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Mike Bowditch #1
The Poacher's Son
Set in the wilds of Maine, this is an explosive tale of an estranged son thrust into the hunt for a murderous fugitive---his own father.
Game warden Mike Bowditch returns home one evening to find an alarming voice from the past on his answering machine: his father, Jack, a hard-drinking womanizer who makes his living poaching illegal game. An even more frightening call comes the next morning from the police: They are searching for the man who killed a beloved local cop the night before---and his father is their prime suspect. Jack has escaped from police custody, and only Mike believes that his tormented father might not be guilty.
Now, alienated from the woman he loves, shunned by colleagues who have no sympathy for the suspected cop killer, Mike must come to terms with his haunted past. He knows firsthand Jack’s brutality, but is the man capable of murder? Desperate and alone, Mike strikes up an uneasy alliance with a retired warden pilot, and together the two men journey deep into the Maine wilderness in search of a runaway fugitive. There they meet a beautiful woman who claims to be Jack’s mistress but who seems to be guarding a more dangerous secret. The only way for Mike to save his father now is to find the real killer---which could mean putting everyone he loves in the line of fire.
The Poacher’s Son is a sterling debut of literary suspense. Taut and engrossing, it represents the first in a series featuring Mike Bowditch.336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2010
1660 people are currently reading
11373 people want to read
About the author
Paul Doiron
38 books2,277 followersPaul Doiron is the best-selling author of the Mike Bowditch series of crime novels set in the Maine woods.
His first book, The Poacher’s Son, won the Barry Award and the Strand Critics Award and was nominated for an Edgar for Best First Novel. His second, Trespasser, won the 2012 Maine Literary Award. His novelette “Rabid” was a finalist for the 2019 Edgar in the Best Short Story category. Paul’s twelfth book, Dead by Dawn won the New England Society’s 2022 Book Award for Fiction, as well as his second Maine Literary Award. It was also a finalist for the Barry Award. His books have been translated into 11 languages.
Paul is the former chair of the Maine Humanities Council, Editor Emeritus of Down East: The Magazine of Maine, and a Registered Maine Guide specializing in fly fishing.
His first book, The Poacher’s Son, won the Barry Award and the Strand Critics Award and was nominated for an Edgar for Best First Novel. His second, Trespasser, won the 2012 Maine Literary Award. His novelette “Rabid” was a finalist for the 2019 Edgar in the Best Short Story category. Paul’s twelfth book, Dead by Dawn won the New England Society’s 2022 Book Award for Fiction, as well as his second Maine Literary Award. It was also a finalist for the Barry Award. His books have been translated into 11 languages.
Paul is the former chair of the Maine Humanities Council, Editor Emeritus of Down East: The Magazine of Maine, and a Registered Maine Guide specializing in fly fishing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,589 reviews
August 2, 2016
This was a really good start to a series Paul Doiron delivered in the Mike Bowditch series was fast paced loved the setting in Maine thought i was there with the deer, bears etc took me on a journey into another place & time.
Paul Doiron is an upcoming author with loads of potential an author to watch.
Set in the wilds of Maine this is an explosive tale of an Estranged into the hunt for a brutal killer.
Game warden Mike Bowditch returns home one evening to find a voice from his past on his answering machine his father Jacka hard drinking womaniser who makes his living from poaching illegal game.
An even more frightening call comes the next morning from the police who are searching for a cop killer & mikes father Jack is a main suspect.
Now alienated from the woman he loves & shunned by his colleagues who have no sympathy for the suspected cop killer Mike must come to terms with his haunted past he knows first hand of his fathers brutality, BUT IS HE CAPABLE OF MURDER??
The only way Mike can save his father is by catching the ruthless killer himself even if it means putting his own life on the line.
Think i have found a new author & series a solid plot & he kept me intrigued right through to the end.
Paul Doiron is an upcoming author with loads of potential an author to watch.
Set in the wilds of Maine this is an explosive tale of an Estranged into the hunt for a brutal killer.
Game warden Mike Bowditch returns home one evening to find a voice from his past on his answering machine his father Jacka hard drinking womaniser who makes his living from poaching illegal game.
An even more frightening call comes the next morning from the police who are searching for a cop killer & mikes father Jack is a main suspect.
Now alienated from the woman he loves & shunned by his colleagues who have no sympathy for the suspected cop killer Mike must come to terms with his haunted past he knows first hand of his fathers brutality, BUT IS HE CAPABLE OF MURDER??
The only way Mike can save his father is by catching the ruthless killer himself even if it means putting his own life on the line.
Think i have found a new author & series a solid plot & he kept me intrigued right through to the end.
March 1, 2025
I had been curious about this series for a while now, and was looking forward to giving it a try.
I found it meandering, slowing down the storyline to a crawl. Was it the narration? storyline?
Perhaps it's just not a good fit for me. I won’t be continuing this series.
I found it meandering, slowing down the storyline to a crawl. Was it the narration? storyline?
Perhaps it's just not a good fit for me. I won’t be continuing this series.
August 22, 2018
For a bookaholic like me, finding a great series is more satisfying than finding an ice cream shop with 24 flavors and a going-out-of-business sale. They both, however, share the same downside: Finding time to do them justice. For sure that's true in the case of this author's Mike Bowditch books; this is my first, and I'm determined it won't be my last.
