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Walt Longmire #3
Kindness Goes Unpunished
Walt Longmire has been sheriff of Wyoming's Absaroka County for almost a quarter of a century and has meted out justice with charm and a high-powered sense of humor, but when Walt tags along with good friend Henry Standing Bear on a trip to Philadelphia, he's in for a shock. When a vicious attack on his daughter Cady leaves her near death, Walt discovers that she has unwittingly become embroiled in a deadly political cover-up.
With Henry, Deputy Victoria Moretti, the entire Moretti clan of Philadelphia police officers, and Dog as backup, Sheriff Longmire intends to introduce a little western justice from his saddlebag of tricks to the City of Brotherly Love, where no act of kindness goes unpunished.
With Henry, Deputy Victoria Moretti, the entire Moretti clan of Philadelphia police officers, and Dog as backup, Sheriff Longmire intends to introduce a little western justice from his saddlebag of tricks to the City of Brotherly Love, where no act of kindness goes unpunished.
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First published March 15, 2007
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About the author
Craig Johnson
101 books4,983 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Craig Johnson an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. . He lives in Ucross, near Sheridan, Wyoming, population 25.
Johnson has written twelve novels featuring Sheriff Walt Longmire: The Cold Dish, Death Without Company, Kindness Goes Unpunished, Another Man's Moccasins, Junkyard Dogs, The Dark Horse (which received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal, and was named one of Publisher's Weekly's best books of the year in 2009), Hell Is Empty, As The Crow Flies and A Serpent's Tooth. The Cold Dish and The Dark Horse were both Dilys Award finalists, and Death Without Company was named the Wyoming Historical Association's Book of the Year. Another Man's Moccasins received the Western Writers of America Spur Award for best novel of 2008 as well as the Mountains and Plains award for fiction book of the year.
Former police officer; has also worked as an educator, cowboy, and longshoreman.
AWARDS: Tony Hillerman Award for "Old Indian Trick"; fiction book of the year, Wyoming Historical Society, for Death Without Company, Wyoming Council for the Arts Award.
Craig Johnson an American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. . He lives in Ucross, near Sheridan, Wyoming, population 25.
Johnson has written twelve novels featuring Sheriff Walt Longmire: The Cold Dish, Death Without Company, Kindness Goes Unpunished, Another Man's Moccasins, Junkyard Dogs, The Dark Horse (which received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Library Journal, and was named one of Publisher's Weekly's best books of the year in 2009), Hell Is Empty, As The Crow Flies and A Serpent's Tooth. The Cold Dish and The Dark Horse were both Dilys Award finalists, and Death Without Company was named the Wyoming Historical Association's Book of the Year. Another Man's Moccasins received the Western Writers of America Spur Award for best novel of 2008 as well as the Mountains and Plains award for fiction book of the year.
Former police officer; has also worked as an educator, cowboy, and longshoreman.
AWARDS: Tony Hillerman Award for "Old Indian Trick"; fiction book of the year, Wyoming Historical Society, for Death Without Company, Wyoming Council for the Arts Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,740 reviews
September 28, 2014
Although I have yet to see the A&E tv series Longmire, I’m enjoying my trot (well, okay; gallop) through the source material. Walt Longmire, county sheriff, has over twenty-five years in the field and is supervisor of a very small team of deputies. As with many books in the detective fiction, the mystery is deeply imbued with a sense of place, notably the sparsely populated and rugged landscapes of rural Wyoming. As in many mysteries, Longmire has a faithful comrade-in-arms, but instead of the generally dopey Watson stereotype, his companion is a far wiser long-time friend, Henry Running Bear. Henry is a man of seemingly infinite talents and an artistic soul and when in Wyoming, is often Walt’s ambassador to Native reservations.
In this book, Henry is escorting a collection of unusual historical photographs out to an exhibition in Philadelphia. Walt decides the timing is right to meet his daughter Cady’s boyfriend, so the two decide to make a trip of it. It is a bold authorial choice to take your detective hero out of the home environment so early in a series, particularly when your mystery is so intimately tied to the intricacies of the setting. In this case, Johnson wisely continues to integrate setting, letting Walt play tourist to involve a number of prominent locations in the story.
Johnson is gifted at the ‘show, don’t tell’ style of storytelling, and occasionally I find myself pausing, realizing he just dropped an implication. This little gem aptly displays his skill with just a few words:
“‘No, I was just thinking. I do that, sometimes, before I talk.’
Lena smiled, this time with her entire mouth. ‘Not me, robs the evening of all its spontaneity. A little wine, a little truth, and pretty soon you’ve got a real conversation on your hands.’ She took a last sip.
I started to pour us both some more. It seemed like the conversation was getting interesting, and I wasn’t quite ready to leave it.“
This installment stands out in the interplay between Henry and Walt. Although Henry is the primary motivator in making the trip, he ends up nicely balancing support of Walt and Cady with his own work. It’s always interesting to me to see how a writer deals with ethnicity, and I feel Johnson generally avoids turning Henry into a Native trope. Parat of what elevates the characters is the decades-long history between the two, which Johnson illustrates in his usual understated way:
“After Michael left, we sat in chairs on either side of the bed and watched Cady. ‘It was the right thing to do.’
I had been listening to him think it for so long, I wasn’t sure if I needed to reply. ‘Yep.’“
Humor played a more prominent role in this story, although it was often only evident to the reader. I enjoyed Walt’s dry sense of humor, as well as his confidence in wearing his comfortable Western clothes in a major city.
“I opened my coffee and looked at the decisively dark brew. ‘This looks strong.’
‘Espresso, tall, double-shot. I thought you could use it.’ She looked at me. ‘How’s she doing?’
I took a sip and swallowed most of the enamel from my teeth.“
Even I, sports-adverse as I am, laughed at this sports-related one, made as Walt and Henry were taking in a baseball game:
“He looked at me and shook his head. ‘Where do you want to hide the body?’
“I just want to talk to him.’
The Bear pursed his lips. ‘How about behind third; the Phillies have not shown any signs of life there in years.’“
I enjoyed the mystery, although at one or two points, it seemed excessively convoluted, but I felt it unraveled remarkably similar to real life. The emotional complexity as Walt faced certain issues was very interesting, balanced between melodramatic and stoicism. I was perhaps just slightly too obsessive to me, but I’m not a parent, so what do I know? Johnson gives a nice sense of the difference between Walt’s exterior and his interior, no easy feat in a book that focuses on action. Really, it fit me perfectly, suspenseful without being horrific, emotionally sophisticated with complex characters and enough humor to make it palatable. The ending scene would have made me laugh out loud if Johnson didn’t have such a deft hand for pathos. Un-putdownable, I’m already on to the next in the series.
Cross posted at my blog: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/...
September 1, 2016
I may repeat some from previous reviews of Longmire mysteries. I read these books because Longmire is from Wyoming and I was born in Wyoming. However, if either of those things were not the case I would have stopped reading by now.
My favorite thing about the books are the characters and their relationships. That is about all I like.
In Kindness Goes Unpunished, as in previous installments, the story feels contrived and plot points are forced in many places. Because of this, most of it was extremely unbelievable. Also, it is so twisted and confusing, I am not quite sure what the resolution was or why the explanation of what happened made sense.
I will keep reading because of the Wyoming connection, but it is rough!
I am sure I said this before, but if you want good, coherent Wyoming mysteries, try C. J. Box instead!
My favorite thing about the books are the characters and their relationships. That is about all I like.
In Kindness Goes Unpunished, as in previous installments, the story feels contrived and plot points are forced in many places. Because of this, most of it was extremely unbelievable. Also, it is so twisted and confusing, I am not quite sure what the resolution was or why the explanation of what happened made sense.
I will keep reading because of the Wyoming connection, but it is rough!
I am sure I said this before, but if you want good, coherent Wyoming mysteries, try C. J. Box instead!
March 23, 2024
A fish out of water.
Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear travel to Philadelphia. Henry had received an invitation to lecture at the Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts with his Mennonite photograph collection. Walt is hoping for a wonderful visit with his daughter, Cady. But soon after Walt arrives, he finds out that Cady has been badly injured in an attack at the Franklin Insitute. Soon after Walt discovers that Cady has unwittingly become involved in a political cover-up.
