Customer Reviews

Junkyard Dogs: A Walt Longmire Mystery (Walt Longmire Mysteries)

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My mom got me hooked on mystery novels and certain writers and I sure wish she was still around so I could introduce her to Craig Johnson and the citizens of Absaroka County, Wyoming. His first novel, "The Cold Dish", enthralled me and I fell in love with Sheriff Walt Longmire, Henry Standing Bear and Deputy Sheriff Vic. And now "Junkyard Dogs" has opened the door, again, to a small part of the world filled with unforgettable characters, humorous interactions and starkly beautiful scenery. His mysteries are always fun to try and untangle before the end. But. it's his writing and sense of the absurd that makes me laugh out loud. When a book starts out with "I tried to get a straight answer from his grandson and granddaughter-in-law as to why their grandfather had been tied with a hundred feet of nylon rope to the rear bumper of the 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado:...well, I know my mom would have wanted to keep reading. Damn good book

"Junkyard Dogs" is Craig Johnson's sixth book in his Walt Longmire mystery series and as always he doesn't disappoint his many fans. In "Junkyard Dogs" we are again reunited with Sheriff Longmire and the citizens of Absaroka County but in the first chapter we are introduced to some new characters and I mean characters! Within the first few pages I was laughing out loud. Craig is a master wordsmith and a natural born storyteller. As you read his books you may find yourself going back over different passages because they are so poetic. In "Junkyard Dogs" Johnson's description of a certain house is reminiscent of works by Edgar Allen Poe. And how many Western Mysteries do you see Rasputin mentioned? In his books Johnson has proven himself to be one of the best mystery writers today. From the first to the last page of "Junkyard Dogs" Craig will take you on a literary ride and then you will eagerly be anticipating his next book.

One week a year I get to live in the town of Durant, entertained by Vic, charmed by Henry, and comforted by Walt's warmth, humor and unique way of enforcing the law. I dragged the book out to make my visit last longer, but sadly it's time to leave. Meticulously plotted, an intellectual challenge, funny and thoroughly delightful.

Craig Johnson is an author that never disappoints. I open up his books and am lost in the characters and beauty of Absaroka County. If Walt Longmire and friends really existed, I'd pack my bags and move there (snow and all).

I do not know what else I acan say other than each one of Craig Johnsons books are better that the last one. I am a fan of Wyoming and I sort of know that area. It is rugged and so is Walt. I like the fact that the main character is smart and experienced. That the main character is able to draw from his past to solve the problems facing him today. There is alot to be said for experience. So writers want to make the older character to be sort of worn out and tired. Walt is that But he is also able to manage his problems with the wisdom he has accumulated over his career.
This is one of my most favorite writers and the series is awesome. I can not wait until the next one is out. In fact I wish he could write them faster... lol...

"Junkyard Dogs" is a humorous mystery novel. The first third of the novel was set-up and had more of a general fiction flavor. After the first murder, though, it turned into a fast-paced mystery. The characters were interesting and quirky. The world-building was good. The author avoided my even considering to question "would police really do that?" by having his Sheriff play fast and loose with the rules (much to the dismay of the other characters).

While this was a who-done-it type mystery, the crime and criminal initially seemed obvious, so the Sheriff's method of solving the crime was to follow the most obvious lead as fast as possible and see what happened. As in, there wasn't a lot of stopping to think out who had an opportunity, to study the evidence, etc...though things happened so fast there wasn't much time for that. His method of handling the cases had some funny results.

My only problem with the novel was that the transitions between some scenes weren't very smooth. We'd have two people at a certain place, then in the next scene one of those people was walking in on the other at another place. The explanation of what happened in the time lapse would come, but this sequence (with no transition between the scenes) threw me out of the story.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of swearing and a fair amount of cussing. Overall, I'd recommend the novel as enjoyable reading.


I received this book as a review copy from the publisher.

Reviewed by Debbie from Genre Reviews

I enjoyed Craig Johnson's "Hell Is Empty" so much I had back up and read "Junkyard Dogs." This one is a smile waiting to happen. Walt Longmire is tough and tender. He's bewildered but doesn't judge. He views his crew with head-scratching pleasure and mild amusement. He's a sheriff with a real-world understanding of the endless variety of human beings that could run through his life and run through Absaroka County and, well, ruin his day. He doesn't really want to change anything or anybody, just keep order.

To my view, Johnson is right there with Tony Hillerman. Like Hillerman, there is mystery but the suspense-fear-factor needle is well below the speed limit. This makes for readability. And believability. It heightens the gritty realism underneath the story.

"Junkyard Dogs" involves developers, "a little 4-H project" and mutts of all kinds, human and canine. Some are "wagging companions," some snarl. Running undercurrents involve Sheriff Longmire's physical ailments (especially of the ocular variety) and a low-simmering dispute with the foul-mouthed Vic, Longmire's deputy and source of "smoldering attraction that had bloomed into a stoked furnace," over buying real estate. Johnson weaves in sub-plots with subtlety and effortlessness. We can see a few things coming but that's okay. So can Walt. He follows the tracks, never gets ahead of himself. He's keeping it real in Absaroka County.

As a Longmire fanatic, I jumped on the latest book and just couldn't put it down. Again, Johnson keeps us guessing throughout the entire book with plenty of plot-twists and humorous side-trips along the way as Walt solves another murder. His vivid descriptions of the winter weather in Wyoming hits home for us, we live just "next-door" to where his mysteries take place. What a refreshing continuation of his Walt Longmire mysteries, "Junkyard Dogs" now rests on our bookshelf, next to all his others---awaiting the next episode with eager anticipation. We missed Craig's most recent visit to our area at our favorite local bookstore, but we definitely will NOT miss the next opportunity. Highly recommended for all mystery fans, I only wish Amazon offered more stars for rating his novels.

An earlier review indicates the Walt Longmire series is geared towards men, but I disagree. I stumbled on Junkyard Dogs at the library and was hooked from the first few pages. Johnston's writing is beautiful, his references are hip and intellectual, his story is clever, his hero lovable and the females are crazy funny. Having seen all of Wyoming (and loving some of it), I think he's romantized the setting a bit, as well. I fear for the TV version of this series because I'm afraid the charm will be lost without the ability to "see" Johnston's beautiful writing. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read and I would highly recommend it.

My next husband will be Henry Standing Bear :)

I have never been much of a reader -regretfully. I guess I had to read so much stuff while I was working I just got sick of it. All of that changed however after I read a trade review on Junkyard Dogs. I thought it would be something that I would find interesting. I purchased it and found that I could not put it down. I could really relate to the story and the characters, especially Walt Longmire. Since then I have purchased the first five books in The Walt Longmire series and have read all of them, in record time by my standards. My wife is amazed that I actually know how to read. I am looking forward to the next edition "Hell Is Empty".
Craig Johnson is a great story teller, this might sound chauvinistic and I really don't mean it to be, but these stories are geared more toward guys likings. However after I finished the series my wife picked them up and is reading them now and she too enjoys them. I think anyone would really enjoy these stories.