Any Other Name

Walt Longmire, Book 10

By: Craig Johnson

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 8 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's Summary

Sheriff Walt Longmire had already rounded up a sizable posse of devoted readers when the A&E television series Longmire sent the Wyoming lawman’s popularity skyrocketing. Now, in Any Other Name, Walt is sinking into high-plains winter discontent when his former boss, Lucian Conally, asks him to take on a mercy case in an adjacent county. Detective Gerald Holman is dead and Lucian wants to know what drove his old friend to take his own life. With the clock ticking on the birth of his first grandchild, Walt learns that the by-the-book detective might have suppressed evidence concerning three missing women. Digging deeper, Walt uncovers an incriminating secret so dark that it threatens to claim other lives even before the sheriff can serve justice - Wyoming style.

©2014 Craig Johnson (P)2014 Recorded Books

Lost in Fog with Buffalo

Huge fan; I want to make that clear. I have gobbled up all the Longmire mysteries and am in awe of George Guidall's narrative abilities. Love the humor and the interaction of the characters.

That said, I was a bit disappointed in "Any Other Name". For the first time in the series, I felt myself being manipulated here. One too many demonstrations of Walt's doggedness, one too many wounds in one too many extended confrontations, and for what? Would the man we know and love really put so many strangers above a frightened Katie in her hour of most need?

There are excellent moments. I just loved, for instance, the fog-and-snow storm that finds our hero unknowingly in the midst of a herd of potentially dangerous buffalo.

I'm just hoping for a return to top-notch form in Book 12.

I Am Totally Addicted to Longmire.

Would you listen to Any Other Name again? Why?

Yes - will probably listen at least one more time. I have enjoyed several earlier titles the second time through and would think this would be no different. The stories are so entertaining and George Guidall nail the narration. Entertaining and fun...

What was one of the most memorable moments of Any Other Name?

I love the interation between Walt and Vic - so the exchanges between them would rank right up there.

What about George Guidall’s performance did you like?

Able to get me to visualize all of the characters.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When if became clear that things were not going to come out totally "fine" - that things had explanation - but that the explanation was not particularly pretty - and that there are bad people - and bad things out there that we sometimes cannot "fix" or "solve"

Any additional comments?

I did not give this book as high a rating as I have other Longmire's - I am struggling a bit with the whole plot line that continues from Serpent's Tooth. I also thought the overlay of Walt's grandchild arriving was a bit forced - as Henry noted - why not get on the plane - go to Philly and take care of that - then come back and deal with things in Wyoming.

Another Winner

Sheriff Walt Longmire is in a neighboring county doing a job at the behest of his friend former Absaroka County Sheriff Lucien Conally. A special deputy has put a bullet into his own brain and his wife; an ex of Lucien's doesn't believe that it happened that way and wants it investigated. When Sheriff Longmire begins his investigation he finds out that three young attractive women have gone missing in the last seven months. Soon the focus of his efforts is directed towards finding the three missing women. Two thousand miles away in Philadelphia his Daughter Kate is about to give birth to her first and probably last child. Walt's preoccupation with his crusade in Wyoming not surprisingly infuriates her and her threats rise with the impending induced labor.
Walt, his friend Henry and his Under Sheriff Victoria Moretti are present for the investigation and for the birth of Walt's granddaughter. Victoria is dealing with her injuries and the fact that her chances at ever being a mother are over. This is one of the better books in the series; though the long awaited coupling of Vic and Walt being delayed yet again is tedious. This is a five star work in a five star series.

Almost any Longmire book is a good one. Almost.

I enjoyed this installment of the series, although as some other reviewers point out the book has a number of weak points. The plot is well described by the blurb and other readers. Walt goes to neighboring Campbell County to investigate an apparent suicide by a sheriff's deputy, at Lucien Connelly's request. Once there Walt discovers layers of bad doings, with the worst of them being some horrendous rednecks who are hijacking young strippers and selling them into "white slavery." (No minorities?) The town in which this occurs is tiny. It has a post office, a Piggly Wiggly and a strip joint. That's it. You wouldn't think that such a place would be a maelstrom of evil doings, and yet...
I missed Henry and Vic, who are my favorite characters other than Walt. Katie is in Philadelphia just about to give birth, and she desperately needs Walt to be with her, but he gets so wound up in his investigation that he almost misses the plane flight. The penultimate scene, which is really the climax of the book, is a truly terrific scene involving a coal train, one of the young victims of the rednecks, and Walt, about to be crushed to death by several hundred tons of coal being loaded into a rail car. In this scene Walt seems to be a fifty-five year old Superman, which does stretch credulity juuuuust a little bit.
Once again George Guidall is Walt, and the thought of some other narrator interloping on George's territory is unimaginable. George isn't the perfect narrator, but he is pretty darned close.
I find as the series goes along that I really like the books in which Walt and Vic become a couple. The relationship between them is great. Vic is one of the great wits in the whole series, and she has terrific fun yanking Walt's chain, so to speak.
The TV series, BTW, is really very good. I am enjoying it much more than I would have imagined, as I watch very little TV. I recommend it to you, if you have access to Netflix. It's just about worth the price of admission, and it's in its seventh season, I believe. I heartily recommend both the audiobooks and the TV series to you. Fun is had by all. Well, almost all, except the truly bad guys who get summarily blown away.