With the help of Henry, Dog, Victoria and the rest of the Moretti clan Walt dishes out his own brand of Wyoming justice.
A good read but I missed the Wyoming setting. 3.5 stars.
Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear travel to Philadelphia. Henry had received an invitation to lecture at the Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts with his Mennonite photograph collection. Walt is hoping for a wonderful visit with his daughter, Cady. But soon after Walt arrives, he finds out that Cady has been badly injured in an attack at the Franklin Insitute. Soon after Walt discovers that Cady has unwittingly become involved in a political cover-up.
With the help of Henry, Dog, Victoria and the rest of the Moretti clan Walt dishes out his own brand of Wyoming justice.
A good read but I missed the Wyoming setting. 3.5 stars.
August 31, 2014
I have just had a binge run on the series featuring Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire, and, comparatively speaking, I would put this one over the line into 5 star territory along with the first two of the ten, There is a high point in the trajectory of character development with this one, which compensates for the away game setting of Philadelphia taking from experiencing Walt in his home environment.
His daughter Cady is well established as a lawyer in Philadelphia and encourages him to come visit to meet her fiancé and his blue-blood family. With delightful humor, we encounter Walt in our first paragraphs reading a Grimm fairy tale to kids at the town library, thinking how he can face socially painful outings with future in-laws in between reading lines of the book and kids interrupting with snide comments(“My daddy says you’re butt hole.”; “He says you used to drive around drunk all the time.)” The first lines of the book is “I didn’t wear my gun. They had said that it was going to be easy and, like the fool I am, I believed them.” The teacher afterwards chides him: “Kids have got a little jaded since Cady’s generation, Walter.”
Walt is so corny and sentimental clinging to fairy tale values for the apple of his eye, but he also realistically sees the world’s corruption. God love him. Fortunately, he does decide to bring his gun on the trip (hoping he won’t be revealed as the poor shot he is in some gentleman’s shooting event.”)
He decides to join with his best friend Henry Standing Bear on a journey there, were Henry has been invited to set up a display of Mennonite photographs of Indians he has archived. His deputy Vic urges him to stay with her Italian family in Philly, the city where she served in a police force her brother now serves with and their father before them. So it is that Walt sets out with Henry in a borrowed powder blue 1959 Thunderbird (Henry believes in grand entrances).
As already spoiled on the book jacket, the prime mystery he gets involved with starts with Cady getting assaulted into a coma on the street. This is almost too much for my tender heart to bear. Especially having to bear the weight of Walt’s grieving over the past death of his wife and obsession thoughts of a potential murderer in his community. Before I could shake a fist at any author so mean as to wrench a reader so, I could rise to the righteous quest of Walt finding justice knowing she will recover (and many will have seen her setting up shop in Wyoming on the TV series). Other bodies turning up suggests a plot going on that is more than an impersonal robbery or some personal revenge on Cady. With no jurisdiction, the country boy uses his hunting skills to trap the bad guys.
Vic comes to help as liaison between him and the city police. The mysteries of why Vic left the city force and parsing subtleties in her relationship to her family represent another puzzle of interest. He hopes Vic will secede him as Sheriff in the near future. The boy scout in him pushes so hard to stay professional with her, but her flip sexuality corners his heart sometimes. Those fans mesmerized by the slow burn between Walt and Vic shouldn’t miss this book. Walt’s binding with Henry reaches emotional heights as well when his friend leads an Indian healing ceremony in Cady’s hospital room. Some may find such an element a cultural misappropriation, but I am a sucker for that level of melodrama. If Walt is a fictional dad for me, that makes Cady a sister and Henry some sort of uncle.
The mystery of colluding and corrupt forces behind the violent crimes here are standard fare. Walt’s methods of working clues and surmounting the dangers are still a pleasure to experience. Johnson can’t resist the fun of writing a scene where Walt chases a man on horseback, and I couldn’t resist enjoying it. I am approaching a level of connection with Walt on the order of my attachment to Connelly’s detective Harry Bosch, Burke’s Dave Robicheaux, and Box’s Joe Pickett. Read the reviews of Harry Roolaart if you have any doubts about the satisfactions waiting for you with this series.
His daughter Cady is well established as a lawyer in Philadelphia and encourages him to come visit to meet her fiancé and his blue-blood family. With delightful humor, we encounter Walt in our first paragraphs reading a Grimm fairy tale to kids at the town library, thinking how he can face socially painful outings with future in-laws in between reading lines of the book and kids interrupting with snide comments(“My daddy says you’re butt hole.”; “He says you used to drive around drunk all the time.)” The first lines of the book is “I didn’t wear my gun. They had said that it was going to be easy and, like the fool I am, I believed them.” The teacher afterwards chides him: “Kids have got a little jaded since Cady’s generation, Walter.”
Walt is so corny and sentimental clinging to fairy tale values for the apple of his eye, but he also realistically sees the world’s corruption. God love him. Fortunately, he does decide to bring his gun on the trip (hoping he won’t be revealed as the poor shot he is in some gentleman’s shooting event.”)
He decides to join with his best friend Henry Standing Bear on a journey there, were Henry has been invited to set up a display of Mennonite photographs of Indians he has archived. His deputy Vic urges him to stay with her Italian family in Philly, the city where she served in a police force her brother now serves with and their father before them. So it is that Walt sets out with Henry in a borrowed powder blue 1959 Thunderbird (Henry believes in grand entrances).
As already spoiled on the book jacket, the prime mystery he gets involved with starts with Cady getting assaulted into a coma on the street. This is almost too much for my tender heart to bear. Especially having to bear the weight of Walt’s grieving over the past death of his wife and obsession thoughts of a potential murderer in his community. Before I could shake a fist at any author so mean as to wrench a reader so, I could rise to the righteous quest of Walt finding justice knowing she will recover (and many will have seen her setting up shop in Wyoming on the TV series). Other bodies turning up suggests a plot going on that is more than an impersonal robbery or some personal revenge on Cady. With no jurisdiction, the country boy uses his hunting skills to trap the bad guys.
Vic comes to help as liaison between him and the city police. The mysteries of why Vic left the city force and parsing subtleties in her relationship to her family represent another puzzle of interest. He hopes Vic will secede him as Sheriff in the near future. The boy scout in him pushes so hard to stay professional with her, but her flip sexuality corners his heart sometimes. Those fans mesmerized by the slow burn between Walt and Vic shouldn’t miss this book. Walt’s binding with Henry reaches emotional heights as well when his friend leads an Indian healing ceremony in Cady’s hospital room. Some may find such an element a cultural misappropriation, but I am a sucker for that level of melodrama. If Walt is a fictional dad for me, that makes Cady a sister and Henry some sort of uncle.
The mystery of colluding and corrupt forces behind the violent crimes here are standard fare. Walt’s methods of working clues and surmounting the dangers are still a pleasure to experience. Johnson can’t resist the fun of writing a scene where Walt chases a man on horseback, and I couldn’t resist enjoying it. I am approaching a level of connection with Walt on the order of my attachment to Connelly’s detective Harry Bosch, Burke’s Dave Robicheaux, and Box’s Joe Pickett. Read the reviews of Harry Roolaart if you have any doubts about the satisfactions waiting for you with this series.
August 31, 2011
Every book in the Walt Longmire series has a line in it that makes me laugh out loud, I am not going to tell you want leads up to it, but when you come across “Hi ho Creampuff” I dare you not to giggle audibly and have those around you turn their heads in wonder.
Walt and Henry Standing Bear, also referred to as the Cherokee Nation, head to Philadelphia for an opening at the museum of an exhibit displaying Henry’s Native American photographs. Not all goes as planned when Cady, Walt’s daughter - the greatest legal mind of our time – is seriously injured and days later, her ex-boyfriend is found dead. As Cady lays motionless in a coma, Walt, Henry, Dog and Victoria put their minds and talents together to solve this twisted tale of greed and lies.
Holy Terror Victoria Moretti comes out to help and is in her element here in Philadelphia. This is her town and with the help of her mother and her brothers, this town will not rest until Walt unwinds the story of what put Cady in this state and who exactly was the reason behind it. You will also giggle over Craig Johnson’s verbage of Vic the Father, Vic the Son and Vic the Holy Terror. Where he comes up with this stuff, I will never know.
