Below is the complete list of Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire books in publication order. For this series, the chronological reading order is the same as the order of publication.
Walt Longmire Books in Publication Order
- 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)
- First Frost (2024)
- Tooth and Claw (2024)
- Return to Sender (2025)
- The Brothers McKay (2026)
Walt Longmire Short Stories/Novellas Books in Publication Order
- Christmas in Absaroka County (2012)
About Walt Longmire
The Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson is a long-running collection of modern Western crime novels centered on Walt Longmire, the thoughtful and often quietly humorous sheriff of fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming. Blending traditional detective fiction with the atmosphere of the American West, the series has earned a dedicated readership for its memorable characters, vivid landscapes, and stories that balance suspense with moments of reflection and dry humor.
The series begins with The Cold Dish (2004), which introduces readers to Sheriff Walt Longmire shortly after the death of his wife. The novel establishes the tone of the series immediately: a combination of small-town mystery, character-driven storytelling, and the rugged beauty of Wyoming’s open plains and mountains. The case at the center of the story involves the suspicious death of a young man connected to an earlier crime, forcing Longmire to confront tensions within the community while wrestling with his own grief.
Reading the Walt Longmire books in publication order allows the characters and relationships to develop naturally across the series. While each novel contains its own central mystery, the broader emotional arcs unfold gradually, revealing more about Longmire’s personal life, friendships, and sense of responsibility to the people he protects.
Walt Longmire himself stands apart from many fictional detectives. He is a Vietnam veteran, a dedicated lawman, and a deeply principled individual who often relies on patience, observation, and instinct rather than flashy investigative techniques. His quiet personality and dry wit make him both relatable and compelling as a protagonist.
A major part of the series’ appeal comes from the supporting cast. Among the most important characters is Henry Standing Bear, Longmire’s closest friend and confidant. Henry, a member of the Cheyenne Nation and the owner of a local bar known as the Red Pony, provides both wisdom and humor throughout the stories. Their friendship is one of the emotional anchors of the series.
Another central character is Victoria “Vic” Moretti, a tough and capable deputy who moved to Wyoming from Philadelphia. Vic’s sharp personality and loyalty to Longmire create a dynamic partnership that evolves across many books in the series.
Craig Johnson’s writing often reflects his deep connection to the landscapes and cultures of the American West. The setting of Absaroka County plays an essential role in the stories, with the wide plains, snow-covered mountains, and remote ranchlands becoming almost characters in their own right. The environment shapes both the crimes and the people involved in them, giving the series a strong sense of place.
The novels also explore relationships between local communities and Native American reservations, particularly the nearby Cheyenne reservation. Through these interactions, Johnson introduces themes involving cultural identity, history, and the complexities of modern life in the region.
One of the defining features of the Walt Longmire series is its balance between serious subject matter and understated humor. Longmire often narrates the stories with a reflective tone, and his observations about life, aging, and duty provide depth beyond the central mystery.
The popularity of the books eventually led to a television adaptation titled Longmire, which premiered in 2012. The show brought the characters to a wider audience and further increased interest in Johnson’s novels. While the television series follows its own storytelling path, it retains many of the central elements that made the books so successful.
As the series progresses, the mysteries grow more complex while continuing to explore Longmire’s personal journey. His relationships with Vic, Henry, and his daughter Cady evolve across the novels, adding emotional continuity to the series.
Following the Walt Longmire books in publication order highlights how Craig Johnson gradually built one of the most distinctive modern crime series—one that blends detective fiction with the spirit of the American West and the quiet determination of a sheriff who takes his responsibility to his community seriously.