Review: Dance Hall of the Dead

Dance Hall of the Dead by Tony Hillerman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hillerman never disappoints. Leaphorn is such a good egg. I love those western lawmen.

Joe is investigating another murder, but this time in Zuni territory. He's steady, smart, and reliable, as alwasy. And he lets his moral compass guide him to do the right thing, even if he has to blur the lines of the letter of the law. Such a great series, in a beautiful setting, with interesting cultural details and rich characters. Makes me miss living there.



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Review: Ill Wind

Ill Wind by Nevada Barr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

New book, new park. Anna's at my old location, Mesa Verde, so I loved reading this one. I sold a ton of this book in my stores when I worked there. It's interesting to be able to visualize each location while you are in the park. Minus the dead bodies, of course.

Shoved into seasonal housing, prickly Anna is winning friends and influencing people, as usual. But she starts to settle in, and quickly gets embroiled in sabotage for the pipeline threatening to ruin one of my favorite parks, and then murder. I have to admit I thought I had it figured out a couple of times, but was wrong. And then our old Fed Stanton comes, and Anna is off to the sparring races. I'm interested to see where they take this quasi-partnership in book 4.

I love this series because Nevada Barr allows us to armchair travel to our National Parks. They are my among my favorite places. Take care of them, visit them, and leave no trace.

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Any Other Name (Walt Longmire #10)

Any Other Name by Craig Johnson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Walt, Walt, Walt. You almost get beaten up more than Harry Dresden, but not quite. Harry gets his ass kicked on the regular more than anyone.

This time Walt should be on his way to Philly to welcome his grandbaby into the world. What is he doing instead? Solving a case. With Lucian. And a little assist from Vic and Henry. My favorite everyman's hero does it again, Wyoming-style, and solves the case, which turns out to be two cases. Extra bonus for Henry being the best sidekick ever and I enjoyed the cop / investigator guy who helps them figure it out by the end.



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Second Glance

Second Glance by Jodi Picoult

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Coincidence, or fate? That is the question. Picoult is a favorite author of mine and this one doesn't disappoint.

Part ghost story, part romance, part history lesson, we are dropped into two timelines which are intertwined over time. A 70-year-old murder mystery and a modern day story are woven together into a bundle that all makes sense by the end. You end up with a ghost story along with an interesting history of eugenics and Native American cultures that is little-known but worth the read.

Ask yourself a few questions to see if you should read this book?
1) Do you like ghost stories? Then yes, please read.
2) Do you like murder mysteries? This one will keep you guessing.
3) Do you like stories that tie in real-life history? Read this one--it's fascinating.
4) Do you like alternating timelines? This is the book for you.

This is a hard one to summarize because so much is happening, but there is a little something for everyone inside. The strong motherhood story you have come to expect from Picoult with some supernatural twists and turns.





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The Bean Trees

The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Have you ever wanted to reinvent yourself? To escape your old life and start over where no one knows you? I know I have. So begins our journey into the desert of Tucson.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. The settings really come to life. The characters were each unique although I wanted more development, especially with Taylor and Lou Ann. She could have gone deeper into each of their stories and extended the book 100 pages without making it drag. I enjoyed reading about Taylor and Turtle's journey together and how they both changed in their new lives. I especially enjoyed the side plot about Esteven and Esperanza and how it all came together at the end.

I enjoy Barbara Kingsolver so I can't imagine why I waited to read this book. This one was her first novel, and it was good. Glad I finally got to it.




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As the Crow Flies (Walt Longmire #8)

As the Crow Flies: A Walt Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


My favorite sheriff Walt Longmire saves the day again. I just love this series!

This time we miss most of the usual cast of characters, as Walt is teamed up with Lolo Long, new tribal police chief as they investigate a potential homicide. The colorful folks Walt works with and investigates over the course of the case make the story fun even as the body count mounts, and we still get enough of a dose of Henry and Dog to make it typical Longmire.

Time marches on, and in the end the greatest legal mind of our time enjoys her nuptials. It remains to be seen what is in Walt's future. On to book #9!




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Hell is Empty (Walt Longmire #7)

Hell Is Empty by Craig Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This series gets better with each book.

This time around, Walt is assisting with a prisoner transfer and investigation with several agencies, including the FBI. Yes, there is cold, ice, and the typical Wyoming winter you have come to expect. Is it ever summer, or even spring, in Absaroka county? Or are all of the criminals so excited to have some warmth that they take some time off from breaking the law so we don't get mysteries set in summer? But I digress.

Walt, protector of everyone, is on the hunt when the prisoner transfer goes south in the middle of a blizzard. He's my favorite version of an everyman hero, and I love the partners he takes in this one to save the day.

If you aren't already reading this series, you should be. But don't start with this one--start at the beginning and enjoy the ride.



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Wait For Signs: Twelve Longmire Stories.

Wait for Signs: Twelve Longmire Stories by Craig Johnson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


A collection of short stories written around the Christmas holidays. Always fun to visit Absaroka County with Walt, Henry, and the gang. But mainly I visit for Walt and Henry.



