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The Cold Dish Audiobook
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(4.00) - 3,484 listener ratings
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Plot Summary
Walt Longmire is sheriff of Absaroka county in Wyoming. His wife has died, and he has lost interest in pretty much everything except the nightly drink that allows him to sleep each night.
He is merely going through the motions until the murder of Cody Pritchard forces him into action. Cody had been one of the four boys who, two years earlier, had escaped punishment after raping a young Cheyenne girl and could have been murdered by almost anyone in the town. Cody is the second of the two boys who have been killed, so he must draw upon all of his resources to protect the other two. Someone is bound and determined to wreak revenge, and it is Walt's job to stop that person.
The last thing Walt Longmire wants to get involved in is conducting an investigation of people he has known and respected, which include many of his colleagues and even his best friend.
The setting of this novel is against the backdrop of breathtaking mountains and scenic beauty. This natural landscape plays into its appeal, as do the rich traditions of the Northern Cheyenne people and life on their reservation.
Craig Johnson is author of the Walt Longmire mystery series, and has won numerous awards for his books. The series has served as the basis for the popular A & E drama, Longmire, starring Robert Taylor.
Johnson lives in Ucross, a small town in Wyoming with population of under 50, where he continues to write. His knowledge of the western landscape and skill at writing lifts his book far above the typical cowboy or western novel one might expect.
"Although I enjoyed the A&E/Netflix shows quite a bit, the audiobook performance is much better. Walt, Standing Bear, Vic, Ferg, and all the other Absarokans are much fuller characters and it feels like spending time with old friends. Walt is much funnier in the books and made me laugh out loud. The narrator's voice is perfect for the character and the author's phrases create pictures in the mind as the story plays. You can almost smell the Latigo. This is not the humorless, angst filled Walt created for TV, he has all the same pain but much more human and likeable. 5 stars."
— KC (5 out of 5 stars)
Publisher Summary
Award-winning author Craig Johnson's critically acclaimed debut Western mystery takes listeners to the breathtaking mountains of Wyoming for a tale of cold-blooded vengeance. Two years earlier, four high school boys were given suspended sentences for raping a Cheyenne girl. Now, two of the boys have been killed, and only Sheriff Walt Longmire can keep the other two safe. "Johnson, who lives in Ucross, Wyoming, knows the Western landscape well, and creates stunning and violent scenes of the Rocky Mountains."-Bookmarks
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Quotes
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“A winning piece of work, and a convincing feel to the whole package.”
— Washington Post -
“We in the West have a major new talent on our hands.”
— Denver Post -
“A strong sense of place, a credible plot, and deft dialogue lift Johnson’s good-humored debut novel.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“A multilayered whodunit mystery, stands out in its genre.”
— Bookmarks
Awards
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A 2006 Dilys Award Finalist
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A New York Times bestseller
The Cold Dish Listener Reviews
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8/6/2023
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8/6/2023
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HOLLY BAILEY, 1/10/2023
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James King, 6/2/2021
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" A really good read, a mystery and love story and beautiful writing about living in modern day Wyoming country side. Johnson is a professional writer, a great story teller, and the narration is superb. "
— Jay, 11/13/2018 -
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Charles Kuiber, 10/22/2018
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Mercedes Cano, 3/21/2018
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linda Bepko , 11/12/2016
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Ingelore Mezger, 3/19/2016
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peter , 3/21/2015
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" I really liked this book. It was his first effort and a subject he knows well. Humorous asides, and, had me wondering 'who did it' to the very end. Hey, my living in 'another square state' (CO) didn't hurt. I knew many of the places he talked about. Hell, I think I was even married in Wyoming once. "
— David, 2/15/2014 -
" It was interesting, but it wasn't great. "
— Cody, 2/14/2014 -
" Well written. I enjoyed reading his writing. I know my boys in class who like CJ Box, Wyoming, and wilderness books will like this series, too. "
— Tabitha, 2/4/2014 -
" Pretty good but a bit slow moving. Interesting protagonists (Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear. Victims not so well developed or interesting. "
— Lauren, 2/4/2014 -
" Loved this book and I am not a mystery or suspense reader. Craig Johnson alternated between a wicked sense of humor and a gentle unfolding of a mystery that draws you in like a fire on a cold winter day. "