To say that Walt is out of his element here is no gentle understatement. You can put a cowboy in the city, but you cannot take the country out of the boy. So with the only skills he knows, Walt sets out to make his own rules and bring small town justice to the big city.
There is a good twist in this story, not one that you couldn’t see coming eventually, but still a complication that will make the future books that much more interesting. Stay tuned and watch Walt wiggle around with this one.
The final scene of this story is not to be missed and please do not read the ending first. For all Walt’s toughness and bravado, he is just a giant marshmallow in a cowboy hat and boots; and you will love him even more for it.
This is a series not to be missed.
Walt and Henry Standing Bear, also referred to as the Cherokee Nation, head to Philadelphia for an opening at the museum of an exhibit displaying Henry’s Native American photographs. Not all goes as planned when Cady, Walt’s daughter - the greatest legal mind of our time – is seriously injured and days later, her ex-boyfriend is found dead. As Cady lays motionless in a coma, Walt, Henry, Dog and Victoria put their minds and talents together to solve this twisted tale of greed and lies.
Holy Terror Victoria Moretti comes out to help and is in her element here in Philadelphia. This is her town and with the help of her mother and her brothers, this town will not rest until Walt unwinds the story of what put Cady in this state and who exactly was the reason behind it. You will also giggle over Craig Johnson’s verbage of Vic the Father, Vic the Son and Vic the Holy Terror. Where he comes up with this stuff, I will never know.
To say that Walt is out of his element here is no gentle understatement. You can put a cowboy in the city, but you cannot take the country out of the boy. So with the only skills he knows, Walt sets out to make his own rules and bring small town justice to the big city.
There is a good twist in this story, not one that you couldn’t see coming eventually, but still a complication that will make the future books that much more interesting. Stay tuned and watch Walt wiggle around with this one.
The final scene of this story is not to be missed and please do not read the ending first. For all Walt’s toughness and bravado, he is just a giant marshmallow in a cowboy hat and boots; and you will love him even more for it.
This is a series not to be missed.
September 7, 2025
The third installment of Longmire bookseries.
7--9-25: A return to the bookseries as I am currently watching the Longmire tv show starting season 5, never ever getting past season 4 simply because it was not available. now all six seasons can be streamed and according to the Net the are planning to film a season 7. Which like Justified so many years later is welcome.
Reading this book it is clear how different the tv show and the books are. Both are fine, however as a ready I have a sightseeing preference towards the written word.
In this book we leave the empty lands for Philadelphia a town that has more inhabitants than Wyoming.
When Cady gets hurt it is Walt who will turn every stone upside down to get the one who has hurt his Child.
We meet the Moretti's and in their eyes Victoria is the Terror, but this time she does go for the Sheriff, this early in the series I did not remember.
Craig Johnson does deliver a brilliant book in which the whole cast is excellent and the book wants to be read in one go. I opted for a day.
This is the book read before it was Kobo ebook. If my daughter read this review, you can find the ebook on my ereader which you have borrowed.
23-01-2016 I always loved the movies in which a cowboy sheriff/policeman ends up in the big city [Clint Eastwood & John Wayne; Do not forget the MccLoud TV sewries with Dennis Weaver, when does that one become available on dvd/bd] and does everything the western way and they actually manage to do thing better than the "civilized" police.
Anyhow Longmire and his indian best friend Henry go to Philadelphia, and to organise an exhibition on Indian history. Walt & dog are along for the ride just to visit his daughter Cady, the sharpest legal mind of the western Hemisphere. And as all best-made plans happen..........
When Cady ends up in hospital after an attack on her which leaves her with possible brain-damage and a coma there will be no way that sheriff Longmire will sit on the sidelines and let the big city police do their business. The family of his deputy Victoria Moretti of Wyoming's Absaroka County police are all living in Philadelphia and they and their sister will move heaven and earth to find out why Cady Longmire has been hurt and why her fiancee got killed.
And while this is not so much a story about a fish in strange waters it is a tale about family, friendship and kindness that gets punished.
A great story that will leave you wanting more of the stories about Longmire and his friends.
Better than the tv show.
7--9-25: A return to the bookseries as I am currently watching the Longmire tv show starting season 5, never ever getting past season 4 simply because it was not available. now all six seasons can be streamed and according to the Net the are planning to film a season 7. Which like Justified so many years later is welcome.
Reading this book it is clear how different the tv show and the books are. Both are fine, however as a ready I have a sightseeing preference towards the written word.
In this book we leave the empty lands for Philadelphia a town that has more inhabitants than Wyoming.
When Cady gets hurt it is Walt who will turn every stone upside down to get the one who has hurt his Child.
We meet the Moretti's and in their eyes Victoria is the Terror, but this time she does go for the Sheriff, this early in the series I did not remember.
Craig Johnson does deliver a brilliant book in which the whole cast is excellent and the book wants to be read in one go. I opted for a day.
This is the book read before it was Kobo ebook. If my daughter read this review, you can find the ebook on my ereader which you have borrowed.
23-01-2016 I always loved the movies in which a cowboy sheriff/policeman ends up in the big city [Clint Eastwood & John Wayne; Do not forget the MccLoud TV sewries with Dennis Weaver, when does that one become available on dvd/bd] and does everything the western way and they actually manage to do thing better than the "civilized" police.
Anyhow Longmire and his indian best friend Henry go to Philadelphia, and to organise an exhibition on Indian history. Walt & dog are along for the ride just to visit his daughter Cady, the sharpest legal mind of the western Hemisphere. And as all best-made plans happen..........
When Cady ends up in hospital after an attack on her which leaves her with possible brain-damage and a coma there will be no way that sheriff Longmire will sit on the sidelines and let the big city police do their business. The family of his deputy Victoria Moretti of Wyoming's Absaroka County police are all living in Philadelphia and they and their sister will move heaven and earth to find out why Cady Longmire has been hurt and why her fiancee got killed.
And while this is not so much a story about a fish in strange waters it is a tale about family, friendship and kindness that gets punished.
A great story that will leave you wanting more of the stories about Longmire and his friends.
Better than the tv show.
December 14, 2018
Originally reviewed Nov. 27.2017. Just updating to correct typos.
This is another one for the page I've threatened to make so many times...Thriller sort-of. I recently watched the last (in this case meaning final) season of Longmire on NETFLIX. I went back and "binge watched" (there's a new phrase this generation has added to the English language) the rest of the series. While there are some slow spots (in my opinion of course) and the angst is often a bit too thick for my taste overall I liked the series. It reminded me that I had only read 3 of the actual Longmire novels. I also noticed that I had rated them all 3 stars...hum.
Well anyway I got the next from the library and just finished it.
Please excuse me a moment my mouth is dry I'm going to the kitchen for a Coke Life...
Okay I'm back, sorry about that. I know you're all dying to read my review but the dry mouth wants what the dry mouth wants.
Anyway, I remember now why I tend to go 3 stars on these books. I don't dislike them. As a matter of fact the plots are generally well thought out and interesting. The thing is...for me...note I said "FOR ME"... the books tend to have long dry spots where things tend to wander. NOW these parts will be the favorite parts for some readers. They will ...for you... give you more of a look inside Walt, Standing Bear, Vic, Cady and even Dog (or Dawg) I suppose.
Here Walt is going to Philadelphia to visit Cady who is a Philadelphia Lawyer (get that?). She's very busy and closed mouthed when he gets there and soon she's also on the brink of death. So the forces of law from Absaroka County (basically Walt, Vic and Dog with a little help from Standing Bear) must save the day for the Philadelphia police as well as Cady. You'd think this might be a little odd as it seems most of the Philadelphia police department is related to Vic).
Anyway...Walt must save the day while also being shy, retiring and manly all at once.
Not bad books at all and I know many people get into them much more than I do...so. enjoy.
