WAIT FOR SIGNS by Craig Johnson includes twelve Longmire
short stories, released for the first time in a single volume.
Eleven of the stories were previously released by Johnson on
Christmas Eve to his fans—and all reveal a small episode of
Walt's life. The final story is an entirely new story titled
"Petunia, Bandit Queen of the Bighorns."
Reviewing short story collections can be tough, but especially
tough
for WAIT FOR SIGNS because grouping all twelve short stories
together means I miss delving into the unique character and
tone of each story. Each one adds to Walt Longmire's history,
but each offers a different view of the man who defines this
series. "Ministerial Aide" takes place shortly after Martha's
death. While still retaining the dry humor I love about this
series, it is a poignant and heartbreaking story. "Messenger"
fits inside the Longmire timeline toward the newest
releases, and takes place mostly inside a Porta-Potty. I
laughed so hard my sides hurt. "Thankstaking" bring Walt and
Henry Standing Bear together for a Thanksgiving dinner, and
Henry Standing Bear is absolutely one of my favorite characters
in any series hands down.
All the stories are insightful and worth reading over and over.
The depth of Craig Johnson's writing makes reading the
Longmire series a pleasure, and every time I pick up his
books a new truth about how to live is revealed. His reflection
on human behavior, hope, and the strength to survive always
amazes me, and I come away from each of his stories eager to
read another. The world is not always fair and just, but after
spending time with Walt, Vic, Henry, and Cady I always come
away with a little more hope for it.
There is an introduction by Lou Diamond Phillips, which I might
have read twice because I'm a bit of a fangirl. It's fantastic,
full of humor, wit, and insight, so if you're the type to
usually skip introductions, resist the urge and read this one!
You won't regret it. WAIT FOR SIGNS can be read all at once,
one story at a time, from cover to cover, or by skipping around
to wherever you feel like reading first. The stories really do
cover a large span of time, and they don't need to be read in
any particular order. There are quite a few that center around
Christmas,
but since Craig Johnson released these to fans around that
time, it makes perfect sense that the Holidays are used to full
effect.
WAIT FOR SIGNS is a short story collection you will want to
read if you're a fan of the Longmire Mysteries and if
you've never read a Longmire Mystery, by all means start
reading! The Cold Dish is the first in the series and you won't
regret finding these characters in the beautiful and harsh
Absaroka County! WAIT FOR SIGNS is a delightful collection to
savor and come back to as you wait for the next in this
incredible
series by Craig Johnson.
Twelve Longmire short stories available for the first
time in a single volume—featuring an introduction by Lou
Diamond Phillips of A&E’s Longmire
Ten years ago, Craig Johnson wrote his first short story,
the Hillerman Award–winning “Old Indian Trick.” This was one
of the earliest appearances of the sheriff who would go on
to star in Johnson’s bestselling, award-winning novels and
the A&E hit series Longmire. Each Christmas Eve
thereafter, fans rejoiced when Johnson sent out a new short
story featuring an episode in Walt’s life that doesn’t
appear in the novels; over the years, many have asked why
they can’t buy the stories in book form.
Wait for Signs collects those beloved stories—and one
entirely new story, “Petunia, Bandit Queen of the
Bighorns”—for the very first time in a single volume,
regular trade hardcover. With glimpses of Walt’s past from
the incident in “Ministerial Aide,” when the sheriff is
mistaken for a deity, to the hilarious “Messenger,” where
the majority of the action takes place in a Port-A-Potty,
Wait for Signs is a necessary addition to any Longmire
fan’s shelf and a wonderful way to introduce new readers to
the fictional world of Absaroka County, Wyoming.