Date: 26 July 2026
Location: Jay & Gina
Twelve Bookers showed up at Jay and Gina’s to discuss The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson.
We selected this book primarily due to Pat’s recommendation of the Longmire series currently available on Prime. (It was originally shown on Netflix from 2012 to 2017.) The novel The Cold Dish is actually the first in Johnson’s Longmire series, which apparently consists of 22 novels and several novellas and short story collections.
Eight of us completed the book, and I believe we all enjoyed it although one Booker had trouble getting started with it.
In this book, Johnson introduces his main characters that appear throughout the series: Walt Longmire, the sheriff of Absaroka County in Wyoming; Henry Standing Bear, his longtime best friend and someone not to mess with; Vic (Victoria) Moretti, his loyal and outspoken deputy from a family of Philadelphia police officers; and Cady Longmire, his daughter who is only mentioned briefly here but is more prominent in later novels.
One of the most likable aspects of Johnson’s novels is his great sense of humor. Henry and Vic in particular are constantly coming up with wise cracks and they never give folks a lot of slack.
Another interesting feature in the books are the incidents of mysticism. This was especially evident during Longmire’s ordeal in the blizzard. Whether he was hallucinating or actually being aided by a spiritual being is for the reader to decide.
After a nice discussion we all enjoyed the fine food prepared by Jay and Gina.
— Bob