This is another one for the page I've threatened to make so many times...Thriller sort-of. I recently watched the last (in this case meaning final) season of Longmire on NETFLIX. I went back and "binge watched" (there's a new phrase this generation has added to the English language) the rest of the series. While there are some slow spots (in my opinion of course) and the angst is often a bit too thick for my taste overall I liked the series. It reminded me that I had only read 3 of the actual Longmire novels. I also noticed that I had rated them all 3 stars...hum.
Well anyway I got the next from the library and just finished it.
Please excuse me a moment my mouth is dry I'm going to the kitchen for a Coke Life...
Okay I'm back, sorry about that. I know you're all dying to read my review but the dry mouth wants what the dry mouth wants.
Anyway, I remember now why I tend to go 3 stars on these books. I don't dislike them. As a matter of fact the plots are generally well thought out and interesting. The thing is...for me...note I said "FOR ME"... the books tend to have long dry spots where things tend to wander. NOW these parts will be the favorite parts for some readers. They will ...for you... give you more of a look inside Walt, Standing Bear, Vic, Cady and even Dog (or Dawg) I suppose.
Here Walt is going to Philadelphia to visit Cady who is a Philadelphia Lawyer (get that?). She's very busy and closed mouthed when he gets there and soon she's also on the brink of death. So the forces of law from Absaroka County (basically Walt, Vic and Dog with a little help from Standing Bear) must save the day for the Philadelphia police as well as Cady. You'd think this might be a little odd as it seems most of the Philadelphia police department is related to Vic).
Anyway...Walt must save the day while also being shy, retiring and manly all at once.
Not bad books at all and I know many people get into them much more than I do...so. enjoy.
June 2, 2018
The third book in the series is an excellent novel that could be subtitled "The Cowboy Sherriff Goes East. And he brings Henry, Vic and Dog with him. Cady, his daughter the lawyer, is attacked and left in a coma and Walt helps the local (Philadelphia) police find who the bad guy(s) are. Well done, plenty of action. Highly recommended.
March 26, 2016
3 stars - It was good.
Another book of great Longmire fun, though not without a few issues. I absolutely adore the characters of Longmire and Henry Standing Bear and when the two of them come together on a page, it is literary magic. Lots of LOL moments in this one and the mystery kept my attention. A unique trait that this book had over the first two installments was that it takes place in Philadelphia which provided for great contrasting of the city vs country life.
I really hated to see the turn that Longmire and Vic's relationship took, which seemed contrived, forced and awkward for everyone including the reader. Their relationship felt cheapened for the rest of the book. Thus far the TV show and books have not followed too closely to one another, and I hope that the TV show keeps the father/daughter relationship between the two as it is a more effective pairing.
It also seemed hard to believe that the Philly cops would have involved Longmire the way they did with a local case, but I have no experience in that area, maybe it really happens. In any event, I always pick these up for a fun, atmospheric and humorous read, and not to learn more about police procedures.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: Maybe there really isn't any such thing as mortality; life simply wears us out with love.
First Sentences: I didn’t wear my gun. They had said that it was going to be easy and, like the fool I am, I believed them.
Another book of great Longmire fun, though not without a few issues. I absolutely adore the characters of Longmire and Henry Standing Bear and when the two of them come together on a page, it is literary magic. Lots of LOL moments in this one and the mystery kept my attention. A unique trait that this book had over the first two installments was that it takes place in Philadelphia which provided for great contrasting of the city vs country life.
I really hated to see the turn that Longmire and Vic's relationship took, which seemed contrived, forced and awkward for everyone including the reader. Their relationship felt cheapened for the rest of the book. Thus far the TV show and books have not followed too closely to one another, and I hope that the TV show keeps the father/daughter relationship between the two as it is a more effective pairing.
It also seemed hard to believe that the Philly cops would have involved Longmire the way they did with a local case, but I have no experience in that area, maybe it really happens. In any event, I always pick these up for a fun, atmospheric and humorous read, and not to learn more about police procedures.
-------------------------------------------
Favorite Quote: Maybe there really isn't any such thing as mortality; life simply wears us out with love.
First Sentences: I didn’t wear my gun. They had said that it was going to be easy and, like the fool I am, I believed them.
June 5, 2023
The double connection between Absaroka County, Wyoming and Philadelphia, two thousand miles distant, that this author cleverly created in the first two books of the series has borne its fruit in this third adventure for Walt Longmire and his good friend Henry Standing Bear. Walt, for twenty-four years the sheriff of Absaroka County, decides to tag along with the Bear in the Bear's vintage car on a trip to Philadelphia, where the Bear is scheduled to exhibit some historical photographs and Walt will get to meet and size up his daughter Cady's boyfriend.
Well, Cady is a young lawyer now with a prestigious Philadelphia law firm, and Walt knows he can't come across as parental as he really feels, so it's already shaping up to being an interesting visit. It gets a lot more interesting when Walt lets himself into Cady's house in the gentrified Old City and discovers Lena Moretti waiting to meet him--her daughter Victoria is now Walt's second in charge back in Wyoming, and her four sons are mostly police officers here in Philadelphia. Big family fun ahead?
No, as the blurb (repeated at the top of this Goodreads page) tells us. Cady never makes it home from the office--a severe blow to the head puts her in Penn Hospital's ICU between life and death. Lena gives Walt badly needed friendship and support, as does Henry Standing Bear, and one of Lena's sons is active in the case throughout. The Morettis provide an effective informal liaison with the officers in charge of this case and an even more serious case that's linked to it...but that one starts out there in spoiler territory and the blurb only admits to "a deadly political cover-up."
If you've read the first two books, The Cold Dish and Death Without Company, you have a good idea of what Walt's life is going to be like in the next few days. Danger is interspersed with heart-rending scenes at Cady's bedside, watching for the slightest sign of recovery from her coma.
But for me the difference between Walt as county sheriff and Walt as a kind of informal guest of the Philadelphia police unit was pretty substantial. Even with the feelings of solidarity all around, it was hard to accept how easily Walt gained their trust and fit into their investigation. After all, Walt was never just one of the guys as Victoria Moretti might have been--he was Vic's boss! Add that to Walt's Western flavor and down home manner and...well, it was a little hard to picture.
The gift of place, so evident in the descriptions of Walt's home territory in Wyoming, is repeated here for Philadelphia's inner city, from Penn Hospital and Fairmount Park to the Delaware River and (mostly) between Market and Race Streets. Having walked some of those streets, it felt right. As for the tone of life in those neighborhoods and areas, I felt more like an outsider, probably picking up on Walt's perspective: a visitor in danger and ready to fight.
It's billed as a mystery, but it's much more in the genre of police procedurals--the bad guys are pretty obvious--and it's only a prodecural to the extent that Walt as first-person narrator has contact with the officers on the case(s). So plenty happens off-screen and Walt is filled in, eventually. What holds the book together, besides the action scenes, is the way Walt's telling of the story shares his understanding of people. Still rewarding to read.
Well, Cady is a young lawyer now with a prestigious Philadelphia law firm, and Walt knows he can't come across as parental as he really feels, so it's already shaping up to being an interesting visit. It gets a lot more interesting when Walt lets himself into Cady's house in the gentrified Old City and discovers Lena Moretti waiting to meet him--her daughter Victoria is now Walt's second in charge back in Wyoming, and her four sons are mostly police officers here in Philadelphia. Big family fun ahead?
No, as the blurb (repeated at the top of this Goodreads page) tells us. Cady never makes it home from the office--a severe blow to the head puts her in Penn Hospital's ICU between life and death. Lena gives Walt badly needed friendship and support, as does Henry Standing Bear, and one of Lena's sons is active in the case throughout. The Morettis provide an effective informal liaison with the officers in charge of this case and an even more serious case that's linked to it...but that one starts out there in spoiler territory and the blurb only admits to "a deadly political cover-up."
If you've read the first two books, The Cold Dish and Death Without Company, you have a good idea of what Walt's life is going to be like in the next few days. Danger is interspersed with heart-rending scenes at Cady's bedside, watching for the slightest sign of recovery from her coma.
But for me the difference between Walt as county sheriff and Walt as a kind of informal guest of the Philadelphia police unit was pretty substantial. Even with the feelings of solidarity all around, it was hard to accept how easily Walt gained their trust and fit into their investigation. After all, Walt was never just one of the guys as Victoria Moretti might have been--he was Vic's boss! Add that to Walt's Western flavor and down home manner and...well, it was a little hard to picture.