Loyal Longmire

Another great book in an excellent series. In this eleventh addition Walt Longmire, a Wyoming Sheriff, gets a request from his mentor and predecessor, Lucian, to help him conduct an investigation into the unexpected death of an old friend who was the Sheriff in the next county over. During his preliminary questioning of suspects Walt discovers that too many young, pretty girls have gone missing in this small town to be a coincidence. As his investigation progresses Walt starts to realize that this is not just about the Sheriffs death but is developing into a much larger conspiracy that is implicating a whole chain of bottom feeders. The clock is ticking on this one as Katie's baby is due any minute and boy if Grandpa Walt misses it there will be a whole new investigation into his own death.

All of the regulars are back Vic, Bear, Katie, Lucian, and Dog to help Walt tie up this mystery that is full of twists and turns, fast action and witty, humorous sarcasm. Craig Johnson does such a great job of keeping the series fresh and original so the books don't all blend together, each one is captivating and distinct. George Guidall is a master at bringing Walt and the rest of the characters right off the page, he never fails to elevate the listening experience to another level. I recommend any of these books but they are best read in order to fully enjoy all the nuances and innuendo's carried throughout the series. Can't wait to see where Walt's next can of worms will take us.

Disappointing

Any additional comments?

Well, all good things must come to an end. This is the second Longmire book out of ten that I was terribly disappointed with.
I realize I cannot dictate the storyline but there are somethings you just have to say: "Oh come on, now! Why would anyone do this or that". I think after reading (listening to) 10 books we pretty much get to know our characters but even though Johnson tries to justify certain things in this story they just don't add up.
For one thing you cannot convince me Walt would put a clear cold case suicide ahead of his only daughter begging him to come help her. The guys dead and would stay dead anyway.
And I have to admit the little hallucination scene was way over the top...getting a little tired of Walt seeing things with every hoof to the head.
I won't say don't listen...just don't expect too much.

Guidall & Longmire strike again

This is such a great match of reader and writer that I'm willing to overlook some of Johnson's failings. The character is great, the tales are spiced with well-wrought humor and interesting characters, the settings are a refreshing change from the urban blight of most fiction.The visions, though, seem self-indulgent . . . and combined with the not believable physical feats, the denouements become something to be tolerated more than enjoyed. Johnson could easily convince me that he has walked in the snow in cowboy clothes, but instead he makes it as evident as possible he has not. I'm left feeling that Johnson feels he has transcended the need for verisimilitude, relying on humor and a well-established character, or perhaps he saves his credibility for the final train scene. I like the books, but I'd like to suggest to Mr. Johnson that he put on cowboy boots and a a fleece jacket and Stetson and seek out a blizzard and try to do what he has Longmire do. He might succeed, but his subsequent books will contain a lot more convincing details (and Longmire will buy some sensible clothes).

Big Fan of Longmire

Narration and story line are top notch, descriptions of the wilderness, weather, all of it, put you right there. And Boy, Howdie, this one sure didn't turn out the way I expected . . .

A Basque rose

This novel is more environment than events........There are events (suicides, impending births, missing women, narrow escapes), but it's the environment that really takes center stage here: The snow, the buffalo, the wind, the trains, the fog, the small motels, the difficult roads, the cheap strip clubs, and the coal mines and the oil fields. It's that, and the great characters, that make me really love the Longmire books. The weak point was an unbelievable appearance by Henry Standing Bear that didn't fit in where it appeared, but I have to say I was actualy pretty pleased with his minor role in this installment and with a reappearance by Lucien Connoly. It made for a nice change to see more of Walt's relationships with the others in his life (Lucien, Vic, Cady). To me they all ring true (as does his relationship with Henry, but it's nice to see the others get some attention.)

Craig Johnson has brought the up the Basque culture in Wyoming before (Death Without Company), and one of the characters in this book is a Basque-American woman known at her job as The Basque Rose.

Another great entry in the series

What did you love best about Any Other Name?

Craig Johnson's way of writing a story and characters, and George Guidall's way of telling the story of those characters, make them an unstoppable team.

Have you listened to any of George Guidall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

George Guidall was great as always. He's the best at what he does.