Wait for Signs by Craig Johnson

 

Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen.—Louis L ’Amour

Usually, we open with a quote from the volume we are examining, but this L ‘Amour quote qualifies as it is the epigraph used by Mr. Johnson himself to open this anthology of short-stories.

To my mind, it sums up the strengths of this very talented craftsman.

He has an eye for people, places, and small acts that tell a character.

These strengths are in fine form here but…

And keep in mind, this is likely only for this reader, I have an impatience with crime stories these days. Between decades of having read primarily crime novels and where seemingly every other television show is a variation on Law & Order, the tropes of a crime story must be stuck to apparently, in most cases so closely there is little room for surprise or legroom for wider expanses of story.

In the case of Mr. Johnson, I find it a shame as his skill is extraordinary, so much so that I hate to see it run in the ruts of, “Now let’s figure out which meth addict held up the diner.”

The Longmire series is popular, and justly so, and I wager my quibble will do nothing to lower that estimation for fans [nor should it.]

It is just the observation of a man who would love to see this author really stretch his legs and surprise from top-to-bottom without having to provide a compulsory “Aha!” denouement.

In the spirit of the quote, he has clearly seen much, I would love to read more about sights I’ve not seen.