— Terri, 2/1/2014 -
" This was a great and sometimes chilling read. And it did not end at all the way I expected. The Native American mystic along with the raw Wyoming weather and Big Sky mentality created a rich story telling atmosphere. I've been to Wyoming once, only for a short time. What I briefly saw was easily recreated in Johnson's book. Or at least where my imagination could have taken me while in Wyoming. A real page turner with excellent character development. Look forward to reading another of Craig Johnson's novels. "
— Kelly, 1/30/2014 -
" Interesting book. OK book, but not a great book. Murder mystery with an OK ending. I'm going to read one more in the series, and if it's not good I'm giving up on the rest of them. "
— Daniel, 1/24/2014 -
" Very good read. Ran a very quick 355 pages. I did not guess the surprise ending which was nice to have a twist to the ending I did not see coming !! I Plan to read the other 6 "Walt Longmire mysteries" in the near future. I liked it- Try it !! "
— Jim, 1/11/2014 -
" Man, I really wish Henry Standing Bear had his own series. "
— Amber, 12/20/2013 -
" Fun & easy, summer reading. The writing is a bit clumsy (truly ironic coming from me, but it is so) but the characters are eminently loveable and truly come to life. "
— Michel, 11/21/2013 -
" A great series of mysteries set in Wyoming. I discovered this series shortly before the television show began airing on A&E. I love the strength and depth of the characters and the stories are terrific. "
— Cori, 11/9/2013 -
" Great book - wonderful characters. I have to watch "Longmire" on A&E now just to see if they've captured all the nuance. "
— Marcia, 10/26/2013 -
" I loved the beautiful descriptions, the great banter among the characters, and Walt Longmire. Good stuff! "
— Weena, 8/21/2013 -
" Best mystery series in a long time. Eloquent and witty. I was expecting dimestore Louis L'amour. Wonderful surprise. "
— SadieKate, 8/14/2013 -
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Laura Hill, 7/17/2013
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" Well-written mystery with good characters. I look forward to next book. "
— Fran, 3/23/2013 -
" Wonderful modern-day Western. Great series! Can't wait to finish the last few. "
— Sara, 3/8/2013 -
" The writing was so witty and fun to read. The ending was amazing. Authors often lose me at the end of a novel. They usually cannot deliver on all of the promises made throughout the book. This was not the case here. Fabulous book. "
— Kristal, 2/18/2013 -
" Good mystery with excellent locale. "
— Joe, 12/24/2012 -
" A great first novel. I hope he writes more soon! "
— Rena, 6/24/2012 -
" Started this series due to the Longmire TV series. I am not a fan of first person narratives but this book just reeled me in. Complex characters, well plotted...just a doggone good read... "
— Ellen, 2/17/2012 -
" I liked this cowboy mystery set in Wyoming. The characters felt like real people. "
— Mila, 12/31/2011 -
" Great character. Enjoyed this book so much. "
— Shelly, 12/9/2011 -
" this was sooooo good! "
— Nichole, 11/16/2011 -
" This is no ordinary change of pace mystery story. This is a great book, and the second I've read in the Walt Longmire series (alas, the first book I read wasn't in sequence; now I am going to read the rest in order). You can read summaries written by others, but by all means read the book. "
— Monty, 10/8/2011 -
" Pretty good mystery filled with great scenery and characters. If you like the West and it's mythos you will definitely enjoy the first in a popular series. "
— Robin, 6/23/2011 -
" I'm always looking for new series to start and I believe this one has a lot of promise. Great character development! The mystery was so good I don't want to say much about it as not to risk spoiling it. I didn't care for the use of profanity. "
— Banner, 6/2/2011 -
" Wish I'd read this 'first' book first. Third book was not good intro - and kinda specialized, with all the Vietnam recollection stuff. "
— Patrick, 5/30/2011 -
" I liked the characters. I was an entertaining read. "
— Burt, 5/3/2011 -
" Good mystery on to book two... "
— Mary, 4/28/2011
About Craig Johnson
Craig Johnson is the New York Times bestselling author of the Longmire mysteries, the basis for the hit Netflix original series Longmire. He is the recipient of the Western Writers of America Spur Award for fiction, the Mountains and Plains Booksellers Award for fiction, the Nouvel Observateur Prix du Roman Noir, and the Prix SNCF du Polar. Death Without Company was selected by Booklist as one of the top ten mysteries of 2006 and won the Wyoming Historical Society’s Award for fiction book of the year. His novella Spirit of Steamboat was the first One Book Wyoming selection. He lives in Ucross, Wyoming, population 25.
About George Guidall
George Guidall, winner of more than eighty AudioFile Earphones Awards, has won three of the prestigious Audie Award for Excellence in Audiobook Narration. In 2014 the Audio Publishers Association presented him with the Special Achievement Award for lifetime achievement/ During his thirty-year recording career he has recorded over 1,700 audiobooks, won multiple awards, been a mentor to many narrators, and shown by example the potential of fine storytelling. His forty-year acting career includes starring roles on Broadway, an Obie Award for best performance off Broadway, and frequent television appearances.