The Longmire Defense
Craig Johnson
Walt Longmire faces one of his most challenging crime scenes as he tries to reckon with the revelations of his last case where he confronted the ghosts of his past and questioned the very nature of justice and mercy in the hard country of the West. Deep in the heart of the Wyoming countryside, Sheriff of Absaroka County, Walt Longmire, is called to a crime scene like few others that he has seen. This crime brings up issues that go back to Walt's grandfather's time in Wyoming, as the revelations he learns about his grandfather come back to offer clues and motives for Walt's investigation. more
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published Viking
4.59
Rating
6526
Ratings
584
Reviews
Craig Johnson
93 books 4454 followers
Librarian 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.
Community reviews
This one felt like a return to the strengths of the series, for those who have followed Sheriff Walt from the beginning. No narco-terrorists, no supernatural stirrings . just good old-fashioned greed and financial skulduggery. Walt is, finally, feeling his age after his last adventures. He is dogging it a bit, trying to figure out if retirement is something he desires. more
Walt is investigating a cold case with a very personal connection. When he was 15, his father mentioned an incident at a hunting camp years before; grandfather and some of his cronies had gone hunting, and one of them was shot. Walt believes his grandfather was the shooter, but the investigation involves old guns, bullets, research, and some very ruthless people, who don't want Walt digging into this case. He is about to find out how much the importance of money tops everything to these people as the story draws to a very compelling conclusion (including revelations in Walt's personal life). Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC. more
Somehow Craig Johnson finds ways to escalate the ongoing saga of Walt Longmire, with fresh takes on his personal life as they play against the cases he comes up against. This latest episode is particularly revelatory in that it focuses attention on his complicated history, most notably that between him and his grandfather. The audio version is further enhanced by the narration by George Guidall, one of my favorites, whose delivery has been a feature I've looked forward to for some time now. more
“The Longmire Defense” is the 19th book in the “Longmire” mystery series, continuing the fictional adventures of Walt Longmire, Sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming; his daughter, Cady, the world’s greatest lawyer; his best friend, Henry Standing Bear; his loyal and outspoken deputy, Vic Moretti; his loyal and less outspoken deputy, and Dog, his faithful animal companion. When we last left our fearless law enforcement officer at the end of the last book, “Hell and Back”, we left our aging hero bruised, beaten up, and suffering emotional trauma from both his physical challenges and haunted spiritual dreams. Walt is now back home, trying to settle down back into his county sheriff role and normal life, and recovering from his recent traumatic experiences. When “The Longmire Defense” starts, we find our hero, Walt Longmire, trying to recover from the serious injuries he sustained in his last book, as well as trying to spend quality time with his daughter and granddaughter. However, Vic comes along and pulls him and his trusty Dog away from his peaceful bliss to help her on a search for a young lady from out-of-town who’s car got stuck in the mountains and needs rescuing. more
Okay, here’s the thing, I’m a fan of the Longmire series having read every book and, while I try to remain neutral when it comes to my book reviews, it’s possible I may be a little biased towards every book in the series. Be that as it may, I felt this was one of the stronger books with a deep exploration into Walt’s past and his relationship with his grandfather. The 19th book in the Walt Longmire series finds the Absaroka County sheriff working on the coldest of cold case murders you can possibly come across. It’s a case that somehow involves his grandfather and, before it’s over, is going to draw all kinds of attention from powers within the state capital. A woman gets herself lost during a snowstorm high in the Bighorn Mountains and Walt sets out to find her. more
This is an interesting entry in the Walt Longmire series. Walt sets out to discover something about his grandfather and stirs up a hornets nest in the process. There's trouble close to home in his romantic relationship also and I just had to believe that Craig Johnson would provide a good resolution. I was happy with the ending. My favorite quote, which might just sum up the book, as it felt like a game of strategy:"This is a chess game, Heller, and you're playing checkers. more
There are books you buy and cannot wait to read and leave the other books you were reading lying on the reading pile. The Longmire books are ones you lease for a rainy Day so you can enjoy them when you need Longmire most. This year it is the second Longmire novel to be read. This time it is a straightforward book about Walt and his connection with his grandfather Longmire. Walt picks up a coldcase which might involve his grandfather being a murderer. more
Craig Johnson returns to the tried and true Longmire formula in this latest installment--excellent. . more
George Guidall Is again the narrator for this 19th audiobook in this series. And man, have I missed his work…. Love you, Mr. Guidall. Solid, well done mystery novel. more
"“They’re gonna kill you. ” I looked down at the ground. “Maybe. ” “No maybe to it, they’re out there looking for somebody to do the job, and if they can’t find anybody to do it, they’ll do it themselves. ”""“. more
Walt and a Family MysteryWalt tracks a lost county visitor into the back country and finds a uniquely expensive old weapon sticking out from under a boulder. It’s a match for the weapon who killed a friend of Walt’s father back in the 40’s at his Grandfather’s elk camp. Walt being Walt feels a responsibility to investigate this more than half a century old murder. Before he knows what hit him, Walt has started a firestorm of controversy involving the State Treasury Department, the Attorney General’s Office and even his old friend Lucien Conelley seems to be holding out on him and is holding a grudge. What Walt needs to know is if his grandfather killed his father’s friend and one time bank manager for nefarious reasons, and how it is involved with incidents happening now. more