The gift of place, so evident in the descriptions of Walt's home territory in Wyoming, is repeated here for Philadelphia's inner city, from Penn Hospital and Fairmount Park to the Delaware River and (mostly) between Market and Race Streets. Having walked some of those streets, it felt right. As for the tone of life in those neighborhoods and areas, I felt more like an outsider, probably picking up on Walt's perspective: a visitor in danger and ready to fight.
It's billed as a mystery, but it's much more in the genre of police procedurals--the bad guys are pretty obvious--and it's only a prodecural to the extent that Walt as first-person narrator has contact with the officers on the case(s). So plenty happens off-screen and Walt is filled in, eventually. What holds the book together, besides the action scenes, is the way Walt's telling of the story shares his understanding of people. Still rewarding to read.
March 6, 2021
5 stars:
-The strong daddy and daughter love just melted my heart. That is the main reason I gave it 5 stars. The villain picked the wrong dad to mess with it. It is Walt’s reaction that show the love of daddy’s and daughters.
-Love the author writing style and the brother bond of Walt and Bear.
-Reminder how love can be blind and sadly the deadly consequences that could happen from it.
-I love Dog!
I know my grammar is like way off. Just too tired. Life can be worst. Could have finish sooner. I wanted to slowly devour this to enjoy it better.
🇺🇸🦋💀🐼
-The strong daddy and daughter love just melted my heart. That is the main reason I gave it 5 stars. The villain picked the wrong dad to mess with it. It is Walt’s reaction that show the love of daddy’s and daughters.
-Love the author writing style and the brother bond of Walt and Bear.
-Reminder how love can be blind and sadly the deadly consequences that could happen from it.
-I love Dog!
I know my grammar is like way off. Just too tired. Life can be worst. Could have finish sooner. I wanted to slowly devour this to enjoy it better.
🇺🇸🦋💀🐼
January 11, 2013
The so far horseless western show moves from Absaroka County, Wyoming to the asphalt jungle of Philadelphia in this third Walt Longmire book. Actually, it's kind of a funny story that the first wild horse ride of the series will take place on the Eastern Seaboard. The sheriff is coming to meet his daughter's fiance and is accompanied on the trip by his old friend Henry Standing Bear, with his vintage muscle car and his art collection of old Reservation photos. Things go pear shaped rather fast, and Walt finds himself mixed in a big city criminal investigation dealing with crooked lawyers, drug dealers and corrupt officers. The problems are compounded and given a sense of urgency by the personal danger involving Cady (not a spoiler, it happens in the first chapter).
I thought I would miss the wide, windy landscapes of the Big Horn Mountains and the rest of the cast that remained in Absaroka County, but the transition was surprisingly smooth to the big city environment. Craig Johnson has a real knack for introducing new faces and making me care about them. The Moretti clan features quite prominently in this book: The Father, the Son and The Holly Terror, all called Victor / Vic / Victoria. Not surprisingly, the Terror is our old acquaintance , Deputy Vic Moretti, she of the colourful language and explosive temper. Her mother Lena proves to be quite appealing in her own way, independent minded but vulnerable. I had quite a good laugh watching supposedly tough guy Walt Longmire being played like a fiddle by these two ladies.
I would say the plot in Kindness Goes Unpunished is the best so far in the series, with a Die Hard flavor : shootouts, mean streets, humor, romance, family ties, danger, car chases. I won't go into details, but buddy team Walt and Henry reminded me of several other 80's action movies : smart, fast, tongue-in-cheek, reliably good guys.
A constant feature of the series is the presence of guns: sidearms, service arms, antique weapons, specialized shotguns. This might turn off some gun control advocates ( I consider myself in this camp, too), but mr. Johnson somehow hit the right notes in pointing out the fact that they are tools, sometimes necesary, but not evil by themselves. Another constant in the series is the supernatural element ( there were always Indians in my dreams confesses Walt at one moment), a feature also in the Philadelphia story, but more subdued than in the first two novels.
I will definitely follow up on the series. Until then, I will close with one particular passage describing sheriff Walt outlook on the role of police:
Hope is what it always comes down to, whether it's a trailer home on the other side of the tracks in Durant, Wyoming or a tiny row house in the Wild West of Philadelphia. [...] Far beyond the badges and the guns, hope and laughter were their most powerful weapons.
December 23, 2019
I liked the Longmire television series, but I'm enjoying the books even more! Kindness Goes Unpunished is the 3rd book in the series. Walt and Henry travel to Philadelphia to visit Longmire's daughter, Cady. The trip is supposed to be an enjoyable visit, but things get much more serious when Cady is attacked. As she lies in ICU in a coma, Walt works with the Philadelphia police to find out who hurt his daughter and why. Turns out, it's much more complicated than expected....and dangerous.
I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by George Guidall, the audio is just shy of 9 hours long. I enjoy Guidall's performances. He always does a great job of acting and voicing the characters. Always an entertaining listening experience!
I like the mix of humor and serious investigation in this series. Longmire is a skilled law enforcement officer and Wyoming sheriff. He's just the right mix of folksy and professional. I love the characters....Vic, Henry, Cady, Dog...they all combine to make this a great western cop suspense series. The characters are a bit different than in the television show. Vic is a lot more snarky and foul mouthed in the books. Henry is much more spiritual. Longmire seems a bit older and more rural in the books. This is actually one of those times where I'm glad I watched the television series before reading the books. I think I would have liked the film version less if I had read the characters how Johnson wrote them first. I love how Vic lips off to Longmire in the books and would have missed the higher level of snark. And I would have been disappointed at all the things they removed from Henry's character to tone him down for television. As it is, I can enjoy both without being disappointed.
Another great story in this series! On to the next -- Another Man's Moccasins!
I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by George Guidall, the audio is just shy of 9 hours long. I enjoy Guidall's performances. He always does a great job of acting and voicing the characters. Always an entertaining listening experience!
I like the mix of humor and serious investigation in this series. Longmire is a skilled law enforcement officer and Wyoming sheriff. He's just the right mix of folksy and professional. I love the characters....Vic, Henry, Cady, Dog...they all combine to make this a great western cop suspense series. The characters are a bit different than in the television show. Vic is a lot more snarky and foul mouthed in the books. Henry is much more spiritual. Longmire seems a bit older and more rural in the books. This is actually one of those times where I'm glad I watched the television series before reading the books. I think I would have liked the film version less if I had read the characters how Johnson wrote them first. I love how Vic lips off to Longmire in the books and would have missed the higher level of snark. And I would have been disappointed at all the things they removed from Henry's character to tone him down for television. As it is, I can enjoy both without being disappointed.
Another great story in this series! On to the next -- Another Man's Moccasins!
June 3, 2021
4.5 Stars for Kindness Goes Unpunished: Walt Longmire Mystery Series, Book 3 (audiobook) by Craig Johnson read by George Guidall.
Longmire investigates in Philadelphia his daughter’s brutal assault that leaves her unconscious in the hospital. It was interesting getting to see his Wyoming sensibilities at work in the big city.
Longmire investigates in Philadelphia his daughter’s brutal assault that leaves her unconscious in the hospital. It was interesting getting to see his Wyoming sensibilities at work in the big city.
November 7, 2015
Another enjoyable read with some laugh out loud lines. Walt Longmire goes East to Philadelphia to visit his daughter Cady. She is attacked and nearly dies. Walt and the Philadelphia police track down the attacker and other criminals in a hard to put down story.
April 14, 2021
Kindness goes unpunished isn't as good as the first two books in the Longmire series. It still is an enjoyable book that is a decent companion for mystery escapism.
The difficulty I had is in the author moving the entire show to Philadelphia. Sheriff Longmire heads there to see his daughter and meet the man she has been dating. Most of Walt Longmire's significant supporting cast arrives with him - Henry Standing Bear to present his collection of old Indian photographs and Vic (The Terror, as nicknamed by her Philadelphia cop family we learn).
