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Walt Longmire #17
Daughter of the Morning Star
A new novel in the beloved New York Times bestselling Longmire series.
When Lolo Long's niece Jaya begins receiving death threats, Tribal Police Chief Long calls on Absaroka County Sheriff Walt Longmire along with Henry Standing Bear as lethal backup. Jaya "Longshot" Long is the phenom of the Lame Deer Lady Stars High School basketball team and is following in the steps of her older sister, who disappeared a year previously, a victim of the scourge of missing Native Woman in Indian Country. Lolo hopes that having Longmire involved might draw some public attention to the girl's plight, but with this maneuver she also inadvertently places the good sheriff in a one-on-one with the deadliest adversary he has ever faced in both this world and the next.
When Lolo Long's niece Jaya begins receiving death threats, Tribal Police Chief Long calls on Absaroka County Sheriff Walt Longmire along with Henry Standing Bear as lethal backup. Jaya "Longshot" Long is the phenom of the Lame Deer Lady Stars High School basketball team and is following in the steps of her older sister, who disappeared a year previously, a victim of the scourge of missing Native Woman in Indian Country. Lolo hopes that having Longmire involved might draw some public attention to the girl's plight, but with this maneuver she also inadvertently places the good sheriff in a one-on-one with the deadliest adversary he has ever faced in both this world and the next.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 2021
930 people are currently reading
3501 people want to read
About the author
Craig Johnson
102 books4,964 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 918 reviews
June 27, 2022
This is the 19th book that I have read by Craig Johnson and I have enjoyed each one. Both my wife and I enjoy this series. We started reading it after watching the tv series, now concluded, but still available on Netflix. I rate this book 4.5 stars rounded down. I read it in 2 days.
This book has Walt Longmire, Sheriff of fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming, investigating the disappearance of Jeanie Long and if it relates to the threatening messages being sent to her sister, Jaya. Walt is out of his jurisdiction in Montana, investigating at the request of Tribal Police Lolo Long and Jaya's aunt. He is assisted by his friend, Henry Standing Bear.
Walt deals with a lot of issues: white supremacists, broken Native American families, including Jaya's parents and some supernatural elements. It is a satisfying read with horrifying statistics on the number of missing/murdered Native American women interspersed throughout the book. I like the ending, with the mystery solved in the real world, but not the spiritual one.
Two quotes: Head Chief Lonnie Little Bird of the Great Northern Cheyenne Nation: "The old saying among my people was that you never conquered an enemy until their women's hearts were on the ground- but what if there are no women at all."
Henry Standing Bear to Walt: "I do not worry about dying and someday I will die--whereas you worry about dying and someday you will die."
This was a library book.
This book has Walt Longmire, Sheriff of fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming, investigating the disappearance of Jeanie Long and if it relates to the threatening messages being sent to her sister, Jaya. Walt is out of his jurisdiction in Montana, investigating at the request of Tribal Police Lolo Long and Jaya's aunt. He is assisted by his friend, Henry Standing Bear.
Walt deals with a lot of issues: white supremacists, broken Native American families, including Jaya's parents and some supernatural elements. It is a satisfying read with horrifying statistics on the number of missing/murdered Native American women interspersed throughout the book. I like the ending, with the mystery solved in the real world, but not the spiritual one.
Two quotes: Head Chief Lonnie Little Bird of the Great Northern Cheyenne Nation: "The old saying among my people was that you never conquered an enemy until their women's hearts were on the ground- but what if there are no women at all."
Henry Standing Bear to Walt: "I do not worry about dying and someday I will die--whereas you worry about dying and someday you will die."
This was a library book.
July 7, 2021
I've read all of the Longmire series, and Craig Johnson has really outdone himself with this newest book. Walt is asked by the tribal police to look into the case of a young Native woman who went missing. An additional concern is that her sister is currently getting threatening notes. Both women played on the school basketball team, and Walt wonders if there could be a connection. There's also the possibility that her father, who joined up with a white supremacy group, is somehow involved. The novel is not only exciting and impossible to put down, but also manages to bring a serious issue to the forefront, the sheer number of missing and murdered Native women. It could be read as a stand-alone, but reading them in order provides more insight into both Walt and Henry Standing Bear. Highly recommended. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for this ARC.
September 20, 2021
Loyal fans who eagerly await each new Walt Longmire mystery won't be disappointed in this latest offering from Craig Johnson; it's one of the best in the series.
My wife and I were fortunate enough to attend one of Johnson's book signings a few years ago, and I would urge any and all of his readers to follow suit at any opportunity that presents itself. Johnson was totally engaged with his audience, warmly and enthusiastically answering every question, posing for pictures with attendees, and showing a genuine interest in each attendee.
Johnson is a master of the major elements of a novel - plotting, characterization, atmosphere, and dialog. He's obviously not tired of this series, not "phoning it in". If anything, he's getting better with each book.
Daughter of the Morning Star finds Walt and Henry Standing Bear investigating threats against a star basketball player Jaya Long, neice of tribal police chief Lolo Long, and the mysterious disappearance of Jaya's sister Jeannie, who also was the victim of a series of threatening notes. Walt and Henry are front and center in this one, with relatively brief but pivotal appearances by Vic. Ruby and Lucien get casual mentions, and Walt has a short phone call with Cady, but that's their total involvement with this one. As usual, there are a number of suspects, and the final outcome is anything but predictable. There's a supernatural storyline as well - one that might extend into a future novel - and the spirit of Virgil White Buffalo is invoked once again. But apparently minor details come into play in unexpected ways - for example, a pair of glasses and a folding chair - that demonstrate Johnson's skill in plotting.
The primary subplot is the quest of the Lame Deer girls basketball team for an elusive state title. They have in Jaya a stellar solo player who is both an asset and a handicap to the team because of her lack of leadership, her personal off-court issues, and her unwillingness to trust and encourage her teammates. The games provide excitement and a break in the often violent, often bewildering progress on the case.
Recurring characters such as Lolo Long and Lonnie Little Bird are present, along with a host of well-drawn secondary characters. Among my favorites were Lyndon Iron Bull and Melvin Rook, the former sharing a supernatural experience and leaving Walt with a dire warning, the latter taking Walt down a peg with some choice caustic comments.
The atmosphere, whether the excitement of the basketball court, the bleakness of the Wyoming & Montana winter landscape (and urbanscape), or encounters with the spirit world, is brilliantly and consistently presented by Johnson.
I had a couple of very minor quibbles with the dialog. One was that the presentation of statistics about the disproportional number of acts of violence against Native American females (including numbers of outright disappearances) was presented as exposition in dialog, rather than (say) by Walt's interior monologues or reading aloud of source material as he researched the subject. While not as dry as the latter method might have been, it was a little disconcerting to have the usually laconic Lonnie Little Bird spouting statistics and sounding more like a sociologist presenting a paper than an elder having a conversation. But, as I said, this was a minor note.
