Title: Land of Wolves by Craig Johnson
Walt Longmire Mysteries Book Fifteen
Publisher: Viking
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
The new novel in Craig Johnson’s beloved New York Times bestselling Longmire series.
Attempting to recover from his harrowing experiences in Mexico, in Land of Wolves Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire is neck deep in the investigation of what could or could not be the suicidal hanging of a shepherd. With unsettling connections to a Basque family with a reputation for removing the legs of Absaroka County sheriffs, matters become even more complicated with the appearance of an oversize wolf in the Big Horn Mountains to which Walt finds himself feeling more and more empathetic.
Review:
Land of Wolves by Craig Johnson is a riveting mystery set in Wyoming. Although this newest release is the fifteenth installment in the Walt Longmire Mysteries series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Sheriff Walt Longmire is still recovering from injuries he received in Mexico. He and his undersheriff Victoria “Vic” Moretti are on the scene of mutilated sheep when they discover the body of shepherd Miguel Hernandez. The deceased works for local sheep rancher Abarrane “Abe” Extepare who claims to have no information about what could have happened to his employee. Walt, Vic and Deputy Santiago Saizarbitoria are soon stymied as their investigation fails to uncover a suspect or motive for the crime.
Walt is mostly physically recovered from his ordeal in Mexico although he really should take more time off from work to recover. He is rather introspective as he and Vic try to figure out what exactly happened to Miguel. Experiencing unexpected ambivalence about his career, Walt makes decisions that could have deadly consequences as he goes to extraordinary lengths to help the people in his jurisdiction.
Land of Wolves is a very atmospheric, intriguing mystery. The setting springs vibrantly to life through wonderfully descriptive prose. The dialogue is peppered with laugh out loud humor. The investigation is a bit slow starter due to lack of evidence but it soon goes in very unexpected directions. With a shocking plot twist, Craig Johnson brings this clever mystery to a satisfying conclusion. Old and new fans of the Walt Longmire Mysteries are going to love this newest addition to this fabulous series.
