Author: Craig Johnson
Publisher: Viking Adult (May 27, 2010)
Format: Hardcover; Pgs 320
Genre: Mystery
Source: Library
Series:Walt Longmire #6
I wish that someone could explain why Craig Johnson would sell the name, to a wonderful book series, to a group of writers and producers that have apparently never read the books. If you are expecting to find the very lacking “Longmire Series” within these pages you will be disappointed.
The books are outstanding, the characterizations human, the humor is so dry and sudden that you wonder how you are laughing at serious situation, yet knowing all along that anyone who swears that the TV serialization of Longmire is the best show on television, does not get half of what Walt is about.
You just know it is not going to be a good day when you get calls that an old car is dragging an old man into town by a rope. Nope, not a good day, but for Walt Longmire it is not as bizarre as it sounds. Neither is the severed thumb that turns up in the local junkyard.
As far as I can tell, it all boils down to the thumb and Walt’s need to keep Santiago on the job. If it had not been for this tiny little thing, Walt would not have dug his feet into the on goings at the junkyard, he would not have been treated as a chew toy by a jealous psycho dog. Santiago would not be having second and third thoughts about leaving Durant and Walt would have had enough time to spend with Victoria in her obsessive house hunt.
Now of course there was the whole thing about the housing development that borders the junkyard, but with all the characters and plotlines and sub-plotlines and sub-sub-plotlines, I just held on and hoped that in some way it would all come together without Walt’s elementary school teacher being caught up in anymore embarrassing situations.
If you are looking for a hardboiled murder mystery, this is not going to fill that need. If you are looking for a series with interesting people in an interesting place, then you have found a gem. This particular book is a little twisty, but the humor and dialog will keep you glued to the pages. Do yourself a favor, start at the beginning, learn the people and the places and realize that it is not a bad thing to laugh at other peoples misfortunes. I know that sounds bad, but Walt Longmire has a way of turning the negative into a very humorous situation.
The books are outstanding, the characterizations human, the humor is so dry and sudden that you wonder how you are laughing at serious situation, yet knowing all along that anyone who swears that the TV serialization of Longmire is the best show on television, does not get half of what Walt is about.
You just know it is not going to be a good day when you get calls that an old car is dragging an old man into town by a rope. Nope, not a good day, but for Walt Longmire it is not as bizarre as it sounds. Neither is the severed thumb that turns up in the local junkyard.
As far as I can tell, it all boils down to the thumb and Walt’s need to keep Santiago on the job. If it had not been for this tiny little thing, Walt would not have dug his feet into the on goings at the junkyard, he would not have been treated as a chew toy by a jealous psycho dog. Santiago would not be having second and third thoughts about leaving Durant and Walt would have had enough time to spend with Victoria in her obsessive house hunt.
Now of course there was the whole thing about the housing development that borders the junkyard, but with all the characters and plotlines and sub-plotlines and sub-sub-plotlines, I just held on and hoped that in some way it would all come together without Walt’s elementary school teacher being caught up in anymore embarrassing situations.
If you are looking for a hardboiled murder mystery, this is not going to fill that need. If you are looking for a series with interesting people in an interesting place, then you have found a gem. This particular book is a little twisty, but the humor and dialog will keep you glued to the pages. Do yourself a favor, start at the beginning, learn the people and the places and realize that it is not a bad thing to laugh at other peoples misfortunes. I know that sounds bad, but Walt Longmire has a way of turning the negative into a very humorous situation.
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