Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it.

This was the first Longmire book I read after seeing Mr. Johnson at a speaking event, and it did not disappoint. He was a fun and dynamic speaker and this was a fun and dynamic book, with morally black and white choices made by kind characters with a lot of heart. This is a great summer read - even though it dealt with a heavy subject matter you knew that the good guys would prevail in the end. Despite this there were still twists and complications I didn't see coming. Longmire is clearly a heroic character and people looking for realism or literary character studies won't find it here - these are fun reads with good guys that make you feel better about the world and hope there are more people out there like Longmire and his friends. I will definitely read more Longmire books - especially during the political season when I need to see goodness in the world again.

“You’re too big to surf.” It’s an observation (incorrectly) stated throughout this 20th in the Walt Longmire series, leading to the explanation of why the 6’4” sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming has a surfboard stored in his cabin. Back in 1964 Walt Longmire was a Rose Bowl-winning football player for USC, giving the Wyoming native the chance to surf the waves with his best friend Henry Standing Bear. Their graduation from college also means losing their deferment statuses, which is why the two have enlisted in the marines before they are drafted. A last hurrah on the waves has them performing a rescue from a sunken boat filled with drugs, starting off a long series of events that will follow them across the country. On their way to their respective assignments Walt and Henry are stranded in Arizona, where they discover a suspicious town owned by a judge and where the shadow of a former Japanese internment camp still looms over. It was there that those known as the Tokyo Twelve, a dozen internees were shot, hanged, and then burned in a crime that has since gone unpunished. Walt continues to see a childlike figure wearing a Noh drama mask haunting the town, and while Henry might think that his friend is losing his mind the rest of the town has grown accustomed to her presence.

Interspersed with these tragic scenes from the past are courtroom scenes of the present, where Walt testifies in his defense following an officer-involved-shooting. Everyone involved knows that Walt was in the right for defending himself from intruders intent on his murder, but the culprit coming from a powerful family means that they are demanding Walt’s head. Walt’s girlfriend/undersheriff Vic Moretti is also forced to testify, and her profane-laden testimony is a delight worthy of her being found in contempt. Back in 1964 Walt and Henry are overwhelmed with how the tragedy of WWII still two decades later, and the two find themselves unexpectedly helped by a Japanese American detective and a half-Japanese bar waitress.

The horrors and injustices wrought by the imprisonment of Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor should never be forgotten, and the tragedy is that many Americans never knew of this in the first place. Their properties seized and forcibly relocated from the Western Coast to the frigid Midwest, thousands of these American citizens perished due to the brutal conditions and lack of health care. Many in Hawaii are also unaware that there were internment camps on the island, despite the famous all-Japanese-American Marine 442nd regiment becoming the most highly decorated military unit in American military history. Walt and Henry share this morale of quiet nobility and honor, wielding out justice without concern for themselves or wanting rewards. That doesn’t mean that they also don’t continue to mock and tease one another, with a friendly banter that reveals their long-lasting close bond. This is an extraordinarily new mystery that keeps readers engaged in both timelines, and while Walt has grown older he remains as stalwart and effective as he was in his youth. Skillful writing and compelling plots will keep the Walt Longmire fans engaged and satisfied through to the end.

I never pass up an opportunity to enjoy a Longmire story but this one is extraordinary because of Johnson’s adding more humor. Thrillers and mysteries with witty characters add joy to the twists and turns of the story. First Frost gives background into what made Longmire who he is and sheds light on the relationship he has with Henry Standing Bear whose intellectualism, precise speech, and Native culture make you wonder why the two men are such great friends. Johnson takes the reader back to the Vietnam era when Longmire and Henry Standing Bear graduate from college and are summoned to join Uncle Sam’s Vietnam military. Along the way to report for duty, the two friends happen upon an unwelcoming town with lots of secrets AND a former Japanese Internment Camp. What trouble can the 2 friends encounter now? This book is not to be missed!

