Wednesday, January 7, 2015

A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson

Getting on towards fall in Absaroka County, Wyoming. The local high school football team (the Durant Dogies, not Doggies) is set to retire the numbers of Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear. Neither is too interested.

An angel who helps out with the chores and eats the food left for him has frequented an old lady in Durant. The angel is a ‘lost boy’, a Mormon teenager named Cord who was ex-communicated for his behavior. None too bright and unaware of his family other than he is being watched over by one Orrin Porter Rockwell, The Destroying Angel and Danite, Man of God, Son of Thunder - Bodyguard to Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. That would make him over 200 years old.

Now Walt doesn’t like loose ends dangling in his county so he sets out to find Cord’s parents without upsetting the sensibilities of the Son of Thunder. Longmire soon learns that an almost nomadic tribe of the Mormon faithful, under the guidance of the massively obese Roy Lynear, has purchased a ranch barely inside Absaroka County. They have had compounds set up in Texas, Kansas, South Dakota, and now Wyoming. Heavily armed to boot. And staffed by ex-military or company types.

Why is it something as simple as a ‘lost boy’ turns into a far more complex case involving six figure drilling bits, a knife throwing Mexican Poet/drug enforcer with the all the humanity of Keyser Soze (1995’s The Usual Suspects), uneducated teenage guards with .50 caliber BFGs (use your imagination), and a local ranch wife rumored to be former CIA. And when the big showdown is imminent, the poorly-armed Walt and Henry set off to face the Lynear compound with Steadfast Resolution (is that great or what?) as their most potent weapon.

‘Nuff said. Another winner from Craig Johnson. Actually, at this point (this is my 9th Longmire book and will be heading to the library tomorrow for #10) I might say that this one could be my favorite of the bunch so far. High praise for an outstanding series. 

My question is simple: If you have yet to join Longmire’s Posse, what are you waiting for?


East Coast Don

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