budget. Mary Barsad is transferred to his jail from Campbell County. She is accused of murdering her husband. She confessed to the murder. But Walt suspects she is innocent. Her husband was accused of burning down a barn with seven of her beloved horses shortly before he was killed.
The insurance company executive doesn't want to pay if arson can be proved and asks Walt to go up to Campbell County to investigate on an undercover basis.
Walt agrees. One of the clues is the difference in the bird calls between the Eastern and Western Meadowlark. Walt and the author have way more ability than I do to differentiate bird calls. The author has written a good story, with some interesting plot twists, believable characters and some laugh out loud lines.
I recently watched a video of Craig Johnson talking about his books, characters and dealing with Hollywood producers transforming his books into a TV series. If you like the books, you will like the video. I started reading these books after I started watching the TV series.
Here is a link to the video(from GR author site) https://www.goodreads.com/videos/1984...
If you decide to read these books, I suggest reading them in order.
The insurance company executive doesn't want to pay if arson can be proved and asks Walt to go up to Campbell County to investigate on an undercover basis.
Walt agrees. One of the clues is the difference in the bird calls between the Eastern and Western Meadowlark. Walt and the author have way more ability than I do to differentiate bird calls. The author has written a good story, with some interesting plot twists, believable characters and some laugh out loud lines.
I recently watched a video of Craig Johnson talking about his books, characters and dealing with Hollywood producers transforming his books into a TV series. If you like the books, you will like the video. I started reading these books after I started watching the TV series.
Here is a link to the video(from GR author site) https://www.goodreads.com/videos/1984...
If you decide to read these books, I suggest reading them in order.
May 24, 2020
7/10
A pesar de que me ha gustado, le bajo una estrella con respecto a sus predecesores, debido sobre todo al inicio de la historia, la cual me ha costado bastante el entrar.
Cierto es que a partir del primer tercio la trama mejora mucho y todo empieza a fluir con la naturalidad de siempre, ofrenciéndonos el tipo de historia al que estamos acostumbrados, con buenos secundarios y el protagonista como elemento más destacable.
La pena es que a partir de esta ya no hay traducida ninguna novela más, así que a partir de ahora tendré que probar a ver si en inglés también me atrapa.
A pesar de que me ha gustado, le bajo una estrella con respecto a sus predecesores, debido sobre todo al inicio de la historia, la cual me ha costado bastante el entrar.
Cierto es que a partir del primer tercio la trama mejora mucho y todo empieza a fluir con la naturalidad de siempre, ofrenciéndonos el tipo de historia al que estamos acostumbrados, con buenos secundarios y el protagonista como elemento más destacable.
La pena es que a partir de esta ya no hay traducida ninguna novela más, así que a partir de ahora tendré que probar a ver si en inglés también me atrapa.
October 13, 2022
All the Craig Johnson books in this series are amazing, please rush out and buy the set, you will love these.
May 11, 2012
I do not know if mildly depressed Wyoming Sheriff’s and Northern Cheyenne Indian’s are usually this funny, but I look forward to each book in the Walt Longmire series for this sole purpose. I am not going to say that Walt Longmire has a death wish, but that man sure can find himself in questionable situations. Who else in their right might would try to go undercover in a town of forty people and not think that there might possibly be a chance of being shot at? Yeah, that should tell you a little about Walt and the sticky situations that he and his best friend Henry Standing Bear, a man who does not use contractions, usually find themselves in.
Mary Barsad is currently in Walt’s jail accused of killing her husband. Now, no one is saying that the man did not need killing; it is just that Walt does not think that Mary did it. She may have confessed, but Walt sees something in Mary and using his questionable judgment goes into the small town of Absalom, a town without pity, to pose as an insurance salesman to sort out the mess.
Walt should have known right off that he was not cutout for undercover work when a young child and his mother, a Guatemalan immigrant with a two-year college degree in criminal justice see right through his disguise. In for a penny, in for ten pounds of bad luck, Walt digs deeper into the whole Barsad story and what he finds out surprised me with a couple of twists and a whole lot of humor.
I truly wonder what dialogue goes on in the head of Craig Johnson when he is trying to figure out what Henry and Walt will say to each other. These two men have history; they have respect and somewhere in their years together, Henry learned that Walt would not always think situations through and because of this he is there with his words and stories to help Walt see the bigger picture – and to save his butt.
Mary Barsad is currently in Walt’s jail accused of killing her husband. Now, no one is saying that the man did not need killing; it is just that Walt does not think that Mary did it. She may have confessed, but Walt sees something in Mary and using his questionable judgment goes into the small town of Absalom, a town without pity, to pose as an insurance salesman to sort out the mess.
Walt should have known right off that he was not cutout for undercover work when a young child and his mother, a Guatemalan immigrant with a two-year college degree in criminal justice see right through his disguise. In for a penny, in for ten pounds of bad luck, Walt digs deeper into the whole Barsad story and what he finds out surprised me with a couple of twists and a whole lot of humor.
I truly wonder what dialogue goes on in the head of Craig Johnson when he is trying to figure out what Henry and Walt will say to each other. These two men have history; they have respect and somewhere in their years together, Henry learned that Walt would not always think situations through and because of this he is there with his words and stories to help Walt see the bigger picture – and to save his butt.
July 29, 2017
As I continue my Longmire series read, full disclosure requires that I openly admit I am a devoted fan of the Longmire television show (on A/E and now Netflix) and have enjoyed reading the previous books in the Longmire book series that inspired that show even more. With that said, I am still doing my best to provide objective and an honest review.