It's time for another Longmire book, but where do you go when Longmire has taken on (and taken down) every petty criminal, every crooked politician, and every drug lord in the state of Wyoming and even a few in Mexico? You look back at Walt's early days - before he ever became a sheriff. Some people attract trouble wherever they go, whether they are looking for it or not, and Walt Longmire is one of those people.
In the present day, Walt is being grilled by attorneys regarding the deaths of some prominent citizens (in the previous book) and he's not taking it as seriously as he should. Nor is his undersheriff (and fiancé) Victoria Moretti who finds herself in contempt of court.

When not in front of lawyers and judges, Walt relays an early adventure when he and best friend Henry Standing Bear enlisted (in different branches of service) and decided to take a last road trip before their service was to begin. On the road trip, their car breaks down at the edge of a dangerous little village. They are immediately encouraged to get out of town and they'd be happy to do so, but they need their car fixed.

The town is located on the edge of where there had been a Japanese internment camp during WWII and the head of the town seems to have a strong bias against Japanese ... despite having a granddaughter of Japanese ancestry. But there's more going on in town beside racism and bias and Walt and Henry will have to watch their backs and figure it all out before they can be on their way.

I do enjoy these Longmire books. The grizzled, old, reluctant hero has seen more than his fair share of death and danger and he hardly even blinks at it. His attitude toward - well, everything - is fun to catch, especially when it's countered by the vigilant and unfiltered lens of Vic. They are a great duo and it's nice that author Craig Johnson has managed to get Vic into at least some of this story since the main mystery takes place well before Vic was likely even born.

The flashback scenes (the early mystery) isn't the strongest of Longmire stories but how can you keep topping the earth-shattering death and destruction that follows (and often leads) Longmire? You can't. But you can build on the character and here Johnson shows us that Walt and Henry were already pretty well defined at a young age. It wasn't their service to the country that shaped them - they were clearly men of integrity and resources well before Uncle Sam got ahold of them. They also had more youthful enthusiasm to go after what they knew to be right. Seeing this youthful bravado alongside the more tempered and gruff man of experience is delightful.

I wouldn't say this is my favorite book, and I wouldn't recommend any newcomers to Absaroka County begin here, but it fits into the Longmire history quite well and should be enjoyed by Longmire (and Henry) fans.

Looking for a good book? First Frost is the latest book in the long-running Walt Longmire series. It's a great addition of an early Walt and Henry adventure, but not a good place for new readers to start.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Disappointing entry in the long running series that is primarily set in the past concerning a mystery in a small town near a former WW2 Japanese internment camp, alongside a current timeline story regarding a hearing resulting from the events in the previous novel. From reading the description I thought the two story's would be relatively equal but the current timeline gets only occasional short updates. I used to eagerly anticipate the release of a new Longmire novel, now not so much as the series seems to have lost what made it so interesting in the first place.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ecopy of this title. This is the 20th book in the Longmire series. This story alternates time periods between a cross country journey of Walt & Henry on their way to report for duty to serve in Vietnam, and Walt's hearing for shooting a man who was trying to kill him (in the last book). As Walt & Henry make their way from California to Oklahoma, and, finally Parris Island, they become stranded in an Arizona town where atrocities occurred during the Japanese Internment during WWII. There are many peculiarities Walt & Henry encounter, and neither one of them is willing to move on until they understand/rectify the situation(s). This was an interesting departure out of Wyoming for the characters, and the plot moves quickly with a nice twist at the end. Highly recommend!

First Frost: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson picks up a few weeks after The Longmire Defense. It is a novel of two storylines. One storyline is set in the here and now as powerful and well-connected forces use a court hearing to go after Sheriff Walt Longmire for his actions at the end of the last book.