The happy dilemma came about by way of an accident of sorts; my husband Jack, who's a bit hard to please when it comes to books, learned of the series on Facebook (I'll have to keep this in mind next time I start bashing social media). He loved this one, and as of this writing, he's on the fourth and still going strong (there are nine books in all, I believe). With his recommendation in mind - and a description reminiscent of another favorite series of mine, C.J. Box's game warden Joe Pickett - I decided to give this one a try. Now I, too, am itching to get at the rest (according to Jack, they get even better as they go along).
Set in a mostly remote mid-coast area of Maine, Mike is the son of a cantankerous backwoods dweller whose wife left when Mike was 9 years old, taking him with her. Despite his father's notable absence, Mike - now 24 years old - is drawn to his father's territory. He passed on law school in favor of the lifestyle of a game warden (a move that put him at odds with his mother and stepfather and more recently cost him his college sweetheart). One evening, he walks in his door to see his phone blinking; it's a cryptic message from the father he hasn't seen in years. A return call proves fruitless, but the next morning Mike gets an unwelcome hint at what's going on: A call from the local police, who want to know where Mike's father is. Turns out two men were murdered the previous night - one of them a police officer - and they believe Mike's dad is the killer.
Mike has no doubt of his father's tendency toward a nasty temper, but he's convinced that the man would stop short of killing someone. The police, however, see things very differently. Mike desperately wants to help, but because he's got an emotional stake in the outcome, the police warn him to keep his nose out of the investigation. Needless to say, Mike doesn't listen; the rest of the book details his efforts to find his father and clear his name, therein threatening both his career and possibly his own life. It's a nonstop adventure that brings out the best and worst of love, loyalty and betrayal with a bang-up ending. Highly recommended!
The happy dilemma came about by way of an accident of sorts; my husband Jack, who's a bit hard to please when it comes to books, learned of the series on Facebook (I'll have to keep this in mind next time I start bashing social media). He loved this one, and as of this writing, he's on the fourth and still going strong (there are nine books in all, I believe). With his recommendation in mind - and a description reminiscent of another favorite series of mine, C.J. Box's game warden Joe Pickett - I decided to give this one a try. Now I, too, am itching to get at the rest (according to Jack, they get even better as they go along).
Set in a mostly remote mid-coast area of Maine, Mike is the son of a cantankerous backwoods dweller whose wife left when Mike was 9 years old, taking him with her. Despite his father's notable absence, Mike - now 24 years old - is drawn to his father's territory. He passed on law school in favor of the lifestyle of a game warden (a move that put him at odds with his mother and stepfather and more recently cost him his college sweetheart). One evening, he walks in his door to see his phone blinking; it's a cryptic message from the father he hasn't seen in years. A return call proves fruitless, but the next morning Mike gets an unwelcome hint at what's going on: A call from the local police, who want to know where Mike's father is. Turns out two men were murdered the previous night - one of them a police officer - and they believe Mike's dad is the killer.
Mike has no doubt of his father's tendency toward a nasty temper, but he's convinced that the man would stop short of killing someone. The police, however, see things very differently. Mike desperately wants to help, but because he's got an emotional stake in the outcome, the police warn him to keep his nose out of the investigation. Needless to say, Mike doesn't listen; the rest of the book details his efforts to find his father and clear his name, therein threatening both his career and possibly his own life. It's a nonstop adventure that brings out the best and worst of love, loyalty and betrayal with a bang-up ending. Highly recommended!
March 7, 2018
Maine game warden Mike Bowditch faces a killer bear in his rookie year with the warden service but that's not his greatest challenge. His father is wanted for a double murder involving a cop. Even though Bowditch and his father are estranged, he still loves him and wants to prove his father's innocence although this may cost him his career.
Backtracking to this debut novel from 2010, I realize I must have started the Bowditch series a couple of years ago smack dab in the middle. I'm glad to go back and see how it all started. I love the outdoor scenes as the author describes all of the wild animals in their natural habitat. As I live in the city, Doiron makes the outdoors come alive for me. Bowditch is a great character as a game warden even though his impetuousness gets him into trouble every time.
Backtracking to this debut novel from 2010, I realize I must have started the Bowditch series a couple of years ago smack dab in the middle. I'm glad to go back and see how it all started. I love the outdoor scenes as the author describes all of the wild animals in their natural habitat. As I live in the city, Doiron makes the outdoors come alive for me. Bowditch is a great character as a game warden even though his impetuousness gets him into trouble every time.
September 25, 2022
I am a BIG fan of the Mike Bowditch series but discovered the series toward the middle of the series, so I am trying to find the time to go back and read the earlier books. I listened to the audiobook version of this book.
In this book we see, Mike Bowditch's early beginnings, his upbringing and relationship with his father both as a teenager and as a grown man. Mike came home on day and had a message from his father on his answering machine. It had been two years since he last heard from him. Then Mike is contacted by the police who inform him that his father in the primes suspect in the death of a local police officer. This gives Mike a lot to chew on. His relationship with his father has been a dysfunctional one and he is torn. He wants his father to be innocents but people he trusts are telling him he has this one all wrong.
Mike sets out to get answers and to find the real killer. Will he like what he finds??????
It was interesting to go back to the very first book as I am up to date on the later books so I can see and appreciate the character development and how the books have evolved over time.
With the other books in this series, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I look forward to reading book #2 next while I anxiously wait for book #14 to come out next year!!!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
In this book we see, Mike Bowditch's early beginnings, his upbringing and relationship with his father both as a teenager and as a grown man. Mike came home on day and had a message from his father on his answering machine. It had been two years since he last heard from him. Then Mike is contacted by the police who inform him that his father in the primes suspect in the death of a local police officer. This gives Mike a lot to chew on. His relationship with his father has been a dysfunctional one and he is torn. He wants his father to be innocents but people he trusts are telling him he has this one all wrong.