“The Dark Horse” is the fifth book in the “Longmire” mystery series, continuing the fictional adventures of Walt Longmire, Sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming, his best friend, Henry Standing Bear, Vic Moretti, his loyal and outspoken deputy, and Dog, his faithful animal companion.
This time the story shifts back and forth between two moments in time – the beginning of a murder investigation and ten days later when Longmire goes undercover in the wild lawless town of Absalom, Wyoming. Johnson moves between the two in a seamless and smooth rhythm, keeping the reader engrossed in what happens next. While Longmire performs his covert operation as an insurance investigator, Johnson flashes back to introduce the woman arrested for killing her husband, Longmire’s lack of belief in her guilt, and his initial investigative research on the situation and suspects involved.
I personally found this approach by Johnson to be a strong way to keep the reader’s attention and build suspense. I felt like I was there with Walt every step of the way as he took on this personal crusade for justice, and especially surprised when a part of his childhood is revealed. This is the fifth book I’ve read in this series and I am impressed with how each of them had different structures and areas of focus for the characters. In addition, this outing provided one of the strongest action-oriented climaxes in the series. Johnson successfully finds different ways to tell his stories, while maintaining his own unique style and flow.
As for character development, since the emphasis is primarily on Walt’s dogged investigation, there is less interaction with Vic and Henry in this outing than in previous books. Cady is back in Philadelphia and offstage except for a phone call, but her romance with Vic’s younger brother continues to develop. Still, Longmire finds a few moments to continue his tension-filled flirting with badmouth Vic and Henry makes a strong appearance in the second half during Walt’s undercover activities.
“The Dark Horse” is a strong installment, one of the best of the first five in the series. Overall, a very worthy and enjoyable read.
“The Dark Horse” is the fifth book in the “Longmire” mystery series, continuing the fictional adventures of Walt Longmire, Sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming, his best friend, Henry Standing Bear, Vic Moretti, his loyal and outspoken deputy, and Dog, his faithful animal companion.
This time the story shifts back and forth between two moments in time – the beginning of a murder investigation and ten days later when Longmire goes undercover in the wild lawless town of Absalom, Wyoming. Johnson moves between the two in a seamless and smooth rhythm, keeping the reader engrossed in what happens next. While Longmire performs his covert operation as an insurance investigator, Johnson flashes back to introduce the woman arrested for killing her husband, Longmire’s lack of belief in her guilt, and his initial investigative research on the situation and suspects involved.
I personally found this approach by Johnson to be a strong way to keep the reader’s attention and build suspense. I felt like I was there with Walt every step of the way as he took on this personal crusade for justice, and especially surprised when a part of his childhood is revealed. This is the fifth book I’ve read in this series and I am impressed with how each of them had different structures and areas of focus for the characters. In addition, this outing provided one of the strongest action-oriented climaxes in the series. Johnson successfully finds different ways to tell his stories, while maintaining his own unique style and flow.
As for character development, since the emphasis is primarily on Walt’s dogged investigation, there is less interaction with Vic and Henry in this outing than in previous books. Cady is back in Philadelphia and offstage except for a phone call, but her romance with Vic’s younger brother continues to develop. Still, Longmire finds a few moments to continue his tension-filled flirting with badmouth Vic and Henry makes a strong appearance in the second half during Walt’s undercover activities.
“The Dark Horse” is a strong installment, one of the best of the first five in the series. Overall, a very worthy and enjoyable read.
February 7, 2014
This was the first of the Longmire books to do less than stun me into an engrossed trance and I am hard pressed to put a finger on why. The action is good, the mystery is good, the story is, in short, good. But. There were two problems I had reading the book that are neither one a fault of the book itself and more to do with the circumstances surrounding it: the first problem is that this story was used as the basis for an episode of the television show. It was, of course, different on t.v. and not necessarily for the better, but it did put expectation in my head as to where the story was going. When the book did not meet some of those expectations, it was hard to not be a little disappointed.
The second problem, and the bigger one, in my opinion, is that a large part of the appeal of the Longmire world is the secondary characters. The book's are about Sheriff Walt Longmire, sure, but they're also about Henry Standing Bear, Vic Moretti, Cady Longmire, and Ruby. And none of those secondary characters are in this particular book save for the odd paragraph or two. None of them are central to the story, which takes place outside Durant, and, as a result, the book is lacking just a little.
Having said all that, this story is about horses and they way they can reveal peoples' character just be being the magnificent beasts that they are. And that, coupled with the usual range of interesting new characters, locations, and revelations about Walt's past, makes for a pretty good book. Recommended.
The second problem, and the bigger one, in my opinion, is that a large part of the appeal of the Longmire world is the secondary characters. The book's are about Sheriff Walt Longmire, sure, but they're also about Henry Standing Bear, Vic Moretti, Cady Longmire, and Ruby. And none of those secondary characters are in this particular book save for the odd paragraph or two. None of them are central to the story, which takes place outside Durant, and, as a result, the book is lacking just a little.
Having said all that, this story is about horses and they way they can reveal peoples' character just be being the magnificent beasts that they are. And that, coupled with the usual range of interesting new characters, locations, and revelations about Walt's past, makes for a pretty good book. Recommended.
March 14, 2020
The Walt Longmire series is one of my favorites. I love the characters, the setting, the plots....I just enjoy the books. I also loved (and miss) the television series. The casting was perfect! There were huge changes in some characters and plots between the books and the television adaptation, but that's ok. I enjoyed both as separate, but related, Longmire stories.
