THE COLD DISH Is the first book in Craig Johnson's Longmire mystery series. It seems to serve as an introduction to the characters who appear throughout the series. I say "it seems" because it is so full of description that I get the impression Johnson meant for this to be more introduction than story.

What story there is centers on a dead young man. Most likely, Longmire feels, he was murdered. And it makes most sense that he was murdered because of the part he took in the rape of a young, mentally deficient girl. So, as sheriff, Longmire investigates.

This book contains too much description of not only the characters but of every little thing. Perhaps Johnson was trying to humanize Longmire but, for me, there were so many inconsequential details that I immediately forgot some paragraphs, not a good thing to do when you're reading a mystery. You never know which detail might matter.