Mike sets out to get answers and to find the real killer. Will he like what he finds??????
It was interesting to go back to the very first book as I am up to date on the later books so I can see and appreciate the character development and how the books have evolved over time.
With the other books in this series, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I look forward to reading book #2 next while I anxiously wait for book #14 to come out next year!!!
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
August 30, 2011
Here's the thing I don't get. Your father was such a scumsucker to you throughout your childhood that you chose a career IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO WHAT HE DOES. You father was a known criminal, drunk and barfighter, a guy who, upon hearing that you wanted to go home from his shitty trailer in the woods because he forced you to be part of a poaching scheme, refused to give you a ride and let a 16-year-old boy hitchhike home through the deep, dark forest.
Your father has never been anything but terrible to you and everyone else he every met, so when he's accused of cop-murder, you just start pissing away your career and probably your freedom because you just 'know' he's innocent?
Not bloody likely.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think most people would have such a hard time letting this dude hang, fatherly attachment or not. But our hero feels otherwise, and a mystery with a weird hacky surprise ending ensues.
Doiron does a pretty good job setting the scene, built in the Maine woods around some political tensions that I'm sure everyone in Maine was enthusiastically nodding their head about but left the rest of the world dismissively wanking. Obviously, this dude knows the area, and opens the story nicely with a few interactions between main character Mike, a game warden, and Typical Drunken White Trash. There's Typical Drunken White Trash trying to shoot a bear. There's Typical Drunken White Trash illegally floating a boat.
In fact, if this novel was only about a game warden trying to do his job, it might have been pretty great. But it wasn't.
Your father has never been anything but terrible to you and everyone else he every met, so when he's accused of cop-murder, you just start pissing away your career and probably your freedom because you just 'know' he's innocent?
Not bloody likely.
Maybe it's just me, but I don't think most people would have such a hard time letting this dude hang, fatherly attachment or not. But our hero feels otherwise, and a mystery with a weird hacky surprise ending ensues.
Doiron does a pretty good job setting the scene, built in the Maine woods around some political tensions that I'm sure everyone in Maine was enthusiastically nodding their head about but left the rest of the world dismissively wanking. Obviously, this dude knows the area, and opens the story nicely with a few interactions between main character Mike, a game warden, and Typical Drunken White Trash. There's Typical Drunken White Trash trying to shoot a bear. There's Typical Drunken White Trash illegally floating a boat.
In fact, if this novel was only about a game warden trying to do his job, it might have been pretty great. But it wasn't.
February 10, 2012
At this time and age, to be a father is not a joke.
I have been a father since 17 years ago. My only child, a daughter, made me one. True, fathers used to be the sole breadwinner in their family. Somehow, a working spouse means that the father must relegate or share some of his decision-making powers. That, for me, changed the patriarchal setup that our own fathers used to have. But for most families around the world, a wife’s share to the family coffers is now a necessity. Times, indeed, have changed.
I thought I had to mention this because Jack’s father in this debut novel of Paul Doiron has all the vices that a man could have: booze, cigarettes, drugs, women and poaching on illegal games. In my opinion, the father’s character is too one-dimensional. He is all too evil while his son is the angel. I remember George Orwell using a drunkard as an example of a person who drinks because his life is a mess but the more he drinks the more he gets into a mess. I know for a fact that there are fathers who have psychological defects and they could be really evil but those come far and between. I still believe that no father thinks of doing harm to his wife and children or anybody for that matter. All fathers celebrated with joy and probably tears when they first held their new firstborns. They dreamed of good things for their kids. They only meant to be good providers. Good husbands. Good dads.
But somewhere along the way, their ships did not sail through. They probably lacked good education. They were in the wrong places. Their lucky charms did not work. Their prospects did not materialize. So, they became depressed. They became hopeless. They turned into vices. They hit their wives. They became evil dads.
The Poacher’s Son is a whodunit thriller but I read so many like this so I concentrated on the relationship between the father and his son, the narrator. The prologue was full of promise and I thought and hoped that Doiron would use it as a preview to what the novel was all about. To my dismay, though. The concentration camp with the mysterious fugitive was just a tale to introduce the character flaws of the father. I thought it would have been more exciting if the father was that fugitive. The character of the son was more multi-dimensional and could elicit sympathy from readers since he was the only one who believed that his father was innocent. However, there was no convincing reason why he behaved that way considering that his father was all evil.
Other than these, if you are into fast-faced, plot-driven whodunit thrillers, go for this book. Doiron also has this ability to describe his milieu quite well that you’ll feel his setting while you’re reading especially the scenes in the forest while the son and his friend are trying to find the evil father. The ending also surprised me and you’dnever be able to identify who the real killer was. This novel was Doiron’s first and it got nominated in the Edgar Award which was not surprising. I also saw that he has just released a follow-up novel Trespasser. Neither did it surprise me too.
I have been a father since 17 years ago. My only child, a daughter, made me one. True, fathers used to be the sole breadwinner in their family. Somehow, a working spouse means that the father must relegate or share some of his decision-making powers. That, for me, changed the patriarchal setup that our own fathers used to have. But for most families around the world, a wife’s share to the family coffers is now a necessity. Times, indeed, have changed.
