Michael @ Knowledge Lost
Walt Longmire is the sheriff of the fictional Wyoming county of Absaroka. His only friend is Henry Standing Bear; together they remind me of a more serious Statler and Waldorf with their self-deprecation. The novel revolves around the death of Cody Pritchard, a man who two years earlier was suspected for raping a Cheyenne girl. Longmire is on the case and Henry helps him by being a liaison between the Sheriff’s office and the Cheyenne reservation in the effort to solve this crime.
I have only watched the first season of Longmire so it is hard to compare between the book and the show. I know Longmire is portrayed as rough and tough in the show but it leaves out a lot of his wit and humour. Deputy Victoria Moretti shows the most change between the book and series; her whole attitude and backstory played out in very different ways. To be honest I do not know why I did not watch any more of this show, I think it was a matter of timing and a busy schedule.
I read this for my Literary Exploration reading challenge and I thought a western with a mystery was the best way to experience this genre. While this novel is full of the typical mystery tropes, this was actually a very entertaining novel. The wry wit and self-deprecation is what worked for me within the novel; it almost makes me want to re-watch the TV show to see what I missed. I am tempted to read more of this series but I fear the formulaic elements will quickly get in the way.
This review originally appeared on my blog: http://literary-exploration.com/2014/11/16/the-cold-dish-by-craig-johnson/