Dry Bones (A Longmire Mystery) by Craig Johnson

Book Review/Summary:

You can’t help but love these characters, and be sucked into this world that Mr. Johnson has created.  It is like an old Western, but in modern times.  Family is at the heart of this book and after reading all the novels the reader is family with all of the characters.

Squabbling over a T.Rex body brings in a new set of characters and some old favorites while trying to solve the murder of Danny Lone Elk.  As Walt does his best to focus on the case, his daughter and granddaughter come into town and heartbreaking news is delivered.

The ending solved the case, gave closure on the Lone Elk family, and made you love Omar (at least that is how I felt about him at the end).  However, the book makes you more worried about the Bidarte situation with Walt and what the future holds for this particular archenemy.  While I think it is funny that Walt now has an archenemy, it is also kind of surprising that it took so long in his life to get one (I don’t consider Henry and Lucian enemies even if they act like it sometimes).

The best reason to read this book is that you will have laugh out loud moments when reading a murder mystery.  Also, if you have seen the TV show and have ever heard how Longmire was cast, there are a few pages that just make you appreciate the author even more.  I really do encourage a reader to go and hear Craig Johnson talk when he does his book tours.

Characters (new and updates from previous Longmire Stories)

Jennifer Watt = traveling with Dave when found skeleton, name sake of the Dinosaur, video tapes most things, goes missing near end of the book

Dave Baumann = Director of the High Plans Dinosaur Museum, Skip Trout doesn’t like him, is honest with Walt

Omar Rohades = has a new truck, his helicopter is damaged when helping Walt search, and gets shot, the last page of the story makes you love him a little

Danny Lone Elk = Omar finds his body, always had nice hair, asked Walt’s dad to go to an Indian church once, Walt has seen him in his dreams, his wife died about 10 years ago, and his land becomes a big issue in the story

Enic Lone Elk = Danny’s brother, a traditionalist, has a soft spot for Taylor

Randy Lone Elk = Indian Cowboy, Enic is his uncle, Danny is his father, hard on Taylor, didn’t always get along with his father

Taylor Lone Elk = Randy’s nephew, keeps trying to run away, would go hunting and fishing with his grandfather (Danny), Eva’s son, bagger at IGA, goes missing towards the end of the story

Isaac Bloomfield = approaching 90, still taking care of Walt

Joseph Free Bird = “doctor” that prescribed meds for Danny, is told by Walt and the Bob to close up shop

Mike McGroder = FBI agent in charge, out of Denver

Skip Trost = acting deputy U.S. Attorney, has it out for the High Plains Dinosaur Museum, using the T.Rex issue as a political point, does not get along with Walt

Brandon White Buffalo = 7’2″ bring the chiefs to Walt

Henry = back seeing the divorcee up at Rocky Boy, wants to give Lola her Cheyenne name

Double Tough = back from medical leave, doing pirate imitations due to his eye patch, trying to pick out the right glass eye for most of the book

Lonnie Little Bird = Cheyenne chief, meets with Walt about Danny’s death

Lolo Long = tribal police chief, meets with Walt about Danny’s death

Saizarbitoria = helps Walt with the baby stuff

Bob Delude = highway patrolman, assigned to protect Skip

Robert Hall = highway patrolman, assigned to protect Skip

Lucian = had something similar to a stroke happen to him, from poison

Jay = UPS driver who helps moves crates of dinosaur bones around town

Ernie Brown = reporter for Duran Courant

David Nickerson = head of Duran Memorial Hospital’s ER

Eva = Randy’s sister, Taylor’s mom, very shy and anxious

Janine = Ruby’s granddaughter and hospital receptionist

Dennis Kervin = attorney from Durant, was on the plane with Cady and Lola

Michael Moretti = Cady’s husband, Vic’s younger bother, Lola’s father, shot in the line of duty (Henry questions if it was a random shooting)

Chaplain Anthony Keen = called Cady to let her know about her husband, Walt answered the phone instead

Lena = Cady’s mother-in-law, Vic’s mother

Lola = Cady and Michael’s daughter, Henry wants to give her a Cheyenne name

Joe Meyer = attorney general of Wyoming, wife is Mary, wants to talk to Cady about a job

Tomas Bidarte = has a hit out on Walt with the Asociacion Punto Muerto, Henry thinks Michael was shot to get back at Vic for shooting him and to hurt Walt

Lana Boraja = Lucians granddaughter, wants to fix up a carriage house and have Lucian move in to be near him

Dan Craword = manager of IGA

Evelyn Clymer = cashier at IGA, flirts with Lucian, used to work at a hardware store.