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232nd out of 1,346 books
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The Dark Horse (Walt Longmire #5)
Walt Longmire goes undercover to save a woman in an unfriendly place
Interweaving classic noir sensibilities and humor with contemporary themes of social justice, Craig Johnson's popular Walt Longmire mysteries transport readers to the sparse and rugged landscape of Wyoming. In The Dark Horse, the sheriff investigates when his instincts tell him something isn't right about...more
Interweaving classic noir sensibilities and humor with contemporary themes of social justice, Craig Johnson's popular Walt Longmire mysteries transport readers to the sparse and rugged landscape of Wyoming. In The Dark Horse, the sheriff investigates when his instincts tell him something isn't right about...more
Hardcover, 318 pages
Published
May 28th 2009
by Viking Adult
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The Dark Horse is the third (there are five) mystery I have read by Craig Johnson featuring Absaroka County, Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire. In this outing Longmire is trying to prove the innocence of a woman who confessed to murdering her husband after he burned down a barn with her horses inside. To do so he goes undercover as an insurance agent in a neighboring county where the crime took place. On the personal front Longmire is up for reelection and struggling with his attraction to a fe...more
#5 Walt Longmire mystery set in Wyoming. The elections are coming up and Sheriff Longmire is avoiding thinking about it, and things are a bit slow in Absaroka County. Walt's daughter Cady has returned to her home in Philadelphia and he's at loose ends. The Sheriff of a neighboring county sends him a puzzle to chew on and a prisoner to house since their jail is overflowing and Walt eagerly jumps into it. Mary Barsad has confessed to shooting her husband Wade six times in the head after he set the...more
The Dark Horse, by Craig Johnson, B. Narrated by George Guidall, produced by Recorded Books, downloaded from audible.com.
This is the fifth in the Sheriff Walt Longmire series about a Wyoming sheriff. I actually found this book disappointing. First of all, any book that doesn’t have much of Henry in it in this series is disappointing to me. In this book, Sheriff Longmire is asked to hold a female prisoner for another county which doesn’t have room. She is accused of murdering her...more
This is the fifth in the Sheriff Walt Longmire series about a Wyoming sheriff. I actually found this book disappointing. First of all, any book that doesn’t have much of Henry in it in this series is disappointing to me. In this book, Sheriff Longmire is asked to hold a female prisoner for another county which doesn’t have room. She is accused of murdering her...more
LJ
rated it
First Sentence: It was the third week of a high-plains October, and an unseasonably extended summer had baked the color from the landscape and had turned the rusted girders of the old bridge a thinned-out, tired brown.
Mary Barsad is accused of having shot her husband six times in the head and burning down their house, with his body in it, after he allegedly burnt down the barn with her beloved horses locked inside.
Not everyone believes Mary is guilty. Sheriff Walt Lon...more
Mary Barsad is accused of having shot her husband six times in the head and burning down their house, with his body in it, after he allegedly burnt down the barn with her beloved horses locked inside.
Not everyone believes Mary is guilty. Sheriff Walt Lon...more
I listened to the unabridged audio book version of this.
This was just a great book. I have nothing but good things to say about this story. The Dark Horse is an excellent example of what a character driven story line should be. Craig Johnson created an interesting, likeable, and somewhat sarcastic main character in Walt Longmire. What guy didn't want to be the cowboy type when he was a child?
Between the strong but simplistic plot, the great supporting characters like He...more
This was just a great book. I have nothing but good things to say about this story. The Dark Horse is an excellent example of what a character driven story line should be. Craig Johnson created an interesting, likeable, and somewhat sarcastic main character in Walt Longmire. What guy didn't want to be the cowboy type when he was a child?
Between the strong but simplistic plot, the great supporting characters like He...more
I am almost beyond words to describe how much I love this series. Walt and his world are just sheer joy to visit. In anticipation for the release of this book I re-listened to the previous four books. I think The Cold Dish is still my favorite but each book has something that makes it special and worth rereading (or re-listening).
