As the Crow Flies

Starred review from March 12, 2012
In bestseller Johnson’s excellent eighth Walt Longmire mystery (after 2011’s Hell Is Empty), Walt agrees to help the new tribal police chief of Wyoming’s Northern Cheyenne Reservation, Lolo Long, with an investigation, even though his daughter Cady’s wedding is imminent. Walt saw a woman, later identified as Audrey Plain Feather, plunge from Painted Warrior cliff holding her infant son, Adrian. Miraculously, Adrian survives, but the evidence points to murder, not suicide, in Audrey’s death. Suspicion immediately falls on Audrey’s abusive husband, Clarence Last Bull, but Walt isn’t convinced of his guilt, especially when the FBI shows up, hot on the trail of illegal drugs. Meanwhile, Lolo, an Iraqi war vet, is eager to prove she can do her job, despite her lack of police training. Johnson expertly highlights his conflicted hero’s dual role as father and sheriff in this deeply satisfying installment. The TV series Longmire, starring Australian actor Robert Taylor as the Wyoming sheriff, premiers on A&E in June. 10-city author tour. Agent: Gail Hochman, Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents.

Starred review from May 28, 2012
Everyone’s favorite Southern sheriff is back in this eighth volume of Johnson’s popular series, which is also set to premiere on June 3 as Longmire, a new A&E drama. In this installment, tragedy rears its ugly head at a time of great celebration as Walt Longmire scouts potential locations for his daughter’s wedding. Narrated by George Guidall, this audio edition captivates from start to finish. Guidall’s delivery is flawless, his tone perfect. As Longmire, Guidall is gritty (as any sheriff should be), but also empathetic to the horrors that death brings to a victim’s family and friends. Guidall’s remarkable palate of dialects is on display throughout, and never falters or veers toward cliché. It would be easy to get carried away with such a myriad of colorful characters, but Guidall—the seasoned pro that he is—navigates that raging river with ease. A Viking hardcover.

Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire and his friend Henry Standing Bear watch in horror as a Native American woman falls from a cliff on the Cheyenne Indian Reservation. It's soon apparent that it was no accident, and Walt is called in to help find the murderer. Narrator George Guidall's excellent character portrayals make it easy for listeners to overlook a few bumpy scenes as he plays up the intriguing aspects of life on the res' and the humor sprinkled throughout the story. He's especially impressive as Henry Standing Bear, whose voice alone makes the listener want to know more about the character. This is a notable example of a superb narrator taking a book to greater heights. M.M.G. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine