Johnson's appealing protagonist Walt Longmire returns in the second novel in what I hope will be a long running series. The action is set in Wyoming - in a sparsely populated area of the state which, not surprisingly, is subject to the same jealousies, passions, problems, and human frailities found everywhere else on the planet.

An elderly Basque woman dies in a nursing home, apparently of natural causes. Walt is startled when his predecessor as sheriff insists on an autopsy and investigation. The old man who is a good friend of Walt's unearths another surprising secret - the dead woman was his wife.

In the harsh weather of late December, Walt follows a trail of legal documents, twisted and broken relationships, muderous greed, and long buried heartbreak. A marvelous cast of characters fills the book - including the history and atmosphere of Wyoming itself. Johnson's writing style features a tart humor, which doesn't descend into triviality, and which enhances reading pleasure on every page.

REVIEWED BY WOODSTOCK