Have Courage by Craig Johnson: What Longmire Readers Should Know

Craig Johnson’s Have Courage arrives November 3, 2026, bringing Walt Longmire back in a collection of 15 holiday-inspired short stories. Readers looking for another visit to Absaroka County should know what they are getting: a collection of shorter adventures rather than a new numbered Longmire novel.

That distinction is part of the appeal. A long-running mystery series can become as much about spending time with its characters as solving its cases. Based on the announced premise, this collection looks especially suited to readers who enjoy Walt’s encounters with the peculiar problems of the community he serves.

When Does Have Courage Come Out?

Viking lists the U.S. hardcover and ebook for November 3, 2026. The hardcover runs 256 pages. The publisher’s current page lists the 288-page large-print edition for November 24, 2026, so readers buying that format should check the edition carefully..

What Is Have Courage About?

The announced stories put Walt in the middle of unusual local predicaments. They include a dog repeatedly getting out of an animal shelter, a missing figure from a Christmas nativity display, and a situation involving an exceptionally old sourdough starter. Johnson’s official description also mentions a hostage confrontation and a young suspect with an old-fashioned detective’s vocabulary.

Those premises suggest a collection interested in the overlap between police work and the everyday strangeness of a small community. A missing nativity figure creates a different kind of question from a sprawling murder investigation: what makes an apparently minor incident matter to the people involved?

For me, that is the strongest reason to be interested in this release. Short fiction gives a familiar character room to confront a problem that might not need an entire novel. The attraction here is the possibility of seeing Walt’s judgment, patience, and sense of humor tested on a smaller scale.

That is an interpretation of the announced material, rather than a verdict on the finished stories. This article is a publication preview, not a review of the complete collection.

Where Does It Fit in the Longmire Series?

Have Courage belongs alongside the Longmire novels as a short-story collection. Readers should avoid treating its publication as the arrival of the next numbered installment.

Johnson’s official website identifies The Brothers McKay, published May 26, 2026, as the 22nd Walt Longmire novel. It separately identifies Have Courage as a collection.

For readers following the main novels, that makes the practical choice straightforward: keep your novel reading order intact and treat this as an additional visit to the series. The sources checked for this preview do not establish a single chronological placement for all fifteen stories, so I would not assign the collection a precise position between two novels.

If you are new to Longmire, your choice depends on what you want. A holiday collection may appeal as a taste of the setting and character. Readers who want to follow the continuing relationships and developments should use the novel sequence as their main route. This preview does not promise that every story is free of references to earlier books.

Why the Foreword Will Interest TV Fans

A Martinez contributes the foreword, giving the collection a direct connection to the Longmire television adaptation. Johnson’s official book page highlights his involvement.

For someone buying a present for a fan of both the books and the show, that is a useful detail. The foreword adds another reason to consider this particular release, although the stories remain the central attraction.

Should Longmire Readers Pick It Up?

Have Courage looks most promising for readers who want shorter visits with Walt during the holiday season. Its format should also appeal to someone looking for a book to read a story at a time between longer novels.

Readers seeking the next sustained Longmire investigation should keep the collection’s format in mind. The selling point is fifteen separate occasions to return to Absaroka County, with the announced situations offering room for humor, mystery, and community life.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Books of Brilliance earns from qualifying purchases.

Want another visit with Walt Longmire? Check Have Courage on Amazon.

Following the main novels instead? Find The Brothers McKay on Amazon.