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Frank Mattituck #2

Poacher's End

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ALASKAN CRIME-FIGHTING DUO ARE AT IT AGAIN....

Frank Mattituck and his friend Alaska State Trooper Todd Benson are at odds over who killed poaching halibut fisherman Ned Simmons. A friend of both Mattituck and Benson is the prime suspect, and Todd carries out his investigation accordingly, causing a rift in his and Mattituck's growing partnership. Monica Castle gets involved, representing the accused, and soon discovers there is a long line of people with plenty of motive to kill the surly old fisherman. Suddenly, the case is wide open, and the resulting pandemonium spins them all in a dizzying whodunit as they try to figure out who brought the despised poacher to his end.

About The Frank Mattituck Series: Alaska charter boat captain Frank Mattituck had established a tranquil fishing life that allowed him to keep the haunting of his past at bay. He had a successful business and a solitary personal life that provided him control over his world. That is, until his sense of justice was awakened by the murder of a close friend and his solitude was broken by the rekindling of his relationship with Monica Castle. No longer able to hide from the world, Mattituck finds himself assisting State Trooper Todd Benson track down killers and criminals in Alaska, forming a unique crime-fighting duo.

You can email the author at pwesleylundburg@gmail.com

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380 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2017

17 people are currently reading
325 people want to read

About the author

P. Wesley Lundburg

8 books87 followers

P. Wesley Lundburg has been an Alaska Charter Boat Captain, Coast Guardsman, college English professor, and professional editor. Wes holds a B.A. in English, Masters degrees in Literature and in Philosophy, and a Ph.D. in Education. He works full-time in higher education, and writes in his spare time.

Wes launched his fiction-writing career in 7th grade with a teacher-acclaimed UFO abduction story, became addicted to writing, and hasn't stopped since. Most of his published work has been creative essays, particularly cross-country skiing and hiking/backpacking pieces, and he has written many outdoor travel articles. He has also published academic papers, and presented papers and workshops in his areas of Literature and Communication. His greatest joy has been in writing fiction, however.

Raised in San Diego, California, Wes has lived in various parts of the U.S., but draws the material for much of his writing from his more than 17 years in Alaska, where he ran a one-boat fishing charter company and hiked or Nordic-skied many miles through the Alaska Wilderness, in addition to being a charter boat captain. Wes has returned home to San Diego, where he lives with his wife and kids, spending leisure time at the beach or hiking with his wife, or among the coyotes and jack rabbits on his mountain bike.

You can email Wes at pwesleylundburg@gmail.com
or visit his website at:
www.pwesleylundburg.net

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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Christine.
620 reviews1,491 followers
August 21, 2017
4.5 stars rounded to 4.0

What a fun new series this is! Poachers End is #2 in Mr. Lundburg’s Frank Mattituck series. #1 is Skipper’s Oath, which I read about a month ago and thoroughly enjoyed. Frank is a charter boat captain and part time civilian deputy to Todd Benson, the only Alaskan State Trooper in Frank’s coastal town of Valdez, Alaska. In this installment, Frank and his attorney girlfriend Monica Castle are out to try to vindicate their friend, Frank’s new business partner, and former town drunk Earl Darick from a murder rap. Also in the mix is a thread from the first book that runs mysteriously through this story.

Mr. Lundberg’s strong points are characterization and imagery. There are some wonderful characters in this tale. Firstly, there is Frank. He’s a quiet guy, but is very well respected in town and is brimming with integrity. He has a real ability to read people and knows how to deal with them. I would not call this book a romance in any shape or form, but we do see a lot more of attorney Monica. Her relationship with Frank is unique and refreshing. Todd Benson is back, much to my delight. His “airtime” is smaller in Poachers End than in Skipper’s Oath, but still significant. He is extremely likeable, and it’s fun to see how his copper’s mind works. I also have taken a shine to the Crow’s Nest bartender Irishman Seamus O’Brien and his cricket bat. Then there is sweet Earl. I hope he sticks around for the remainder of this promising series.

The baddies abound. Ned Simmons is a flaming you-know-what. Norman Peck is even worse. We also get interesting suspects to follow and think about in the murder case.

Mr. Lundberg spent a lot of years as a charter boat captain in Alaska, and it shows in his writing. The ambience is wonderful. I can feel the wind and spray on my face and smell the salt water during the water scenes. I can see the majesty of the mountains and the glacial remains. The author also does a terrific job in respect to communicating the type of people and the way of life in small town Alaska.

The story moves along nicely. There are some fine actions scenes and plenty of tense moments. The very end was heart melting.

Again 4.5 stars rounded to 4 in order to leave room for what I expect will be continued growth from this entertaining new author.