I thought I had to mention this because Jack’s father in this debut novel of Paul Doiron has all the vices that a man could have: booze, cigarettes, drugs, women and poaching on illegal games. In my opinion, the father’s character is too one-dimensional. He is all too evil while his son is the angel. I remember George Orwell using a drunkard as an example of a person who drinks because his life is a mess but the more he drinks the more he gets into a mess. I know for a fact that there are fathers who have psychological defects and they could be really evil but those come far and between. I still believe that no father thinks of doing harm to his wife and children or anybody for that matter. All fathers celebrated with joy and probably tears when they first held their new firstborns. They dreamed of good things for their kids. They only meant to be good providers. Good husbands. Good dads.
But somewhere along the way, their ships did not sail through. They probably lacked good education. They were in the wrong places. Their lucky charms did not work. Their prospects did not materialize. So, they became depressed. They became hopeless. They turned into vices. They hit their wives. They became evil dads.
The Poacher’s Son is a whodunit thriller but I read so many like this so I concentrated on the relationship between the father and his son, the narrator. The prologue was full of promise and I thought and hoped that Doiron would use it as a preview to what the novel was all about. To my dismay, though. The concentration camp with the mysterious fugitive was just a tale to introduce the character flaws of the father. I thought it would have been more exciting if the father was that fugitive. The character of the son was more multi-dimensional and could elicit sympathy from readers since he was the only one who believed that his father was innocent. However, there was no convincing reason why he behaved that way considering that his father was all evil.
Other than these, if you are into fast-faced, plot-driven whodunit thrillers, go for this book. Doiron also has this ability to describe his milieu quite well that you’ll feel his setting while you’re reading especially the scenes in the forest while the son and his friend are trying to find the evil father. The ending also surprised me and you’dnever be able to identify who the real killer was. This novel was Doiron’s first and it got nominated in the Edgar Award which was not surprising. I also saw that he has just released a follow-up novel Trespasser. Neither did it surprise me too.
September 9, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this 1st book in Paul Doiron's "Mike Bowditch" series.
New game warden Mike Bowditch is confronted with his father's past history as he is now being accused of murdering two men, one being a police officer. Mike risks his occupation and his life while trying to prove his father's innocence.
A wonderfully descriptive novel set in the backwoods of Maine.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
New game warden Mike Bowditch is confronted with his father's past history as he is now being accused of murdering two men, one being a police officer. Mike risks his occupation and his life while trying to prove his father's innocence.
A wonderfully descriptive novel set in the backwoods of Maine.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
June 11, 2019
Another game warden book set in Maine! I love the setting in the northeast wilderness. This intro to game warden Mike Bowditch and his troublesome father came to an unexpected ending. Will be listening to next in the series.
December 15, 2023
First in a series about game warden Mike Bowditch in the woods of Maine.
My cousin recommended this to me and I am so happy she did.
Mike is a “new grad” game warden. He grew up in rural Maine. His mother left his alcoholic father when he was a kid and he had an on again/off again relationship with him. One night after coming home from a call about a bear there is a message from his dad on his answering machine- it’s not a “hey how are ya?” kind of message.
Also- up north at a sports camp where his dad lives in a cabin there is a double murder - one of the victims is a cop. Now his dad is on the run and all of Maine is on the hunt for him. Mike is sure that is dad is not the killer, he may be a drunk and he may have been a lousy father but he isn’t a murderer!
I loved the way Paul Doiron tells this story - his description of the people and places paint the picture in my head perfectly. There was a moment that I physically gasped toward the end- I was totally invested. I can even hear a down-East accent in some of the character’s conversations, but it’s not ham-handed with obvious colloquialisms.
Well done Paul Doiron
My cousin recommended this to me and I am so happy she did.
Mike is a “new grad” game warden. He grew up in rural Maine. His mother left his alcoholic father when he was a kid and he had an on again/off again relationship with him. One night after coming home from a call about a bear there is a message from his dad on his answering machine- it’s not a “hey how are ya?” kind of message.
Also- up north at a sports camp where his dad lives in a cabin there is a double murder - one of the victims is a cop. Now his dad is on the run and all of Maine is on the hunt for him. Mike is sure that is dad is not the killer, he may be a drunk and he may have been a lousy father but he isn’t a murderer!
I loved the way Paul Doiron tells this story - his description of the people and places paint the picture in my head perfectly. There was a moment that I physically gasped toward the end- I was totally invested. I can even hear a down-East accent in some of the character’s conversations, but it’s not ham-handed with obvious colloquialisms.
Well done Paul Doiron
June 24, 2019
I've read several books in the Mike Bowditch series, but I've missed the first ones. So, I was thrilled to have time to listen to the audiobooks. I quite enjoyed this first book in the series, I knew by reading the later ones about what happens to Mike's father in this book. But, it was nice to finally get the full picture! I really like this series and I recommend reading the books. They are all stand-alone so you can read them in any order you like.
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April 21, 2024I've had this one on my TBR pile for quite awhile.
The Poacher's Son is the first in a series featuring Game Warden Mike Bowditch. At the beginning of the story Mike gets a surprise call from his estranged father Jack. The two can barely speak to each other without getting into an argument so this immediately puts Mike on edge. The next day Mike gets a call from the police. His father is the prime suspect in two murders, that of a paper company rep and the good ol' boy cop who was escorting him to safety from a very heated town type meeting regarding the buying up of townspeople land. The police want Mike to help bring his father in but Mike believes his father is innocent. He clearly can't see any motive on his father's part to kill the cop, possibly the paper rep but not the cop!
