(2017)With flashbacks to a train trip of most of the Wyoming county sheriffs, Walt as deputy sheriff gets embroiled in a murder of one of those present. Turns out it was by a cross dressing man who is exacting revenge for the death of his sister. Flash forward as this murderer is being considered for release from prison but escapes and Walt's daughter-Cady disappears and seems to have been kidnapped by the murderer.MysteryPeople Review: Craig Johnson understands his hero, the way not every series writer does. We've witnessed his put-upon Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire battle depression after his wife's death, cautiously develop a relationship with his deputy, Victoria Moretti, become a grandfather, and deal with others of life's challenges, while rounding up the bad guys, all without a false note. This skill is fully apparent in The Western Star where a present day mystery connects to one in Walt's past, and sets up his future.The Western Star begins in Cheyenne with Walt and Vic getting re-certified for marksmanship (Obviously, no challenge for Vic). Lucien, the previous Absaroka County sheriff, comes along for the ride, since they are staying with Walt's daughter and her new baby. Walt and Lucien also have another agenda. A convict has filed for compassionate release, due to a terminal illness. Wanting the man to die in prison, Walt is out to find out about the maneuverings that are making his release possible.It all goes back to one of his first murder investigations as a deputy. Lucien took him along for a Wyoming Sheriff's Association meeting that took place on a vintage locomotive traveling across the state, The Western Star. All that can be said without revealing any of the twists or surprises is a murder occurs, leading to a bigger picture when tied to the present.The Western Star is the novel version of a finely crafted rocking chair ? comfortable, sturdy and straight forward, in a way that proves deceptive. It contains a nod or two to Agatha Christie's Murder On The Orient Express and gives that classic a run for its money. Johnson uses seventies references sparingly, yet in an entertaining fashion, so there's no show-boating in his research. There are plenty of facts that need to be played close to the vest and Craig deals them out at the perfect plot point in a way that is never contrived.Much of this can be credited to Craig Johnson's understanding of Walt. Not only does he know Walt, he realizes that after a dozen novels, two novellas, and a short story every Christmas, we have gotten to know him well. He uses it as suspense in the present, given our understanding that our lawman is more interested in justice than punishment, keeping us locked in as we race to discover why he wants to make sure the person dies in prison. With the story on the train, he captures Walt's hesitancy in emotional manners, less tempered by age, and demonstrates how he started out with the investigative chops we know today, but with a lack of focus he will attain later on.`It is this understanding of Walt and those around him that make the book work and allow the series to move in a new direction. He picks perfect and believable points to have play against character (try picturing cantankerous Lucien with a baby before reading) and understands the still waters that run dark and deep within them. With The Western Star, Walt's present and past dovetail beautifully into a satisfying conclusion that sets our hero up for a journey that will define him for books to come.

EXCELLENT addition to the series, but the cliffhanger. Really? The next installment needs to come SOON! ( )

'The Western Star' is a Longmire book that has everything: a solid mystery told in two timelines, a visit with a younger, much angrier and more violent younger version of Walt, a riff on 'Murder On The Orient Express' with a murder on a steam train full of sheriffs heading into the Wyoming mountains during a snow storm and a plot that moves the series story arc forward into what looks to be a great deal of violence.

I really enjoyed learning more about who Walt Longmire used to be before he became the Sheriff that we know today. The last time this happened was in the fourth Longmire book, 'Another Man's Moccasins' which was also a dual timeline mystery, one of which covered some of Walt's time as an Army investigator in Vietnam during the war. Much of 'The Western Star' takes place in 1972 when Walt, newly returned from Vietnam and newly married, has been working as Deputy Sheriff for Lucian Connally for two months. It shows us a Walt Longmire who has a troubled marriage, a short temper, a habit of using violence to solve problems and who is not at all clear on what he wants to do next. This Walt could as easily have been a criminal as a Sheriff. He could also have taken his wife's advice and become a college professor in Literature He's still a reader. He's still deeply curious about the world around him, past and present and he still has a need to get to the truth regardless of the consequences.

His investigation into the death of a Sheriff on 'The Western Star' during the annual junket of the Wyoming Sheriffs Association is a strong mystery with a surprising amount of action for something set on a train, a plot that packs several surprises, and a fun riff on 'Murder On The Orient Express', a copy of which Walt is carrying with him. At one point a sheriff claims that all murder mysteries have only four solutions: he did it, she did it, no one did it, they all did it. Craig Johnson then goes on to prove this statement wrong.

The present-day timeline in 'The Western Star' is linked to the events of 1972, although in ways that are not immediately clear, but it's there mainly as a bridge to the next book. I liked the way Craig Johnson showed me a 1972 Walt Longmire who was more warrior than lawman and then made it clear that Walt is going to need to reconnect with his younger self to do what needs to be done to solve the present-day problem that 'The Western Star' ends on.

This was a very satisfying read which, as usual, was made more enjoyable by George Guidall's distinctive narration. Click on the SoundCloud link below to hear a sample.

https://soundcloud.com/audiofilemagazine/the-western-star-by-craig-johnson-read-... ( )

Well, this was not the strongest book in the series. As much as I like Walt was I disappointed to see Vic reduced to just having a small part in this book. Although it was pretty cool to meet a young Walt Longmire newlywed and as a new deputy to Sheriff Connolly. However, the ending was promising. Been waiting for Walt to get even with his archnemesis. ( )

Okay but not one of the best of the series. The flashbacks were interesting. The mystery was fairly straightforward. ( )