Johnson, Craig. 2016. An Obvious Fact. New York, NY: Viking Books. ISBN 978-0525426943. $28.00 USD
Craig Johnson’s Longmire series has a large following, with a popular TV series on Netflix keeping fans entertained, as well. His new novel, scheduled for a September release, takes the laconic sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming on a road trip with his trusty side-kick, Henry Standing Bear, to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. This novel has one of the best opening chapters Johnson has penned!
The title of the book comes from one of the many Sherlock Holmes quotes that Henry voices, deadpanned, during the novel, to Walt’s irritation and chagrin (Hank “borrowed ”Walt’s copy of the New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, you see). Henry takes his car, Lola, and his two motorcycles, also named after women, to compete in a race he won at a much younger age. While in Sturgis, the original Lola, whom Henry had a relationship with many years ago, approaches the duo to investigate a motorcycle accident that has left her son in a coma. During the course of this entertaining read, new quirky characters are introduced, droll dialogue is displayed on every page, and a complex plot is revealed featuring motorcycle gangs, a reality TV star, an ATF agent and a MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle named “Pequod” (Moby Dick, natch).
An Obvious Fact was a wholly satisfying and entertaining read, and I am only disappointed at having to wait another year for the next title in the series. Luckily new episodes of the TV show are scheduled for September. This is one of my favorite reads of the year, so far.
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