The Cold Dish

A Walt Longmire Mystery

By: Craig Johnson

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins

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)

Best New Mystery Author

This was the best "new read" I've had in a long, long time. The story was so well woven with native folklore and a good old fashioned mystery, with some spine tingling action. It kept me in rapt attention the entire time. I liked it so well that I am burning it to CD (12 of them) so my husband can "read" it as well. I have all three of this author's audio books, and I recommend listening to them in order. "The Cold Dish" first, then "Death without Company" and finally "Kindness Goes Unpunished".

Craig Johnson has a huge and loyal fan base

George Guidall's narration is wonderful as usual.

I keep listening to the Walt Longmire Mystery series novels in hopes of finding what so many of Johnson's fans appreciate about the series. A Cold Dish is the first novel in the long series that gets a average rating at Audible of 4.6 stars. What I find with this book is a good story made better by great narration.

Pulls you in

I wasn't to sure about what I was getting into when I first started listening. The story started out slow but soon Johnson pulls you into his characters. They are lifelike and likable and "Durant" Wyoming is the kind of place where you wish you lived and Walt Longmire is the kind of guy you'd want to know. The story builds slowly but you are left with the sensation that all the bases have been covered when you reach the end. I am queing up "Without Company" as we speak and am glad I have several more adventures to go with these characters. You won't be disappointed. Excellent.

Oh and by the way don't look for Durant Wyoming on the map. It's not there, neither is the county referred to.

Guidall is once of the worst readers that could have been picked for Logmire. Guidall’s voice sounds 75 year’s old.

Londmire is a middle aged man and doesn’t deserve the raspy old voice of Guidall. It completed ruins the character Longmire and makes him sound like a feeble old man. I would have read the series had Logmire sounded like a competent man.

Great Series!

This book and the entire series are extremely addictive. The stories have a bit of everything; mystery, humor, romance, drama, and grit. Walt's point of view is very entertaining and the narrator delivers it perfectly.

Nice introduction to the series

Any additional comments?

This is my second Longmire book, (I read book 2 first by mistake and loved it!) I really enjoy the humor, wit, adventure and creativity in these stories and they always keep me guessing until the very end. Very good series. I plan to read them all. The narrator they chose for this series couldn't be more perfect. I can't imagine Longmire sounding any different. He even does well with the ladies voices too.

Has It All!

The writing, the characters, the story are all such a breath of fresh air! The author gives each character depth and personality that you can picture each one and what they're doing and how they think. And you can't ask for a better narrator than George Guidall.

Definitely moving on to the next in the series!

I have another couple of characters to add to my list of favorites. Walt and Henry are like my literary teddy bears that I'm going to hug before I go to bed at night. They are sweet and funny and just flawed enough to be endearing. The Wyoming setting is just lovely, and George Guidall's narration is perfect for Walt!

Great Story And Read

This audio book was a great story and a awesome read. Well done. Must read.

Loved it. Especially fun to reread.

For how short the book is, I love how fully realized the characters feel. I especially love how characters who are supposed to know each other very well interact. When they would talk they wouldn't go back and explain everything they'd said to each other. I really got the sense that the characters had a built up understanding of each other formed over years. And I got this sense over, like I said, surprisingly few pages. Also George Guidall's performance is pretty much perfect in my opinion. Obviously, one of my favorites. Especially fun to reread.