One of the things I liked about The Poacher's Son was it's exploration of the father/son relationship, the complicated bond that remains even when the two hadn't seen each other in years and had little in common. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the backwoods Maine locale and the respect to wildlife as viewed through Mike's eyes. I think that's what made the book for me.
It's a worthy addition to the mystery/thriller genre and a solid debut. I'm betting I'll read another.
The Poacher's Son is the first in a series featuring Game Warden Mike Bowditch. At the beginning of the story Mike gets a surprise call from his estranged father Jack. The two can barely speak to each other without getting into an argument so this immediately puts Mike on edge. The next day Mike gets a call from the police. His father is the prime suspect in two murders, that of a paper company rep and the good ol' boy cop who was escorting him to safety from a very heated town type meeting regarding the buying up of townspeople land. The police want Mike to help bring his father in but Mike believes his father is innocent. He clearly can't see any motive on his father's part to kill the cop, possibly the paper rep but not the cop!
One of the things I liked about The Poacher's Son was it's exploration of the father/son relationship, the complicated bond that remains even when the two hadn't seen each other in years and had little in common. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the backwoods Maine locale and the respect to wildlife as viewed through Mike's eyes. I think that's what made the book for me.
It's a worthy addition to the mystery/thriller genre and a solid debut. I'm betting I'll read another.
February 7, 2017
When a State Game Warden in Maine is called about a man hunt for his father, he is both befuddled and unaware of how far down the rabbit hole he will be dragged. A fast paced story with many twists and turns, as well as, well rounded believable characters. The main character really drove the plot and was easy to like and sympathize with. Not much gore so it is an easy book to recommend as an action thriller to many who like suspense.
April 15, 2020
The Poacher's Son is the first book in a series starring Maine game warden Mike Bowditch. Doiron beautifully captures the wildness of Maine and the subset of its inhabitants who choose to live there isolated and outside the law. Bowditch straddles the line between isolation and performing his job duties, and when a case involving his troubled and alienated father arises, Bowditch struggles to hold onto his job and reconcile himself with his unhappy past. The story moves rapidly and builds up to a tense and haunting conclusion. I am looking forward to reading more in the series.
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December 16, 2023
4 Stars for The Poacher’s Son: Mike Bowditch, Book 1 (audiobook) Paul Doiron read by Henry Leyva.
This was an interesting look at how a son can rebel against his father. In this case the father is a poacher and the son grows up and becomes a game warden. The father ups the ante this time, he’s accused of killing a cop and now he’s on the run. The son is trying to find his father before the police kill him. But the things get way more complicated as he gets closer to his father.
This was an interesting look at how a son can rebel against his father. In this case the father is a poacher and the son grows up and becomes a game warden. The father ups the ante this time, he’s accused of killing a cop and now he’s on the run. The son is trying to find his father before the police kill him. But the things get way more complicated as he gets closer to his father.
October 4, 2018
3.5 stars
Wherever I went in the woods, I traveled with the heart-heavy knowledge that I was alone and without backup, that the most apparently casual encounter could turn bad on me if I let down my guard, and that if I ran into trouble, I should probably not expect any help any time soon.
This is my second book in a row featuring a Department of Fish and Wildlife Game Warden and I'm really enjoying all the focus on the natural setting. This one is set in rural Maine. The book's title refers to Mike Bowditch, a 24 year old whose parents divorced when he was nine and whose father will never be in the running for any Father of the Year awards. So it comes as a surprise when, after two years of radio silence, his father suddenly reaches out to him claiming his innocence in the ambush style murder of a fellow law enforcement officer and a high ranking employee of the company who has just bought up a lot of timberland acreage.
The case brings up a lot of old memories for Mike and it clearly starts messing with his head as, more and more, he starts to make some really boneheaded choices that put his job as well as his personal relationships in jeopardy. It makes for a very frustrating experience for readers as we can only sit and watch Mike dig himself into a hole, on purpose, and all for a man who, by Mike's own admission, is a pretty crappy human being. But even acknowledging his father's many faults, Mike doesn't believe that he murdered anyone and so he sets out to ask his own questions to prove it.
I really liked getting a glimpse into the job of a Game Warden as well as how lives are affected when the natural world gets paved over in the name of "progress". I wouldn't say that this was a page-turner but it was still an enjoyable read and Mike is a good man placed between a rock and hard place. This was a decent start to the series and delivered enough surprises at the end to make me glad that I picked it up at the used bookstore. I'll be checking out additional books in the series to see what's next for Mike Bowditch.
Wherever I went in the woods, I traveled with the heart-heavy knowledge that I was alone and without backup, that the most apparently casual encounter could turn bad on me if I let down my guard, and that if I ran into trouble, I should probably not expect any help any time soon.
This is my second book in a row featuring a Department of Fish and Wildlife Game Warden and I'm really enjoying all the focus on the natural setting. This one is set in rural Maine. The book's title refers to Mike Bowditch, a 24 year old whose parents divorced when he was nine and whose father will never be in the running for any Father of the Year awards. So it comes as a surprise when, after two years of radio silence, his father suddenly reaches out to him claiming his innocence in the ambush style murder of a fellow law enforcement officer and a high ranking employee of the company who has just bought up a lot of timberland acreage.
The case brings up a lot of old memories for Mike and it clearly starts messing with his head as, more and more, he starts to make some really boneheaded choices that put his job as well as his personal relationships in jeopardy. It makes for a very frustrating experience for readers as we can only sit and watch Mike dig himself into a hole, on purpose, and all for a man who, by Mike's own admission, is a pretty crappy human being. But even acknowledging his father's many faults, Mike doesn't believe that he murdered anyone and so he sets out to ask his own questions to prove it.