In The Dark Horse Walt is trying to prove that the woman in his jail is not the killer she has confessed to being. The trail takes him back to the Pow...more
In The Dark Horse Walt is trying to prove that the woman in his jail is not the killer she has confessed to being. The trail takes him back to the Pow...more
Craig Johnson's crime novels about Sherif Walt Longmire are terrifically written in crisp prose full of observation, wisdom and insight. The Wyoming setting is central to the story, as usual, not only as a stage for the action but also as a psychological backdrop. In this novel, Longmire is a bit more removed than usual from his strong and engaging cast of supporting characters. Of course, this means he has to give new characters somewhat larger roles than usual, and so we get to know an old ...more
Michael
rated it
Recommends it for:
Fans of western mysteries, Larry McMurtry fans.
Recommended to Michael by:
"Deadly Pleasures" review
4 1/2 star review. In the fifth book with Walt Longmire as the protagonist, Walt is asked to house Mary Barsad in his jail to await her trial. She confessed to killing her husband Wade, after he set fire to the family barn with her horses inside.
This wonderful tale reminds me of the TV shows of the past. At one point Walt is challanged to a fight in the town saloon, by an intoxicated moose of a man. I can picture this happening in an episode of Gunsmoke and Marshall Dillon disposi...more
This wonderful tale reminds me of the TV shows of the past. At one point Walt is challanged to a fight in the town saloon, by an intoxicated moose of a man. I can picture this happening in an episode of Gunsmoke and Marshall Dillon disposi...more
Ok, so this is another in the series (#5) of the sheriff from Wyoming, Walt Longmire. I haven't listened to them in order and that doesn't seem to matter at all. Somehow Craig Johnson was able to make this novel as entertaining as all the rest.
We listened to this as we were on a two day drive to visit family. The reader, George Guidall, does such a great job with the character voices and interpretation of the drama. My husband agrees. Besides being a good detective, Walt Longm...more
We listened to this as we were on a two day drive to visit family. The reader, George Guidall, does such a great job with the character voices and interpretation of the drama. My husband agrees. Besides being a good detective, Walt Longm...more
This was a most delightful listen between Craig Johnson's mellow prose and George Guidall's narration. It's the story of an aging Wyoming sheriff named Walt Longmire in present day who tries to solve the murder of a sociopathic lowlife. His wife has been accused of the murder and is of no help, since it was done after her barn was set on fire with seven purebred horses locked inside. She's too traumatized to talk. The sheriff laconically goes about his business with a dry understated wit tha...more
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Let me just state a few facts up front:
1. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series
2. I don’t like Western stories
3. I have absolutely nothing in common with any of the characters, so relating to them was pretty much a no go
And yet, I thought this was a good read. It was a bit slow going at first, but there is a charm to Walt Longmire’s subdued sense of humor that is refreshing. Despite the general plot being a bit tired and worn out, I enjoyed bein...more
1. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series
2. I don’t like Western stories
3. I have absolutely nothing in common with any of the characters, so relating to them was pretty much a no go
And yet, I thought this was a good read. It was a bit slow going at first, but there is a charm to Walt Longmire’s subdued sense of humor that is refreshing. Despite the general plot being a bit tired and worn out, I enjoyed bein...more
Another enjoyable Wyoming mystery starring Walt Longmire--in this one he tries to prove that a woman accused of murdering her husband is innocent. I enjoy these despite the swearing deputy.
