REVIEW: The Cold Dish

The Cold Dish
Author: Craig Johnson

I loved the Longmire television series. When I first started watching it, I did not realize it was based on a book series by Craig Johnson. Usually I have a rule that I read the books first before watching a television or movie adaption of a story....but this time, I did things backwards. Turns out....that's ok. The television series is a lot different than the books.

For those who watched the television series, the characters are similar...but different at the same time. My two favorite side characters in the books...and the show....are Vic Moretti and Henry Standing Bear. In the books, Vic is much more mouthy. There were moments that her commentary made me laugh out loud as I read. She pops off at Longmire most of the time, but she is very skilled at her job and has a deep affection for her boss. Henry Standing Bear has been a friend of Longmire's since they served in Vietnam. They are truly friends, and Longmire knows when to call on Henry for help. One line from the show that is directly from the book made me smile. Henry answers the phone at his bar "It is a beautiful day at the Red Pony and continual soiree.'' LOL I love it!

In this first book, a teenager is found dead in Absaroka County near the reservation. Turns out, the boy was involved in the rape of a Cheyenne girl. He and three other boys got off lightly, despite the fact the girl was mentally challenged. As Longmire and his officers investigate the killing, he realizes the other boys might also be in danger. It's a race to find out who is seeking revenge before all of the boys are dead.

I listened to the audio version of this book (Recorded Books). Narrated by George Guidall, the audio is just shy of 13.5 hours long. Guidall gives a great performance! I like his voice and he does a great job of voice acting. Awesome listening experience!