Death Without Company: A Longmire Mystery

This was my first Longmire novel after watching the series—which I loved until season 5—and I’m happy to say it was fun and engaging, though a bit predictable. Don’t read this story hoping for a good mystery (I figured out the culprit about halfway through) and don’t expect any major twists. And really, CJ himself says in the interview in an epilogue that he doesn’t really write mysteries but focuses on issues of justice and marginalization. Overall his style comes through in Walt’s witticisms and observations, which I found entertaining. The only real criticism I have is this: there are too many interesting ideas that aren’t utilized. From the Basque community, to domestic abuse in religiously fundamentalist cultures, to the interplay of age and history between all of the different characters. I’m also not sure how to take his portrayal of women here without the context of the other novels. They seem mostly one-note and I wished there was more complexity. Overall I was happy with this novel and look forward to more!

Craig Johnson is an original. Many attempt to imitate but there's no comparison in modern western Mysteries.Only Tony Hillerman wrote as well.

Excellent book with some of my favorite characters in all my reading, this story takes a trip down a rough and tumble past when today's so called standards and norms would not have lasted as long as a June Frost. Highly recommended

I had not heard of Craig Johnson's Longmire series until I watched the new TV series on A&E.Sheriff Walt Longmire has much more of a sense of humor than the TV representative and Henry Standing Bear, his best friend, played by Lou Diamond Phillips in the series, seems to be much bigger and dangerous looking in the book. He carries a tomahawk as his weapon of choice. Victoria "Vic" Moretti, Longmire's deputy, has a thing for Walt in both, but she has more of a potty mouth here and she doesn't seem to realize that Longmire deserves a measure of respect. He doesn't get much from his dispatcher and office manager, Ruby, either. Then there's the dog, whose name is Dog.Walt has a weekly chess session with his former boss, Lucian Connally, at the Durant Home for Assisted Living. When he gets there, ornery Lucian is tussling with one of the orderlies who wants to remove a dead woman, Mari Baroja, who turns out to be the old sheriff's former wife. Fifty years before they were married for a solid three hours until the bride's four Basque brothers caught them and brought the girl home to their ranch. Lucian thinks somebody murdered his former lover. When the autopsy results arrive, it's apparent he's right. She was poisoned.Now who stood to benefit from Mari's death? She has three grandchildren, one of whom, Lana, owns a bakery in town. The other two, referred to as the ugly step sisters by Vic and Ruby, are in town for the reading of the will.Then somebody starts trying to kill people, namely Lucian and Lana. Turns out Mari owned some methane wells worth well over a million dollars on her brothers' land. The ugly step sisters seem to be the principal suspects.Walt's daughter, Cady, is also due to arrive as it's Christmas, and there's a woman who's also interested in the sheriff; she works for the government as someone who investigates abandoned safe deposit boxes and she provides a clue to solve the case. Walt also has a new candidate for deputy, Santiago "Santo" Saizarbitoria, who just happens to be able to read Basque.DEATH WITHOUT COMPANY is much better than the drek you'll find on the New York Times best seller list, but the plot line is just a little hard to believe. It involves Charles Nurburn whom the brothers chose to marry their sister. We never find out why these Basques would foist their sister off on a dirtball like Charlie. He's a philanderer, he beats her, he gave her syphilis, and he doesn't appear to have been Basque either. What did they have against Lucian?Anyway, I recommend it highly. There's lots of cultural diversity, we learn a little about Wyoming, which is supposed to be the least populous state, and there's lots of action. Somehow I managed to pick the second book in the series to start with; the first is THE COLD DISH. Tony Hillerman really liked that one; he thought it deserved the Edgar award.

