I had the opportunity to attend a conference, recently, where author Craig Johnson was one of our speakers. He stepped up to the mic and began to talk to us, and my goodness, what a charming and amusing speaker he was! First of all, he's tall, handsome and a cowboy--apparently fairly similar to his chief protagonist, Sheriff Walt Longmire. His booming voice projected across the room, and he proceeded to win us all over with his stories of moving to a town with a population of 25 in Wyoming. He related how he introduced himself to the sheriff there, got to know the neighbors and countryside and made close friends with several Native Americans on the nearby reservation. The stage was then set for him to explore his imagination and become a writer.
Over the last decade, Johnson has been busy writing western mystery novels starring this small town crime-solver sheriff, Walt Longmire. In 2012 A&E began airing the TV series based on these books, and they have proven quite popular.
We have most of Johnson's books in our collections, so I urge you to give one a try. They are set in contemporary times in the upper midwest. He does carry on the tradition of the western novel here, and gives them the added quality of a mystery. Here are a few of his recent titles to get you started...
As the Crow Flies by Craig Johnson
A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson
Spirit of Steamboat by Craig Johnson
Hell is Empty by Craig Johnson
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