The other thing about the dialog is also minor. A number of times (in this and in other Longmire novels), I've had to backtrack a few paragraphs to set myself straight about who was speaking which lines, especially in conversations between Walt and Henry. On the other hand, inserting a lot of "he said" phrases would bog down the pace of the narrative; the lack of such exposition (often awkward) is in general a plus and makes the dialog seem more real.
While a new reader could pick up Morning Star and enjoy it as an introduction to the Longmire series, it's much richer for those familiar with the characters and with some of Walt's prior experiences - for example, with Virgil White Buffalo. I highly recommend this book, but also highly recommend that new readers enjoy the whole series from the beginning.
I should mention that I was able to read and review an advance copy in Kindle format, courtesy of Goodreads.
My wife and I were fortunate enough to attend one of Johnson's book signings a few years ago, and I would urge any and all of his readers to follow suit at any opportunity that presents itself. Johnson was totally engaged with his audience, warmly and enthusiastically answering every question, posing for pictures with attendees, and showing a genuine interest in each attendee.
Johnson is a master of the major elements of a novel - plotting, characterization, atmosphere, and dialog. He's obviously not tired of this series, not "phoning it in". If anything, he's getting better with each book.
Daughter of the Morning Star finds Walt and Henry Standing Bear investigating threats against a star basketball player Jaya Long, neice of tribal police chief Lolo Long, and the mysterious disappearance of Jaya's sister Jeannie, who also was the victim of a series of threatening notes. Walt and Henry are front and center in this one, with relatively brief but pivotal appearances by Vic. Ruby and Lucien get casual mentions, and Walt has a short phone call with Cady, but that's their total involvement with this one. As usual, there are a number of suspects, and the final outcome is anything but predictable. There's a supernatural storyline as well - one that might extend into a future novel - and the spirit of Virgil White Buffalo is invoked once again. But apparently minor details come into play in unexpected ways - for example, a pair of glasses and a folding chair - that demonstrate Johnson's skill in plotting.
The primary subplot is the quest of the Lame Deer girls basketball team for an elusive state title. They have in Jaya a stellar solo player who is both an asset and a handicap to the team because of her lack of leadership, her personal off-court issues, and her unwillingness to trust and encourage her teammates. The games provide excitement and a break in the often violent, often bewildering progress on the case.
Recurring characters such as Lolo Long and Lonnie Little Bird are present, along with a host of well-drawn secondary characters. Among my favorites were Lyndon Iron Bull and Melvin Rook, the former sharing a supernatural experience and leaving Walt with a dire warning, the latter taking Walt down a peg with some choice caustic comments.
The atmosphere, whether the excitement of the basketball court, the bleakness of the Wyoming & Montana winter landscape (and urbanscape), or encounters with the spirit world, is brilliantly and consistently presented by Johnson.
I had a couple of very minor quibbles with the dialog. One was that the presentation of statistics about the disproportional number of acts of violence against Native American females (including numbers of outright disappearances) was presented as exposition in dialog, rather than (say) by Walt's interior monologues or reading aloud of source material as he researched the subject. While not as dry as the latter method might have been, it was a little disconcerting to have the usually laconic Lonnie Little Bird spouting statistics and sounding more like a sociologist presenting a paper than an elder having a conversation. But, as I said, this was a minor note.
The other thing about the dialog is also minor. A number of times (in this and in other Longmire novels), I've had to backtrack a few paragraphs to set myself straight about who was speaking which lines, especially in conversations between Walt and Henry. On the other hand, inserting a lot of "he said" phrases would bog down the pace of the narrative; the lack of such exposition (often awkward) is in general a plus and makes the dialog seem more real.
While a new reader could pick up Morning Star and enjoy it as an introduction to the Longmire series, it's much richer for those familiar with the characters and with some of Walt's prior experiences - for example, with Virgil White Buffalo. I highly recommend this book, but also highly recommend that new readers enjoy the whole series from the beginning.
I should mention that I was able to read and review an advance copy in Kindle format, courtesy of Goodreads.
October 22, 2021
These staggering facts:
* The chances of a Native woman being murdered is ten times the national average and murder is the third leading cause of death for indigenous women.
* According to the FBI’s National Crime Investigation Center, 5,590 indigenous women went missing last year alone.
This is the message Craig Johnson imparts amidst Sheriff Walt Longmire’s search for a missing young Cheyenne woman. Walt and his longtime buddy, Henry Standing Bear, are baffled by white supremacists and the women’s Native American basketball tournament. Both are formidable obstacles.
Book #18 in this series maintains a high level of entertainment and Johnson’s love of Wyoming and indigenous people is strong.
* The chances of a Native woman being murdered is ten times the national average and murder is the third leading cause of death for indigenous women.
* According to the FBI’s National Crime Investigation Center, 5,590 indigenous women went missing last year alone.
This is the message Craig Johnson imparts amidst Sheriff Walt Longmire’s search for a missing young Cheyenne woman. Walt and his longtime buddy, Henry Standing Bear, are baffled by white supremacists and the women’s Native American basketball tournament. Both are formidable obstacles.
Book #18 in this series maintains a high level of entertainment and Johnson’s love of Wyoming and indigenous people is strong.
June 17, 2025
Walt Longmire is a sheriff of Absoroka county in the fictional depths of Wyoming. Not only he is tough, smart and sharp-witted but also uncharacteristically well-read. Daughter of the Morning Star is the 17th instalment of his detective adventures. Hard to believe, but I read all the novels in this series and very much enjoyed the first ten and the 13th.
So, by this 17th crime investigation Walt and the colorful cast of supporting characters feel like old friends. This is the main reason I rated this book with the three stars and not two. After all, Walt is almost family now, especially when the audiobooks benefit from the wonderful narration by George Guidall.
Unfortunately, the later books in the series continue to slide towards mysticism pervading the plot and becoming its quintessential component. The stories of this kind are neither my cup of tea nor my mug of coffee. And considering that at the end of this book Walt Longmire departs to investigate even more formidable mystical mysteries, there isn't much hope for a materialist resolution of the supernatural events in the future.
Besides, by now I'm not in such an awe with Walt and company like in the first books, and can't help noticing a few imperfections in writing (for example, when the characters are casually spouting out statistics by heart, even if it's very important statistics). Still, the characters are well-written, the plot is gripping, and there is plenty of comic relief and witty remarks along the way. So I'm looking forward to the next book, mysticism or not.
Read in 2022.
So, by this 17th crime investigation Walt and the colorful cast of supporting characters feel like old friends. This is the main reason I rated this book with the three stars and not two. After all, Walt is almost family now, especially when the audiobooks benefit from the wonderful narration by George Guidall.
