"The Cold Dish" of revenge is well-served in the first book of author Craig Johnson's "Walt Longmire Mystery" series. As the sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming, Walt Longmire has learned to keep his friends close, his enemies closer, and to keep a close eye on potentially unfriendly situations. A longtime lawman, Walt's law enforcement career actually began with his tour of duty in Vietnam. Also serving in Vietnam was Walt's lifelong friend, Henry Standing Bear, who now runs the local watering hole, The Red Pony. Walt and Henry go together like salt & pepper in a perfectly-seasoned recipe. Two strong individual characters, quite interesting on their own, but even better as a duo. The depth of their friendship is unspoken, but none-the-less keenly felt. That doesn't mean that they can't insult each other to infinity and beyond, which provides much of the laugh-out-loud humor in the book. Along with Walt and Henry, we meet a unique group of supporting characters like Victoria "Vic" Moretti, Walt's fast & foul-mouthed deputy. A former Philadelphia patrol cop from a long line of police officers, Vic moved to Wyoming along with her husband when he was transferred through his work as an engineer with a mining company. Vic, as loyal as she is loud in expressing her opinions, is also extremely competent, and in her own way, very caring. Rounding out the roster in the sheriff's office are Ruby, the capable and observant secretary/dispatcher; Ferg, the dutiful deputy; and Turk, more punk than policeman, and more attitude than ability. The setting itself, the stark, majestic beauty of the land, and the history of relationships between the settlers of the past and their modern-day descendants and the native Cheyenne is also an entity with a strong presence. Walt is the kind of detective whom I find most intriguing, flawed and fascinating, his keen intelligence expressed in his deductive reasoning skills and his wry humor. His interactions with the residents of the community, his love for his daughter, and his reflective grief over his wife's death are all important components of Walt Longmire. When a crime case from the past once again rears its ugly head, this time with murder as the result, prejudices and passions are combined in an explosive mix, one with devastating consequences. Author Craig Johnson writes with a sure sense of his people and their place, their ambitions and weaknesses, and the story line is consistently compelling. The conclusion is shattering--a stunning blow to the senses--yet we are ultimately left with the rekindling of the desire for life to continue and for laughter to reclaim its rightful rank. I was captivated by "The Cold Dish" from the very beginning, and it just got better as the story progressed. However, there was a turning point in the story line for me where Walt has to question a crime witness, a strange, alcohol-fueled, mule-riding man living in a decrepit cabin. The vivid word imagery of the scene and the interplay of dialogue between Walt and the surprisingly informative witness are simply superb, and a very good book then became a keeper. When you read "The Cold Dish", with my highest recommendation, you will discover exactly what I am talking about, and then, just like me, you will look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.