The other storyline is set in late May, 1964. Henry and Walt are embarking on a road trip as they head east from California to report for military service. Both have graduated from college and that meant their college deferment is over. The Vietnam War is well underway and Henry is to report to Fort Polk in Louisiana. Walt Longmire is to report to Parris Island in South Carolina. They have about a week to get where they need to be in order to comply with their orders. They are talking Walt’s old farm truck and will go east, through Oklahoma, so that Henry Standing bear can visit relatives, before hitting Fort Polk and then Parris Island.

At least that was the plan.

After a slow start out of California due to some questions from the local police after they save some folks off of a sinking boat, they get on I-40 heading east. It is after many hours of travel, dep in the night,, somewhere in Arizona (they think), when everything goes sideways, literally, and they wind up in a ditch. The result is a right front wheel bent horribly off at an angle indicating major damage. The only answer at their isolated location is to walk for help.

After some walking, they find the small barely existing town of Bone Valley. There are hardly any people and most of the structures are boarded up and locked in one way or another. It is clear from the start of their arrival that it is a strange place and haunted by something horrible that happened many years earlier. What happened is something the few local left don’t want to talk about or deal with as they are desperate to keep the secrets buried and avoid all outsiders. The arrival of Walt and Henry, who can’t easily be sent on their way as soon as possible, are a problem for that goal.

In the here and now, the good Sheriff is involved in a court hearing where he has to testify regarding his actions at the end of the last book. I can’t go into more detail without creating spoilers and I never do that. I can say that if you have not read The Longmire Defense, it would be best to do so before reading this book, as the events in the climax of that book are the main issue in this storyline.

The two storylines, decades apart run independently as this book moves forward and steadily entertains the reader. As always in this series, the past is major part of the here and now. First Frost: A Longmire Mystery is a read that once again touches on friendship, faith, morality, and legacy. As has been pointed out in this series before, regardless of the intent, noble or otherwise, our actions can, and often do, have a lasting impact far beyond what is seen at the time.

First Frost: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson is another really good read in this long running series. One that should be read in order, as always.


Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4aDdWHJ


My digital ARC was provided by the publisher, Penguin Group/Viking through NetGalley.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2024

This author never disappoints!! The characters have depth and the story keeps you hooked, if you are in the mood for a great mystery pickup one of this authors books!!!!

In a series of flashbacks, First Frost tells the story of Walt and Henry’s college days in California and their adventurous(aka dangerous) trip home before boot camp and ultimately Vietnam. Very poignant parts about Japanese internment camps and how people were treated. Much of the back story shows how both men started on their law enforcement careers.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy.

Penguin Group Viking provided an early galley for review.

Johnson was another of the authors I heard talk about his upcoming release at a Mystery Writers Panel at PLA2024. Although this is the twentieth book in the series, it sounded like it might be a good place to jump in - what with being a flashback to the main character's youth and all. What can I say? I like a good pitch from someone who is passionate about their work.

The author's comfort level with these characters he has been writing for the past two decades shows through. The dialogue and the interplay come across as effortless; this is a world he knows well with characters that are fully fleshed out. Anyone who has been reading the series all along will feel like they are in comfortable surroundings.

Now that I've had a taste of the adventures of Walt Longmire, I just might have to go back and read more of the series (when time allows).

I have read all the Walt Longmires, and I think this is one of the best. A return to the strengths of the series, and an acknowledgment that the Sheriff, surely in his 80s by now, is no longer an action hero. The format works well, split between modern day Walt being called to testify in a hearing concerning a shooting that occurred in the last book, and some 60 years earlier as he and Henry Standing Bear are leaving college and preparing to enlist to go to Vietnam.

Both stories are compelling, but the two men in their youth are splendidly entertaining in the preview of the long friendship they have shared over the years. Walt and Henry have decided on a road trip before they report to the military, and are not that far out of California when they run into trouble in Arizona. Their truck runs off the road in the middle of nowhere and they find themselves in a very strange little semi-deserted town where the few residents are anxious for them to leave.

The town has an unhappy history as the site of a WWII internment camp for Japanese. There are obviously some pretty dark secrets there, and the town and surrounding area are ruled by a retired judge who runs things like the entitled, rich and stubborn old man he is. This is a great tale with some fascinating characters.

