The Western Star

A photograph of twenty-five armed men in front of a steam locomotive pulls Sheriff Walt Longmire back to his earliest days as a deputy, when he rode the Wyoming Sheriff's Association junket on the train known as the Western Star and found himself in the middle of a murder investigation armed only with his Colt .45 and an Agatha Christie novel. That past case is about to collide with a present-day parole hearing for one of the most dangerous men Walt has ever faced, threatening everyone he cares about.

George Guidall has narrated every Walt Longmire novel and his performance here is as assured as ever, giving Longmire's voice the rugged laconic quality that defines the character. The dual timeline, moving between young Walt and present-day Walt, is handled with subtle vocal distinction that keeps the two periods clear. The novel's Christie homage is affectionate and clever, and Guidall delivers the payoff with perfect timing.