Unfortunately, the later books in the series continue to slide towards mysticism pervading the plot and becoming its quintessential component. The stories of this kind are neither my cup of tea nor my mug of coffee. And considering that at the end of this book Walt Longmire departs to investigate even more formidable mystical mysteries, there isn't much hope for a materialist resolution of the supernatural events in the future.
Besides, by now I'm not in such an awe with Walt and company like in the first books, and can't help noticing a few imperfections in writing (for example, when the characters are casually spouting out statistics by heart, even if it's very important statistics). Still, the characters are well-written, the plot is gripping, and there is plenty of comic relief and witty remarks along the way. So I'm looking forward to the next book, mysticism or not.
Read in 2022.
September 30, 2021
“Daughter of the Morning Star” is the seventeenth book in the “Longmire” mystery series, continuing the fictional adventures of Walt Longmire, Sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming; his daughter, Cady, the world’s greatest lawyer; his best friend, Henry Standing Bear; his loyal and outspoken deputy, Vic Moretti; his loyal and less outspoken deputy, and Dog, his faithful animal companion.
When we last left our fearless law enforcement officer at the end of the last book, “Next to last Stand”, Walt was back home and seemingly almost recovered emotionally from his final showdown with Thomas Bidarte, international hit man, in the previous book “Depth of Winter”. I cannot say physically recovered because he took on more injuries and wounds during his investigation and recovery of the famous Custer painting.
When “Daughter of the Morning Star” starts, we find our hero having been hired by the Tribal Police Chief Lolo Long to investigate death threats that her niece, Jaya "Longshot" Long, is receiving. Jaya is a high school senior and star of the Lame Deer Lady Stars High School basketball team. She is considered one of the best players in the state and is being recruited by some of the best colleges in the country. In order to help provide protection for Jaya, Walt brings along his best friend, Henry Standing Bear.
However, there are bigger problems facing Walt. He finds out that Jaya’s older sister, Jeanie One Moon, also received similar death threats and then disappeared under mysterious circumstances a year previously. He’s concerned the same stalker could be following Jaya and repeating the same activity. Walt is too aware that statistics are not on the side of native woman that go missing and he hopes to use law enforcement and the media to gain public attention to the situation.
Before he knows it, Walt finds himself taken far out of his comfort zone, dealing with Indian mysticism with Henry, running into one of his first girlfriends, and being pulled in to coach a high school girls basketball team, and facing a deadly adversary that appears in both our world and the beyond.
Normally, I would say that there are a lot of things to like about this book because I am a die-hard Longmire and Craig Johnson fan. However, honesty requires that I admit that is not exactly the case with this book. There were good things that I really enjoyed. Walt and Henry together on any adventure is always awesome. Under-Sherriff, Vic Moretti, had some good moments, and Chief Lolo is such an uptight character that you almost want to scream for her to let her guard down. Unfortunately, most of the Sherriff’s team members make small appearances or are absent in this outing. Even the most wonderful daughter in the world, Cady, is only seen in a brief phone call.
As much as I love Longmire and his world, I have some real problems with the structure and plotting of this book. Although I do my best to stay away from **spoilers** I was left with a lot of unanswered questions and a pseudo ending that really leaves a lot of resolution to be continued into the next book. It’s not a cliffhanger ending, but it’s really like a “to be continued” narrative that leaves a lot unresolved and little explained.
As for my frustrations, let’s get started. Has anyone noticed that Walt has had the literal crap kicked out of him in the last four books? In this book alone, he hits his head on the rocks and passes out for over 24 hours, barely escapes a serious explosion blast, and never gets any kind of medical treatment, nor time for physical recovery. If you add up all his gunshot wounds, stabbings, and fighting injuries in the last four books alone, he deserves his own super hero cape.
As for my unanswered questions, let’s start with Jeanie One Moon. She certainly seems dead, but the ghosting appears to be awfully over the top, even for a mystical element. And if she is dead, we really don’t know who the killer is at this point. At least I am not buying who was blamed for her death in the slightest. I think the real murderer is still out there. And what was Artie Small’s role in all of this? It was never fully explored or explained. Is the Éveohtsé-heómėse real or not? I guess we’ll find out in the next book. The same with the mysterious and secret closed boarding school for Native boys that seems to scare anyone who looks at a picture of it. Obviously more to come on that… I must say that, for me, the mysticism became a bit stretched in the last 100 pages, and I wasn’t sure what Johnson was trying to achieve. It would have helped me a lot to have known when starting this book that it was really the first book of a 2-book set. At least now that I am finished with it, I am hoping that is the case. If not, I will be really frustrated.
Overall, “Daughter of the Morning Star” started out as a fairly interesting mystery for the first 100 – 150 pages, and then devolved into a disjointed combination of Hoosiers basketball and mystical characters in which the sum of the parts did not come together as well as it could of. Not bad, but not he usual excellent delivery that we fans have come to expect and count on each year.
Since it appears that Johnson will be continuing this mystery in his next book coming out in 2022, I can only hope that it will tie all of the loose pieces together and provide some desperately needed closure. And please… Bring back more of Cady…
When we last left our fearless law enforcement officer at the end of the last book, “Next to last Stand”, Walt was back home and seemingly almost recovered emotionally from his final showdown with Thomas Bidarte, international hit man, in the previous book “Depth of Winter”. I cannot say physically recovered because he took on more injuries and wounds during his investigation and recovery of the famous Custer painting.
When “Daughter of the Morning Star” starts, we find our hero having been hired by the Tribal Police Chief Lolo Long to investigate death threats that her niece, Jaya "Longshot" Long, is receiving. Jaya is a high school senior and star of the Lame Deer Lady Stars High School basketball team. She is considered one of the best players in the state and is being recruited by some of the best colleges in the country. In order to help provide protection for Jaya, Walt brings along his best friend, Henry Standing Bear.
However, there are bigger problems facing Walt. He finds out that Jaya’s older sister, Jeanie One Moon, also received similar death threats and then disappeared under mysterious circumstances a year previously. He’s concerned the same stalker could be following Jaya and repeating the same activity. Walt is too aware that statistics are not on the side of native woman that go missing and he hopes to use law enforcement and the media to gain public attention to the situation.
Before he knows it, Walt finds himself taken far out of his comfort zone, dealing with Indian mysticism with Henry, running into one of his first girlfriends, and being pulled in to coach a high school girls basketball team, and facing a deadly adversary that appears in both our world and the beyond.
Normally, I would say that there are a lot of things to like about this book because I am a die-hard Longmire and Craig Johnson fan. However, honesty requires that I admit that is not exactly the case with this book. There were good things that I really enjoyed. Walt and Henry together on any adventure is always awesome. Under-Sherriff, Vic Moretti, had some good moments, and Chief Lolo is such an uptight character that you almost want to scream for her to let her guard down. Unfortunately, most of the Sherriff’s team members make small appearances or are absent in this outing. Even the most wonderful daughter in the world, Cady, is only seen in a brief phone call.