Meanwhile back in present day Wyoming, Walt is being targeted by the influential family of a man who got shot in his last case.

This was a splendid read and it's always nice to spend some time with Walt and Henry. The glimpse of their younger years was enlightening and entertaining. The split time period format is a great way to extend this series and exercise Johnson's terrific storyteller skills. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

In the latest book by Craig Johnson, we continue the story started in The Longmire Defense. This time we go back and forth between 1964 and present day. Both these times are crucial stages in Walt's life. Find out how by reading First Frost.

Another great read from Mr. Johnson! I always enjoying reading the Longmire books and this was no exception. Can't wait for the next installment!

"You are too big to surf."

As I started First Frost and read those words and Walt's subsequent musings on the subject of surfing, I immediately thought of The Fonz, in his leather jacket, water-skiing. Had Craig Johnson "jumped the shark?!?" Why the hell would Walt Longmire be surfing?

Thankfully, Mr. Johnson put me in my place and weaved another masterful adventure in the lives of Walt and Henry, with minimal surfing.

Time is a funny thing in the Walt Longmire universe. Going back to 1964 to tell a story of Walt and Henry's enlistment in the Armed Forces would put them both in their eighties in 2024. Cell phones exist, so does the internet and email, and while their present day seems to be OUR present day, Walt and Henry remain ageless and powerful even into their twilight years.

I hope time continues to move slowly for Walt and Henry, may they have many more adventures together and may Craig Johnson continue to share them with us.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

Walt is back and in fine form. This book alternates between two stories: the first is with Walt in court to answer questions about the killings from the previous book; the second is a flashback to the handful of days between Walt and Henry graduating college and then reporting for military duty. Of course they'll have an adventure, and it only makes sense that it should involve... surfing? This book is filled with the typical humor, banter, twists, and great supporting characters. My only hope is that some of the supporting characters from the flashback story will show up in future books in this series.

I don't know how Craig Johnson manages to write such fascinating books but First Frost is the latest in a long list of Walt Longmire stories and each one continues the storyline but is totally different. The latest is a mix of prequel with Walt and Henry in 1964, traveling across country on their way to sign in to the military and a present day trial having to do with the story covered in The Longmire Defense. All our favorite characters are here, but going into the past brings a new history lesson with it.

In the last installment in the Longmire series, First Frost features a duel timeline with the use of flashbacks. In one timeline we are following Walt and Bear during the span of time between finishing college and joining the service. In the present timeline we are involved in the trail set up in the prior book. This book is packed with action and social commentary along the journey as we travel from California to the East Coast and what is found in the small deserted town will shock everyone! Another fantastic novel from Johnson. As always, I couldn't put it down and I'm already ready for the next book!

“You are too big to surf.” This is the opening line of Craig Johnson’s new Longmire novel First Frost. A surf board may be the last thing we think of when we think of the aging Sheriff Walt Longmire, but it brings back a flood of memories for Walt before he was a Sheriff and before he went off to the Vietnam War.
Johnson’s new novel takes us on a back and forth journey between now and many years ago. The current day Walt Longmire is being investigated for shooting Tom Rondelle in his last run in with some very wealthy and very powerful enemies. Someone is trying to prove that Walt acted carelessly, and we already know they have deep pockets and aren’t opposed to shady deals.
Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear, in 1964, are headed to an appointment with the United States Marine Corp and the Vietnam War. Walt takes a short cut that strands them in an unwelcoming place called Bone Valley. Walt and Henry soon realize that something bad has happened here, no one wants to admit it, and this town doesn’t take kindly to strangers walking around and nosing into something that isn’t their business.
Craig Johnson continues to amaze us with his development of the Walt Longmire character. I love how he blends different cultures with a cowboy sheriff from Wyoming. This is well worth the read, and Longmire fans will not be disappointed.