"Kind of like the tree that falls in the forest when nobody's around? I mean, if nobody remembers the history, did it still happen?" (131)
It is a western tradition that the passenger always gets the gate, which is why cowboys generally fight to sit in the middle, where you hav...more
"Kind of like the tree that falls in the forest when nobody's around? I mean, if nobody remembers the history, did it still happen?" (131)
It is a western tradition that the passenger always gets the gate, which is why cowboys generally fight to sit in the middle, where you hav...more
The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson
Johnson’s “The Dark Horse” is another page turner in the Walt Longmire series. The story takes place in NE Wyoming in the Powder River Country. A local rancher is found dead and the barn full of his wife’s horses and the house have all burned. His wife Mary is sitting in the yard with her rifle across her lap crying and confessing that she shot him. Longmire, the sheriff of Absaroka County, goes undercover to the small town of Absalom. There he meets several ...more
Johnson’s “The Dark Horse” is another page turner in the Walt Longmire series. The story takes place in NE Wyoming in the Powder River Country. A local rancher is found dead and the barn full of his wife’s horses and the house have all burned. His wife Mary is sitting in the yard with her rifle across her lap crying and confessing that she shot him. Longmire, the sheriff of Absaroka County, goes undercover to the small town of Absalom. There he meets several ...more
"In The Dark Horse, Craig Johnson continues to develop Sheriff Walt Longmire's personality -- he's got a wicked sense of humor that can land him on the wrong side of things -- and to introduce interesting new elements and characters into each installment. Johnson's regional focus -- particularly his ability to evoke the austere, mysterious landscapes of Wyoming -- and a noirish attitude toward crime recalls writer James Lee Burke and the long-running Dave Robicheaux series. With a new deal ...more
While maybe not "amazing" amazing I did love this book and the characters. I'd never read any of the Walt Longmire mysteries by Craig Johnson. Actually picked this one because of the horse theme. I was pleasantly surprised! Planning to get the first four in the series to see how Walt evolves.
Johnson's writing is crisp and witty. Not overly descriptive which allows the story to move along nicely. Appreciate the fact that Walt is an older guy,mid-forties, not some strapping y...more
Johnson's writing is crisp and witty. Not overly descriptive which allows the story to move along nicely. Appreciate the fact that Walt is an older guy,mid-forties, not some strapping y...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Sheriff Walt Longmire's instincts are screaming that the confessed killer of her abusive husband is not really the murderer. As she sits in jail, Walt visits the scene of the grisly fire and finds a tangled web of hatreds, jealousies, and motives that nearly cost him his life.
It's hard to put your finger on the allure of this series of mysteries, but it can be attributed to a combination of:
• Searingly vivid descriptions of the Wyoming landscape
• Sat...more
It's hard to put your finger on the allure of this series of mysteries, but it can be attributed to a combination of:
• Searingly vivid descriptions of the Wyoming landscape
• Sat...more
Dark horse: noun A usually little known contender that makes an unexpectedly good showing
Walt Longmire has been the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming for many years and as the time for re-election is at hand he is confronted by an active campaign by a newcomer who claims to be a man “ wants to make a difference”. Longmire is the kind of man who has always made a difference but after 25 years on the job he finds himself at a crossroads. He has had a difficult few yea...more
Walt Longmire has been the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming for many years and as the time for re-election is at hand he is confronted by an active campaign by a newcomer who claims to be a man “ wants to make a difference”. Longmire is the kind of man who has always made a difference but after 25 years on the job he finds himself at a crossroads. He has had a difficult few yea...more
I've finally gotten to the point in this series where I can read the book I bought (last August, in Denver). The Dark Horse once again has Walt Longmire going out of his jurisdiction, only unlike Philadelphia Henry isn't featured nearly as much in this book. This particular book brings Walt back to the territory of his childhood, as he works undercover to clear the name of the wrongly-accused (not to mention the fact that she admitted herself guilty to the murder). Interesting characters are int...more
George Guidall reads this title (the whole series, I believe) and feels himself very close in spirit to Longmire, our fearless Sheriff. His reading is strong and reminds me marginally of Hillerman, whose books he also reads. But Johnson is a different beast than Hillerman, and he gets his characters in and out of trouble in very ingenious ways. This title introduces a strong female character (of Guatemalan descent!) that I have a feeling is going to show up again. A very nice story line he's got...more
Walt Longmire is back and trying to go undercover as an insurance fraud investigator. Trouble is, the Powder River isn't that far from Absaroka County and too many people recognize the good sheriff. All of our favorite characters are back in this latest installment from the wilds of Wyoming. The bad guys are as bad as ever, Victoria's language is still colorful, and Henry Standing Bear is, as always, the friend you would want to have by your side when the going gets tough...and it always does.