I really liked getting a glimpse into the job of a Game Warden as well as how lives are affected when the natural world gets paved over in the name of "progress". I wouldn't say that this was a page-turner but it was still an enjoyable read and Mike is a good man placed between a rock and hard place. This was a decent start to the series and delivered enough surprises at the end to make me glad that I picked it up at the used bookstore. I'll be checking out additional books in the series to see what's next for Mike Bowditch.
December 26, 2012
This first of a new series featuring Maine game warden Mike Bowditch holds much promise for me. I was impressed with the plotting and his capturing of certain types of backwoods Maine characters. However, he doesn’t quite make his hero’s personality come alive.
A graduate from Colby College, Mike’s choice of becoming a game warden is a mystery to me, and I didn’t quite get a sense of his rewards in a thankless job. We do get that he is stubborn in pursuing justice, even to the extent of perpetually angering his superiors and risking life and limb. This tale has a decent psychological hook in that his father is a suspect in a double murder, which motivates him to work to exonerate him. His mixed feelings in providing such help are due to the impoverished and oppressed early life his father put him through due to his shiftless, hard-drinking ways. Though his mother divorced him when he was nine, he did gain an appreciation of the Maine woods from his father and some of his independent self-reliant character. The resolution at the end is pretty exciting and satisfying.
The read shares some similarities with C.J. Box and Nevada Barr in that the hero works in the outdoors administering public use of natural resources and draws on themes of conflicts between commercial and tourist exploiters and environmentalists. Doiron’s second book “Trespasser” shows some improvements in fleshing out Bowditch’s character, and I hope he eventually comes up to the level of these other writers.
A graduate from Colby College, Mike’s choice of becoming a game warden is a mystery to me, and I didn’t quite get a sense of his rewards in a thankless job. We do get that he is stubborn in pursuing justice, even to the extent of perpetually angering his superiors and risking life and limb. This tale has a decent psychological hook in that his father is a suspect in a double murder, which motivates him to work to exonerate him. His mixed feelings in providing such help are due to the impoverished and oppressed early life his father put him through due to his shiftless, hard-drinking ways. Though his mother divorced him when he was nine, he did gain an appreciation of the Maine woods from his father and some of his independent self-reliant character. The resolution at the end is pretty exciting and satisfying.
The read shares some similarities with C.J. Box and Nevada Barr in that the hero works in the outdoors administering public use of natural resources and draws on themes of conflicts between commercial and tourist exploiters and environmentalists. Doiron’s second book “Trespasser” shows some improvements in fleshing out Bowditch’s character, and I hope he eventually comes up to the level of these other writers.
June 30, 2017
How often do you read in a novel: "He crossed his legs amid his penis and testicles."? Never, that's how often. You have never seen that sentence before now. Or: "His uniform had a huge stain below his penis and testicles." Aside from perhaps Louisa May Alcott, that is a seldom-used juxtaposition of words. Yet it is a tic with this author to write about breasts in this way.
"Mrs. Hersom crossed her arms across her narrow breasts."
"She folded her arms across her breasts."
"Her uniform had a huge stain over her right breast."
Is this to remind readers who forget human geography?
This mystery/thriller plows new ground by having !
Number of times in this novel a bear makes off with a Thighmaster™: 1
Number of female characters who use Avon Skin So Soft®: 2
December 1, 2019
I just finished this and I am not going to read any more of them but my husband is going to read it next. He also read Massacre Lake or something like that. The language is too awful and the game warden's father is too vicious. He was a trapper who kills little animals and I loathed him. The only people that I really like are Charley and his wife.
The writing about nature was good and I enjoyed reading about the coyotes singing and Charley calling the owls.
The writing about nature was good and I enjoyed reading about the coyotes singing and Charley calling the owls.
August 24, 2022
What a great introduction to a new series. Mike Bowditch is game warden who's life is a bit of a mess. He finds out that his father is the prime suspect in the murder of a police officer and he does everything in his power to defend him.
If the rest of the books in this series are as good as this one then this is going to be a great series.
If the rest of the books in this series are as good as this one then this is going to be a great series.
November 5, 2012
Ah, family dynamics. You sometimes don't realize what an effect your childhood or your relationship with your parents, siblings, or other relatives will have on you until later in life. And other times these relationships define your entire existence.
Mike Bowditch is a game warden in Maine. His father, Jack, is a hard-drinking, often unemployed womanizer who poaches illegal game from the wilderness. Mike never seemed to get his father's approval—or even his interest—throughout his childhood, and once his parents' marriage ended and his mother moved away with Mike in tow, his relationship with his father was tenuous at best. Mike's decision to become a game warden was made in part because of a need to pay society back for his father's actions, a decision that also led to the dissolution of his relationship with his longtime girlfriend.
One night after responding to a resident's call for help, he finds an answering machine message from his father, which is surprising, since they haven't spoken in nearly two years. The message is cryptic, but it grows in importance when the next morning Mike learns that a local policeman and a lawyer representing a timber company were both murdered, and Jack is the primary suspect. Plus, Jack escaped from police and is on the run.
Mike believes that while his father has been proven to have a violent temper, there's no way he could have killed the men. But he's nearly the only one that feels that way, and as Mike tries to gather some facts and understand what happened, he begins to jeopardize his own career and his relationships with colleagues and loved ones. Determined to find out the truth, despite being warned against it, he joins forces with a retired warden (and one-time nemesis of his father) and begins searching for his father. And then he meets a woman who claims to be his father's girlfriend, who insists she knows what happened.