The Dark Horse is the 5th book in the series. Walt Longmire knows something isn't right with a case he's investigating. A man locked his wife's horses in their barn and lit it on fire. So, the wife allegedly got a gun and shot him in the head six times. But....the facts just aren't lining up. The case is even from another county, but Longmire decides to go undercover to do some digging around. It's difficult to go undercover in a small town that only has about 40 residents.....but he wants to know what actually happened. on the ranch that night before a possibly innocent woman goes to prison for murder.
I love how the Longmire books combine rural and tribal life, law enforcement investigation, and humor to form awesome modern western tales. Vic Moretti is my favorite character. Vic is foul-mouthed, tough and very protective of her boss. She's a skilled deputy, but also a sexy woman who doesn't take any crap from anybody. I love her relationship with Walt and the way she deals with people. Awesome character! Henry Standing Bear comes up a close second to Vic. He has been Walt's friends since they were in school together. They also served in Vietnam together. Their relationship is an incredibly close one. Henry is complex....very spiritual, very loyal and rough & tumble when he has to be.
I enjoyed The Dark Horse. The plot was engaging and interesting. There were some excellent twists and side plots. Great story! I listened to the audio book version (Recorded Books), narrated by George Guidall. Guidall gave an excellent performance as usual. The Recorded Books version I got from my local library also includes a lengthy interview with author Craig Johnson. It was so interesting to hear him talk about his writing, characters and life!
On to the next book -- Junkyard Dogs!
The Dark Horse is the 5th book in the series. Walt Longmire knows something isn't right with a case he's investigating. A man locked his wife's horses in their barn and lit it on fire. So, the wife allegedly got a gun and shot him in the head six times. But....the facts just aren't lining up. The case is even from another county, but Longmire decides to go undercover to do some digging around. It's difficult to go undercover in a small town that only has about 40 residents.....but he wants to know what actually happened. on the ranch that night before a possibly innocent woman goes to prison for murder.
I love how the Longmire books combine rural and tribal life, law enforcement investigation, and humor to form awesome modern western tales. Vic Moretti is my favorite character. Vic is foul-mouthed, tough and very protective of her boss. She's a skilled deputy, but also a sexy woman who doesn't take any crap from anybody. I love her relationship with Walt and the way she deals with people. Awesome character! Henry Standing Bear comes up a close second to Vic. He has been Walt's friends since they were in school together. They also served in Vietnam together. Their relationship is an incredibly close one. Henry is complex....very spiritual, very loyal and rough & tumble when he has to be.
I enjoyed The Dark Horse. The plot was engaging and interesting. There were some excellent twists and side plots. Great story! I listened to the audio book version (Recorded Books), narrated by George Guidall. Guidall gave an excellent performance as usual. The Recorded Books version I got from my local library also includes a lengthy interview with author Craig Johnson. It was so interesting to hear him talk about his writing, characters and life!
On to the next book -- Junkyard Dogs!
February 20, 2017
First off let me just say I loved the dark horse's name, Wahoo Sue. Great name for a cutting horse. Well anyway another great entry in the series. Again, I listened to it on audio book. This is one of my favorite readers. Each character's voice is different and consistent and I can tell who is talking generally even without the name tags. The mystery was good. I liked the use of two different time lines. Description was good as always and as always I wanted to underline stuff. I thought I knew where the story was going but i was surprised when the villain was revealed. On to the next one1
December 8, 2020
You all know how much I love Walt Longmire books if you have been paying attention. And the audio books are divine. They found the perfect voice for Walt and Henry. The characters are always what makes these stories stellar. The mystery is always good too but the people are what pushes it over the top for me. My favorite character in this is Wahoo Sue. Yes, the horse! What a stunning creature. And I actually listened to the conversation at the end between the author and narrator and enjoyed that too. I don’t usually listen to those. Or at least not all of it but this was fun.
May 21, 2013
Update:
This is where we look at Walt's life as if in a great Western. Walt reconnects with his past and connects with a huge, black beast: tortured, chained in place and left alone to die in the middle of the great plains, far away from civilization, in the snow, and wounded beyond belief:
It was then that I saw something at the far edge of the circle. It was something dark and big, and it was rapidly moving my way. I thought it was the owl again, even thought it was the wrong color and didn't seem to be flying, and figured maybe he thought he'd found a culinary bonanza.
...Pain be damned, I yanked back and looked up at the thousand pounds of unrivaled fury. It was a horse, but only in the sense that the headless horseman's horse was a horse. I could hear the clanking of chains where the thing had come unfettered from hell, and I expected fire to blow from its nostrils at any moment.
...she was close enough that I could see where it had rubbed her raw and where the dried blood had stained her dark face. The harness was connected to a heavy, rusted logging chain that was in turn connected to a rock in the middle of the dark circle, and the length of links had torn and chafed the chest, barrel, and rump of the tortured animal.
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Craig Johnson has written nine novels in his Walt Longmire series. Formerly a police officer; he has also worked as a educator, cowboy and longshoreman. Awards include Tony Hillerman Award, Wyoming Historical Society Award, Wyoming Councl for the Arts Award, as well as numerous starred awards. Johnson was also a board member of the Mystery Writers' of America.
Craig Johnson as an artist, as a man who paints with words ascribes to the essential characteristic of what makes art different from anything else: only it can portray the world as the artist thinks it ought to be as opposed to how it is. "Now a days, it's really hard to distinguish the good guys from the bad guys..." he says in an interview. "But Walt's a pretty good guy...the kinda guy if my car slithered off the road on I-80 in a blizzard, he's the guy I'd want to help me out." Johnson admits to portraying Walt Longmire, the hero in this award-winning series, as "The kinda guy my wife says I want to be in about 10 years."