As much as I love Longmire and his world, I have some real problems with the structure and plotting of this book. Although I do my best to stay away from **spoilers** I was left with a lot of unanswered questions and a pseudo ending that really leaves a lot of resolution to be continued into the next book. It’s not a cliffhanger ending, but it’s really like a “to be continued” narrative that leaves a lot unresolved and little explained.
As for my frustrations, let’s get started. Has anyone noticed that Walt has had the literal crap kicked out of him in the last four books? In this book alone, he hits his head on the rocks and passes out for over 24 hours, barely escapes a serious explosion blast, and never gets any kind of medical treatment, nor time for physical recovery. If you add up all his gunshot wounds, stabbings, and fighting injuries in the last four books alone, he deserves his own super hero cape.
As for my unanswered questions, let’s start with Jeanie One Moon. She certainly seems dead, but the ghosting appears to be awfully over the top, even for a mystical element. And if she is dead, we really don’t know who the killer is at this point. At least I am not buying who was blamed for her death in the slightest. I think the real murderer is still out there. And what was Artie Small’s role in all of this? It was never fully explored or explained. Is the Éveohtsé-heómėse real or not? I guess we’ll find out in the next book. The same with the mysterious and secret closed boarding school for Native boys that seems to scare anyone who looks at a picture of it. Obviously more to come on that… I must say that, for me, the mysticism became a bit stretched in the last 100 pages, and I wasn’t sure what Johnson was trying to achieve. It would have helped me a lot to have known when starting this book that it was really the first book of a 2-book set. At least now that I am finished with it, I am hoping that is the case. If not, I will be really frustrated.
Overall, “Daughter of the Morning Star” started out as a fairly interesting mystery for the first 100 – 150 pages, and then devolved into a disjointed combination of Hoosiers basketball and mystical characters in which the sum of the parts did not come together as well as it could of. Not bad, but not he usual excellent delivery that we fans have come to expect and count on each year.
Since it appears that Johnson will be continuing this mystery in his next book coming out in 2022, I can only hope that it will tie all of the loose pieces together and provide some desperately needed closure. And please… Bring back more of Cady…
October 23, 2021
It's a Walt Longmire novel. What else can I say except great as always.
April 10, 2024
The suicide rate for Native teenagers is two and a half times greater than the national average.
Native women are three and a half times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than the national average.
Native women are six times more likely to be murdered.
All of this information is in the first chapter which sets the tone for Johnson’s writing.
This was a great read centering around one missing girl and her sister being threatened. This story turned out to be a menagerie of plot threads blending the Ayran Nation, past relationships and a Indian Spiritual journey together, then tying it off with several surprises at the end. My hat is off to Johnson for pulling this off. The main conversations were between Longmire and the Cheyenne Nation (Henry) with a dash of Vic (The Italian Terror). The humor came easy as usual and helped lighten the mood, I was not able to guess “who dunnit”, maybe the next reader will be more successful. Enjoy reading this my fellow GR friends.
Native women are three and a half times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than the national average.
Native women are six times more likely to be murdered.
All of this information is in the first chapter which sets the tone for Johnson’s writing.
This was a great read centering around one missing girl and her sister being threatened. This story turned out to be a menagerie of plot threads blending the Ayran Nation, past relationships and a Indian Spiritual journey together, then tying it off with several surprises at the end. My hat is off to Johnson for pulling this off. The main conversations were between Longmire and the Cheyenne Nation (Henry) with a dash of Vic (The Italian Terror). The humor came easy as usual and helped lighten the mood, I was not able to guess “who dunnit”, maybe the next reader will be more successful. Enjoy reading this my fellow GR friends.
November 3, 2021
Quotes that caught my ears:
"I walked around the fire pit and sat in the camp chair opposite him as the sparks flew up between us like bad choices or mediocre consequence unsure which was worse."
"Whenever we have a warm day followed by a cold night, in the evenings, as if the sun is trying to pull her up from the ground before the moon can catch hold of her."
"He had the look of somebody who had taken a lot of questionable chances in life and had paid for every single one of them in spades."
"You become the wolf you feed."
"I walked around the fire pit and sat in the camp chair opposite him as the sparks flew up between us like bad choices or mediocre consequence unsure which was worse."
"Whenever we have a warm day followed by a cold night, in the evenings, as if the sun is trying to pull her up from the ground before the moon can catch hold of her."
"He had the look of somebody who had taken a lot of questionable chances in life and had paid for every single one of them in spades."
"You become the wolf you feed."
November 8, 2021
Walt Longmire is doing somebody a favour, namely looking into the matter of of threatening notes to a teenage basketball talent from the reservation. The sister has disappeared over a year ago and now they are afraid she will disappear as well as there never has been a satisfactory answer or solution to the disappearance of this young Indian lady.
This is not a tale from sheriff Walt Longmire's county which is run adequately by Vic, their current relationship status is not really touched upon in this novel. He and Henry Standing Bear are deeply involved in this search which highlights the men's intimate relationship and their banter is priceless.
The source material of this novel is the disturbing fact that so many young native American women disappear of die of unnatural causes and Craig Johnson has seen fit to use this in his novel and the fate of Native American boarding schools, and their shameful past, is bound to come up in the next novel as this Longmire novel ends in open sense.
Walt, the Cheyenne nation, Dog are all back in this fun and exciting new book as do some other characters but the fictional Absaroka County setting does not play much of a role in this book if only the nephew of the Indian sheriff who now works for Walt.
A really enjoyable stay this time the banter of Walt and Henry is a delight as always and makes you remember Robert B. parker in his better books. Now I am really looking forward to the next book which will undoubtedly be looking into the past and treatment of the native Americans.
A great series that is picking up once again after the Rambo episode with excellent moral tales and a really amazing lawman.
This is not a tale from sheriff Walt Longmire's county which is run adequately by Vic, their current relationship status is not really touched upon in this novel. He and Henry Standing Bear are deeply involved in this search which highlights the men's intimate relationship and their banter is priceless.
The source material of this novel is the disturbing fact that so many young native American women disappear of die of unnatural causes and Craig Johnson has seen fit to use this in his novel and the fate of Native American boarding schools, and their shameful past, is bound to come up in the next novel as this Longmire novel ends in open sense.
Walt, the Cheyenne nation, Dog are all back in this fun and exciting new book as do some other characters but the fictional Absaroka County setting does not play much of a role in this book if only the nephew of the Indian sheriff who now works for Walt.
A really enjoyable stay this time the banter of Walt and Henry is a delight as always and makes you remember Robert B. parker in his better books. Now I am really looking forward to the next book which will undoubtedly be looking into the past and treatment of the native Americans.
A great series that is picking up once again after the Rambo episode with excellent moral tales and a really amazing lawman.
