I haven't really kept up with Craig Johnson's Longmire series. One of the reasons is probably because it had spawned a Netflix series. For me, this is a sign that the series has gotten too popular. The last Longmire novel that I reviewed on Goodreads was in 2014, but I really wanted to read more mysteries this year. So there was Next To Last Stand gazing at me from the top of a library book pile, and I said "Why not that one?"
What drew me to this volume in the Longmire series is the art aspect which hinges on a famous painting that has been reproduced by the thousands, and hangs in a great many bars throughout the United States. It's called Custer's Last Fight by Cassily Adams. I found a death notice for Cassily Adams from The Indianapolis Star on May 9, 1921 which appears on the internet here. That article explains why there were so many copies of this painting sent to establishments that exist for the enjoyment of alcoholic beverages. You can also read more about this painting in Next To Last Stand.
The narrative of Next To Last Stand begins with the death of Charley Lee Stillwater, a resident of the Veterans' Home of Wyoming. He had left paintings and an extraordinary amount of cash in a shoe box.
Stillwater's heir turned out to be named after Bass Reeves, the first black deputy U.S. marshal in the West. I have to admit that I was more fascinated by that piece of African American history than what happened to Custer's Last Fight. It saddens me that The Black Badge, a biography of Bass Reeves by his nephew, Judge Paul L. Brady, isn't more widely available. See "The Remarkable Bass Reeves" by Karl Smallwood here. This thorough article cites The Black Badge as a source.
Readers who are interested in Custer memorabilia will be delighted by Next To Last Stand. I enjoyed it. I'm glad that I made a return visit to the saga of Longmire's ongoing adventures.
No comments:
Post a Comment