I have a new author to read! Yay! The only down side is he only has four books. Why don't these people write faster? I only gave it a four because it had a little more swearing than I like. I think what I liked the most is something I also enjoyed in Tony Hillerman's books--the author knows the west and the western way of thinking and doing. Especially small western town sensibility. Because he lives in the west! Hard for me to explain, but I appreciated that it was there in the writing.
Craig Johnson continues to please. This is more of a "cowboy-up" mystery and it also forces Walt Longmire to return to his roots in a neighboring county. Convinced that Mary Barsad was wrongly arrested for the murder of her husband, Longmire goes undercover to dig out the real killer. Bad weather and horse heroism bring it to a crescendo. His dovetailing timeline reminded me of a favorite Donald Harstad mystery, Eleven Days (truly a 5-star, that one).
I read this because it was on the Publishers Weekly list of the best of 2009. I had to force myself to finish it. I've read a couple of Tony Hillermans, and one other Western mystery by a woman whose name I can't recall, and I think I just don't like the genre. On the up side, it beat the pants off of the dreadful foxhunting mystery by Rita Mae Brown I tried to read; talking foxes are even less appealing characters than laconic cowboy types, turns out.
I don't know if it is my favorite of the Walt Longmire books simpley because it was the best written or if I think it was my favorite because it was the last one I read! However, it was a great story! It was a unique story havintg Sheriff Longmire try to go undercover and get caught on numerous occasions. The secondary characters were compelling especially the "dark horse,"Wahoo Sue". I loved this story!
I love Craig Johnson. This book, for some reason, did not do it for me as much as the others. Maybe it was the lack of Henry? Maybe it was the flashback/flash forward/flashback/flash forward style? I'm not sure what it was about this book but I found myself skipping pages, being annoyed by the date changes, and really just wanting to get to the end (almost felt like I just wanted to get it over with).
This is another book from Craig Johnson that I wanted to go on and on and not come to an end. As I work my way through this "Walt Longmire" series, I'm feeling so good while immersing myself in these books that my only hesitation is that there aren't many more books to go....here Walt solves an incredibly complex murder mystery, with horses and the wild Wyoming mesa country thrown in for good measure. Keep writing 'em, Mr. Johnson!
I recently spend time recovering from surgery. Mr. Johnson sends out a Walt Longmire short story to his fans for the holidays. Explaining my situation in an e-mail to his website. I told him how comforting I found his writing in my recovery. Mr. Johnson send me his previous holiday stories in his response, proving a great author is a great guy. Thank you, Craig.
Great western/mystery read with some fun thrown in. Walt Longmire is a sheriff who agrees to investigate a case in a neighboring county after he gets a woman who is accused of murdering her husband. I really like books about Wyoming and the western states. Now I just have to go back and read the ones before this one.
this is the first of this series that I have read, and I will read more. This is the story of a woman accused of murdering her husband after he kills her beloved horses. Sheriff Walt Longmire ends up with her in his jail, and makes it his business to find out what really happened.
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Former police officer; has also worked as an educator, cowboy, and longshoreman.
AWARDS: Tony Hillerman Award for "Old Indian Trick"; fiction book of the year, Wyoming Historical Society, for Death without Company, Wyoming Council for the ...more
More about Craig Johnson...
Former police officer; has also worked as an educator, cowboy, and longshoreman.
AWARDS: Tony Hillerman Award for "Old Indian Trick"; fiction book of the year, Wyoming Historical Society, for Death without Company, Wyoming Council for the ...more
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