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Another Man's Moccasins (Walt Longmire #4)

Another Man's Moccasins by Craig Johnson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Another great installment to the Longmire series. It just keeps getting better and better.

This time we get some flashbacks to Walt and Henry's time in Vietnam, as the current day mystery has ties to their past. The body of a young Vietnamese woman is found in Walt's jurisdiction, and the Crow Indian found near the scene is accused of the murder. As Walt finds himself faced with proving a man's innocence, he is struck by the similarities to a case he had as a Marine investigator in Vietnam. The mystery is smartly woven together and I was guessing until the end.

Read this series. Just read it. You will like it.



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Kindness Goes Unpunished (Walt Longmire #3)

Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It's time for a road trip!

Walt and Henry take a road trip from Wyoming to Philadelphia (with Dog, naturally) where Henry will be presenting old Mennonite photographs found on the reservation to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts while Walt visits Cady, the greatest legal mind of our time. But when Cady gets hurt after they arrive, Walt is on the case and working with the cops in Philly to solve a crime. Way outside of his jurisdiction with some serious conflict of interest going on, but we'll let that slide.

Lots of fun in this one. We get to meet Vic's family, and they don't disappoint. I love Vic's mom. Not what I would have expected based on how rough Vic is, but she is great. Vic's dad, however, is exactly what I pictured. We got more insights into Walt's relationship with Cady and the ending sets us up for some interesting potential plot lines in the next books.

Another great installment to the series.



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Death Without Company (Walt Longmire #2)

Death Without Company by Craig Johnson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Sheriff Longmire, I think I have a literary crush on you and Henry Standing Bear.

In book 2, Walt finds himself investigating a death at the Durant Assisted Living facility where former sheriff and current part-time dispatcher Lucian Connelly lives. Lucian knows something's not right about Mari Baroja's death, and calls Walt in to look into it for him. The investigation spans back 50 years, uncovering skeletons in a lot of closets in Absaroka County, Wyoming and giving us more insight into Lucian's past. We also get introduced to new deputy Santiago Saizarbitoria, who I hope is sticking around for the long haul. He adds a much needed balance to Vic Moretti and will be good for Walt, too. We also get to meet Walt's daughter, Cady, and other new characters are introduced to Durant as well. And there is snow. Lots of snow. Way too much snow for me.

Overall, a fun mystery series that makes me glad I don't live in the blizzard climate of Wyoming. Looking forward to starting book 3 soon.





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The Cold Dish (Walt Longmire #1)

The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I might have found a new favorite mystery series! So glad I read this.

Close your eyes and picture with me, if you will. Small town in Wyoming. Trucks. Pancake breakfasts. Rifles and shotguns. Mountains. Snow. Log cabins. Politics. And a lot of interesting characters. Welcome to Absaroka County, Wyoming.

Walt Longmire is the sheriff of Absaroka County, and he's been sheriff for 24 years. The book kicks off with Longmire investigating the death of Cody Pritchard, who was found dead in an apparent hunting accident. Pritchard was convicted a few years back in the gang rape of a local Cheyenne girl who, born with fetal alcohol syndrome, had diminished capacity. Many in the community felt the sentence was too light and justice wasn't served. Walt's investigation leads him throughout the local communities and the Cheyenne reservation, uncovering skeletons and a lot of old wounds for everyone.

Craig Johnson does a great job of painting colorful characters and realistic relationships. The friendship between Walt and Henry Standing Bear was one of my favorite parts of the book. He has a unique team assisting him at the sheriff's department, from sassy Ruby, his dispatcher / den mother, to Vic Moretti, his foul-mouthed deputy and hand-picked replacement when he retires. But beyond the characters, who I dearly love, Johnson crafted a good mystery with lots of twists and turns. I had no idea how it would end, but when he got us there I could see how the clues fit together.

If you are looking for a good mystery series with great characters, give this one a try. I can't wait to start the second book.





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Island of the Blue Dolphins

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


*Part of the "Reviewing Children's Classics Series".

This "based on a true story" children's novel tells the story of Karana, a young girl left stranded on her island home when her tribe is taken by missionaries to Santa Barbara. It is based on the true story of Juana Maria, a Native American left alone on San Nicolas Island from 1835-1853.

Similar to the survival stories found in Hatchet and Sarah Bishop, we get a glimpse into the fictionalized life of Karana and how she survived on her own. Her adventure begins at the age of 12, and she learns to defend her home from wild animals, hide from the Aleuts who come to hunt otters, hunt for food, and survive without being taught many skills.

The real star of the show is Rontu. In the interest of not spoiling anyone who hasn't read it, I'll just say that I fell in love with him, and tears were shed in his honor. Rontu, I love you and your yellow eyes. If I were stranded on an island alone (and at times that sounds like a slice of heaven, to be honest), I would want Rontu with me.

I love that it is based on a true story, and I love reading about the minutia of her daily life. Great classic, and one that is often required reading in schools. If you haven't read it and like survival novels for kids, you should enjoy.



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