Starting from his choice of book title all the way to the final period at the end of the book Johnson's prose fills the reader's soul with a longing for the good. And where else is one to find it but in the fictional county of Absaroka, Wyoming and it's Sheriff Walt Longmire. As with the work of William Kent Krueger Johnson introduces readers to the Western concept of cowboys and indians. Growing up in the Netherlands, I read till late in the night the wildly popular series Winnetou and Old Shatterhand (not available in the States). When playing outside 6000 miles away from American soil, it wasn't cops and robbers we played, it was cowboys and indians. It was this image of America I held in my mind as a 12 year old boy standing on the deck of the U.S.S. Rotterdam as we sailed into New York Harbor and waited in the lines of Ellis Island to be granted access to my boyhood dreams.
Unlike older western novels, however, Johnson brings this cultural diversity into the 20th century and without delving into multi-culturalism brings us to that mystical nether region between the two where native american and white man meet each other half-way. Johnson's aim is at portraying a fictional world as it should be and this includes diversity. Henry, a native american is Walt's best friend. The indian community stands ready to aid the law, helps the white man bring justice regardless of race, color or creed. Walt Longmire, in a hallucinatory fit, dances with the Cheyenne spirits who guide him to safety in the midst of a devastating blizzard even though the unconscious man slung over his shoulders is a perpatrator against a Native American woman. Walt does not question his sanity afterwards. Craig Johnson's world is one we might all long for...and isn't that the purpose of art?
Too often I read book reviews where the reviewers seem to place verisimilitude above fiction. In my opinion, if you want reality, if you want to read about the way things are, then view a documentary, read a biography, check out reality TV. This is fiction, and if an author changes reality to suit his notion for the book, so be it...
For some, the first in the series moves along a bit slowly...but to them I would say: give this writer time to paint his world as he sees fit. Books that concentrate on rural settings often have the advantage of highlighting the human condition in startling clarity. Distractions such as are found in urban settings removed, we see good and evil and compassion in a more profound way. Wyoming's Absaroka County gives us this magnifying glass. I found the plot intriguing and the ending second-to-none. Truly, the titles are well chosen in these novels.
There's a huge fan base for Johnson's work out there. A fan base that is after values, the good kind. I'm reminded of my daughter's fascination with Taylor Swift, whose millions of fans adulate her for precisely the same reason: her vision of 'the good'. There is a Renaissance occurring in a real world that at best can be portrayed as lost in the grey fog of compromised values; a Renaissance that has caught the attention of not only our youth, but all ages. And they are telling us what they want.
There's a reason A&E's Longmire series has been approved for Season #2. The first season sported A&E's #1 original-series premier of all time with 4.1 million total viewers. I plan to read this entire series and after that, I plan to view the A&E series (hopefully on Netflix where it is not yet available for down-streaming). Johnson, remarking on the television series agrees that he is 100% on board as the televised version is keeping very close to the books.
Unless there is a drastic divergence in subsequent Longmire novels, this review will be the same for all the Walt Longmire books.
Enjoy!
February 10, 2024
You have to like Walt Longmire. His honor, his yesteryear values that are sparse these days, his courage and humor...So many robust qualities that endear him to readers. Story is good. Characters so alive that you see this work as a movie...Dark Horse could stand on its own as a film. It's a fun ride...minus Vic's limited "f" bomb vocabulary. I'd like to tell Craig Johnson that his work would more than stand without the deputy sheriff's foul mouth...Nice interview with author and reader (George Guidall) at the end!
October 6, 2015
Classic Sheriff Walt Longmire! As with all of the mysteries in Johnson's Longmire series, this one includes a cast of vivid and interesting characters, a terrible crime that must be solved and lots of action. In The Dark Horse, Walt is taken out of Absaroka County to Absolom, Wyoming in a neighboring county along the Powder River. A man has been murdered and then incinerated in a fire that also killed several horses. The man's wife has confessed to the killing, but Longmire is certain that she did not do it. Walt goes undercover for the first time in this series as an insurance inspector to see if he can't figure out "who done it".
As always, Walt gets himself into terrible scrapes and ordeals on the way to solving the crime. Not only is he (as usual) injured during these scrapes and ordeals, but he mounts a horse (of the title) that is also injured to set chase to the suspected murderer. And, as always, Walt gets his man after much harrowing action where he and others lives are in danger. In all these books, the setting is an important part of the picture - Johnson creates wonderful visuals with his writing.
What is unusual about this book is that the usual cast of characters (Vic, Ruby, Henry Standing Bear, etal) play very background roles and there are very few red herrings. I was completely taken by surprise by the solve!
If you are an audiobook lover, these are some of the most satisfying books you can listen to. George Guidall employs his acting chops in the narration, bringing the Longmire mysteries to life in an extraordinary way. This particular audiobook includes an interview with the author. You can tell that Guidall loves narrating these books and the interview makes for a lively and informative conversation with Johnson.
As always, Walt gets himself into terrible scrapes and ordeals on the way to solving the crime. Not only is he (as usual) injured during these scrapes and ordeals, but he mounts a horse (of the title) that is also injured to set chase to the suspected murderer. And, as always, Walt gets his man after much harrowing action where he and others lives are in danger. In all these books, the setting is an important part of the picture - Johnson creates wonderful visuals with his writing.
What is unusual about this book is that the usual cast of characters (Vic, Ruby, Henry Standing Bear, etal) play very background roles and there are very few red herrings. I was completely taken by surprise by the solve!
