Order of Walt Longmire Books
Walt Longmire is a fictional character created by American author Craig Johnson. He was created for Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire novels, but has since moved onto his own TV series on A&E called “Longmire.” The series debuted to an amazing 4.1 million viewers, making it the #1 original series premiere of all time on the station.
The Walt Longmire series began with The Cold Dish, which was Craig Johnson’s debut as a novelist in 2004. Below is a list of Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire books in order of when they were originally published (and in chronological order):
Publication Order of Walt Longmire Books
| The Cold Dish | (2004) |    |
| Death Without Company | (2006) | |
| Kindness Goes Unpunished | (2007) | |
| Another Man's Moccasins | (2008) | |
| The Dark Horse | (2009) | |
| Junkyard Dogs | (2010) | |
| Hell Is Empty | (2011) | |
| Divorce Horse | (2012) | |
| As the Crow Flies | (2012) | |
| Messenger | (2013) | |
| A Serpent's Tooth | (2013) | |
| Spirit of Steamboat | (2013) | |
| Any Other Name | (2014) | |
| Dry Bones | (2015) | |
| The Highwayman | (2016) | |
| An Obvious Fact | (2016) | |
| The Western Star | (2017) | |
| Depth of Winter | (2018) | |
| Land of Wolves | (2019) | |
| Next to Last Stand | (2020) | |
| Daughter of the Morning Star | (2022) | |
| Hell and Back | (2022) | |
| The Longmire Defense | (2023) | |
Publication Order of Walt Longmire Short Stories/Novellas
| Christmas in Absaroka County | (2012) | |
| Wait for Signs: Twelve Longmire Stories | (2014) | |
If You Like Walt Longmire Books, You’ll Love…
Walt Longmire Synopses: The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson is the first book in the Walt Longmire series. Walt Longmire, sheriff of Absaroka County in Wyoming, knows trouble is just beginning once Cody Pritchard has been found dead. Two years earlier, Cody and three accomplices had been given suspended sentences for raping a Northern Cheyenne girl. Is someone looking for vengeance? Longmire faces one of the more volatile and challenging cases in his near quarter-century as sheriff and wants to make sure that revenge, a dish that is best served cold, is left unserved.
Death Without Company by Craig Johnson is the second book in the series. When Mari Baroja is found poisoned in an assisted living home, Sheriff Walt Longmire is brought into an investigation that goes back fifty years into the mysterious woman’s dramatic Basque past. Along with his friend Henry Standing Bear, Deputy Victoria Moretti, and newcomer Santiago Saizarbitoria, Sheriff Longmire must connect the past to the present in order to uncover the killer among them.
Kindness Goes Unpunished by Craig Johnson is the third book featuring Walt Longmire. Walt Longmire has been sheriff of Wyoming’s Absaroka County for 24 years and has dealt justice with charm and a sense of humor, but when Walt tags along with good friend Henry Standing Bear on a trip to Philadelphia, he’s in for a surprise. When a vicious attack on his daughter Cady leaves her near death, Walt discovers that she has found herself in a deadly political cover-up. With Henry, Deputy Victoria Moretti, the entire Moretti clan of Philadelphia police officers, and Dog as backup, Sheriff Longmire sets out to introduce his brand of western justice to the City of Brotherly Love, where no act of kindness goes unpunished.
Book 4 of the Walt Longmire series is Another Man’s Moccasins by Craig Johnson. When the remains of a young Vietnamese woman are found near the interstate in Absaroka County, Sherriff Walt Longmire is determined to discover the victim’s name and is forced to confront the eerie similarities of this murder to one he investigated as a marine in Vietnam – his first investigation.
If the situation wasn’t complicated enough, Virgil White Buffalo, a homeless Crow Indian, is found living in a nearby culvert and in possession of the young woman’s purse. There are only two issues with what appears to be a straightforward case. One, Longmire doesn’t believe Virgil White Buffalo – a Vietnam vet with a troubled past – is a murderer. And two, the photo found in the woman’s purse seems hauntingly familiar to Walt.
Dear Graeme,
After my opinion supporting yours on the Jack Carr books, I gave it to a reader in my apartment building. I told him “It starts to slow for me.”
He loved it. I also told him about your site.
He gave me the first Craig Johnson book. “The Cold Dish” Though I figured out the murderer at the first appearance, Mr Johnson’s characters are so colorful, they were enough to keep me reading. I love C.J. Box. Both are set in Wyoming but both are different. I am going to order the second novel, Death Without Company and hope that Mr Johnson keeps me from guessing who murders whom.
Thanks for your site.
Thanks for the feedback Linda. That’s good your friend enjoyed the Carr series. It does seem to be loved by many 🙂 And good to hear you enjoyed Johnson 🙂
Are the books best read in order or does it not matter?
My own opinion is every book series – if possible – should be read in order. You get to see the writer grow as the character grows etc. In saying that with these novels each mystery is generally wrapped up within that book so if you do read out of order it’s not the worst thing. You’d miss out on character relationships though etc as the books progress.
Really miss Longmire on A&E. Great that it is on Netflix but not everyone subscribes to it (or can afford to). Guess it is time to start collecting the books which are usually so much better anyway.
You can’t afford $8/month? Subscribe for one month, and binge-watch all episodes. Cost per episode is pennies.
not everyone can, no.
Joe, while binge watching, record everything.
if you do not have netflex, get it. Catch up and starting in September will be the new and final season. You can not just leave yourself hanging.
Can’t wait for Craig Johnson’s next Longmire novel after “Dry Bones.” It should be announced soon! Of course Walt and Vic are a lot further along in their relationship in the books than they are on TV….
Love the TV series and love the books, and except for the names the two don’t match each other at all!
Thank you! I had read 4 of the books before I saw the television show, and while I’m liking the show very much (well done, good production properties) I am disappointed that: Walt doesn’t wear a white hat…Henry doesn’t look like an Indian…Vic doesn’t have a longshoreman’s mouth…and Katy lives in Wyoming, not Philadelphia. Other than that… 🙂
loved the TV series. Seems like all the entertaining series are cancelled.
What a shame. TV hot shots don’t let the audience grow to like and develop their characters.
They would rather keep showing reruns of 48hours over and over and over, Storage (staged) Wars.
Did you hear that Netflix has picked up Longmire for season 4?! YAY
Loved the Longmire Mysteries Series on TV. What is the matter with these producers and TV moguls. Don’t they know a good thing when they see it. Why the concentration on the young. We want Walt Back. Look at your comments and listen to the people who pay the bills in the household.
Did you hear that Netflix has picked up Longmire for season 4?
That’s great. I love this show. It’s about real characters that look and act like everyday people. Everyone is not rich or pretty, etc.
I saw that they were playing previous seasons, but didn’t realize they were going to produce new episodes. That is good news. Fantastic series
I’ve been watching Longmire on A&E. I better check out the books.
The books are so much better and INTENSE!