February 2, 2022
Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire, who is accompanied with Dog, and Henry Standing Bear a/k/a Cheyenne Nation travel to Montana to assist in the investigation of threatening notes received by 18-year-old high school basketball superstar Jaya “Longbow” Long of the Lame Deer Lady Stars. They are also looking into the disappearance of her sister, Jeanie One Moon, from a year earlier after her ride had broken down. Walt believes that the threats and disappearance are related. Told with humor and grit, Walt’s trademark stubbornness and determination has him riling Jaya, an oil tycoon, white supremacists, a militant Indian, Jaya and Jeanie’s parents, witnesses, and Henry’s truck, Rezdawg. The spirit world seems to be swirling with hints of Virgil White Buffalo, the Wandering Without, and a dark place haunted by troubled souls. At the end, Walt is doggedly pursuing a lead that he has been warned is not worth the risk. I love this series.
Sadly in reality, the author informs us, “a Native woman being murdered is ten times the national average ... murder is the third leading cause of death for indigenous women.” “[F]our out of five Native women have experienced societal violence, with half having experienced sexual violence as well. Half of Native women have been stalked in their lifetime, and they have two times as likely to experience violence and rape than their Anglo counterparts. Heartbreakingly, the majority of these Native women’s murders are by non-Natives on Native-owned land.”
Sadly in reality, the author informs us, “a Native woman being murdered is ten times the national average ... murder is the third leading cause of death for indigenous women.” “[F]our out of five Native women have experienced societal violence, with half having experienced sexual violence as well. Half of Native women have been stalked in their lifetime, and they have two times as likely to experience violence and rape than their Anglo counterparts. Heartbreakingly, the majority of these Native women’s murders are by non-Natives on Native-owned land.”
October 19, 2021
Daughter of the Morning Star by Craig Johnson is in my opinion not the best book in the Walt longmire series. The idea of lifting the trouble with how native american women are treated is great but I found it lacking in telling these horrendous facts. The story is as usual gripping and I love the Longmire universe. I am not a big fan of the supernatural but it fits so well in these stories that I overlook it and actually find it suitable. I will always recommend the books by Johnson and are really looking forward to the next one.
November 9, 2022
Another winner from perhaps the very best contemporary western fiction author. Johnson manages once again to tell a brilliant tale through the eyes of Sheriff Walt Longmire, a realistic less-than-Superman hero. What I look forward to most in this series is the interplay Longmire has with his friends and colleagues, especially Henry Standing Bear aka The Cheyenne Nation.
No spoilers here. If you like this series, you'll enjoy Daughter of the Morning Star!
No spoilers here. If you like this series, you'll enjoy Daughter of the Morning Star!
March 14, 2024
It’s good to be back amongst a couple of my fave characters: Walt Longmire and his partner in crime, Henry Standing Bear. First and foremost, I want to comment on a minor error in the book summary because inaccurate book summaries are a bit of a pet peeve of mine. Initially, the reason Chief Lolo brought Walt in (Henry is just basically tagging along) is to find out who is sending her niece, Jaya, threatening letters. Discovering any new clues to the missing person case for her other niece, Jeanie, is a secondary matter, but it’s one that Chief Lolo believes is connected to Jaya’s threatening letters. After a while, Walt begins to believe they are too.
Secondly, the “deadliest adversary” can be either a white supremacy group or a Cheyenne religion that preaches the existence of a collection of lost souls that goes through live victims to get to a malevolent spirit. It’s speculated that the particular spirit that is being targeted is the spirit of Virgil White Buffalo, a 7ft tall Indian who has been dead for several installments now. Although, there are those who believe that Virgil’s spirit is still in this world.
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of the primary storyline of trying to find out who could be sending Jaya threatening letters while also talking to people about what could have happened to Jeanie. There is a secondary storyline around Jaya who is the star basketball player for the local Cheyenne high school girls’ basketball team. While Jaya is a remarkable basketball player, she is an absolutely lousy team member. Personally, Jaya seems like a typical, conceited, self-centered, angry teenager who thinks she knows everything, at least to me she does. Anyway, Walt teaches her how to be a better team member.
This was another wonderful installment full of Walt and Henry’s bantering, which is absolutely hilarious and entertaining. For anyone who isn’t familiar with Walt Longmire or ever read one of the installments, growing up in WY with a Cheyenne best friend, every installment incorporates Cheyenne folklore, beliefs, and practices and includes many of the reservations as locations in the stories. Personally, I love these parts of the stories and this particular storyline gave the book quite a few really creepy and freaky scenes, the kind that gave me goosebumps along with that ominous shiver down my spine. LOVED THE EPILOGUE!!!
Secondly, the “deadliest adversary” can be either a white supremacy group or a Cheyenne religion that preaches the existence of a collection of lost souls that goes through live victims to get to a malevolent spirit. It’s speculated that the particular spirit that is being targeted is the spirit of Virgil White Buffalo, a 7ft tall Indian who has been dead for several installments now. Although, there are those who believe that Virgil’s spirit is still in this world.
Most of the story revolves around the investigation of the primary storyline of trying to find out who could be sending Jaya threatening letters while also talking to people about what could have happened to Jeanie. There is a secondary storyline around Jaya who is the star basketball player for the local Cheyenne high school girls’ basketball team. While Jaya is a remarkable basketball player, she is an absolutely lousy team member. Personally, Jaya seems like a typical, conceited, self-centered, angry teenager who thinks she knows everything, at least to me she does. Anyway, Walt teaches her how to be a better team member.
This was another wonderful installment full of Walt and Henry’s bantering, which is absolutely hilarious and entertaining. For anyone who isn’t familiar with Walt Longmire or ever read one of the installments, growing up in WY with a Cheyenne best friend, every installment incorporates Cheyenne folklore, beliefs, and practices and includes many of the reservations as locations in the stories. Personally, I love these parts of the stories and this particular storyline gave the book quite a few really creepy and freaky scenes, the kind that gave me goosebumps along with that ominous shiver down my spine. LOVED THE EPILOGUE!!!
November 12, 2022
Cliff hanger!
It looks like I will be ordering next year's book!
This book ends with Sheriff Longmire driving off into the sunset *alone* (no "Dog," no Henry Standing Bear) to rescue a girl - a girl who was murdered.
Only a few people have seen Jeanie since she disappeared a year ago and Longmire is one of them. He sees Jeanie and hears her plaintively saying over and over, "Bring me back. I don't belong here. I want to go home . . . "
So, yes, I'm hooked as Sheriff Longmire is slowly pulled into a net of scary, supernatural evil.
This book pulls us into that dark net as Longmire and his friend, Henry Standing Bear, set out to find who has been sending Jeanie's sister, Jaya, threatening notes. Jaya is a high school basketball star and even though I know very little about basketball, I was drawn into the exciting descriptions of the games that Jaya and her team played.
Jeanie and Jaya are part of the Cheyenne Nation in Wyoming and Craig Johnson, in his preface talks about the high incidence of Native American women who disappear, who are the victims of abuse and rape and who are murdered. The statistics are shocking.