Walt's daughter almost dies in an assault and the mystery is over who did it and why. The less authentic part of this book is that the Philadelphia Police give Sheriff Longmire untrammeled access to act as one of their own in pursuing not only bad guys in his daughter's case but also other bad guys Phila cops have to deal with (though as in the case of the first two books, all threads come together in the end).
I enjoyed it; the actions of Sheriff Longmire just seemed less believable in a city as opposed to Wyoming. Plus, Indians and Indian culture end up playing a surprising role in an Eastern city whose Indian population long ago disappeared before the reservation age.
The difficulty I had is in the author moving the entire show to Philadelphia. Sheriff Longmire heads there to see his daughter and meet the man she has been dating. Most of Walt Longmire's significant supporting cast arrives with him - Henry Standing Bear to present his collection of old Indian photographs and Vic (The Terror, as nicknamed by her Philadelphia cop family we learn).
Walt's daughter almost dies in an assault and the mystery is over who did it and why. The less authentic part of this book is that the Philadelphia Police give Sheriff Longmire untrammeled access to act as one of their own in pursuing not only bad guys in his daughter's case but also other bad guys Phila cops have to deal with (though as in the case of the first two books, all threads come together in the end).
I enjoyed it; the actions of Sheriff Longmire just seemed less believable in a city as opposed to Wyoming. Plus, Indians and Indian culture end up playing a surprising role in an Eastern city whose Indian population long ago disappeared before the reservation age.
January 5, 2018
Third in the Walt Longmire mystery series about a cowboy sheriff and his friends and coworkers. Only this one takes place on a visit to see his daughter in Philadelphia.
My Take
Whew. This was another good one! Seriously, do not miss this installment. There is so much happening in this wonderfully homey story!
For all that it takes place off Walt's usual stomping grounds, he's still a cop and understands their ways. And it's a pleasant switch from the usual territoriality of cops who don't want some outsider on their turf.
Walt and Henry meet Vic's family and come to understand what makes her who she is. It's certainly fascinating to watch the family in action. Tremendous events revolving around Cady during and, even better, after.
There are lies on both sides of the legal fence here, and some are better than others. Lots of very clever maneuvers---and I'll bet the Philly PD welcome Walt back any time. I'm sure the hospital could use more of Henry's help. It is pretty funny how matter-of-fact Henry is over using his medicine inside the hospital with a whole lotta fascinated medical personnel watching from the sidelines. I'm not sure if they were awestruck or dumbfounded, LOL.
The Story
Henry's been invited to give a lecture at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. A great opportunity for Walt to visit his daughter, in spite of the DA's plans to run for sheriff!
It gets exciting enough that Vic flies back to help.
The Characters
Walt Longmire is the sheriff in Absaroka County in Wyoming with a daughter practicing law in Philadelphia. He inherited Dog from Lucian. Henry Standing Bear is Walt's best friend, who runs the Red Pony, and is a great chef. Lola is his 1959 T-bird convertible.
Cady is the daughter Walt is so proud of, and she works at Schomberg, Calder, Dallin, and Rhind. Patti is her so-helpful assistant. Joanne Fitzpatrick is an associate of Cady's. William White Eyes---a White Indian incarcerated for cooking drugs---is a pro bono case Cady was handling. A.k.a., William Carlisle, who has a very comprehensive history of the Notame-ohmeseheestse.
Devon Conliffe is also an attorney and Cady's boyfriend, a possible fiance per the records; not according to him. His father is a judge. ADA Vince "Oz" Osgood is a friend of his with some shared bad habits.
Victoria Moretti is the brilliant, divorced, young undersheriff from Philadelphia whom Walt wants to take over for him when he does retire. She's partnered up with the new guy: Santiago "Sancho" Saizabitoria, a Basque. Jim Ferguson is a part-time deputy. Chuck Frymyer is this story's new-hire.
Lena Moretti is Vic's mom (I can't tell if she's estranged or divorced from Victor…). Uncle Alphonse has a pizzeria that will make you hungry. Victor Moretti, Vic's dad, is a chief inspector and sings opera on the side. Tony and Michael Moretti are street cops; Tony has bad news for Walt.
Detectives Asa Katz and Gowder investigate the deaths in Philadelphia and enlist Walt's help. Even if he is a suspect.
Jimmy Tomko runs the shooting range where the lawyers go to practice. Ian O'Neill runs O'Neill's, a pub Cady frequents. Dr. Rissman is in charge of Cady's case.
Toy Diaz is a local drug kingpin. Shankar DuVall and Billy Carlisle are drug runners with an uneven deal.
The usual cast of characters have cameos as most of the action is in Philadelphia.
Omar Rhoades is "the big dog of international outfitters" and a friend of Walt's. Myra is his estranged wife recently returned to play shoot 'em up.
The Cover
The cover makes me think of a pastel, only, instead of the usual landscape of mountains or plains, it's a bad part of town at night with a cautious Walt in cowboy hat, jacket, and rifle about to step down a lurid backstreet alley of greens, oranges, lights, abandoned vehicles, and puddles.
The title is an interesting contradiction and true enough, for Kindness Goes Unpunished when unexpected aid steps up.
My Take
Whew. This was another good one! Seriously, do not miss this installment. There is so much happening in this wonderfully homey story!
For all that it takes place off Walt's usual stomping grounds, he's still a cop and understands their ways. And it's a pleasant switch from the usual territoriality of cops who don't want some outsider on their turf.
Walt and Henry meet Vic's family and come to understand what makes her who she is. It's certainly fascinating to watch the family in action. Tremendous events revolving around Cady during and, even better, after.
There are lies on both sides of the legal fence here, and some are better than others. Lots of very clever maneuvers---and I'll bet the Philly PD welcome Walt back any time. I'm sure the hospital could use more of Henry's help. It is pretty funny how matter-of-fact Henry is over using his medicine inside the hospital with a whole lotta fascinated medical personnel watching from the sidelines. I'm not sure if they were awestruck or dumbfounded, LOL.
Too funny:Johnson knows how to bring Walt down to size. All it takes is storytime.
"Vic the father, Vic the son, and Vic the Holy Terror."
I'll leave you to guess who the last one is...
Then there's mom's comment about:One of the things I like about this series is Johnson's casual back-and-forth with Walt and Henry's friendship. The two are aware that Walt is a white man and that Henry is Native American. They will use it to confound someone, but on the whole, they don't care. It's a great way to learn something about the Native American culture without having it thrust down one's throat.
"Unlike with girls, you only have to worry about one prick."
The Story
Henry's been invited to give a lecture at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. A great opportunity for Walt to visit his daughter, in spite of the DA's plans to run for sheriff!
It gets exciting enough that Vic flies back to help.
The Characters
Walt Longmire is the sheriff in Absaroka County in Wyoming with a daughter practicing law in Philadelphia. He inherited Dog from Lucian. Henry Standing Bear is Walt's best friend, who runs the Red Pony, and is a great chef. Lola is his 1959 T-bird convertible.
Cady is the daughter Walt is so proud of, and she works at Schomberg, Calder, Dallin, and Rhind. Patti is her so-helpful assistant. Joanne Fitzpatrick is an associate of Cady's. William White Eyes---a White Indian incarcerated for cooking drugs---is a pro bono case Cady was handling. A.k.a., William Carlisle, who has a very comprehensive history of the Notame-ohmeseheestse.
Devon Conliffe is also an attorney and Cady's boyfriend, a possible fiance per the records; not according to him. His father is a judge. ADA Vince "Oz" Osgood is a friend of his with some shared bad habits.
Victoria Moretti is the brilliant, divorced, young undersheriff from Philadelphia whom Walt wants to take over for him when he does retire. She's partnered up with the new guy: Santiago "Sancho" Saizabitoria, a Basque. Jim Ferguson is a part-time deputy. Chuck Frymyer is this story's new-hire.
Lena Moretti is Vic's mom (I can't tell if she's estranged or divorced from Victor…). Uncle Alphonse has a pizzeria that will make you hungry. Victor Moretti, Vic's dad, is a chief inspector and sings opera on the side. Tony and Michael Moretti are street cops; Tony has bad news for Walt.
Detectives Asa Katz and Gowder investigate the deaths in Philadelphia and enlist Walt's help. Even if he is a suspect.
