Craig Johnson: The Western Star, 9780525426950, hardback, Viking / Penguin Random House US

Craig Johnson’s sheriff Walt Longmire, one of the most likeable characters in crime fiction, has been turned into a successful Netflix series but I prefer to keep my own picture of him in my mind’s eye when reading a new crime novel set in Absaroka County Wyoming.  

“The Western Star” has two parallel story lines; one is set in the past when Longmire, just back from his Vietnam duty, started working as an Undersheriff to Lucian Connolly.  Before he boards the train, his pregnant wife Martha has decided to leave him throwing him into turmoil about his life choices.  During their pleasure journey on the Western Star with 24 veteran sheriffs on board, two murders take place, something hardly anyone thought possible on a train full of lawmen.  Young Longmire is suspected of the murder at first but after being cleared, he starts investigating who of the sheriffs or staff might have a motive .  

The second story finds Walt on his way to a parole hearing of one of the most dangerous criminals he ever arrested.  Walt has every reason to fear that the long arm of the person in question will endanger the lives of his daughter Cady and his granddaughter Lola as he was responsible for killing Cady’s husband Michael. 

 

I am usually quite enthusiastic about Craig Johnson’s crime novels but I have to say, he lost me switching between these two stories. They eventually connect but I found this confusing during the reading, particularly the one set in the present.  The novel ends with a cliffhanger which was unsatisfying but I guess Johnson is laying the ground for his next novel. Sorry, only a 3 star rating this time,  one of his weaker ones in the series in my opinion.