"the chances of a Native woman being murdered is ten times the national average, . . . murder is the third leading cause of death of indigenous women. . . .four out of five Native women have experienced societal violence, with half having experienced sexual violence as well. . . . Heartbreakingly, the majority of these Native women's murders are by non-Natives on Native-owned land."
Johnson writes page turning mysteries and this book was no exception. There are several harrowing scenes that pit Longmire and Henry Standing Bear against bad guys with names like Lou Dawg and Silent A. We are always fairly confident that good will prevail over evil in this series, but it looks like Longmire has his work cut out for him in the next book. How do you fight an evil spirit? (Ghostbusters is not the right answer :-)
I am sending Mr. Johnson good vibes to finish the sequel and thank him for writing such an engaging series.
It looks like I will be ordering next year's book!
This book ends with Sheriff Longmire driving off into the sunset *alone* (no "Dog," no Henry Standing Bear) to rescue a girl - a girl who was murdered.
Only a few people have seen Jeanie since she disappeared a year ago and Longmire is one of them. He sees Jeanie and hears her plaintively saying over and over, "Bring me back. I don't belong here. I want to go home . . . "
So, yes, I'm hooked as Sheriff Longmire is slowly pulled into a net of scary, supernatural evil.
This book pulls us into that dark net as Longmire and his friend, Henry Standing Bear, set out to find who has been sending Jeanie's sister, Jaya, threatening notes. Jaya is a high school basketball star and even though I know very little about basketball, I was drawn into the exciting descriptions of the games that Jaya and her team played.
Jeanie and Jaya are part of the Cheyenne Nation in Wyoming and Craig Johnson, in his preface talks about the high incidence of Native American women who disappear, who are the victims of abuse and rape and who are murdered. The statistics are shocking.
"the chances of a Native woman being murdered is ten times the national average, . . . murder is the third leading cause of death of indigenous women. . . .four out of five Native women have experienced societal violence, with half having experienced sexual violence as well. . . . Heartbreakingly, the majority of these Native women's murders are by non-Natives on Native-owned land."
Johnson writes page turning mysteries and this book was no exception. There are several harrowing scenes that pit Longmire and Henry Standing Bear against bad guys with names like Lou Dawg and Silent A. We are always fairly confident that good will prevail over evil in this series, but it looks like Longmire has his work cut out for him in the next book. How do you fight an evil spirit? (Ghostbusters is not the right answer :-)
I am sending Mr. Johnson good vibes to finish the sequel and thank him for writing such an engaging series.
October 23, 2021
I really liked this one. Walt and Henry Standing Bear are investigating threats against Jaya Longbow, star of the Lady Morning Stars high school basketball team, whose sister went missing just the year before. Lots of Henry and less Vic; always a plus for me. And Walt gets to show off his fathering skills, helping the troubled Jaya learn the value of teamwork and owning her actions.
It's interesting that the last Longmire book I read was Hell Is Empty because that featured Virgil White Buffalo and his spirit is here again in Daughter of the Morning Star. The mystical elements are strong in this book. Walt is slowly drawn toward a showdown with the Wandering Without, a supernatural being and spiritual black hole. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait for the next book to find out what happens with that.
It's interesting that the last Longmire book I read was Hell Is Empty because that featured Virgil White Buffalo and his spirit is here again in Daughter of the Morning Star. The mystical elements are strong in this book. Walt is slowly drawn toward a showdown with the Wandering Without, a supernatural being and spiritual black hole. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait for the next book to find out what happens with that.
December 28, 2021
Almost a five star rating. Waltś relationship was there with Henry Standing Bear, and Dog. Not enough Victoria Moretti, and I will have to get the next book to get a resolution which I do not particularly appreciate. I mean, I´m going to get the next book regardless,so why not wrap this up, and move on?
October 31, 2021
The latest Longmire mystery. This about two Native American sisters. One missing, likely no longer alive and the 2nd receiving death threats. Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear are asked to get involved since there are few leads and little interest from other authorities. Part of the problem is there is little direct authority since tribal police have no jurisdiction outside the Reservation and outside Sheriffs see the problem but are often not trusted and overwhelmed by how frequently this type of situation occurs.
It is well known that Native American women experience violence at an alarming rate and many just seem to vanish. This mystery highlights the problem and aims Walt to suspects that include a group of ex-cons who are part of a White Supremacist group and a mysterious Native spiritual concept called the Wandering Without which just seems to swallow all hope in the people who come into contact. The Native American lore and the big dose of Henry Standing Bear made this story about so much more than finding who done it. Throw in a great Basketball game and Boy Howdy it was another winner in the Longmire series.
I will say I continue to read these stories as much for Johnson's ability to turn a phrase. The characters and the writing always draws me to the latest and has me waiting for the next. Also wonderful narration by George Guidall has made this series a pleasure to listen to.
It is well known that Native American women experience violence at an alarming rate and many just seem to vanish. This mystery highlights the problem and aims Walt to suspects that include a group of ex-cons who are part of a White Supremacist group and a mysterious Native spiritual concept called the Wandering Without which just seems to swallow all hope in the people who come into contact. The Native American lore and the big dose of Henry Standing Bear made this story about so much more than finding who done it. Throw in a great Basketball game and Boy Howdy it was another winner in the Longmire series.
I will say I continue to read these stories as much for Johnson's ability to turn a phrase. The characters and the writing always draws me to the latest and has me waiting for the next. Also wonderful narration by George Guidall has made this series a pleasure to listen to.
September 30, 2021
Novels like this one are why I fell in love with the Longmire series in the first place. It's refreshing and heartening to see this novel shed light on the issue of MMIWG (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls), and stories that focus on the friendship of Walt and Henry are always winners for me. I look forward to the next installment in the series.
February 23, 2022
Longmire mystery involving a missing young Cheyenne woman's ghost, a native “Doomsday” cult, women's high school basketball and skinheads on the Cheyenne reservation. Story ends abruptly setting up for next book
Hell and Back
(Longmire #18).
North American Indian cult “Ghost Dance”
My audio edition was about eight (8) and a half hours long. A dead tree copy would be about 340 pages. The original US copyright was 2021.
Craig Johnson is an American mystery and thriller novelist. He has more than 20-books published, in his Longmire series. This was the 17th book in that series. This was also the 17th book I’ve read by the author. The previous being Next to Last Stand (Walt Longmire, #16) (my review).
Its strongly recommended that the previous books in the series be read before this one. Otherwise, the important, long-term, series plotlines will not be easily understood.
Longmire gets arm twisted into investigating, on the Cheyenne reservation, a series of threats to a troubled, young, Cheyenne woman star, high school basketball player whose sister has coincidentally (?) recently “disappeared”. The “Cowboy Sherlock” and his partner Henry Standing Bear, trace through the seemingly related misfortunes back through: pedophile white men, extortionate skinheads, Native American Doomsday Cults, problems with Life on the Res, and women’s high school basketball. The story’s major Indian spiritual plot line, is left hanging Blowing in the cold prairie wind for the next book. In general, this story avoided many of the dark and complicated personal issues which have been stalking Longmire in the more recent books in the series.
