I've been reading the Longmire series off and on ever since I first saw the TV series several years ago. I read the book immediately previous to this one, Depth of Winter, a few years ago and remember it was not the usual book in the series in that it took place in Mexico when Walt's daughter gets kidnapped by a Mexican drug lord. Walt is on his own and his usual cohorts Vic and Standing Bear do not come into play. Anyway, I was a little disappointed in that one but Land of Wolves has Walt back in familiar territory in Absaroka County, Wyoming. He has not fully recovered from his wounds inflicted in Mexico but he does have the comfort of his usual troop including both Vic and Standing Bear. The story starts out with the killing of a sheep by possibly a lone wolf wandering from its place in Yellowstone National Park. But then next to the sheep kill is found the itinerant shepherd dangling from a tree. Was he intentionally hung or did he commit suicide? It does get lonely for a shepherd by himself. The owner of the sheep is a powerful family of Basque ranchers, the Extepares. The head of the family, Abe, is also taking care of his grandson who may be with him illegally â the boy's family lives in Colorado and want the boy back. Later in the novel, both the boy and his father disappear. So is this related to the murder of the shepherd? Also on hand is a woman who has been tracking the wolf that may have killed the sheep â she was also involved with the murdered shepherd. Walt has his hands full tying all this together which leads to a somewhat unexpected conclusion.
I have not read this series in order and I have missed a few books prior to this one which I really need to read. Although it is a series, I think all of these books can stand on their own but some details may be less clear without reading the prior novels. Anyway, I did enjoy this one and was glad to see Walt back in familiar surroundings.
I have not read this series in order and I have missed a few books prior to this one which I really need to read. Although it is a series, I think all of these books can stand on their own but some details may be less clear without reading the prior novels. Anyway, I did enjoy this one and was glad to see Walt back in familiar surroundings.
Not the best or worst Longmire book. Lots of confusing dialoge, but a murder mystery that involves Basque sheepherders and wolfs in Montana.