I’ve seen enough in the first two books to know I am fully committed to this series. I am sold on the characterization (major props), setting, police presence, and action/adventure components. I am anxious to see more of the many layers of Frank unfold. So come on, Wes, crank ‘em out!!! I’ll be waiting…
Profile Image for Jean.
891 reviews19 followers
July 7, 2017
P. Wesley Lundburg is at it again. He’s written another Alaskan fine mystery, Poacher's End. Charter boat captain Frank Mattituck is back. So is Alaska State Trooper Todd Benson. When a universally disliked longline fisherman, Ned Simmons, is found stabbed to death, the duo has a chance to team up again to nab the killer. They could, but there’s a hitch. Earl, formerly the town drunk, is now a friend and business partner of Frank’s. Todd thinks that Earl makes a pretty good suspect; Frank is 100 percent certain that Earl didn’t do it. There’s something else on Earl’s side – Monica Castle has decided to represent him.

Saying that Ned Simmons was “disliked” by all who knew him is a gross understatement. The man was a known poacher; proving it was another matter. Besides that, he had a surly demeanor and a terrible temper. No one felt sorry when they heard of his death. Rather, they felt he had it coming. However, it’s not up to Trooper Todd to determine whether the person responsible should be arrested or be allowed to go free. Frank, as a civilian deputy, feels that he must recuse himself from the investigation, since he is close to the prime suspect. In fact, he sets out to find information on others with fishy motives at the request of his girlfriend Monica.

Compared to Skipper's Oath, the series debut, this one is mostly pure whodunit. There is some intrigue in the prologue and off and on throughout the book. In all honesty, I didn’t care for this little subplot, even though I do understand the reason for it. I’m hoping that it’s the last we’ll see of the Uhing and it’s agent(s). As for the mystery, I didn’t have much trouble figuring it out, although there is a shrimp pot full of guys with motive and opportunity. Lundburg keeps the pace moving along quite nicely. There is just the right mix of action, danger, conversation, internal dialogue, and romance. Lundburg has a good ear for colloquialisms and real speech, which is refreshing. His descriptions of life in the small coastal Alaskan town feel genuine and down-to-earth, thanks to the author’s actual experiences in our 49th state. The characters are real folks too, and that makes for enjoyable reading.

I understand that there is a third Mattituck book in the works. I am definitely in line for that one, as I recommend this series particularly to those who love wonderful storytelling with solid plots and characters who feel like regular folks. Keep ‘em comin’, Wes!

4 stars
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,817 reviews633 followers
August 1, 2017
Many thought Ned Simmons had it coming, but when the halibut poaching, anti-social fisherman was found brutally stabbed to death, the law says the killer must be found and brought to justice. Deputized charter boat captain, Frank Mattituck and State Trooper Todd Benson are once again, teaming up to fight crime, one case at a time. This time out, they each have their eye on different suspects, both with either motive or evidence against them, both claiming innocence. Someone killed Ned and that someone will be caught, but there is a strain on the relationship between Frank and Todd and it could prove to hinder the investigation.

When they each realize that Ned’s charm had made him a “boatload of enemies,” the suspect list begins to look like the who’s who of the small Alaskan fishing town. Was it the little rich boy whose daddy bought his boat? Was it the town drunk who has been the victim of Ned’s wrath? Maybe it was one of Ned’s crew, sick of being bullied, or of breaking the law? Once again, the plot thickens and Frank finds himself in some precarious situations, ones that a simple charter boat captain may find overwhelming.

P. Wesley Lundurg’s POACHER’S END not only casts the net of doubts, danger and mystery into Frank’s life once again, but we are privy to just a little of who Frank was in his past and what makes him an excellent choice to be deputized. Once again, with straight forward writing, in his down-to-earth style, P. Wesley Lundburg keeps the pot stirred and the action high as Frank and Todd attempt to reel in the killer and piece together all the loose ends. Entertaining, intriguing, easy reading as we take another mental journey to the fishing waters of Alaska and feel the atmosphere of small town living, gossip and good ole boy camaraderie. Pretty sure there is no butler to blame in this who-dunit, these characters are too down-to-earth.


I received this copy from P.Wesley Lundburg in exchange for my honest review.

Series: The Frank Mattituck Series - Book 2
Publication Date: March 3, 2017
Publisher: P.Wesley Lundburg
Genre: Mystery | Thriller
Print Length: 381 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Profile Image for William Lawrence.
380 reviews
September 5, 2017
Ned’s dead—who killed him? And no one around town cares much for dead Ned, which complicates things, but Frank and Todd want to find out who killed this unlikable guy. Frank Mattituck and his Alaska State Trooper friend Todd Benson are a great tag team for solving the murder.

