• Dry Bones

  • A Walt Longmire Mystery
  • By: Craig Johnson
  • Narrated by: George Guidall
  • Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (6,478 ratings)

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Dry Bones  By  cover art

Dry Bones

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

When Jen, the largest, most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever found, surfaces in Sherriff Walt Longmire's jurisdiction, it appears to be a windfall for the High Plains Dinosaur Museum - until Danny Lone Elk, the Cheyenne rancher on whose property the remains were discovered, turns up dead, floating face down in a turtle pond. With millions of dollars at stake, a number of groups step forward to claim her, including Danny's family, the tribe, and the federal government.

As Wyoming's acting deputy attorney and a cadre of FBI officers descend on the town, Walt is determined to find out who would benefit from Danny's death, enlisting old friends Lucian Connolly and Omar Rhoades - along with Dog and best friend Henry Standing Bear - to trawl the vast Lone Elk ranch, looking for answers to a 65-million-year-old cold case that's heating up fast.

©2015 Craig Johnson (P)2015 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"George Guidall just gets better and better as the gruff, dependable Sheriff in the 11th Walt Longmire mystery.... Guidall is so genuine he's almost invisible. First-rate listening." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about Dry Bones

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Have loved the Longmire series so far, but...

The book, on its own is still really good, but Craig Johnson seems to be slipping into a pattern that has caused me to abandon series in the past. This started with the last book and the disappearance of the mysterious Mexican hit man, which carries over to this book, and apparently will carry over to the next one. I hated the second Star Wars movie because it was so obviously merely a commercial set up for a third one and thats the feeling I'm starting to get with the Longmire series. One book is written only to get you to buy the next one and we end up with a never-ending soap opera instead of the great books that started the series.

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42 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

'Dem Bones!

When the only bad thing you can say about a listen is that it's too short, you have a winner!

There have been many Longmire adventures since "Cold Dish" - and it's very rare for just about every one of them to be a home run. "Dry Bones," despite being a bit short, is another memorable addition to the series. Craig Johnson never misses a beat; his stories are long on lore, on humor, and on heart.

How does he do it? "Dry Bones" has the usual genuine flavor of the surroundings and characters of the fictional Absaroka County, Wy. There's well-placed and interesting information about dinosaurs, digging rights in the West, and (of all things) snapping turtles! The humor is wry and never forced. And, most of all, the listener is once again drawn into the lives, loves, and heartbreaks of some of the best characters in mystery fiction - excellently portrayed by the wonderful George Guidall.

If you are unacquainted with Criag Johnson's Longmire books, it's probably best to start back at the beginning. I'm pretty sure you'll find yourself getting all the way to "Dry Bones."

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42 people found this helpful

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

UPING THE DRAMA - LOWERING THE STANDARDS

I have read all of the Walt Longmire books. I think I started as soon as the first one came out. George Guidall is an integral part of the listening experience and contributes so much to the characters. He is one of the top narrators by my standards. I think he has spoiled the television series for me. I can't picture Bear/The Cheyenne Nation as Lou Diamond Phillips, and although I really like Robert Taylor he does not have the stature that George Guidall presents. i will continue to read them and I don't have to watch television. The writing is good. The occasional mystical is refreshing. The thematic repetitions are getting a bit too ordinary for me. The father forced to be away, always in jeopardy of disappointing his daughter. The encounters with superhuman nature dramas are detracting from the solid characters and good story line. It is not necessary to confront death by weather several times in one book. I don't know if this is driven by television audience appeal. But I find Walt Longmire becoming too Reacheresque. This is downgrading Craig Johnson's talent in my opinion.
I did give it four stars and hope that the stories become more unpredictable in terms of adversity and family relations.

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40 people found this helpful

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

Another Amazing Longmire story

It's been over a decade since Walt Longmire first stepped off the pages of The Cold Dish and into our lives. Since that time there have been another 10 novels, several novellas, and a television series. It is hard to describe the writing of Craig Johnson. His prose is both sparse and poetic at the same time. His characters have become old friends and I always look forward to hearing from them again. In Dry Bones they are all here again. Walt Longmire, Vic Moretti, Henry Standing Bear, and all of the others. Called to investigate an apparent drowning, Sheriff Longmire gets caught up in a dispute over the fossilized remains of the largest tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered. The complications only grow as an Acting Deputy Attorney General for the US Government decides to make his name by prosecuting the local museum. As all of this is going on Sheriff Longmire has to negotiate poisoning, several missing persons, and a difficult family situation.

Craig Johnson never fails to bring great story, great characters, and his winning style. Dry Bones is no different. The Longmire stories are not just about the mystery. They are about the characters. As always I find myself laughing at their dry humor and feeling the pain when they suffer loss. It's too bad that these characters are fictional. It is always hard to wait for a year to read a new story. It is always worth wain the wait. If you have not read the Longmire series let me encourage you to do so. They contain a power and a beauty every bit as large as the High Plains of Wyoming.

As always George Guildall brings these characters to life in his special way. I can't read these books without hears his voice in my head. Get every one of these books, put them on in the car, the gym, wherever you listen to audiobooks and enjoy.

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27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Solid Outing, But Missing Something

A solid and entertaining outing, but missing something, compared to most of the entries in this series. Some great character moments, but it felt like we were just biding our time until we can address one of the major through plots of the last few books (all the more urgent after the tragedy in this books' b-plot).

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Craig Johnson read by George Guidell-PRICELESS

One of my favorite authors read by one of my favorite narrators-how good can it be? My daughter, who does not follow the Longmire series as I do, heard the narration and vowed to listen to the book..she'll get just a shocked as I am!

One of Johnsons best, this story is about "Jen" the Jurassic era skeleton discovered on someones land..is it Federal? Native American? Private? Who does Jens bones belong to?

A great story, well read. I wish Johnson would come to the northwest on his authors tour...I'd love to hear him read from this book..wonder if he'd sign my iPad?

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12 people found this helpful

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

more action, less rumination

I'm glad to see a move away from the introspective, mystical feelings that were such a big part of several of the last books. This installment is more rooted in the here and now (in spite of involving dinosaur bones), which I like. Sure, a lawman and father (and grandfather) of Walt's age is going to be a little introspective and retrospective, but the mystical events/delusions/visions of the past were a little to much for my taste. I like the direction things seem to be taking and - I gotta say it - I love Vic.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Welcome back Walt.

Another great Longmire adventure. All the old characters are back. Walt finds himself caught between a government blowhard, a feisty young archeologist and the murder of an old Indian acquaintance. There are not many suspects and most are dismissed fairly easily, however just when Walt thinks he has a hold on the case, tragedy strikes. As much as he would like to protect and serve he is very distracted and feeling useless. This book is a turning point in the series, some very serious, old, unfinished business must be handled by Walt and Henry before it rears its ugly death head again.

George Guidall is still one of my favorite narrators and perfectly paired with Craige Johnsons wonderful characters.

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10 people found this helpful

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

Where's the next book?

Superb narration makes a good story great. I know I would recognize any of the characters if I met them on the street.
Where can I buy a Ranier in Arizona? I'd like to drink one for Walt and Henry.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

GIVING UP ON SERIES. REPETITIVE.

I'm giving it up. Johnson has really begun to drag with no creativity. Very repetitive and monologues that drag and drag and drag. The stories have also gotten much shorter. Not worth the price. Its the same ole same ole over and over ever since the TV series started.

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7 people found this helpful