I chose to read The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson for my crime fiction novel assignment. Despite having the opportunity to select books from a number of acclaimed Canadian authors, I was intrigued by the midwestern setting of The Cold Dish, as it was something out of the ordinary. In an interview with mystery novelist Julia Buckley, when asked about the large amount of humour in his novels, Johnson replied "I'm a whore for laughs." Despite the intense subject matter, the cleverly painted characters and liberal use of humour made The Cold Dish a brisk and enjoyable read.
In Absaroka County, Wyoming, sheriff Walt Longmire is forced to deal with the apparent murder of Cody Pritchard, a teenager formerly convicted of raping a Native American girl with fetal alcohol syndrome. Longmire, youthful deputy Victoria Moretti, and the stoic yet powerful Henry Standing Bear each contribute in the quest to track down the murderer and restore justice to the small town. Despite the lack of sympathy towards the young criminal, Longmire has an uncanny ability to remain focused on the case. With an exciting main character, a series of unconventional clues, and memorable quotes on the part of Johnson, The Cold Dish is a remarkable literary achievement.
Walt Longmire is anything but the typical detective. Unlike many classic mystery novels, The Cold Dish is primarily a character-driven novel. This process begins with the likability of Longmire. He is never portrayed as a hero, but is an excellent example of the average man. Walt weights 255 pounds, lives in a rundown home, has trouble dealing with his daughter and wants to change his external appearance in any way possible. Rather than mourning his wife Martha's passing (three years before the story takes place), he jokes about her negative characteristics on multiple occasions. His many insecurities and flaws are evident, but Longmire exudes a sense of normality, which makes readers feel for him.
When individuals express their dislike of crime fiction, they usually cite dull and tedious situations. Longmire's various experiences with the opposite sex and his witty exchanges with his good friend Henry would make any mystery doubter re-assess their thoughts. Not long after Longmire handles the case, he will subject to re-election for his current position. Although he is under pressure to perform, he maintains his composure (possibly due to a near endless supply of coffee) and is inquisitive, thoughtful, and unbiased when approaching the case. The Cold Dish has a relatively flawed plot, but this was difficult to notice as the character of Longmire was entertaining at every turn.
The Cold Dish is a classic whodunit, but there are few clues that lead us to the identity of the killer. Longmire relies heavily on his partners and his instinct to eliminate the possibility of suspects. After the murder of Pritchard, a series of ballistics observations indicate the type of gun (rifle) and bullet (.45-70). These observations lead to Longmire's realization that the shooting took place from approximately four hundred yards away. He visits a local weaponry expert, who presents a short list of individuals capable of making the shot.
Longmire is simply an average sheriff. While the reader learns about his spiritual encounters and personal life, he designates most of the work to his subjects. He files through several lab analyses, but at some points, he feels as if the sparse clues will never amount to a solution. Fortunately, in between the pints of beer and cups of coffee, Longmire's hard work ultimately pays off. One of the few revealing clues is an eagle feather left at the crime scene, which is known to be a Native American symbol of revenge. However, Longmire finds that the eagle feather is inauthentic, which prompts him to rule out many of the Native American suspects. After he finds all the suspects are not guilty of the offense, Walt and Moretti are prepared to throw in the towel.
As Longmire prepares to leave, he mentions a container of bullets in the passenger seat of his car, assuming that Moretti had placed them there. Moretti insists that this was not the case, leaving Longmire dumbfounded. He and Henry Standing Bear think over the situation, and they are shocked to discover the unlikely criminal. As mentioned earlier in the blog, this is a character-driven mystery, not entirely focused on presenting a wide array of clues. Johnson is still able to give The Cold Dish a twist ending and mysterious feel.
"Yea, verily, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will live forever. If I don't, I sure as hell won't become an unattended death in the state of Wyoming with sheep shit all over me." (26)
This passage was humorous and remarkably appealing. Johnson is the first author I've read who can incorporate Biblical references and humour in the same paragraph. Longmire has recently observed Pritchard's dead body, and comments on his fall from grace. Longmire despises Pritchard, but as sheriff, he can't help but feel sympathetic regarding his sorry state.
"It looked like a heated conversation going on in the truck out front, and I thought about my child. I don't know how you get them to make the right choices, how you keep them from ending up like the two-parent pileup that was sitting in my office." (94)
This passage is appealing because Longmire sheds a light on the horrors of justice. He is speaking to Bryan Keller (one of the young men guilty of the aforementioned rape) and asks him whether he communicated with Pritchard before his death. Longmire is still haunted by this case, but can't help but think of the difficulties of parenting when talking to Bryan. Longmire doesn't believe Bryan was guilty, and pities the horrible turn his life has taken.
"The bullet had shattered the clavicle, passed through the muscle and tendons of the shoulder, and had exited through the blade, taking most of it as it went. The tissue damage was tremendous, and it was unlikely that George's arm would ever operate properly again. His pulse was weak and rapid, his breathing was shallow, and it seemed as if he was doing everything possible to lower my odds below fifty-fifty." (329)
This passage appeals to me because it shows off Johnson's abilities as a writer. Over the course of the novel, his prose greatly impressed me. The descriptions are realistic and occasionally graphic, making it clear that Johnson has the ability to become a force in the literary genre of crime fiction.
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