If you are an audiobook lover, these are some of the most satisfying books you can listen to. George Guidall employs his acting chops in the narration, bringing the Longmire mysteries to life in an extraordinary way. This particular audiobook includes an interview with the author. You can tell that Guidall loves narrating these books and the interview makes for a lively and informative conversation with Johnson.
July 28, 2023
Once again the first-person narration of Walt Longmire, for decades the sheriff of Absaroka County, brings us into the stark beauty of the barren Wyoming landscape as winter approaches, this time with an unusually strong sense of desolation as the story centers on a mostly abandoned little town called Absalom along the Powder River in neighboring Campbell County, where Walt is obviously out of his own jurisdiction. So what's the story?
It's actually a pair of story lines, set a week apart. Each section of each chapter has a date and time of day at the heading, and we jump back and forth. Before long I realized that the earlier story would end by linking up in time with the beginning of the later story; this technique could try your patience as much as it did mine, because we're on page 238 out of 318 pages when the link is finally made--that's 75% of the book, folks, with the alternating story lines, and only the last 25% has a continuous time line.
The author may feel that this writing technique is necessary because that link--the end of the earlier story line--hands us a major clue to the mystery Walt is trying to solve and gives a solid boost to his motivation for going undercover (not very successfully, by the way) in the next county. I agree that a straight chronological narration would have been much less suspenseful, and I would probably have guessed the solution before halfway through. But this way of putting the story together added an odd sort of strain to something I really enjoyed, getting together again with Walt, Henry, Vic, and several new characters who were quite well developed, I thought.
Much of the publisher's blurb is reprinted in the summary at the top of this Goodreads page, telling us the beginnings of both story lines, but I think a part of the blurb that the Goodreads summary omits gives you a real sense of what it feels like to read this book:
It's actually a pair of story lines, set a week apart. Each section of each chapter has a date and time of day at the heading, and we jump back and forth. Before long I realized that the earlier story would end by linking up in time with the beginning of the later story; this technique could try your patience as much as it did mine, because we're on page 238 out of 318 pages when the link is finally made--that's 75% of the book, folks, with the alternating story lines, and only the last 25% has a continuous time line.
The author may feel that this writing technique is necessary because that link--the end of the earlier story line--hands us a major clue to the mystery Walt is trying to solve and gives a solid boost to his motivation for going undercover (not very successfully, by the way) in the next county. I agree that a straight chronological narration would have been much less suspenseful, and I would probably have guessed the solution before halfway through. But this way of putting the story together added an odd sort of strain to something I really enjoyed, getting together again with Walt, Henry, Vic, and several new characters who were quite well developed, I thought.
Much of the publisher's blurb is reprinted in the summary at the top of this Goodreads page, telling us the beginnings of both story lines, but I think a part of the blurb that the Goodreads summary omits gives you a real sense of what it feels like to read this book:
...Walt ventures into a town without pity to save a woman without hope. It's an unfriendly place--something that's fine with Longmire, who is looking for the truth, not friends.And Walt finds the truth, as usual, through considerable physical damage, pain, mortal danger, and deep probing into some less than willing personalities. Walt's reflections on the people he meets and on ones he already knows are worth the price of admission, and the way he relates to certain horses makes me happy I had the chance to read this book.
February 8, 2016
This is Walt Longmire in western mode and at the same time him doing a PI stint in another county.
It all starts when a certain Mary Barsand get a cell in Longmire's county jail, she did confess to the murder of her husband by shooting him six times in the head. At the same time her farm and horses got burned in a great fire. When Walt gets her talking he finds himself doubting her guilt.
Walt Longmire goes undercover and he does not do a very good job as more and more people seem to know about him. Even the coming ov his best friend Cheyenne Nation in the form of Henry does not make it any easier.
Who killed the husband, why burn the house and the stables containing all horses loved by the woman who trained them. Why the heck does the federal government want Mary behind bars as quick as possible and why are two sheriffs less convinced about her guilt.
We get to learn how Walt is around kids and horses. We get pursuits on horseback and Walt going all cowboy on his readers. And we learn a wee bit more about a Young Walt.
Of all the regular characters we only see Vic, Ruby and Henry in short moments and they are great as always.
When the smoke clears on this mystery Walt just got re-elected for another 4 year period of sheriff in his own county. And you know you want to read more about sheriff Longmire and his people.
To be honest in season 1 of the tv show "Longmire" there is an episode that is based upon this novel, truth be told while it is different and works quite well the book is easily better.
Once again well worth your reading time, but start at the beginning and go on the voyage with Walt Longmire.
It all starts when a certain Mary Barsand get a cell in Longmire's county jail, she did confess to the murder of her husband by shooting him six times in the head. At the same time her farm and horses got burned in a great fire. When Walt gets her talking he finds himself doubting her guilt.
Walt Longmire goes undercover and he does not do a very good job as more and more people seem to know about him. Even the coming ov his best friend Cheyenne Nation in the form of Henry does not make it any easier.
Who killed the husband, why burn the house and the stables containing all horses loved by the woman who trained them. Why the heck does the federal government want Mary behind bars as quick as possible and why are two sheriffs less convinced about her guilt.
We get to learn how Walt is around kids and horses. We get pursuits on horseback and Walt going all cowboy on his readers. And we learn a wee bit more about a Young Walt.
Of all the regular characters we only see Vic, Ruby and Henry in short moments and they are great as always.
When the smoke clears on this mystery Walt just got re-elected for another 4 year period of sheriff in his own county. And you know you want to read more about sheriff Longmire and his people.