P. Wesley Lundburg will wind you up right to the last page of this book! The final chapters are a spectacular race to the truth (on a boat headed for another murder) and well worth the wait through the unraveling mystery. The dialogue is genuine and the setting seems like a truly beautiful and scenic place. The serene setting is actually a great contrast for the ugly or wild things that can happen.

Lundburg is a master of the craft and knows how to take a reader through a story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this murder mystery, and it’s not even a genre I’ve read much of before, though I do like films in this fashion. I enjoyed book one, but this one was even better. This book moves fast for 377 pages. This one is also a good stand-alone book, so you can start it without yet having read book one, though I do recommend the first book. I’d actually be curious what the series is like if you read book two first before reading book one. I read this on an ipad, so I wouldn’t mind getting a print copy and rereading it sometime for a different, closer experience. I’ll certainly grab book three when it comes out and will be curious to see what happens with Frank, Todd, and Monica. The Norm Peck line could be interesting too if that continues into something. Definitely could be a Netflix series in the works!
Profile Image for Martin Pierce.
20 reviews
March 5, 2017
I've been waiting for this second book to see how this new series by a new author would do. I am not disappointed. This second book in the Frank Mattituck Series is an excellent 2nd installment, with a more traditional "whodunit" plot that has classic red herrings and yet keeps all the fast-paced thriller aspect of the first book that I loved so much. This is one of those books (again) that are hard to put down... it's nearly 400 pages, and I read it in 3 days. The main characters were well-developed in the first book, but their back stories are developing very nicely. There's a clear sub-plot with an international organization that is obviously being woven in and keeps the reader looking for more on that story.

I've also read "On Rocks and Clouds," a novella by this author, which is very different and also very good, so it appears this author is going to be around, and certainly is writing great books. I highly recommend anything by this author, but the Mattituck Series especially stands out as one of the better story lines out there. I'm looking forward to Book 3.
Profile Image for Galya Varna.
Author 2 books6 followers
December 3, 2017
With “Poacher’s End”, 2nd book from the “Frank Mattituck series”, author P. Wesley Lundburg turns readers into fans.

“Skipper's Oath” had already provided a good understanding of the main players - Frank Mattituck, State Trooper Todd Benson, Monica Castle and some of the supporting characters as well, leaving the reader eager to see how the characters will evolve and what other unexpected turns and scenes from Alaskan life the author has in stock.

In the second installment from the series, it is for the first time that Frank Mattituck and his friend Todd Benson have different opinions - on the issue who killed poaching halibut fisherman Ned Simmons. The prime suspect is a man who is close to Frank and the fact that Mattituck and the State Trooper do not agree on who had really killed Ned might have an impact on their partnership. Monica Castle has a role too - as a legal representative of the accused man. She soon discovers that many people could have had a motive to kill the surly old fisherman. The fast-paced narration takes the reader on a thrilling journey to discover the real killer who brought the despised poacher to his end.

In “Poacher’s End” Mr. Lundburg does not let his audience down – the book catches the attention and keeps the reader engaged till the end. The plot, the setting, the characterization and all adventure aspects of the installment were skillfully created by the author.

I did enjoy “Poacher’s End” very much and while “Skipper's Oath” was also an excellent read, this second book gave a better understanding of the characters with their back stories and so to say cast the net, turning me from a reader into a fan of Mr. Lundburg.

It is important to mention that although the book is part of a series it has a standalone quality, but who would want to miss the whole story?

Now that I have read all 3 installments of the Frank Mattituck series, I’ll have to pray author P. Wesley Lundburg plans on continuing the life and adventures of his characters!


Profile Image for Stacy.
1,003 reviews90 followers
December 6, 2018
This is actually the 2nd time I read this-- the first time, earlier this year, I finished just as my son was seriously injured, and didn't get to put up the review. Now that he is back at work and I have my charger back and back online, I am trying furtively to get caught up-- and in order to review it, I had to read reread it. That being said, I enjoyed it just as much the 2nd time around. I really like the stories this author writes, this being the second in the series I have read, and the third that he has written that I have enjoyed.
This tale, set in Alaska among men who fish for a living, again features Frank Mattituck, charter boat fisherman by career, but deputized by the local State Trooper on the side, to help solve another who-dun-it and try to clear his new business partner, Earle, of murder. Also, there is the military trained sniper, seen in book #1, making his appearance again trying to kill Todd Benson, the State Trooper. The murder was solved quite nicely, but the sniper is still on the loose, so I suppose I will see him again in book #3. I do hope Frank and Monica end up getting married as well-- they seem well suited for each other.
13 reviews
June 20, 2017
A freebie book won on a Goodreads giveaway. At first I wasn't sure where this book was going and I was very confused by the opening chapter. However the more I read the harder the book was to put down. The twists and turn in this book keeps you guessing. This was the first book in the Frank Mattituck series by P. Wesley Lundburg and I really enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Ken.
257 reviews3 followers
August 8, 2017
Poacher’s End may be as good a novel as I’ve read this year. I think Mattituck is one of the most deep characters I’ve encountered, and would hire Monica If I needed a lawyer. Earl Darick is my kind of guy and would like to hear more about him. Great job P. Wesley Lundburg!!!
Profile Image for Alan.
305 reviews
June 5, 2017
I was pleased to have won this novel in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

