👶👶 Wait for Signs: Twelve Longmire Stories, by Craig Johnson

I think my favorite part of this book was the forward by Lou Diamond Phillips; what an incredibly well-spoken individual he is. I particularly enjoyed his description of a tightrope: "It’s that thing upon which great mystery writers must boldly but carefully tread, precariously balancing the unwieldy burdens of plot, character, and setting, all the while enticing us to enjoy the journey and marvel at the view. Each step is carefully placed so as to stay one chess move ahead of the savvy readers—who, try as they might, should not be able to see the ultimate destination until their literary guide is good and ready to show them—but never to lose them. One misstep and the entire entourage tumbles into the abyss."

It is perhaps because of this tremendous introduction, that I had higher expectations for this book. I expected great mysteries, but was instead met with mediocre prose. The stories were "short and sweet", but sadly, that is the extent of my fervor. Each of them were quite predictable, and the plots were thin. Perhaps his longer novels would be more enjoyable, giving him the ability to develop the plot and characters further. Unfortunately, it seems as though the author operated under the assumption that the reader is already familiar with the main characters in Absaroka County, and therefore gave little in the way of proper introductions. I did, however enjoy the narrator of this Audible Book, George Guidall, as he lent the perfect voice to Sherriff Longmire.

Read 7/7/15