Pepper McKay is very dead. Hated by
nearly everyone, Pepper McKay ran his life, his family and pretty much
everything and everyone else, for miles around for many decades. While he had
his business interests, his marriage a number of years ago gave him control
over what is known as the “O-Kay Ranch.” Located at the mouth of Crazy Woman
Canyon, the dude ranch, is in Absaroka County, Wyoming. That means his death
has to be investigated by the local sheriff, Walt Longmire.
That means the good sheriff and his
number, two, Victoria Moretti, need to get to the scene as fast as possible. It
does not help that they are stuck in a barely moving traffic jam on the road in
thanks to one of two lightning caused wildfires that started overnight. The
fires are running wild, thanks to drought and dead trees and whatnot, and will
go where they want and when they want.
Eventually, they get to the former
working ranch that is now operated as a dude ranch. For decades it was operated
by the Harris family. Then the granddaughter, BeeBee, turned it into a dude ranch,
then married Pepper McKay, and then he went work taking control and running
roughshod over everyone and everybody.
Pepper McKay, a hard drinker, and pretty
much hard at everything, had gone fishing in Crazy Woman Creek that morning. He
had lunch and other food with him, but hadn’t been seen since. One of the long-time
ranch hands had gone looking for him and had finally found him floating face
down in the water. The ranch hand had pulled the body up onto the bank and then
called 911.
Walt Longmire had a long history with
Pepper McKay going back some four decades. So, the fact that the man was drinking
in his last hours is no surprise. Beyond that obvious fact, as Vic examines the
body, she advises Longmore and the newly assigned to the area Wyoming Highway
Patrol Trooper, Shane Wilson, that the back of Pepper McKay’s head shows
obvious signs of some sort of traumatic brain injury. She also notes the
numerous contusions and abrasions, but those could have happened as the body moved
downstream through the churning waters and hit rocks and such. She also notes
that by how heavy he feels, his lungs are probably full of water.
It is clear to all three of them that an
intoxicated Pepper McKay could easily have slipped and fallen, striking his
head in the process, before drowning. It is also very possible to all that he
might have been hit in the head with a rock and left to drown. So, the question
is—accident or murder?
If it was a murder, it would also be a
very complicated case with a laundry list of suspects. For decades Pepper McKay
lived his life like a human wrecking ball—he smashed through obstacles and
people with wild abandon. That means the suspect list, inside and outside the
family, is a long one and complicated. Some neutral observers, if they knew
what had happened decades ago, might put the good Sheriff on that suspect list
too.
As Walt Longmire spins up outside resources
to assist his investigation, another problem is dumped into his lap by the
newly appointed Wyoming Attorney General, his own daughter. Maxim Sidorov wants
to relocate to Durant. With no parole officer in the area, that would mean that
Sheriff Longmire would have to be his parole officer despite the fact that the
man tried to kill him awhile back. Maxim Sidorov lost an eye in that attempt.
He also gained a lot of respect for him and is trying to help him find a great
aunt, Ruth One Heart.
Maxim Sidorov is soon in town, living in
the jail, and advising Walt on what has turned out to be the definite murder of
Pepper McKay. He is instrumental to the investigation which also manages to bug
the heck out of Longmire. He also briefly annoyed this reader who had an out
loud “Duh” moment when Sidorov pointed things out.
The Brothers McKay: A Longmire
Mystery
by Craig Johnson is a highly entertaining read that keeps the reader turning
pages. Part murder mystery, part survivalist action read, it also sets up what
will clearly be the focus of the next book in the series. Unless the author has
juked and head faked this reader on this too.
Recommended.
Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/4e6xQ3e
My digital ARC came by way of Viking
Penguin, through NetGalley, and with no expectation of a positive review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2026
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