I really enjoyed this book, despite not reading the first book. It is also the first time that I have read any books by this author and judging by this book alone, it will not be the last. I rarely write what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others, but i do recommend.
Profile Image for Faouzia.
Author 1 book82 followers
November 23, 2017
I would like to thank P. Wesley Lundburg for this free copy in exchange of an honest review.

Once again i found myself back in Alaska, following Frank Mattituck and State Trooper Todd Benson in a new mystery.
Ned Simmons, a man almost everyone hated, was found murdered. All the evidence was pointing to Earl, a new friend and partner of Frank, but Mattituck was sure of his friend's innocence and he was determined to prove it. That, however, would not be an easy task with a long list of suspects.

This book started relatively slowly. When i think back to the first book of the series, Skipper's Oath, where i found myself immediately in the middle of a chase, this new story sounds rather slow-paced. But i actually liked this, because this time Mr Lundburg took more time to introduce the characters to the reader: more details about those we already knew, the growing friendship between Frank, Earl and Todd and also other important characters, relevant to this part and i suspect for the other books of the series.

I enjoyed reading it, and the good point was that i found less technical details about boats and sailing, something that made me struggle a bit in the previous book. Besides, now i feel more confortable with the whole setting and it was all getting familiar, so there was no difficulty for me this time to follow what was happening, when and where.

I liked getting to know the characters better, especially Monica Castle. But i really hope that more of Mattituck's story will be revealed in the next book. He is a fascinating character, but so far there is still a lot of mystery about his life. In a way it is a good thing, as it will keep me looking out for this series.

Now, the prologue and epilogue in this book were a whole different story! That was not fair Mr Lundburg! That was intriguing and very interesting and i just wanted to learn more about that particular bit immediately. It was frustrating in a very good way. I just hope that that mystery will be solved soon!

I think this is all i need to write about this book. I enjoyed it a lot, i found that i still like the character and i like the writing style and especially the setting. So i hope there will be many other Frank Mattituck books coming on the way.
Profile Image for Helen.
4 reviews1 follower
March 7, 2017
Excellent work of art. Mr. Lundburg delivered another exciting novel. When I was reading of the characters and their small town I really felt like I was right there sitting on a barstool witness to some of the action.

Another thing I enjoyed about his work is he doesn't feel like he needs to waste three or four pages to describe the situation, instead he is able to sum up the things that are happening or an area in just one paragraph. He didn't feel the need to add fluff to add pages to his novel, he was able to write a clear concise story where I felt I was part of the story not just reading about it.

Mr. Lundburg has a unique style of writing. He is able to tell a story in the series and I felt it completed what was started. I realize this is a series and yes there is more to this than just one story. He is able to draw out the tale of one or more of the people in town and complete their mystery going on around them. He leaves us as readers understanding there are more stories just waiting to be unravelled and waiting to be told.

Thank you for another riveting storyline. I can't wait to read more.
6 reviews
March 18, 2017
Great follow up to the first book, Skipper's Oath. I was excited to see familiar characters from the first book and to start getting a glimpse of their backgrounds, especially the relationship between Frank and Monica. I also liked feeling a sense of community with the characters and I cannot wait to see where their story lines go as the series progresses. Looking forward to the next book!
Profile Image for Rajan.
637 reviews42 followers
October 26, 2017
This is my second book from author. First one was “Skippers Oath”.

A fisherman Ned Simmons is killed and Frank’s friend is prime suspect. Now it is upto Frank and Todd to find out the truth and prove his innocence.

This is an enjoyable thriller and can be read in one or two sittings. 3/ 5 stars.
67 reviews2 followers
July 10, 2018
Very descriptive.

Mr.'s books get more descriptive with each one I read. I am looking forwArd to the next. His on going plot. With the on go I f killer while weaving in another murder is riviting. I am enjoy them very much.
1 review
February 23, 2021
A painful addition after Skippers Oath. A huge fan of Alaskan mysteries but disappointed with this lackluster piece. The background of Monica is an underwritten and Mr. Lundburg clearly doesn’t know women.
19 reviews1 follower
April 27, 2017
And excellent read, just sorry it could be the end of that series. Having lived in Cordova for 8 years it was so much fun to read about the places on Prince William Sound that I have been to.
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