“The Dark Horse: A Walt Longmire Mystery” by Craig Johnson

Having won the 2009 Spur Award from the Western Writers of America for the preceding novel in the series, “Another Man’s Moccasins,” Craig Johnson makes the latest Sheriff Walt Longmire mystery another interesting and good read. Wade Basard, a wealthy rancher in Campbell County, Wyoming was killed approximately ten days ago as the novel opens. Mid October finds Mary Basard being brought to Sheriff Longmire for holding until her murder trial back in Gillette in Campbell County in three weeks. Holding prisoners for overcrowd jails is a way for Sheriff Longmire to help his budget in Absaroka County and to use the often vacant jail space. Accused of shooting her husband six times in the head as he lay on their bed and then setting the house on fire, she has confessed and refuses to say much or eat. But, Walt Longmire thinks she is covering for the real killer and before long goes undercover in Campbell County to find out what actually happened...BNN