BookBingeLongmire Books in Order
The short answer
Craig Johnson · 22 books
- How many books?
- There are 22 books in the Longmire series, published 2004–2026.
- Is it finished?
- No — it's ongoing, with book 23 on the way.
- Next book
- A Soft White Damn, due 25 May 2027.See all upcoming releases →
- Where to start
- Start with The Cold Dish (2004).
About 7,900 pages — roughly 130 hours of reading
A weathered Wyoming sheriff metes out frontier justice across the wide-open, dangerous landscape of Absaroka County.
Here is the complete Longmire reading order — all 22 books by Craig Johnson, in the order you should read them:
Reading order
- The Cold DishWhen two young men are murdered in apparent revenge for a brutal assault on a Cheyenne teenager, Sheriff Walt Longmire must find the killer before more blood is spilled.2004424 pages
- Death Without CompanyThe poisoning of a former neighbor at a retirement home leads Walt into decades-old secrets involving Basque sheepherders and organized crime.2006271 pages
- Kindness Goes UnpunishedWhile visiting his daughter in Philadelphia, Walt is drawn into a violent case connected to her law firm that leaves her fighting for her life.2007320 pages
- Another Man's MoccasinsThe discovery of a young Vietnamese woman's body along the highway stirs up painful memories of Walt's own wartime service.2008336 pages
- The Dark HorseWalt goes undercover in a remote ranching town to investigate a woman jailed for killing her husband, suspecting the case isn't as simple as it looks.2009318 pages
- Junkyard DogsA bizarre accident involving a runaway snowplow pulls Walt into a family feud over a junkyard that hides a far darker crime.2010306 pages
- Hell Is EmptyWalt pursues an escaped killer alone through a brutal mountain blizzard in a grueling test of endurance and will.2011312 pages
- As the Crow FliesDays before his daughter's wedding, Walt witnesses a young mother's death on tribal land and must investigate where his authority as sheriff is limited.2012352 pages
- A Serpent's ToothA teenage boy abandoned by his mother leads Walt into the orbit of a dangerous polygamous fundamentalist sect operating nearby.2013435 pages
- Any Other NameInvestigating a retired detective's apparent suicide, Walt uncovers a troubling pattern of unresolved missing-persons cases.2014411 pages
- Dry BonesThe discovery of the largest Tyrannosaurus rex fossil ever found on tribal land sets off a bitter, and ultimately deadly, ownership dispute.2015366 pages
- An Obvious FactA motorcycle accident during the Sturgis rally leads Walt and Henry into a decades-old case tangled up with bikers and old grudges.2016431 pages
- The Western StarA dual-timeline mystery follows a young Walt on a train trip with fellow sheriffs decades earlier alongside a present-day threat rooted in that journey.2017362 pages
- Depth of WinterWalt crosses alone into Mexico to rescue his kidnapped daughter from a ruthless cartel leader.2018304 pages
- Land of WolvesBack home after his ordeal in Mexico, Walt investigates the death of a sheepherder and a wolf that may or may not be to blame.2019336 pages
- Next to Last StandThe death of an elderly veteran turns up a fortune in cash and a fragment of a famous lost painting, launching Walt into a hunt for stolen art.2020336 pages
- Daughter of the Morning StarWhen a young basketball star starts receiving death threats, Walt is called in to help protect her amid the wider crisis of missing Indigenous women.2021420 pages
- Hell and BackWalt wakes up injured and disoriented with no memory of who he is, setting off a haunting journey to piece together what happened to him.2022336 pages
- The Longmire DefenseA cold case tied to Walt's own grandfather resurfaces, forcing him to confront a hidden chapter of his family's past.2023
- First FrostA dual-timeline story alternates between a young Walt's enlistment in the Vietnam era and a present-day reckoning with the fallout of his recent fight for justice.2024466 pages
- Return to SenderWhen a rural mail carrier vanishes without a trace, Walt goes undercover on her postal route and stumbles into the orbit of a secretive desert cult.2025336 pages
- The Brothers McKayA ranch investigation pulls Walt into a tangle of old grudges and buried secrets that escalates as a wildfire closes in.2026
Good news: for this series, reading order and publication order are the same — just read straight down the list.
Upcoming: the next book, A Soft White Damn, releases on 25 May 2027. BookBinge Pro can notify you the day it drops.
On our lists: Long-running mystery series
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Get BookBingeFrequently asked questions
How many Longmire books are there?
There are 22 books in the Longmire series by Craig Johnson, from The Cold Dish (2004) to The Brothers McKay (2026). Book 23, A Soft White Damn, is due 25 May 2027. Together they run to about 7,900 pages.
Is the Longmire series finished?
No. Craig Johnson is still writing it: book 23, A Soft White Damn, is due 25 May 2027, following The Brothers McKay (2026).
What is the first Longmire book?
The Cold Dish (2004) is book one, at 424 pages. When two young men are murdered in apparent revenge for a brutal assault on a Cheyenne teenager, Sheriff Walt Longmire must find the killer before more blood is spilled.
Should I read the Longmire series in publication order?
Yes. For the Longmire series, reading order and publication order are the same — The Cold Dish (2004) through The Brothers McKay (2026).
How long does it take to read all Longmire books?
About 7,900 pages across 22 books — roughly 130 hours at a page a minute. The longest is First Frost (466 pages); the shortest is Death Without Company (271 pages).