An owl perched in front of a full moon was the very first thing that caught my eye. Then I say the author’s name: Craig Johnson, and that this was part of the Longmire series.
From the inside jacket description: “Sheriff Walt Lonmire, first knocked readers dead in the Hillerman award-winning short story “Old Indian Trick.” Since then, the sheriff has captured the hearts of mystery lovers with ten bestselling Longmire novels and the hit A&E series Longmire.”
Wait For Signs contains “twelve short stories featuring an off-duty Longmire.” The book runs 183 pages, but the nature of short stories often makes for a quicker read.
I like books of this size or scope because I find them a great opportunity to try out an author–whether or not their reputation has preceded them. The rise in ebook novellas has contributed greatly to these opportunities for discovery. But it’s always nice when one can get a hold of an actual book.
This one might just be perfect to add to the reading pile for May, which is considered National Short Story month. And it includes the aforementioned award-winning story!
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How do we choose what we read? Reviews? Word of mouth? Familiarity? Or by its cover? Follow along as The Poisoned Martini takes a look at book covers that catch the eye in the ongoing “By Its Cover” feature. And for a look at more classic and contemporary book covers, check out my sister site, The Poisoned Martini+, for a more visual approach to looking at the mystery and fantasy genres.
