The Cold Dish: A Novel

Rating:
Summary: You Won't Be Sorry!!!
Review: Coming from a small town myself, I was facinated by the characters in this book... I felt like I actually knew them by the last page and it left me wanting more...I want to know if Vic and her husband split and if there is some romance ahead for our hero and his foul-mouthed deputy...will Lucian continue to kick butt even at his ripe old retired age...will Henry Standing Bear continue to entertain us with more Indian Insight and Wisdom and will Ruby continue to keep Sheriff Longmire up on his manners and social ettiquette The twists and turns in this fast paced mystery had me change my "who done it" more than once and still didn't have it figured out in the end, which is exactly the kind of story challenge that I love. As others have said in their reviews, you actually feel the cold wind and the snow falling and I found myself looking out the window to see if it was actually happening or not. Having some Indian ancestry in my family, I thoroughly enjoyed the references to the folklore and lives of the reservation inhabitants and the mystique of the spirits in Chapter 12. Hurry up and get that next book written Craig...we're all out here waiting with anticipation!!!

Rating:
Summary: Marvelous Mystery!
Review: I absolutely adored this book! As a mystery fan, I am always excited to find a new writer to add to my list of favorite "who-done-it" authors. Mr. Johnson's plot is well-crafted, intriguing, and responsible for the tremendous back-ache I received after not budging from the sofa until I finished this book. As a Wyoming resident, I am delighted at Mr. Johnson's ability to capture the quirkiness of the people who live in this amazing state. I hope another book from Craig Johnson will follow quickly, since I'm dying to find out more about Sheriff Longmire, Henry Standing Bear, and the others in Absaroka County, Wyoming.

Rating:
Summary: Magical
Review: I read a great many books and it is rare that I come across a book that gets under your skin, engrossing you, leaving you begging for more after you turn the last page. I felt like a lover had left me after I finished. I ached, understanding I could not pick up another book immediately. This is the best compliment possible, knowing that you did not want to leave this place, these characters that Mr. Johnson has created. This is not a mere mystery, and although it is a mystery, it contains so many magical qualities that send it soaring beyond the "airplane fodder" of so many mysteries. Chapter 12 alone is worth the price of this book. I cannot wait for more from this author.

Rating:
Summary: Pull an All-Nighter
Review: I read many pre-publication copies of novels, but this one stands out as a can't-put-it-down mystery. Craig Johnson's pacing, character development, humor, and description set The Cold Dish apart from most stories and mark Johnson as an author to watch. I hope he has the next Sheriff Walt Longmire story written. I'm ready and waiting. Of course, I'll have to reread The Cold Dish first.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent choice....
Review: I recently visited Wyoming and found this book to be an accurate and vivid description of this part of the country. The author describes views and scenes in such detail that I can feel the snowflakes as they fall. Throughout the book, I felt as if the sheriff was by my side recounting the tale of his past year. The characters come to life in such a way that I came to my own conclusion about the mystery...incorrectly. As a result of reading this book, I have a renewed interest in Native Americans, mysteries and the history of guns. I am also planning a return trip to Sheridan, Wyoming...but not in the winter.

Rating:
Summary: Wow, what a book!
Review: I'm not generally a fan of mysteries, and to call this a mystery is something of an injustice, but this is truly a terrific read. The characters are brought to life in such a beautifully genuine way that you actually CARE about these people, and that gives it relevance. You want to know what's going to happen next not simply because you think you can figure out "who done it" but because these characters become important to you. Perhaps one of the most striking things about the book is that it provides a view of what life is like in much of the Rocky Mountain region that isn't entirely what is expected. Both majestic and gritty at the same time the imagery is crystal clear and one of the things we learn is that justice is sometimes not the heroic ideal we would hope it to be. This was one of those books that you hate to finish, because you hope you can keep on reading it. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: "The Cold Dish" Serves Up A Character-Rich Repast
Review: It has been a long, long time since I've come across a book so filled with amazing characters. Craig Johnson breathes life into each and every one, whether he be the protagonist, the very human and humorous Sheriff Walt Longmire, or a minor character flipping pancakes at the Firefighter breakfast. That Johnson loves Wyoming and the general populace that call her home is evident, and I can't wait to see what Walt and the others cook up for us next. Enjoy, and then read it again...

Rating:
Summary: A Mystery Masterpiece!!!
Review: This is a book I could read again and will. Not only because I can't wait for the second book to come out in order to be reunited with these richly drawn characters I have come to think of as friends, but because this is just a really good book. The Cold Dish is a true page-turner. Craig Johnson has skillfully written this thriller to keep you guessing until the very end.

If you want to read a book with real characters, structure and an engaging and addicting plot, READ THIS BOOK -- you won't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read Novel: Review by a Literary Cowboy
Review: What do Herman Melville, Cervantes, Zane Grey, Raymond Chandler and Cheyenne Chief Wooden Leg have in common? They would have loved this book.

With characters and a story that stay with you long after you put it down, this is an exceptional story told by an exceptional storyteller. A murder mystery unlike any I have ever read, The Cold Dish is as thought provoking as it is readable, as rich and beautiful as the Wyoming sky under which it is set.

In expertly weaving together threads of tragedy and revenge with the redeeming power of humor, integrity, and friendship, Mr. Johnson is an authentic voice. His gift for bringing to life the emptiness, majesty and struggle of the Western landscape and the people it forges has created characters and a friendship between Walt and Henry Standing Bear that will stay with you for a long time.

Complex issues of history, race, murder, and love against the backdrop of sagebrush and Western skies. Characters so real you wish you could talk to them. The Cold Dish is a powerful addition to the literary canon dealing with that hard but beautiful part of America we simply call the West.

Point blank: Mr. Johnson spins a great yarn. This is one book you will read again and again. Guaranteed.

Rating:
Summary: Rank Cologne's take
Review: Woah. SLOW DOWN!!! Everbody RELAX! I've read this book and enjoyed it, but five frickin' stars across the board? That would make it an instant classic. This is not The Great Gatsby. This is a very well-written, entertaining mystery novel.

I'd say the thing I enjoyed most about it is the writer's style...a nice rhythm to his sentences. Another thing that struck me was the descriptions of landscape. I get the feeling that if Johnson wrote a nonfiction nature book it would be something special. Why I wouldn't give this book five stars, besides that it's not The Great Gatsby, is that some of the humor falls flat to me. Some of it is spot on. But that said, I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a high-quality novel who is not looking for a book that's going to change their life. Johnson is the real thing... looking foward to his next book.