Jimmy Tomko runs the shooting range where the lawyers go to practice. Ian O'Neill runs O'Neill's, a pub Cady frequents. Dr. Rissman is in charge of Cady's case.
Toy Diaz is a local drug kingpin. Shankar DuVall and Billy Carlisle are drug runners with an uneven deal.
The usual cast of characters have cameos as most of the action is in Philadelphia.
Omar Rhoades is "the big dog of international outfitters" and a friend of Walt's. Myra is his estranged wife recently returned to play shoot 'em up.
The Cover
The cover makes me think of a pastel, only, instead of the usual landscape of mountains or plains, it's a bad part of town at night with a cautious Walt in cowboy hat, jacket, and rifle about to step down a lurid backstreet alley of greens, oranges, lights, abandoned vehicles, and puddles.
The title is an interesting contradiction and true enough, for Kindness Goes Unpunished when unexpected aid steps up.
December 11, 2017
Maybe there is time to sneak in another guilty pleasure book before the end of 2017. After all, it's not like I have a queue full of award-winning current literary books that I need to finish. Oh. Wait.
Well, anyway, I also had this third Craig Johnson book in my queue, so I might as well tick that box, right? Problem is, this one turned out to be more guilty than pleasure.
The premise is that Sheriff Walt Longmire and his best friend, Henry Standing Bear, along with Dog, take a road trip in Henry's baby blue classic Thunderbird convertible. They head out to Philadelphia where Henry is to exhibit some of his historical photographs at a museum and Walt is to visit his daughter, Cady, the Philadelphia lawyer, and Dog is to, well, be a dog.
They arrive in the big city, where Walt is met at Cady's apartment by his deputy, Victoria Moretti's mother, Lena. (Vic, you see, is originally a Philadelphia girl and all of her male relatives - her father and various brothers - are in the police force there.) Before Walt even gets to see Cady, she is assaulted and suffers serious injuries that result in a subdural hematoma that leaves her in a coma and with an uncertain future.
The rest of the book is spent with Walt waiting for Cady to wake up and trying to determine the motive for the attack on her and who did it. In this endeavor, he is assisted by the Philadelphia police, particularly the Moretti boys, and, of course, Henry.
The reason for the attack and for subsequent deaths, as bodies start dropping all over the place, turns out to be quite complicated and the logic not that easy to follow. Moreover, the things that I really like about this series - the humor, the description of the Wyoming setting and the relationships between the regular cast of characters there - are mostly missing from this entry. Vic does eventually show up in Philadelphia but it would have been better if she'd stayed in Wyoming.
Plus, it just seemed very unbelievable to me that the Philadelphia police would simply defer to this unknown sheriff from Wyoming in the investigation, even if the Morettis do vouch for him. And Walt and Henry charge around the city like natives, finding their way with no difficulty. That hasn't been my experience with unfamiliar cities.
About halfway through this book, the whole thing just went off the rails for me. It started reading like a romance novel instead of a mystery/thriller. It was extremely awkward and offputting and felt wrong, and the plot never recovered as far as I was concerned.
This was definitely my least favorite of the Walt Longmire books I've read so far. I know Johnson is capable of better than this. Let's hope he achieves it with the next book.
Well, anyway, I also had this third Craig Johnson book in my queue, so I might as well tick that box, right? Problem is, this one turned out to be more guilty than pleasure.
The premise is that Sheriff Walt Longmire and his best friend, Henry Standing Bear, along with Dog, take a road trip in Henry's baby blue classic Thunderbird convertible. They head out to Philadelphia where Henry is to exhibit some of his historical photographs at a museum and Walt is to visit his daughter, Cady, the Philadelphia lawyer, and Dog is to, well, be a dog.
They arrive in the big city, where Walt is met at Cady's apartment by his deputy, Victoria Moretti's mother, Lena. (Vic, you see, is originally a Philadelphia girl and all of her male relatives - her father and various brothers - are in the police force there.) Before Walt even gets to see Cady, she is assaulted and suffers serious injuries that result in a subdural hematoma that leaves her in a coma and with an uncertain future.
The rest of the book is spent with Walt waiting for Cady to wake up and trying to determine the motive for the attack on her and who did it. In this endeavor, he is assisted by the Philadelphia police, particularly the Moretti boys, and, of course, Henry.
The reason for the attack and for subsequent deaths, as bodies start dropping all over the place, turns out to be quite complicated and the logic not that easy to follow. Moreover, the things that I really like about this series - the humor, the description of the Wyoming setting and the relationships between the regular cast of characters there - are mostly missing from this entry. Vic does eventually show up in Philadelphia but it would have been better if she'd stayed in Wyoming.
Plus, it just seemed very unbelievable to me that the Philadelphia police would simply defer to this unknown sheriff from Wyoming in the investigation, even if the Morettis do vouch for him. And Walt and Henry charge around the city like natives, finding their way with no difficulty. That hasn't been my experience with unfamiliar cities.
About halfway through this book, the whole thing just went off the rails for me. It started reading like a romance novel instead of a mystery/thriller. It was extremely awkward and offputting and felt wrong, and the plot never recovered as far as I was concerned.
This was definitely my least favorite of the Walt Longmire books I've read so far. I know Johnson is capable of better than this. Let's hope he achieves it with the next book.
July 30, 2012
I read this in half a day (and the other half of the day I read "The Girls from Ames" by Jeffrey Zaslow - it was a good day for reading).
Walt Longmire has sex with (SPOILER DELETED)? NOOOOOOO! Walt Longmire is an old fart. For one thing, his name is Walt. I believe the author is regretting making Sheriff Longmire as old as he did in the first book and is trying to make him younger and "hot." Rats.
Oh well, most of the things I like about the series were still in this book, although it is not as funny as the second. And I'm sorry, there just is no real sexual tension between Walt Longmire and ANYBODY, so having a sex scene was about as believable as having Martians land in Wyoming. Although, if Martians landed, Wyoming would be a good spot. Remember "Close Encounters of the Third Kind?" Hmm, might be time to see that movie again.
Walt Longmire has sex with (SPOILER DELETED)? NOOOOOOO! Walt Longmire is an old fart. For one thing, his name is Walt. I believe the author is regretting making Sheriff Longmire as old as he did in the first book and is trying to make him younger and "hot." Rats.
Oh well, most of the things I like about the series were still in this book, although it is not as funny as the second. And I'm sorry, there just is no real sexual tension between Walt Longmire and ANYBODY, so having a sex scene was about as believable as having Martians land in Wyoming. Although, if Martians landed, Wyoming would be a good spot. Remember "Close Encounters of the Third Kind?" Hmm, might be time to see that movie again.
October 25, 2016
Totally enjoyable as always. I was pretty upset that Henry's car Lola got shot up but I guess they fixed her.
September 30, 2022
I so enjoy this series. This one has been the best novel yet. The witticisms exchanged between Walt and Henry have kept my ribs aching. It is so amazing how Craig Johnson can weave humor into a basically serious plot. This will be one that is hard to put down.
February 21, 2019
I liked the Longmire TV series a lot, and the books are very similar to me. I especially like the characters and their interactions, and the dry humor between Walt and Henry, Walt and Vic, and many others. I see them in my mind as the characters from the TV show, which I think helps although there's no way to know what it would be like if I had not seen the TV series.
This book is very different than the others so far. Walt and Henry have driven across the country to Philly, where Walt's daughter ends up seriously injured, in a coma in the hospital. Walt gets involved in solving the case which is related to other cases and a few murders. I thought the story was a bit complicated, perhaps somewhat due to it being an audiobook (very well done, by the way). My mind sometimes wanders while listening to audiobooks, and I don't always have time to go back when I miss something that seems to be not too important.
This book is very different than the others so far. Walt and Henry have driven across the country to Philly, where Walt's daughter ends up seriously injured, in a coma in the hospital. Walt gets involved in solving the case which is related to other cases and a few murders. I thought the story was a bit complicated, perhaps somewhat due to it being an audiobook (very well done, by the way). My mind sometimes wanders while listening to audiobooks, and I don't always have time to go back when I miss something that seems to be not too important.
