A young Asian woman, Ho Thi Paquet, is found dead in a farmer’s field and among her possessions is a photo of a young marine, Longmire, in a bar in Vietnam with a woman, who looks as if she could be related to the dead woman. A trail leads to Virgil White Buffalo, a Crow Indian who is a known recluse and he is taken into custody while the case sorts itself out and Longmire knows he is clean, warm and well-fed, something he suspects Virgil White Buffalo often isn’t. 

A Vietnamese movie producer, Tuyen, is also in the area, and Longmire doesn’t believe in coincidences, even when Tuyen claims he doesn’t know Paquet. With the help of his friend, Henry Standing Bear, and with his own vivid memories of Vietnam, Walt begins to follow the last few days of Paquet’s life, a trail that leads him back to Tuyen and to the horrifying discovery of human trafficking, something he finds hard to believe is still going on. 

 A thoughtful mystery with many social implications, Another Man’s Moccasins neatly carves out a story that deftly ties the present into the past. Walt Longmire is a man of contradictions, a tough, no-nonsense lawman who is very well-read and enjoys the more refined lifestyle. He is fiercely protective of his daughter, more so after her attack back East, and will do anything do help her fully recover. Walt is forced to confront his past, a past that he has yet to make peace with, and does so with a great deal of grace. 

The mystery is interesting and thorough, with very few surprises. Longmire shows a great deal of compassion and respect as he deals with Paquet, Tuyen and Virgil White Buffalo and requires the same from his staff. The western setting reflects Longmire’s personality and frames the story well, though Paquet’s story begins in California and part of her mystery is what brought her to Wyoming. 

This latest story will win Walt Longmire (and Craig Johnson) new fans as well as have long time fans pleased to welcome him back.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry