• The Cold Dish

  • A Walt Longmire Mystery
  • By: Craig Johnson
  • Narrated by: George Guidall
  • Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (16,781 ratings)

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The Cold Dish  By  cover art

The Cold Dish

By: Craig Johnson
Narrated by: George Guidall
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Publisher's summary

Introducing Wyoming's Sheriff Walt Longmire in this riveting novel from the New York Times best-selling author of Dry Bones, the first in the Longmire series, the basis for the hit Netflix original series Longmire.

Fans of Ace Atkins, Nevada Barr, and Robert B. Parker will love this outstanding first novel, in which New York Times best-selling author Craig Johnson introduces Sheriff Walt Longmire of Wyoming's Absaroka County. Johnson draws on his deep attachment to the American West to produce a literary mystery of stunning authenticity, full of memorable characters. After 25 years as sheriff of Absaroka County, Walt Longmire's hopes of finishing out his tenure in peace are dashed when Cody Pritchard is found dead near the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Two years earlier, Cody has been one of four high school boys given suspended sentences for raping a local Cheyenne girl. Somebody, it would seem, is seeking vengeance, and Longmire might be the only thing standing between the three remaining boys and a Sharps .45-70 rifle.

With lifelong friend Henry Standing Bear, Deputy Victoria Moretti, and a cast of characters both tragic and humorous enough to fill in the vast emptiness of the high plains, Walt Longmire attempts to see that revenge, a dish best served cold, is never served at all.

Listen to all of Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire mysteries.
©2004 Craig Johnson (P)2006 Recorded Books LLC

Critic reviews

"A strong sense of place, a credible plot, and deft dialogue lift Johnson's good-humored debut novel." (Publishers Weekly)
"Johnson, who lives in Ucross, Wyoming, knows the Western landscape well, and creates stunning and violent scenes of the Rocky Mountains." (Bookmarks)
"We in the West have a major new talent on our hands." (The Denver Post)

Featured Article: The Best Western Audiobooks for Your Inner Outlaw


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What listeners say about The Cold Dish

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
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Well developed story

This is well developed murder mystery. Each character is appropriately developed. This was a nice read with vivid landscapes.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Story+Narrator = Love

Admittedly, I would have loved to read this story - the development, language and pacing were very good- but you can’t really beat George Guidall reading anything. I enjoyed this very much and will continue with the series.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Great writing and well paced. Never a dull moment

He is my favorite narrator of all time. Never disappointing! The story had great plot twists sprinkled with laugh out loud humor.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Can't Wait to Read the Next One!

What did you love best about The Cold Dish?

Great writing. Great story. Great characters. Great setting. Great narrator. Great fun!!!

Any additional comments?

This is the second Walt Longmire book my wife and I have listened to, and have a third cued up and ready to go.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Can't wait to read the next in the series!

Would you listen to The Cold Dish again? Why?

I will probably re-read this sometime in the future. It was that enjoyable. The story, the character development and the narration were excellent.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Cold Dish?

The ending took me totally by surprise. No way was I expecting that.

Which scene was your favorite?

The final scene was probably my favorite.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Very funny in places. It was great to witness the development of the major characters and get to know them as people.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Love Wyoming!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Cold Dish to be better than the print version?

The narrator gives a special quality to the character of Walt Longmire

What did you like best about this story?

the complex relationships of the characters

Which scene was your favorite?

the hallucinatory scenes as he was rescuing the suspect and his friend

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me both laugh and cry

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great book on audio

Enjoyed the narrator very much. Story was awesome as well. It held our attention for sure. Great description of place and characters. Highly recommend!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Worth the "read"

I am not a cowboy story fan, however, this book is so well written I could not "put it down". Fun, witty, and clever interaction between characters kept me laughing and entertained.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Better than expected

I’m not sure what made me download this because I’m not much of a Western reader but it was good. It was witty and a fast read. I pride myself on being able to guess the murderer in most ‘who dunnit’ books but this surprised me.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Kept me intrigued.

Held my interest. Kept looking for a chance to listen. Great narrator, and even after I figured it out, there were surprises.

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