April 14, 2020
7.25/10
Poco que no haya dicho de los anteriores. Libro muy entretenido de leer, con grandes personajes y tramas que sin ser la panacea son interesantes.
Este me ha hecho un poco de menos gracia por el cambio de escenario, me gusta más ver a Longmire en su Wyoming natal que en Phila, pero en cualquier caso lo he leído en un pis pas.
Ya he acabado los libros que me dejaron, así que ahora tendré que ver si puedo conseguir los siguientes en versión electrónica a buen precio.
Poco que no haya dicho de los anteriores. Libro muy entretenido de leer, con grandes personajes y tramas que sin ser la panacea son interesantes.
Este me ha hecho un poco de menos gracia por el cambio de escenario, me gusta más ver a Longmire en su Wyoming natal que en Phila, pero en cualquier caso lo he leído en un pis pas.
Ya he acabado los libros que me dejaron, así que ahora tendré que ver si puedo conseguir los siguientes en versión electrónica a buen precio.
June 24, 2025
Walt Longmire and Dog go to Philadelphia with his best friend, Henry Standing Bear, so that Henry can speak about Indian history at a museum and Walt can visit his only child, Cady, a lawyer in the city. They are shocked to find that someone has attacked Cady, and she may die. While Walt waits at her bedside, he listens to the messages on her phone from her angry boyfriend and decides to check him out. He convinces the young man to go to the police with his account, but that night he jumps or gets thrown from a bridge near Cady's house. Walt becomes a likely suspect.
This was not one of my favorite Longmire books. I don't like (and never have) foul-mouthed Vic, Walt's deputy. In this story there's a graphic sex scene, so I'm going to remove Johnson's books from my TBR list. The tension and action are good. I have always liked Henry and Walt's characters, but I don't need this.
This was not one of my favorite Longmire books. I don't like (and never have) foul-mouthed Vic, Walt's deputy. In this story there's a graphic sex scene, so I'm going to remove Johnson's books from my TBR list. The tension and action are good. I have always liked Henry and Walt's characters, but I don't need this.
October 2, 2012
Though I loved the first two books in the Walt Longmire series, this one was even better. Walt and his old friend, Henry Standing Bear, have road-tripped to Philadelphia. Henry is speaking at a gallery opening of his photographs but Walt plans to spend time with his daughter, Cady--a lawyer working in a high-powered law firm. Walt and Henry aren't in the City of Brotherly Love for more than 24 hours when tragedy strikes. Cady is brutally attacked and found near the steps of a local museum. As Cady lies in a coma in the hospital, Walt and Henry can't help but start investigating the circumstances that led to the attack. When Cady's boyfriend (and the last person to see her alive) is also murdered, they realize that the attack was more than some random street violence. They are aided in their investigations by the Moretti clan (mom, brothers, and eventually Vic herself . . . arriving from Wyoming) but that might not be enough to keep Walt and Henry out of danger.
I don't know if it's the fact that the main characters in this series are pulled out of their usual context or that the writing is just so damm good but I couldn't put this book down.
I don't know if it's the fact that the main characters in this series are pulled out of their usual context or that the writing is just so damm good but I couldn't put this book down.
September 10, 2012
This book should be sub-titled and/or stamped with the warning: "Walt Longmire goes to Philadelphia." While it was still well written, and had a decent enough mystery, it was missing the charm of Absaroka County, Wyoming, and the supporting characters that live there. Also, the behavior of the Moretti family -- the mother, the father, and the sons -- neared parody at various points in the story.
I am still very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series -- Another Man's Moccasins -- where Walt is back in Absaroka County where he belongs.
One positive -- for the series as a whole -- is that a will-they-or-won't-they question got answered without it lingering on for too long, as a lot of serialized works are wont to do.
I am still very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series -- Another Man's Moccasins -- where Walt is back in Absaroka County where he belongs.
One positive -- for the series as a whole -- is that a will-they-or-won't-they question got answered without it lingering on for too long, as a lot of serialized works are wont to do.
August 6, 2020
This one put Walt through the ringer. It was fun to see him in a different locale and his interaction with the entire Moretti clan was also entertaining. I highly doubt he would have gotten away with so much freedoms out of his jurisdiction but then again he is Sheriff Longmire. 😉 Thoroughly enjoyable as always.
April 27, 2021
Wow! Big happenings in book 3! I don't trust myself to write a review without giving away spoilers!
September 30, 2023
It's hard for Walt Longmire to be funny in this one
August 21, 2024
⭐️ SUMMARY:
In this book Walt, Dog, and Henry take a road trip to Philadelphia. Henry has an art show (of sorts) and Walt and Dog are tagging along so that they can visit Cady, who lives in Philly. Coincidently Vic’s mother lives there too and, for some reason, she is determined to meet Walt.
The gang no sooner arrives in the city when all hell breaks loose.
⭐️CHARACTERS:
We all know that I need well drawn characters and that what they do has to make sense. I am going to say yes to this - with the caveat that I had to remind myself that books and tv shows (and movies) are two different art forms and have to be judged separately.
Yes. I watched the show first.
⭐️RECOMMEND?
Did you like the first two books? If you watched the tv show first are you able to separate the book and the show? If the answer to both questions is yes then I think you’ll like this book too.
⭐️SPOILERS
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Okay, so I did not particularly like a couple characters in this book. They were well drawn and I hated their whole picture. Let me tell you why:
The fact that Vic and Vic’s mom (who is married - although that does not seem to count for much in these books - I know, I know, maybe I need to grow up) actively compete with each other for Walt’s affection is gross to me. Really gross. And when I say affection I mean to have sex with.
It is obvious that Vic seduces Walt mostly to prove to her mom that she can sleep with Walt first. Also weird that the mom walks in on them. Bleck.
And can we talk about Vic’s seduction of Walt? Okay, okay maybe I am too “woke” but getting naked and sitting of top of a sleeping man and kissing him and touching him before he is awake? Consent? Like at all? Then later when Walt is obviously uncomfortable and tells her he has only been with 6 women in his life she tells him that she raped him. And then repeats the phrase. She raped him. While I understand that what she is meaning is that it is all on her that they were together and he should not worry about the fact that they had sex - I just cringe that she used the word rape. They are both police officers. They know the reality of rape. I feel like Vic should not use that word casually.
Will I read the next book? Most likely. I am hoping that I am just being over sensitive.
In this book Walt, Dog, and Henry take a road trip to Philadelphia. Henry has an art show (of sorts) and Walt and Dog are tagging along so that they can visit Cady, who lives in Philly. Coincidently Vic’s mother lives there too and, for some reason, she is determined to meet Walt.
The gang no sooner arrives in the city when all hell breaks loose.
⭐️CHARACTERS:
We all know that I need well drawn characters and that what they do has to make sense. I am going to say yes to this - with the caveat that I had to remind myself that books and tv shows (and movies) are two different art forms and have to be judged separately.
Yes. I watched the show first.
⭐️RECOMMEND?
Did you like the first two books? If you watched the tv show first are you able to separate the book and the show? If the answer to both questions is yes then I think you’ll like this book too.
⭐️SPOILERS
*
*
*
Okay, so I did not particularly like a couple characters in this book. They were well drawn and I hated their whole picture. Let me tell you why:
The fact that Vic and Vic’s mom (who is married - although that does not seem to count for much in these books - I know, I know, maybe I need to grow up) actively compete with each other for Walt’s affection is gross to me. Really gross. And when I say affection I mean to have sex with.
It is obvious that Vic seduces Walt mostly to prove to her mom that she can sleep with Walt first. Also weird that the mom walks in on them. Bleck.
And can we talk about Vic’s seduction of Walt? Okay, okay maybe I am too “woke” but getting naked and sitting of top of a sleeping man and kissing him and touching him before he is awake? Consent? Like at all? Then later when Walt is obviously uncomfortable and tells her he has only been with 6 women in his life she tells him that she raped him. And then repeats the phrase. She raped him. While I understand that what she is meaning is that it is all on her that they were together and he should not worry about the fact that they had sex - I just cringe that she used the word rape. They are both police officers. They know the reality of rape. I feel like Vic should not use that word casually.
Will I read the next book? Most likely. I am hoping that I am just being over sensitive.
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