What a great story. I just love it when we are told some history about a favorite charater. The Longmire Defense by Craig Johnson is by far one of the best books about Walt Longmire in many years. How do you solve a death that is 70 years old. You don't know if it was murder or not and you don't have any evidence. more
Another winner in the Longmire series. What starts as a cold case that involved Lloyd Longmire, Sheriff Walt Longmire’s grandfather, leads to a modern day political thriller. Since it had been a year or so since Craig Johnson’s last novel, I’d forgotten how truly excellent his writing is. In the fictional Absaroka county in Wyoming, his characters are ranchers who appreciate country life. The dialogue and tone fit perfectly. more
"Boy howdy". for those of you that have read most if not all of the Longmire series, this is a perfect description of how I feel after finishing this book. This just might be my favorite book, I laughed & I cried a bit. The book is about a cold case involving Walt's deceased grandfather, Walt's feelings about this man, and a cast of characters that keep you guessing. Who did it. more
This book caught me with the first page. This Longmire story made me think if the first books in the series…Walt is one of a kind. What a man. more
This is a wonderful Longmire mystery, both revisiting what makes the best Longmire stories so wonderful (including extended literary references, this time The Count of Monte Cristo) and advancing the long-arc characters stories. I enjoyed every page of this one. . more
read it in a day and a halfAwesome book and one of the best longmore moved in a long time. Great pace, funny, witty, and all the best characters. . more
Walt takes a lot of hits in this one. It starts with his grandfather and learning not good things about him, while having not good memories of him either. And Walt being Walt, he can't leave things alone and starts looking into the past. Soon things start snowballing, people are getting hurt, Walt is running all over the state, shady people seem to be after him and suddenly he has no deputies. Walt seems all alone, even Henry is not there supporting Walt like normal. more
Loved this book. A return to the Walt Longmire books I have enjoyed reading for years. What a great ending that I did not see coming. Thanks Craig Johnson. . more
Ah, a very down to earth mystery for my favorite Wyoming sheriff, Walt Longmire. It all starts when Walt finds his grandfather's long-lost rifle; a rifle believed to be the weapon involved in the shooting death, many years earlier, of the state treasurer. Was dear old granddad a murderer. Of course Walt starts digging--asking questions, rummaging in old files (state, medical, and newspaper). In the course of his investigation all sorts of interested parties want to either talk to Walt or get their hands on the infamous rifle. more
Walt Longmire keeps improving with each outing…. I adore this character and his tales. more
Loved the book. But the best part was getting to hear, meet and getting it signed by Craig Johnson at Half Price Books in Dallas. He could not have been more pleasant and inviting meeting 100 people, but he took the time to talk and ask questions of everyone. Very nice experience. more
If I could give a title to this review it would be: "Annnnd He's Baaaackkk. " Meaning both Craig Johnson (the author) *and* Walt Longmire - his protagonist/hero. After the epic weirdness of the previous Longmire book, To Hell and Back, I was leery of this book. But, I had a few digital credits and decided to take the plunge and buy it. I'm so glad I did. more
Craig Johnson's last couple of books took Walt Longmire far away from his beloved Absaroka County and some of his diehard readers were less than pleased. While every author should have the opportunity to stretch their creative muscle, Johnson had already built an impressive world set in the vast and rugged Wyoming landscape with a much loved cast of characters, and fans wanted more of the same. They wanted more of Henry and Ruby and Lucian and Sancho and Dog and Cady and Lola and Vic. They wanted Walt to have "the usual" at The Busy Bee. They missed the "Beautiful Day at The Red Pony and Continual Soiree. more
5 starsI love Longmire. Every time it is time to pick up a new novel in series I wonder if they can still continue to hold me as they did the past. Each one continues to be great. The Walt Longmire character exudes the image of a Wyoming county sheriff overshadowed by the Big Horn Mountains. In this novel, while searching for a missing young woman who stranded herself in the mountains when her car gets stuck in the Spring snow of the mountains, Walt (or rather Dog) discovers a buried vintage rifle. more
BOOK REPORTY’all. I’m at the point with this series where it does not matter whether the story is good or bad. All I care about is getting to spend some time in Absaroka County with Henry Standing Bear, Ruby, Walt, and Lucian. In that order. Comfort food for my soul. more
At long last, a return to form for Walt Longmire. I really enjoyed this novel, which is something I haven’t been able to say about the last few books. Some favorite supporting characters are under used in this book, but I can overlook that since the story is so good. Boots firmly planted in the real world, Walt draws an undue amount of attention from politicians and professional killers after discovering a rifle that could be the murder weapon in a decades old case involving his grandfather. . more
The nineteenth novel in the Walt Longmire series brings the reader back to the Sheriff that we all are used to. It seems as though he has for now beaten his demons back and has returned to his some-what normal existence. With his daughter and granddaughter visiting from Cheyenne, he has been taking some time off to recover from the ordeal he went through in Hell and Back. But duty calls when undersheriff Vic Moretti shows up with news that a Minnesota woman is missing after getting herself turned around following the directions from her GPS. With his trusty sidekick Dog, they head out to try and locate the woman. more
Love this series. Wonderful characters and the narrator is so good. Have listened to the whole series. Skip #18- strange blip. more