The Bushman’s Lair: On the Trail of the Fugitive of the Shuswap

by Paul McKendrick

In the summer of 2002, the discovery of a cave on Shuswap Lake in British Columbia by a group of houseboaters made headlines across the country. It had been the hideout of a fugitive known as the Bushman—real name John Bjornstrom—who had been arrested the previous winter after raiding cabins in the area for supplies.

Shortly after the cave was discovered, and before it was imploded by local authorities, author Paul McKendrick was able to explore the nine-hundred-square-foot bachelor pad. Its elaborate construction left the impression that the occupant was more than just a common thief with a preference for uncommon living arrangements.

Nearly two decades later, McKendrick set out to better understand what led the Bushman to the cave. The Bushman’s Lair is the culmination of numerous interviews, reviews of RCMP and court transcripts, declassified us government files and McKendrick’s own adventures in the Shuswap. The resulting book follows Bjornstrom’s circuitous path: a child of Romani refugees raised by nature lovers from Norway; a bizarre, top-secret us government program that recruited individuals with supposed psychic abilities; an investigation into the infamous Bre-X mining scandal that led to an alleged hit list; and an ardent mission to safeguard vulnerable youth from abuse.

While some mysteries remain unsolved, McKendrick’s exploration of Bjornstrom’s story is an unexpectedly moving and unforgettable account of a man who decided to pursue a quest with boundless commitment.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Canada

208 pages, Paperback

Published September 21, 2021

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bushman of the Shuswap ... the most mysterious fugitive who made national headlines while continuing to evade the RCMP during the turn of the millennium.

In 2002 while out on Shuswap Lake in British Columbia, a group of houseboaters stumbled upon a black hose hidden under rocks near the shore that led up into the bush. This discovery ultimately led to the reveal of the Bushman's Lair.

Nearly two decades after the discovery, McKendrick was on a mission to fully understand what transpired in leading the Bushman to his lair. His discoveries were truly astounding!

The Bushman's Lair is such a fascinating read. The amount of research that went into this book is impressive. I learned so much and really enjoyed Paul McKendricks writing. Plus the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous!

Huge thank you to Zgstories and Harbour Publishing for my gifted copy.

Trigger warnings:
Child pornography, suicide, sexual abuse

[Kenneth McMahon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't feel it needed three chapters dedicated to the Bre-X scandal in which the protagonist doesn't even appear (I was vaguely familiar with the scandal so it was still fascinating to learn about but it felt like I was reading another book for a while; a brief synopsis would've sufficed) but otherwise an entertaining read.

[Ismena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why did i read this? I got nothing out of it other than a refresh of bre-x scandal. All over the place, and I'm not sure what to think at the end of the style or character.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many twists and turns, I couldn’t put it down!

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super weird and so much fun

[Stan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting character. Good Forest And Lakes descriptions of Calgary area

[Brandon Forsyth · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others have noted, there’s a lot of filler here (notably the Bre-X stuff) that really slows down what is otherwise a compelling story of one of Canada’s most notorious outlaws. McKendrick never quite pulls all the threads together here into something more than its parts, but there are quite a few tantalizing ideas explored in the book.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always had a fascination with the “bushman of Shuswap” ever since my dad told me about him when we rented a houseboat in the area. There should be a movie about him.

[W.L. Hawkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of John Bjornstrom who became known as The Bushman is fascinating. He is complex: an intelligent psychic adventurer with a big heart. I liked him. He was sensitive, intuitive, and felt bad about stealing from peoples' cabins but he felt he had to in order to survive.

The book itself was okay. I agree with others who mentioned the superfluous padding; in particular, the Bre-X gold scandal which was written in detail over three chapters and the protagonist didn't appear. It drew me out of the story (too much like a news article) and I ended up scanning and skipping through the book after that. We discover the connection later when Bjornstrom says that he fled civilization due to death threats from the perpetrators of the scandal. At one point, he worked as a investigator and got involved with Bre-X. He claims to have known that one of the men was murdered. His fear of Bre-X retaliation motivated him to live as a hermit in the bush.

I would have liked to know more about John and his childhood, his quirky personality, his hopes and dreams. I usually read fiction where the author delves deep into the character, so found this book less engaging and more like scanning a newspaper.

