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Craig Johnson Share.
Libby Kamrowski, The Spokesman-Review

By Charles Apple

Craig Johnson is: a: former police officer, b: a native West Virginian transplanted to Wyoming and c: without a doubt, the best-known resident of Ucross, which has a total population of 25.

The reason for his notoriety: He's the creator of Sheriff Walt Longmire, star of 18 mystery novels, 2 novellas, 3 e-books and a collection of short stories and who was portrayed by Robert Taylor on six seasons of “Longmire” on A&E and Netflix between 2012 and 2017.

Johnson's 19th “Longmire” novel was released Tuesday. Wednesday, he'll be the guest at The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages Book Club event. Here's a look at Johnson's “Longmire” books:

The Cold Dish: March 5th, 2004

Someone seeks deadly vengeance against four high school boys given suspended sentences in an assault two years before.

Death Without Company: March 16th, 2006

The poisoning death of a woman in an assisted living home leads Longmire to his mentor, the former sheriff.

Kindness Goes Unpunished: April 4, 2007

Longmire's daughter, involved in a political scandal, is attacked and left nearly dead in Philadelphia.

Another Man's Moccasins, Johnson's forth book.
Another Man's Moccasins: May 29, 2008

Longmire investigates the murder of a Vietnamese woman with a strange tie to his own past.

The Dark Horse, Johnson's fifth book.
The Dark Horse, May 28, 2009

Something doesn't quite ring true to Longmire in the confession of a woman who shot her husband in the head six times.

Junkyard Dogs, Johnson's sixth book.
Junkyard Dogs, Oct. 22, 2010

Owners of a multimillion-dollar development want to get rid of a nearby junkyard. And then someone turns up dead.

Hell Is Empty: Oct. 7, 20011

Tasked with transporting a dangerously psychopathic Native American murderer, Longmire realizes something's not quite right.

Divorce Horse: April 16, 2012

EBOOK: Walt and his daughter set out in search of a missing racehorse — just as tourist season begins in the area.

As The Crow Flies: June 1, 2012

Longmire balances trying to keep his daughter's wedding arrangements on track with investigating an apparent suicide.

Christmas In Absaroka County: Dec. 4, 2012

E-BOOK: Four short stories show Longmire coping with the death of his wife and other holiday concerns.

Messenger: April 23, 2013

E-BOOK: Longmire and his allies respond to a distress call resulting from an attack by bears — and, perhaps, by another mysterious creature.

A Serpent's Tooth: June 4, 2013

Longmire and his allies get caught between an exiled boy and a group of polygamists who are armed and very good at keeping secrets.

Spirit of Steamboat: Oct. 17, 2013

NOVELLA: Longmire and his retired predecessor as sheriff are transported by the ghost of Christmas past to 1988.

Any Other Name: May 13, 2014

A detective in the next county over appears to have killed himself. Longmire investigates, even as his grandchild is about to be born.

Wait For Signs: Oct. 21, 2014

SHORT STORIES: Collects a dozen of the original Longmire short stories Johnson began writing a decade before.

Dry Bones: May 12, 2015

A complete T. Rex skeleton is uncovered, but when the landowner turns up dead, Longmire must deal with battling interests.

The Highwayman: May 17, 2016

NOVELLA: A Wyoming highway patrol officer receives “officer needs assistance” calls from a long-dead officer.

The Western Star: Sept. 5, 2017

Longmire is reminded of a time sheriffs in Wyoming met for an extended train journey — meeting curious characters along the way.

An Obvious Fact, Johnson's Nineteenth book.
An Obvious Fact: Sept. 13, 2017

Longmire is called in to investigate after a young motorcyclist is run off the road and nearly killed at a rally near Devil's Tower.

Depth Of Winter, Johnson's Twenteth book
Depth of Winter: Sept. 4, 2018

Longmire rushes to the Mexican desert after his daughter is kidnapped by a drug cartel and U.S. officials offer little help.

Land Of Wolves, Johnson's twenty first book
Land Of Wolves: Sept. 17, 2019

Recovering from his ordeal in Mexico, Longmire deals with a wolf prowling the mountains, a killer on the loose and irate townspeople.

Next To Last Stand, Johnson's twenty second book
Land Of Wolves: Sept. 22, 2020

Longmire lends a hand to help solve the mystery of a painting supposedly destroyed in 1946 and a shoebox containing $1 million.

Daughter of the Morning Star, Johnson's twenty third book
Daughter of the Morning Star: Sept. 21, 2021

A high school basketball star is missing. And then his sister — also a hoops standout — starts receiving death threats.

Hell and back Johnson's twenty fourth book
Hell and Back, Sept. 6, 2022

A man wakes up after a tragic 1896 boarding school fire that killed 30 young boys and discovers he's Walt Longmire. But is he?

Northwest Passages Logo

Tomorrow, Johnson will be the guest at a Northwest Passages book club event at the Bing Crosby Theater. He'll speak about himself, and his new book, releasing today: The Longmire Defense, which Publisher's Weekly describes as “presenting a dizzying number of red herrings” and keeping “readers deliciously off-balance throughout.”

Purchase tickets for the book club event here!
The Longmire Defense, Johnson's twenty fifth book
Sources: CraigAllenJohnson.com, Penguin Random House, FantasticFiction.com, GoodReads.com, Publishers Weekly, Amazon.com, Encyclopedia.com, Internet Movie Database, Bozeman Daily Chronicle

This edition of Further Review was adapted for the web by Zak Curley.