To be honest in season 1 of the tv show "Longmire" there is an episode that is based upon this novel, truth be told while it is different and works quite well the book is easily better.
Once again well worth your reading time, but start at the beginning and go on the voyage with Walt Longmire.
June 18, 2018
A good Longmire entry that I would have given 4.5 stars to if it hadn't bounced back and forth in time. I like my novels to unfold in linear fashion, if they can. This tale, while still quite good, could have been told that way, and would have been improved if it had been done so. Still a good read and recommended to Longmire fans.
October 6, 2023
Put disbelief and incredulity on a shelf for a few hours and enjoy this fifth entry into the Longmire series. If you're skeptical and looking for absolute reality or a police procedural, look elsewhere 'cause it ain't here. But, if you simply wish to delight in the Western genre writ modern, you are in the right place.
Walt is about as successful at being undercover as he is in concealing his attraction to Vic. It seems that most of the small town in which he's masquerading as an insurance underwriter looking into a fire that destroyed a barn, house and any number of horses quickly susses out his real identity, or at least suspect him for the law. Nevertheless, there's a pretty good twisty plot here, along with some rather fantastical cowboy culture action. As usual, Johnson casts a good sense of place and in Longmire, has created a very likable hero who is vulnerable, getting on in years, stoic and yet yearning for a deep relationship to fill the empty slot left by his deceased wife. But what really makes these stories work is the ensemble cast that Johnson has created as foils for Longmire to play off of-- Henry Standing Bear (aka "the Cheyenne Nation"), Vic Moretti, under-sheriff and love interest, Dog, a huge mixed breed that seems an ever present sidekick to Walt, to name but a few.
Yet despite this diverse cast of characters, The Dark Horse really limits their participation, much to my chagrin. We do get a smattering of Henry and Vic and a good bit of Dog, but on the whole, this is Walt's show. An argument could be made that without these other cast members, the story lost a half-star or so. Perhaps, but I found myself enjoying it nonetheless. Remember, ye who enter herein, abandon all disbelief and critical thinking, and ye, er, you, will be just fine.
Walt is about as successful at being undercover as he is in concealing his attraction to Vic. It seems that most of the small town in which he's masquerading as an insurance underwriter looking into a fire that destroyed a barn, house and any number of horses quickly susses out his real identity, or at least suspect him for the law. Nevertheless, there's a pretty good twisty plot here, along with some rather fantastical cowboy culture action. As usual, Johnson casts a good sense of place and in Longmire, has created a very likable hero who is vulnerable, getting on in years, stoic and yet yearning for a deep relationship to fill the empty slot left by his deceased wife. But what really makes these stories work is the ensemble cast that Johnson has created as foils for Longmire to play off of-- Henry Standing Bear (aka "the Cheyenne Nation"), Vic Moretti, under-sheriff and love interest, Dog, a huge mixed breed that seems an ever present sidekick to Walt, to name but a few.
Yet despite this diverse cast of characters, The Dark Horse really limits their participation, much to my chagrin. We do get a smattering of Henry and Vic and a good bit of Dog, but on the whole, this is Walt's show. An argument could be made that without these other cast members, the story lost a half-star or so. Perhaps, but I found myself enjoying it nonetheless. Remember, ye who enter herein, abandon all disbelief and critical thinking, and ye, er, you, will be just fine.
June 21, 2018
The writing by Craig Johnson and the Audible narration by George Guidall are as soothing as a rambling horse ride through the mountains of Wyoming. They are a perfect match.
In #5 of the Longmire mystery series, Sheriff Walter Longmire is unsure Mary Barsad should have been arrested for the arson of her house and the murder of her husband, even though she has confessed to the crimes. Walt goes undercover because the crime was not committed in his jurisdiction, and he discovers mob involvement with a twist at the end.
One of my favorite characteristics of Craig Johnson’s writing is his humorous use of nicknames like ‘Double Tuff’, ‘Little Outlaw’, ‘Man from Uncle’ and ‘Wa Hoo Sue’. In addition, his phrases of “Boy Howdy” and “The -Ar Saloon” make this a very fun listen. 4.5 stars.
In #5 of the Longmire mystery series, Sheriff Walter Longmire is unsure Mary Barsad should have been arrested for the arson of her house and the murder of her husband, even though she has confessed to the crimes. Walt goes undercover because the crime was not committed in his jurisdiction, and he discovers mob involvement with a twist at the end.
One of my favorite characteristics of Craig Johnson’s writing is his humorous use of nicknames like ‘Double Tuff’, ‘Little Outlaw’, ‘Man from Uncle’ and ‘Wa Hoo Sue’. In addition, his phrases of “Boy Howdy” and “The -Ar Saloon” make this a very fun listen. 4.5 stars.
February 10, 2014
Craig Johnson is always a sure thing. Walt, Vic, Henry and Dog are back with a risky, fly by the seat of your pants, covert operation. Walt has taken on a case where the accused is just not fitting his criteria of a murderer and in all good conscience cannot let this sleeping dog lie. A woman is accused of killing her husband and burning down their house and barn. It just so happens that it was located out in one of the roughest parts of the Wyoming countryside. Walt goes sleuthing around under the guise of an insurance agent and gets himself, as usual, stuck right in the middle of some very shady back country folk. They are not used to outsiders and Walt sticks out like a sore thumb. The whole gang is back with some very endearing and villainous new characters that CJ is a master at creating.
The Longmire series is the best, each book is originally clever and exciting. The rare and comfortable relationships between the characters and Walt's layered personality, consistently keep the stories interesting and colorful. George Guidall's narrative and Craig Johnson's writing are a brilliant combination that are without exception, amusing and highly entertaining.
