As hard as this is to say, considering how much I lauded the first book, this one is even better. The book was tighter and more focused (with the notable exception of a romantic sub-plot that was dropped before it could get off the ground), and the mystery was more interesting -- and it gave us insight into Walt, Henry and Lucian's pasts. I cannot wait to start reading the third book in the series, [b:Kindness Goes Unpunished|236857|Kindness Goes Unpunished (Walt Longmire, #3)|Craig Johnson|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1337375820s/236857.jpg|229416], but am purposely staggering them so I don't run through the series too quickly.

This novel is the second installment of the Walt Longmire mystery series. Like the first book, the setting is rural Wyoming, where the snowstorms are frequent and the distances between locations can be vast. The book takes place about a month after the events of the first novel. Sheriff Longmire has begun to recover, physically and emotionally, from the traumatic events of that investigation, and is visiting his friend Lucian, the retired former Sheriff and Longimre's mentor, when he discovers that an elderly woman in Lucian's retirement home has died. Lucian is convinced from the get-go that it is a murder, not a death due to natural causes, so Longmire begins his investigation.

This novel has many twists and turns and kept me guessing until nearly the end. Several people have vary obvious motives, and it is easy to overlook others that may not seem to have any motives at all. Little by little Longmire and his helpers, including deputy Vic and Cheyenne bartender Henry, peel back the layers of the onion as they search for answers.

This book has many of the same strengths as the original. It is very well written, and the descriptive passages made me feel like I was really out there in Wyoming with the characters. Johnson is also very adept at describing the physical features of his characters, and infusing them with strong and interesting personalities. The relationships between the characters are complicated and realistic. Johnson gets you to care about the main characters, and also many of the supporting characters like Ruby, Ferg, and Lucian.

This second book is very good, and perhaps is better than the first in the series, because it was freed of the need to fill in all the backstory that inevitably bogged down the original story. Also, the way Johnson interwove the 50-year old murder mystery that comes to light about midway through the book, and the present-day murder mystery, was masterful.

Overall this is an excellent mystery novel, and it seals my fate as a "Longmire fan." I will be reading the remaining 5 books in the near future.

George Guidall (Narrator)
loving the series and DOG.

I would trade 10% of my intelligence to be able to pull off a cowboy hat and have no one question it or talk about it behind my back, ever.

I've read three of these and enjoyed this one the most. It's always snowing in Wyoming, at least in the three mysteries I've read. Some good intrigue at the nursing home and Walt Longmire is dealing with a killer or killers who seem set on killing whoever gets in their way. But what's their motive? Good humor in this one as always. I'm thinking my favorite character is his dog. LOL. Some vivid dream sequences in this one and Walt as usual get beat up again. Meth, methane, and millions mingle in a good melange of Basque, Native American, and cowboy culture.

This felt like two books in one in the best way, a mystery unpacking the life of a Basque woman trapped in expectations in the mid-20th century, and a thriller/chase story in modern times. Like with the first book in the series, audiobook narrator George Guidall's raspy western voice is perfect for the story. It's only not 5 stars because its treatment of women is all very much through the male gaze.