As I stated in my review of The Cold Dish, I was introduced to the Longmire Mysteries series by the show and I like how the show gives us a different ending to the plots in the books because it keeps both formats fresh. This might frustrate some folks - those who want the show to be exactly like the books - because it mangles some of the on-going threads running through the series. I'm hoping the show will eventually get to those threads in its own way at a later date.The biggest, and obvious, differences between the show and the books are with the characters. The show plays with their physical appearances and backgrounds (drawing out some plot-threads, diminishing others) but remains true to each characters' "spiritual essence." Robert Taylor (swoon) makes Walt Longmire a little more handsome than he should be. The book's Vic Moretti is a small brunette more than capable of going head to head with the fellas where the show depicts her as a tall and lithe bottle blond, still more than capable (and I'm in love with both versions of her - I love me some b'dass females). Henry Standing Bear is an actual Cheyenne and I don't have to pretend away Lou Diamond Phillip's Filipino-Spanish-Irish-Cherokee heritage (not complainin' about his part in the role 'cause LDP is pretty easy on the eyes too).And, the biggest character difference of all, Branch Connally appears to be a conglomeration of different characters from the book and his uncle Lucian doesn't appear in the show nearly as much as he does in the book series. Especially this book, where Lucian is at the center of the plot: an unsolved murder from his days as sheriff.And one of the reasons I liked this book so much is because I feel like I got a better look at the characters. Especially Walt - understanding his mentor gives me the chance to understand him better.I don't like giving spoilers but other reviewers have already complained of the rape scene so it's out there in the multiverse. Yes, this book is a trigger for those coping with such trauma. I'm a rape victim and, though the scene is disturbing because of it's content, I wasn't disturbed to read it because, unfortunately, this kind of stuff does happen and real-life law enforcement has to deal with these scenarios every day of the week. I'm glad Johnson didn't turn away from the subject because it's "too hard" or "disturbing to think about." Ignoring rape or pretending it away is what allows these situations to keep happening. Rapists operate best when no one is paying attention. So you will see no dissing of Johnson's rape coverage here - rape is a hard topic to write about and I feel like Johnson did it justice, showing rape for what it is and what it does to people. Kudos Johnson, thank you for not tucking this topic under the rug for those who'd prefer to blind themselves. Reading is supposed to open the eyes/mind and I hope Johnson succeeds with that task.

A five star gift from the author to you. It is winter in Wyoming and as an early Christmas present the murdered corpses keep a coming. Hard as nails Longmire and his Cheyenne comrade swap wisecracks and crippling wounds. Longmire has a distant dalliance with a good-looking woman and falls in love in dreams with one who is dead but very much present. The writing is superb without being pretentious. The thrills keep on coming like an avalanche and there is a gorgeous new deputy to spark interest. What a treat. Got the next one already. Okay, I will 'fess up...I am greedy, can't get enough of this modern Westerner and the fascinating Indians who haunt his path.

Walt Longmire is a county sheriff, in rural Wyoming, along with his best friend Henry Standing Bear and deputy Lucy Moretti, in this the second in the series, he is called in by the previous sheriff, Lucian Connally after one of the residents in his nursing home dies, he has no proof of a crime, the doctor is saying natural causes but Lucian is adamant, Mari Barjoa was murdered, all he wants Walt to do is find the killer. After the excellent A COLD DISH, Craig Johnson proves it was no fluke with this brilliant addition to a series which will run and run. books do not need to be read in order, although sometimes reference is made to events from previous stories.

I love these books and I fully intend to work my way though the whole series. I got into these stories from watching the Longmire series in tv which were of course based on these books and which were also wonderful. I won't day anything except that it was a bit western about a small town which also happens to be my favourite genre when it comes to crime stories. Don't miss it.

I have now read this book twice. It was ver good the first time but even better the second. The first time I read it I wanted to know all the who & why? The second I took in much more of the beautiful descriptions of the place & the emotions. In many books I can't wait to get beyond the descriptive passages but Craig Johnson has the ability to really make you feel; if it is cold, you feel it! The main characters are fantastically well written so that you feel for them. I have read 9 of Craig Johnson's Longmire novels & have now reread two. I would highly recommend these books.

A brilliant book, very exciting, can be read as a stand alone story or as part of the series, which I would recommend.The books take nothing away from the TV series and can be read at the same time. You do get more depth and insight into the characters and more background, but as the stories are different ones from the TV series they will not give away anything.I would recommend both the books and the TV series.