Matthew's Reviews > The Dark Horse

3.5 to 4 stars

I know that some of you might be familiar enough with my reviews to know that Longmire is not my favorite Wyoming mystery novel series *cough*Joe Pickett*cough*. So, I won't risk sounding like a broken record getting into that again. I will say that The Dark Horse is a decent and entertaining entry in this series.

The novel takes place over a 10 day period with a lot of time jumps from present to "such-and-such" days ago. Overall this format worked and kept progressing what the reader knew based on what Longmire had learned on his way to his current predicaments. A few times the time jumps had me confused and I couldn't remember if I was now or then, but all in all it was not too much of a distraction and worked for the story.

There is something about the way that Johnson writes that makes it a chore for me to stay engaged. I cannot quite put my finger on it other than to say I am never quite comfortable in the narrative. It is probably the main thing that has kept me from loving any of his books. I keep hoping I find one that clicks for me.

If you enjoy or are interested in trying out Western mysteries, Longmire is certainly a decent option. It is not quite where I would suggest you start *cough*Joe Pickett*cough*, but it wouldn't hurt to give him a try. While The Dark Horse could possibly stand alone, there are enough references to the previous novels that it is probably best to start at the beginning.