[Dorothy Mahoney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read about another well-known hermit existing in the bush by breaking into cabins in B.C.
The fact that he steals appliances and somehow drags them into remote areas and uses them, is unbelievable. The cave that is later blown up by authorities, is a real wonder. The author's journey into the bush with his father to find this spot deserved more detail and could have made a compelling framework. Each chapter is set apart, beginning with a quote. Surprisingly, one of them by Margaret Atwood.

[Sean Halliday · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bushman's Lair is a fantastic read! Whether you know the Shuswap, or not, whether you've heard of the Bushman, or not - you will enjoy following the trail of some truly interesting people and stories as they weave together through the Bushman. McKendrick is a fantastic story teller, and he takes you along with him as he test and experiences some of the Bushman's 'steps'. It's the kind of book you love getting back to and are sorry when it's finished.

[Chloe Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing that struck me with this book was how well researched it is! Author Paul McKendrick went above and beyond, leaving no stone unturned (in many cases, quite literally). I would agree with other reviewers that the multiple chapters dedicated to Bre-X, while fascinating, were not fully aligned with the remainder of the story. I’ve already recommended this book to friends, and would suggest anyone who has travelled throughout BCs interior pick this one up!

[Tina Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book to read!
The story had you wondering what would happen next. How this man was so smart in his surviving skills. The strength he had to survive - making due with what he had. He stole only what he needed to survive. He would mend cabins that others had vandalized and leave notes saying what he took - and only enough to survive. He was determined, hard working and skillful. It was a very engaging entertaining book.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm disappointed to say that I didn't really enjoy this - I was hoping for a true-crime, more in depth look at the Bushman, past, more detail ect. What we got was a book that went off on tangents that felt unrelated (I know there was a brief tie-in to Bre-X, but I feel like no-one was critical about what he said he was doing and what he was doing). It glorified him or downplayed some of the crimes, while having a lot of fillers.

[Karen]

If you’re looking for a yarn about gold mine fraud, Indonesian hit squads, psychics, child trafficking and abuse, bushcraft, the immense wildness of British Columbia, and a mixture of human ingenuity and tragedy, this might do. I never felt I could get beneath the surface of the book to really understand the people involved, but that might be because the author was primarily working from secondary sources. Still, it’s a wild tale.

[Shauna Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having spent a week on a houseboat many years ago, I immediately understood how busy Shuswap Lake is, but also, how remote it is. What surprised me are the rabbit holes and twists and turns in this story. I never expected the why’s of the Bushman’s isolation. McKendrick is a wonderful storyteller. This is a quick read but well worth the time.

[Timothy H. Froese · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intruiging story that touches an area of BC that I am personally attached to, the Shuswap. While the story of The Bushman is intriguing, the author takes an excessive amount of time to describe the Bre-X scandal which, while interesting, is not the topic of the book. The author is well researched and when the focus rests on The Bushman it is an enjoyable read.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well researched book, with good background on events I was familiar with at the time, as I live in the area. I did appreciate the background on the Bre-X scandal, as it was a major factor leading to the Bushman saga. The Bushman is a complicated character, and there are many questions that may never be fully answered, but this was a fascinating and easy read that explored many of them.

[Lars Stuyts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book. Though the details of Bre-x are an important part of the overall story l found the amount too much. I was looking forward to more details on the survival aspect. 3.5 stars rounded to 4

[Andrew Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting true story of the this character living 8n the bush of the Shuswap. Has local interest for me in Vernon. Connects to many diverse elements like Bre X, psychic ability, child pornography, etc. A story too wild to be fiction.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible story that is told in a smart and witty way. The author's characterization of the Bushman makes it a satisfying read. I had a hard time putting it down.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much Bre-x, but interesting parts about the famous Bushman.
2.5/5

[Derrick Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read but didn’t pull me in like some books. I did still enjoy as a quick read though.

[Anejohabanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Way too much about Bre-X. But otherwise a great short read

[Jenna Barron · Rating 1 out of 5]

So boring

[Caitlyn Rongits · Rating 4 out of 5]

super interesting read, I especially enjoyed reading about how he hid his canoe and built his cave!

[Stephen Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting Canadian story. I found that, at times, there was a lot of extraneous detail that, while interesting, I’m not convinced really added anything to the books. The chapters about the Bre-X scandal in particular felt very long and somewhat out of place with the rest of the story.