This was not an Absaroka County book. It was a Walt, operating outside of his jurisdiction, and Henry story. It harked back to the early days of the series. I greatly enjoyed their Buddy Cop routine, which has been missing for a very long time. I also greatly enjoyed their once familiar badinage. In addition, the story had a strong, Native American supernatural component. I have always enjoyed the more supernatural Longmire’s. The missing sister’s ghost, appears to be entangled with a malign spirit. Longmire’s own, ghostly spirit guide, Virgil White Buffalo, nudges him along through the supernatural aspect of the investigation. Dog, remains Longmire’s constant companion throughout the story. There was a minor participation by Vic in the story. She comes in to save the day with her Hoop Prowess. However, only she and Henry from Absaroka County featured largely in the story. Recent, long-term plotlines such as Longmire’s: PTSD, his relationships with his daughter (Cady) and undersheriff (Vic), and his future as Absaroka County’s sheriff were mercifully left to lie, like a sleeping Dog.
This was a Longmire Off the Reservation (Absaroka County), and on the Cheyenne Reservation story. As usual there was enough of Walt’s folksy humor that it brought a few chuckles. (I only counted one, “Boy Howdy”.) I was seriously disappointed with the plotting. I really like Longmire books with Longmire and Henry. I really like Longmire books when they contain a Native American supernatural plotline. This book had both. However, the spiritual plotline ran right through this book and on into the unpublished next one. In comparison, the threat to the basketball player investigation that started the story (back in Next To Last Stand) ended limply. Johnson did a poor job of obscuring its perp. Like in Next to Last Stand, there was too much prose devoted to setting-up for the next book and not enough in the present one. The supernatural plotline cannibalized the threatened basketball player plotline. The Ghost Story left only shallow plotting for it. I'd hesitate to call the ending a Cliff Hanger, but the ending felt inappropriately hasty, and dependent on the following book to me. I only enjoyed this book, because it was a Walt and Henry story with a supernatural theme. The dilution of the Daughter of the Morning Star story left it very weak sauce.
I'll be forced to read Hell and Back only because I've read what must be the first third of it already?
North American Indian cult “Ghost Dance”
My audio edition was about eight (8) and a half hours long. A dead tree copy would be about 340 pages. The original US copyright was 2021.
Craig Johnson is an American mystery and thriller novelist. He has more than 20-books published, in his Longmire series. This was the 17th book in that series. This was also the 17th book I’ve read by the author. The previous being Next to Last Stand (Walt Longmire, #16) (my review).
Its strongly recommended that the previous books in the series be read before this one. Otherwise, the important, long-term, series plotlines will not be easily understood.
Longmire gets arm twisted into investigating, on the Cheyenne reservation, a series of threats to a troubled, young, Cheyenne woman star, high school basketball player whose sister has coincidentally (?) recently “disappeared”. The “Cowboy Sherlock” and his partner Henry Standing Bear, trace through the seemingly related misfortunes back through: pedophile white men, extortionate skinheads, Native American Doomsday Cults, problems with Life on the Res, and women’s high school basketball. The story’s major Indian spiritual plot line, is left hanging Blowing in the cold prairie wind for the next book. In general, this story avoided many of the dark and complicated personal issues which have been stalking Longmire in the more recent books in the series.
This was not an Absaroka County book. It was a Walt, operating outside of his jurisdiction, and Henry story. It harked back to the early days of the series. I greatly enjoyed their Buddy Cop routine, which has been missing for a very long time. I also greatly enjoyed their once familiar badinage. In addition, the story had a strong, Native American supernatural component. I have always enjoyed the more supernatural Longmire’s. The missing sister’s ghost, appears to be entangled with a malign spirit. Longmire’s own, ghostly spirit guide, Virgil White Buffalo, nudges him along through the supernatural aspect of the investigation. Dog, remains Longmire’s constant companion throughout the story. There was a minor participation by Vic in the story. She comes in to save the day with her Hoop Prowess. However, only she and Henry from Absaroka County featured largely in the story. Recent, long-term plotlines such as Longmire’s: PTSD, his relationships with his daughter (Cady) and undersheriff (Vic), and his future as Absaroka County’s sheriff were mercifully left to lie, like a sleeping Dog.
This was a Longmire Off the Reservation (Absaroka County), and on the Cheyenne Reservation story. As usual there was enough of Walt’s folksy humor that it brought a few chuckles. (I only counted one, “Boy Howdy”.) I was seriously disappointed with the plotting. I really like Longmire books with Longmire and Henry. I really like Longmire books when they contain a Native American supernatural plotline. This book had both. However, the spiritual plotline ran right through this book and on into the unpublished next one. In comparison, the threat to the basketball player investigation that started the story (back in Next To Last Stand) ended limply. Johnson did a poor job of obscuring its perp. Like in Next to Last Stand, there was too much prose devoted to setting-up for the next book and not enough in the present one. The supernatural plotline cannibalized the threatened basketball player plotline. The Ghost Story left only shallow plotting for it. I'd hesitate to call the ending a Cliff Hanger, but the ending felt inappropriately hasty, and dependent on the following book to me. I only enjoyed this book, because it was a Walt and Henry story with a supernatural theme. The dilution of the Daughter of the Morning Star story left it very weak sauce.
I'll be forced to read Hell and Back only because I've read what must be the first third of it already?
March 30, 2022
This is a great series but this addition was missing some of my favorite characters.
November 21, 2021
Latest in a favorite series, the Longmire saga by Craig Johnson as read by George Guidall, who I could listen to round the clock. This installment addresses the issue of sexual abuse suffered by Indigenous women, a subject also followed by William Kent Krueger in his Cork O'Connor series. Here we can enjoy Johnson's wonderful characters, his unexpected humor, his love of dogs, respect for native populations and traditions and his obvious love for his state of Wyoming.
September 22, 2021
Notes:
I enjoyed the latest addition to Longmire. The core focus of the story was on relationships & connections: friendship, co-workers, sports team, ethnic culture, family and lovers. It had a lighter pacing than the last few books. It had a mystery, but a lot of comforting interactions that shine due to the conflicts.
I enjoyed the latest addition to Longmire. The core focus of the story was on relationships & connections: friendship, co-workers, sports team, ethnic culture, family and lovers. It had a lighter pacing than the last few books. It had a mystery, but a lot of comforting interactions that shine due to the conflicts.
May 31, 2024
I love when these books delve into Native American mysticism, and Daughter of the Morning Star goes deep with the story of a missing teenager.