The Poacher's Son, Paul Doiron's first book in a series featuring Mike Bowditch, is a compelling and well-written mystery/thriller that is a bit weightier than typical books in this genre because of the emotional back story. Doiron, who is editor of the magazine Down East, has a terrific knack for creating an evocative setting—his descriptions of the isolated, wild, and beautiful places on Maine's coast and in the woods were tremendously vivid and set an appropriate mood for the book.
Doiron created the appropriate amount of tension in his story, and while not all of the characters are sympathetic, many are well-drawn and complex, although a few tend to hew closer to stereotypes. There were a number of times when I expected the action to go one way and I was surprised, which is always a good thing when reading mysteries like these. The truth is, however, I actually liked the story of Mike and Jack's relationship, and its impact on other aspects of their lives, almost more than the mystery itself. But I'm still interested in reading the two other books in this series to see how Doiron moves Mike's character forward.
If you enjoy mysteries with a great sense of place, this is one for you.
Mike Bowditch is a game warden in Maine. His father, Jack, is a hard-drinking, often unemployed womanizer who poaches illegal game from the wilderness. Mike never seemed to get his father's approval—or even his interest—throughout his childhood, and once his parents' marriage ended and his mother moved away with Mike in tow, his relationship with his father was tenuous at best. Mike's decision to become a game warden was made in part because of a need to pay society back for his father's actions, a decision that also led to the dissolution of his relationship with his longtime girlfriend.
One night after responding to a resident's call for help, he finds an answering machine message from his father, which is surprising, since they haven't spoken in nearly two years. The message is cryptic, but it grows in importance when the next morning Mike learns that a local policeman and a lawyer representing a timber company were both murdered, and Jack is the primary suspect. Plus, Jack escaped from police and is on the run.
Mike believes that while his father has been proven to have a violent temper, there's no way he could have killed the men. But he's nearly the only one that feels that way, and as Mike tries to gather some facts and understand what happened, he begins to jeopardize his own career and his relationships with colleagues and loved ones. Determined to find out the truth, despite being warned against it, he joins forces with a retired warden (and one-time nemesis of his father) and begins searching for his father. And then he meets a woman who claims to be his father's girlfriend, who insists she knows what happened.
The Poacher's Son, Paul Doiron's first book in a series featuring Mike Bowditch, is a compelling and well-written mystery/thriller that is a bit weightier than typical books in this genre because of the emotional back story. Doiron, who is editor of the magazine Down East, has a terrific knack for creating an evocative setting—his descriptions of the isolated, wild, and beautiful places on Maine's coast and in the woods were tremendously vivid and set an appropriate mood for the book.
Doiron created the appropriate amount of tension in his story, and while not all of the characters are sympathetic, many are well-drawn and complex, although a few tend to hew closer to stereotypes. There were a number of times when I expected the action to go one way and I was surprised, which is always a good thing when reading mysteries like these. The truth is, however, I actually liked the story of Mike and Jack's relationship, and its impact on other aspects of their lives, almost more than the mystery itself. But I'm still interested in reading the two other books in this series to see how Doiron moves Mike's character forward.
If you enjoy mysteries with a great sense of place, this is one for you.
August 9, 2022
I wasn't sure if I was going to like the Mike Bowditch series just because it is a very different type of mystery then I would normally read. However, I found The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron to be a very atmospheric and thrilling read! There is plenty of suspense, but like some other readers, I actually liked the relationships between the characters even better than I liked the mystery itself. I have never read anything from a game warden's perspective before and I think this would be a great read for male mystery readers especially if they are into hunting and wildlife. I loved the way Doiron brought the Maine setting to life, and I was a huge fan of our MC Mike.
And if you are an audiobook fan, I think that is a great way to go with this series. Henry Leyva narrates the entire thing, not just The Poacher's Son, and I really enjoyed listening to him. The end of this one really surprised me, and I was glad that I didn't see it coming. The dynamic between Mike and his dad was interesting as well, and the story is told mostly in the present time but with some flashbacks to Mike's past with his dad as well. I was fully immersed in this book, and if you like more "manly" type mysteries/thrillers, I would highly recommend checking it out. It was definitely a solid start to the series as well as my first time reading Doiron, and I am excited to see how Mike's story unfolds in future books.
And if you are an audiobook fan, I think that is a great way to go with this series. Henry Leyva narrates the entire thing, not just The Poacher's Son, and I really enjoyed listening to him. The end of this one really surprised me, and I was glad that I didn't see it coming. The dynamic between Mike and his dad was interesting as well, and the story is told mostly in the present time but with some flashbacks to Mike's past with his dad as well. I was fully immersed in this book, and if you like more "manly" type mysteries/thrillers, I would highly recommend checking it out. It was definitely a solid start to the series as well as my first time reading Doiron, and I am excited to see how Mike's story unfolds in future books.
December 16, 2020
Ok so there are a lot of things I was thinking as I listened to this audiobook and I don’t know if I will remember everything now that I’m writing this review. First of all I lived in Maine from the time I attended 8th grade though college (with one year in another state) and was back again in my early adult years for a few more years. So the personalities, the descriptions of the scenery, etc definitely stirred up memories. Rural Maine wasn’t for me and I kept trying to escape and finally moved all the way to AZ for many years in order to do that. Doesn’t mean I don’t find it beautiful....it is! And doesn’t mean there aren’t some amazing people there because there are. But I always felt a bit claustrophobic and wanted to see MORE. Regardless of my feelings about living in Maine I think this book captured a lot of what Maine and its people feel about the state and the Massholes that they need and despise all at the same time. (Living in New England for so much of my life, I can call them Massholes!!)
