THE LONGMIRE DEFENSE - Craig Johnson


 In this 19th book in the Walter Longmire series, Walt, the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming, finds a new piece of evidence to an old crime. But it's not just any old crime - this one is linked to Walt's grandfather. Back when Walt was only 15, he'd heard about an incident in which a man was shot and killed while out hunting with his friends.  The gun used to kill the man was never found and the group of hunters had each other as alibis - such as it was. 

Walt believes he's found the murder weapon from this many-decades old crime. It's an unusual gun and the more Walt looks into this, the more convinced he is that his grandfather committed the murder.  

Walt and his grandfather didn't get along and Walt doesn't have any good memories of the old man (Walt let his grandfather's property fall into ruin) and his objectivity in this case is in question by everyone who knows the sheriff. But Walt is nothing if not strong-willed and determined.

But the murder that happened two generations prior still resonates today in the halls of politicians and big business and Walt's investigating stirs up a hornets nest with some who would be happy to make Walt and his doggedness disappear.

Meanwhile, Walt off-handedly suggests to Vic that they should get married.  Not exactly the sort of proposal Vic was looking for, and she disappears to think things over.

I enjoy the Walt Longmire series.  Walt's the classic tough-guy hero that you look for in escapist mystery fiction. This is the sort of book you could pick up and not have to worry about whether you've read any of the previous books in the series - everything you need to know happens in front of you.

I appreciated this close-to-home mystery as well.  It branches out just enough that the bad guys aren't neighbors, but it's not the big cartel/international terrorists kind of plot (those books were getting a bit far-fetched for me).

This is a quick read, with plenty of action that should keep the reader turning pages. If you haven't tried a Longmire book this is as fine a place to start as any other.

Looking for a good book? The Longmire Defense by Craig Johnson is a worthy addition to the Walt Longmire series.  Walt is a tough, modern-day cowboy detective who deals with problems directly ("I'll throw you throw that window") which is much appreciated.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

* * * * * *

The Longmire Defense

author: Craig Johnson

series: Walt Longmire #19

publisher: Viking

ISBN: 9780593297315

hardcover, 368 pages

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