Jaya Long, the niece of Tribal Police Chief Lolo Long, is the star of her high school basketball team - but that's all she's got going for her. She's got all her aunt's attitude and spells team with an 'i'. She's been impossible ever since her older sister Jeanie went missing nearly a year ago, but now, Lolo has learned Jaya's receiving threats. To help her get to the bottom of them, she enlists Absaroka County Sheriff Walt Longmire. He'll need to figure out Jeanie's disappearance to see if there's a connection to Jaya's antagonist.
This book was chock full of Henry Standing Bear and Dog the dog - two sidekicks I never get enough of. Dog is a part-wolf sweetheart with a soft spot for ham, and Henry's dry, stoic humor never fails to get a chuckle out of me. In Lonnie's words, "mm hmm, yes, it is so."
I can't say the ending was very satisfying, but like most things in life, the joy of this book was more about the journey than the destination. Next up will be Hell and Back.
Jaya Long, the niece of Tribal Police Chief Lolo Long, is the star of her high school basketball team - but that's all she's got going for her. She's got all her aunt's attitude and spells team with an 'i'. She's been impossible ever since her older sister Jeanie went missing nearly a year ago, but now, Lolo has learned Jaya's receiving threats. To help her get to the bottom of them, she enlists Absaroka County Sheriff Walt Longmire. He'll need to figure out Jeanie's disappearance to see if there's a connection to Jaya's antagonist.
This book was chock full of Henry Standing Bear and Dog the dog - two sidekicks I never get enough of. Dog is a part-wolf sweetheart with a soft spot for ham, and Henry's dry, stoic humor never fails to get a chuckle out of me. In Lonnie's words, "mm hmm, yes, it is so."
I can't say the ending was very satisfying, but like most things in life, the joy of this book was more about the journey than the destination. Next up will be Hell and Back.
November 3, 2021
Mystery, intrigue, action aplenty, Indian lore, BASKETBALL...and Walt and Bear, of course - What else could a reader need? Another element highlighted in this wonderful new book from Craig Johnson is the very real ongoing crisis of indigenous young women missing.
I found this book to be the best of the Walt Longmire series. I love the game of basketball and it is a big part of the storyline with Walt being asked to coach the high school girls, but that is complicated. No sense in trying to describe how that turns out as it would be a spoiler.
Outline: Young Indian girl, a talented basketball player, is struggling with the loss of her older sister a year earlier, and is now receiving death threats. The Tribal Police call in Walt and Henry Standing Bear to assist in uncovering who is behind this. We meet some very unsavory actors during this investigation and Walt just misses being blown up in a warehouse fire whilst Bear also receives wounds. Plenty of mystery to keep the action taut and edgy, but there is also a beautifully tender story in the nurturing Walt succeeds in displaying.
I would like to just start the book over again and enjoy a second time, but I need to return it to library so the next person can read it. I should add the dialogue is often comical, so there are light moments in this dramatic book. It is ready to be made into a movie!
Library Loan
I found this book to be the best of the Walt Longmire series. I love the game of basketball and it is a big part of the storyline with Walt being asked to coach the high school girls, but that is complicated. No sense in trying to describe how that turns out as it would be a spoiler.
Outline: Young Indian girl, a talented basketball player, is struggling with the loss of her older sister a year earlier, and is now receiving death threats. The Tribal Police call in Walt and Henry Standing Bear to assist in uncovering who is behind this. We meet some very unsavory actors during this investigation and Walt just misses being blown up in a warehouse fire whilst Bear also receives wounds. Plenty of mystery to keep the action taut and edgy, but there is also a beautifully tender story in the nurturing Walt succeeds in displaying.
I would like to just start the book over again and enjoy a second time, but I need to return it to library so the next person can read it. I should add the dialogue is often comical, so there are light moments in this dramatic book. It is ready to be made into a movie!
Library Loan
October 26, 2021
Walt Longmire investigates the year old disappearance of a Cheyenne girl basketball player while trying to protect her sister, the star player on the team from similar threats.
Johnson uses this book to highlight the plight of missing indigenous women. Commendable but the plot made no sense to me. It has its dose of shaman fueled visions too which complicates the reality. However, the dialogue of the characters and setting always wins the reader. And of course the big mystery about the place that can’t be spoken of is hopefully left for the next book. Dog continues to bear witness to some strange adventures by his master.
Johnson uses this book to highlight the plight of missing indigenous women. Commendable but the plot made no sense to me. It has its dose of shaman fueled visions too which complicates the reality. However, the dialogue of the characters and setting always wins the reader. And of course the big mystery about the place that can’t be spoken of is hopefully left for the next book. Dog continues to bear witness to some strange adventures by his master.
December 2, 2023
Another compelling Walt Longmire book (#17) by Craig Johnson. Not his best, but still very good indeed. It starts out slow and I got a little worried but just about that time it picked up and never let up after that. If you like Longmire you'll like this one for sure and if you haven't read any of these yet what are you waiting for? But go start at the beginning you'll be very glad you did.
September 24, 2021
I cherish a new release from Craig Johnson. I even slow down the audio to 1.25 to prolong it. There was a lot of Henry Standing Bear in this one too! He and Longmire have the best comedic repartee that I have ever read. Love these characters!
March 6, 2024
Every time I read a Longmire novel, I think it’s going to be 5 stars and it almost was this time. In this episode Sheriff Walt and his best buddy Henry Standing Bear are in Montana, undertaking a pro bono investigation into the threatening messages received by a young Cheyenne high schooler and star basketball player named Jaya. There is concern about a possible connection between this case, and the unsolved disappearance of her sister Jeanie.
Author Johnson has included statistics on the frequency with which Native American women are victims of violent crime. Especially sobering is that they are 6 times more likely to be murdered than the average American.
4.5 stars
January 19, 2022
I vote for this as one of the best of the Walt Longmire mystery series by Craig Johnson. A subtheme of the book deals with the very real disappearance of native women in both Canada and the USA. It also deals with Cheyenne spirituality: "The Wandering Within" "Eveohtse-heomese", "a collection of lost souls that hunger for the living. The outcasts banished from the tribes over the centuries--the murderers, the mad, the deranged who were driven off to die in the wilderness." (page 185)
Walt and Henry Standing Bear are in Montana to assist in solving the disappearance of Jeanie One Moon as well as discover who is sending her little sister Jaya threatening letters. Jaya One Moon is a basketball phenom, so the author delights us with descriptions of the players and the games.
Assistant sheriff Vic appears very little in the book, and I didn't miss her at all! When it's just Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear, it's perfection!!!!
Walt and Henry Standing Bear are in Montana to assist in solving the disappearance of Jeanie One Moon as well as discover who is sending her little sister Jaya threatening letters. Jaya One Moon is a basketball phenom, so the author delights us with descriptions of the players and the games.
Assistant sheriff Vic appears very little in the book, and I didn't miss her at all! When it's just Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear, it's perfection!!!!
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