The Cold Dish | Craig Johnson

The Cold Dish: A Longmire Mystery

Extended Synopsis

Enter the rugged landscape of Absaroka County, Wyoming, with The Cold Dish, the riveting debut novel that introduced the world to Sheriff Walt Longmire. Having served twenty-five years as the county’s chief law enforcement officer, Longmire’s aspirations for a quiet, uneventful conclusion to his tenure are abruptly shattered when Cody Pritchard is discovered dead near the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Two years prior, Pritchard was one of four high school boys granted highly controversial suspended sentences after assaulting a local Cheyenne girl. With Pritchard’s sudden death, it becomes terrifyingly evident that someone is seeking vigilante justice.

As tension mounts between communities, Longmire stands as the thin line separating the three remaining men from a lethal Sharps .45-70 rifle. Enlisting the aid of his lifelong friend Henry Standing Bear and the sharp-witted Deputy Victoria Moretti, Longmire navigates the vast, unforgiving high plains to unmask the sniper. Craig Johnson weaves a tapestry of institutional friction, regional lore, and profound character studies, ensuring that a cycle of historical vengeance remains unfulfilled in this foundational Western mystery.

Reader Targeting

• Mystery and crime fiction enthusiasts looking to start the critically acclaimed Walt Longmire series from its definitive chronological beginning.
• Readers who enjoy atmospheric, regional procedurals exploring complex relationships between rural towns and Native American reservations.
• Fans of authors like Ace Atkins, Nevada Barr, and Robert B. Parker who appreciate grit balanced with genuine literary texture.

Accolades & Awards

• The introductory novel of the multi-million copy New York Times bestselling contemporary mystery series.
• Lauded by critics for outstanding cultural authenticity and brilliant character development, serving as the source material for the hit television drama.

Author Biography

Craig Johnson is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the Walt Longmire mystery series. His western literature has captured multiple prestigious distinctions, including the Western Writers of America Spur Award, the Will Rogers Medallion, and France's Prix du Roman Noir. Johnson lives in the rural community of Ucross, Wyoming, a town with a population of twenty-five residents, where the vast and rugged local environment serves as a continuous source of inspiration for his work.

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