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Longmire Mystery Series Author Craig Johnson And 'The Western Star'

Sheriff Walt Longmire, his sidekick Henry Standing Bear and the wide open spaces of Absaroka County are the fictional creations of author Craig Johnson – but they also have found their way into popular culture. In addition to the bestselling series of novels, there is a real-life Longmire Days festival that each summer draws thousands of fans to Buffalo, Wyoming; a website where you can purchase Longmire-for-Sheriff bumper stickers and other memorabilia; and a hit Netflix original series starring Robert Taylor as the beloved sheriff.

Mr. Johnson joined from his ranch in Ucross, Wyoming, to talk about all things Longmire, including the latest book in his mystery series, titled The Western Star. In this 13th Longmire novel, the story switches between present day and 1972, when a young Walt Longmire, recently returned from Vietnam, is just two weeks into his new job in law enforcement. The train The Western Star plays a central role as Walt is pulled into the center of a murder mystery and a devastating collision of past and present.

Craig Johnson is the award-winning author of 13 full-length novels as well as three works of short fiction featuring the sheriff of Absaroka County. He was a featured speaker at the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference this past summer, where he spoke about how he came to write the series of contemporary Western crime novels, and how his life has changed as a result. 

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