The Longmire series is the best, each book is originally clever and exciting. The rare and comfortable relationships between the characters and Walt's layered personality, consistently keep the stories interesting and colorful. George Guidall's narrative and Craig Johnson's writing are a brilliant combination that are without exception, amusing and highly entertaining.
May 4, 2022
This series is really fun to read; the story is interesting, but the characters are more so. I loved the Longmire TV series, but the books are probably better although the show influenced my reading because I think of the actors when I read the books.
There were so many fun characters in this book that I had trouble keeping up with them. We have the usual Walt and Vic, a perfect pair who balance each other well, Henry Standing Bear who seems to somehow turn up when he's needed but least expected. But there were many non-regulars that added so much. The dry humor that is never overdone is pretty constant. It all makes me wish I lived a little further east (but not too much further). But I probably wouldn't last long; I'm sure it's not as ideal as it sometimes seems.
There were so many fun characters in this book that I had trouble keeping up with them. We have the usual Walt and Vic, a perfect pair who balance each other well, Henry Standing Bear who seems to somehow turn up when he's needed but least expected. But there were many non-regulars that added so much. The dry humor that is never overdone is pretty constant. It all makes me wish I lived a little further east (but not too much further). But I probably wouldn't last long; I'm sure it's not as ideal as it sometimes seems.
September 17, 2019
4.5 stars. I love all of these book-people, love the world and the mysteries are always damn good. And though this was all those things that I love about the series, this one was maybe just a little more slow-paced. Still worth listening to.
And George Guidall is still one of my very favorite voices to listen to!
And George Guidall is still one of my very favorite voices to listen to!
August 16, 2017
Audiobook
First off, the narration was good although I wish he wouldn't have made Walt Longmire sound so old. Henry Standing Bear, who is the same age, didn't sound quite as old. I do realize that he fought in Vietnam and would be close to 70, but still I didn't want him sounding that old.
The story itself dragged a little in places. The mystery was easy to figure out from the beginning. Anyway, good mystery/great series.
First off, the narration was good although I wish he wouldn't have made Walt Longmire sound so old. Henry Standing Bear, who is the same age, didn't sound quite as old. I do realize that he fought in Vietnam and would be close to 70, but still I didn't want him sounding that old.
The story itself dragged a little in places. The mystery was easy to figure out from the beginning. Anyway, good mystery/great series.
October 1, 2012
Book Number Five in the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson. Walt is working undercover in a neighboring county, seeking evidence that a murder suspect currently housed in his jail is not guilty of the murder to which she has confessed.
The story is told in alternating chapters with the first chapter being set in the present, and the next set several days ago when Walt first became involved with the case. The chapters continue to alternate with the "present" advancing in time as the investigation progresses, and the "past" moving forward in time towards the present.
Kate Barsad is accused of shooting her husband, Wade, six times with a rifle while he was asleep in their bed - and she allegedly shot him shortly after he set fire to their barn, burning the barn, part of the house, and all their horses. Of course Walt discovers what really happened, and solves the inevitable additional murders that happen during the investigation, but it is Wyoming and the people Walt encounters that make the story impossible to put down. Well, the characters and the humor of course. Walt has his dog, Dog, with him on this trip and that leads to some of the best dialog around.
"I locked the car, set the alarm so that it wouldn’t go off with movement inside, took a deep breath, and told Dog not to play with the radio; it was our joke—he knew he could play with the radio if he wanted."
And writing like that will keep me coming back for more.
The story is told in alternating chapters with the first chapter being set in the present, and the next set several days ago when Walt first became involved with the case. The chapters continue to alternate with the "present" advancing in time as the investigation progresses, and the "past" moving forward in time towards the present.
Kate Barsad is accused of shooting her husband, Wade, six times with a rifle while he was asleep in their bed - and she allegedly shot him shortly after he set fire to their barn, burning the barn, part of the house, and all their horses. Of course Walt discovers what really happened, and solves the inevitable additional murders that happen during the investigation, but it is Wyoming and the people Walt encounters that make the story impossible to put down. Well, the characters and the humor of course. Walt has his dog, Dog, with him on this trip and that leads to some of the best dialog around.
"I locked the car, set the alarm so that it wouldn’t go off with movement inside, took a deep breath, and told Dog not to play with the radio; it was our joke—he knew he could play with the radio if he wanted."
And writing like that will keep me coming back for more.
November 27, 2015
The last two in the series have not won me over, and I was beginning to think I should give it up as an unlucky fluke. An then this one came along an gave me faith. The last two have either been set in a big city (Philadelphia) or dealt with Vietnam. This one however, goes back to the region that suits Longmire best - the Wyoming plains.
Johnson appears to be more comfortable when dealing with horses, and the countryside, and the local characters that make up these small hard plains towns. Thus, this one flowed beautifully, and I didn't guess the villian, although I had a good crack. You might know who that villian is, but another 50 pages will transpire to catch them and get out of the sticky situation our characters are all in.
The phrase: I didn't catch your name; and the reply are cleverly done here. Look out for it and enjoy, as it sums up the laconic nature of the novel.
I hope the others continue in this vein and not like the previous two - which were no way as much fun and intrigue.
Johnson appears to be more comfortable when dealing with horses, and the countryside, and the local characters that make up these small hard plains towns. Thus, this one flowed beautifully, and I didn't guess the villian, although I had a good crack. You might know who that villian is, but another 50 pages will transpire to catch them and get out of the sticky situation our characters are all in.
The phrase: I didn't catch your name; and the reply are cleverly done here. Look out for it and enjoy, as it sums up the laconic nature of the novel.
I hope the others continue in this vein and not like the previous two - which were no way as much fun and intrigue.
April 4, 2024
Longmire goes undercover
Sein Kumpel Sandy, der Sheriff des Nachbarcountys, bittet Sheriff Walt Longmire, ihm eine Gefangene abzunehmen. Mary Barsad soll ihren Mann mit sechs Schüssen in den Kopf getötet haben. Doch Walt hat das Gefühl, da ist irgendetwas faul. Mary wurde mit der Waffe in der Hand gefunden. Die Farm ist abgebrannt und einige Pferde sind umgekommen. Zuvor ist ihre Lieblingsstute verschwunden. Mary hätte ein Motiv. Aber sie macht keine klare Aussage zu den Geschehnissen. Deshalb ermittelt Walt verdeckt. Er gibt sich als Versicherungsvertreter aus, der die Brandursache klären soll. Schnell stößt Longmire auf Ungereimtheiten, denen er nachgehen muss.
Im fünften Band um Sheriff Walt Longmire glaubt Walt nicht an das Geständnis der offensichtlichen Täterin. Doch Mary verteidigt sich nicht. Sie ist so erstarrt, dass sie vor den Geschworenen wohl schlechte Karten haben wird. Gemeinsam mit Dog (seinem Hund) mietet sich Longmire im Motel des Nachbarortes ein. Dort lernt er die junge Juana und ihren Sohn Benjamin kennen, die ihm das Zimmer verschafft. Ihr Chef will eigentlich nicht vermieten, angeblich funktioniert das Bad nicht. Auch eine Art, mit den Leuten ins Gespräch zu kommen. Bald macht sich Walt auf zur Farm der Barsads, vielleicht sind in den Ruinen doch noch Spuren zu finden.
Diese Mischung aus Western und Kriminalroman hat einfach was. In diesem Roman läuft die Handlung über knapp zwei Wochen, zum einen von der Ankunft der Gefangenen in Longmires Gefängnis und zum anderen während seiner Ermittlung bei den Barsads. Die knappen und prägnanten Beschreibungen lassen die Landschaft Wyomings vor einem erstehen. Wenn man die TV-Serie kennt, meint man Walt mit Dog durch die Gegend gehen zu sehen. Seine ruhige und doch intelligente Art, mit der er sich nicht so schnell was vormachen lässt. Manchmal merken die Menschen garnicht, wie er ihnen Informationen entlockt. Dabei hat er Humor und erweckt Vertrauen. Und doch bracht er manchmal Hilfe. Dass dieser Fall für ihn selbst gefährlich werden könnte, denkt er nicht. Wie man sich da doch täuschen kann. Spannend und mit einer überraschenden Auflösung ist dies ein toller Krimi aus einer Reihe, die gerne weiterempfohlen wird.
Sein Kumpel Sandy, der Sheriff des Nachbarcountys, bittet Sheriff Walt Longmire, ihm eine Gefangene abzunehmen. Mary Barsad soll ihren Mann mit sechs Schüssen in den Kopf getötet haben. Doch Walt hat das Gefühl, da ist irgendetwas faul. Mary wurde mit der Waffe in der Hand gefunden. Die Farm ist abgebrannt und einige Pferde sind umgekommen. Zuvor ist ihre Lieblingsstute verschwunden. Mary hätte ein Motiv. Aber sie macht keine klare Aussage zu den Geschehnissen. Deshalb ermittelt Walt verdeckt. Er gibt sich als Versicherungsvertreter aus, der die Brandursache klären soll. Schnell stößt Longmire auf Ungereimtheiten, denen er nachgehen muss.
Im fünften Band um Sheriff Walt Longmire glaubt Walt nicht an das Geständnis der offensichtlichen Täterin. Doch Mary verteidigt sich nicht. Sie ist so erstarrt, dass sie vor den Geschworenen wohl schlechte Karten haben wird. Gemeinsam mit Dog (seinem Hund) mietet sich Longmire im Motel des Nachbarortes ein. Dort lernt er die junge Juana und ihren Sohn Benjamin kennen, die ihm das Zimmer verschafft. Ihr Chef will eigentlich nicht vermieten, angeblich funktioniert das Bad nicht. Auch eine Art, mit den Leuten ins Gespräch zu kommen. Bald macht sich Walt auf zur Farm der Barsads, vielleicht sind in den Ruinen doch noch Spuren zu finden.
Diese Mischung aus Western und Kriminalroman hat einfach was. In diesem Roman läuft die Handlung über knapp zwei Wochen, zum einen von der Ankunft der Gefangenen in Longmires Gefängnis und zum anderen während seiner Ermittlung bei den Barsads. Die knappen und prägnanten Beschreibungen lassen die Landschaft Wyomings vor einem erstehen. Wenn man die TV-Serie kennt, meint man Walt mit Dog durch die Gegend gehen zu sehen. Seine ruhige und doch intelligente Art, mit der er sich nicht so schnell was vormachen lässt. Manchmal merken die Menschen garnicht, wie er ihnen Informationen entlockt. Dabei hat er Humor und erweckt Vertrauen. Und doch bracht er manchmal Hilfe. Dass dieser Fall für ihn selbst gefährlich werden könnte, denkt er nicht. Wie man sich da doch täuschen kann. Spannend und mit einer überraschenden Auflösung ist dies ein toller Krimi aus einer Reihe, die gerne weiterempfohlen wird.
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