I will admit to listening to this book and yelling at all the stupid things Mike continued to do. I mean why the heck didn’t he call the LT and tell him he was going to miss his appointment instead of just not showing up? Even if he had left a message with staff it would have made way more sense to me. Dumb kid!! But then again I did some pretty dumb things when I was young.
Also the animal stuff was tough. I love animals and the trapping and shooting and such was a difficult portion of this book for me but it also made sense to have it there. Any game warden will have to deal with injured animals and potentially kill an animal. So I didn’t have a problem with it in the sense that it was a true part of who Mike was and his job. Also Maine is still a place that many people hunt for food that they need to feed their families. I’m not a bleeding heart that yells at them or thinks less of them for hunting. I eat beef and pork and chicken. I’m too freaked out to kill my own food. How hypocritical to get nasty with someone who has to face all of it up close and personal. That’s not me. But it was still tough to hear some of it.
Wow that was a long, long review for me. I guess this one hit me in a lot of places. A good read. I will be following Mike on his journey. Also I loved the last few lines. Maybe you did or will too. 😊
I will admit to listening to this book and yelling at all the stupid things Mike continued to do. I mean why the heck didn’t he call the LT and tell him he was going to miss his appointment instead of just not showing up? Even if he had left a message with staff it would have made way more sense to me. Dumb kid!! But then again I did some pretty dumb things when I was young.
Also the animal stuff was tough. I love animals and the trapping and shooting and such was a difficult portion of this book for me but it also made sense to have it there. Any game warden will have to deal with injured animals and potentially kill an animal. So I didn’t have a problem with it in the sense that it was a true part of who Mike was and his job. Also Maine is still a place that many people hunt for food that they need to feed their families. I’m not a bleeding heart that yells at them or thinks less of them for hunting. I eat beef and pork and chicken. I’m too freaked out to kill my own food. How hypocritical to get nasty with someone who has to face all of it up close and personal. That’s not me. But it was still tough to hear some of it.
Wow that was a long, long review for me. I guess this one hit me in a lot of places. A good read. I will be following Mike on his journey. Also I loved the last few lines. Maybe you did or will too. 😊
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2018
Our hero enters the story as a Maine Game Warden recovering from a bad breakup. We are introduced to his troubled childhood while he tries to prove his father innocent of murdering a cop. Oh, and Dad, a poacher who is good at not getting caught, is hiding out in the Northern Maine woods. Can our hero find his dad before a gun-happy cop finds him first?
September 17, 2018
A so-so mystery featuring a game warden, Mike Bowditch, whose estranged, and always-in-trouble father is accused of murder up in the north woods of Maine. As Mike tries to unravel what really happened he gets in way over his head. He doesn't battle only with his direct superiors, but the state police, who see him as maybe a little too protective (and knowledgeable) about his father's criminal activities.
For me it reads like a standard mystery: good guy questions what's going on; good guy gets disciplined for sticking his neck out; good guy does some looking around and questioning on his own; good guy's in danger of losing his job for sticking his neck WAY out. Plus, all the other good guys are suspicious of Mike - as in, is he lying for his father? Covering for him? Maybe he knows too much. This is a constant theme.
I'm currently reading the first book in any writer who has a 'mystery' or 'thriller' series. This is Doiron's first in the 'Mike Bowditch' series and I have to say it's a keeper, as in I'll prob. go on to read book number 2. Not every writer makes the cut, and this one I was on the edge about. Why? It's so standard, so 'color-by-numbers' as far as story goes. However, I def. liked Mike, as well as another strong character, Charley Stevens, a retired Maine warden pilot, who flies a seaplane around. If those two are any indication of what this series is about, then I'm in.
But this one, three stars.
For me it reads like a standard mystery: good guy questions what's going on; good guy gets disciplined for sticking his neck out; good guy does some looking around and questioning on his own; good guy's in danger of losing his job for sticking his neck WAY out. Plus, all the other good guys are suspicious of Mike - as in, is he lying for his father? Covering for him? Maybe he knows too much. This is a constant theme.
I'm currently reading the first book in any writer who has a 'mystery' or 'thriller' series. This is Doiron's first in the 'Mike Bowditch' series and I have to say it's a keeper, as in I'll prob. go on to read book number 2. Not every writer makes the cut, and this one I was on the edge about. Why? It's so standard, so 'color-by-numbers' as far as story goes. However, I def. liked Mike, as well as another strong character, Charley Stevens, a retired Maine warden pilot, who flies a seaplane around. If those two are any indication of what this series is about, then I'm in.
But this one, three stars.
January 12, 2013
Another crime thriller that paves the way for the arrival of a potentially great series featuring the character of Mike Bowditch, a young Maine game warden, thrust into an investigation where the chief suspect is his estranged father. With, at times, lyrical prose and a sense of location that eloquently portrays the natural beauty of backwoods Maine, this novel held my attention throughout and here’s why…
What this book most movingly conveys is a young man’s struggle, at the beginning of what could be a promising career, to balance the demands of his profession with the demands of family loyalty. Despite his dysfunctional upbringing at the hands of his entirely irresponsible father, the nagging sense of duty Mike experiences to defend his father’s name when implicated in a senseless murder, leads him into an emotional case that could be the undoing of his own career. Mike experiences a maelstrom of emotions that cause him to act very much out of character, but highlight his single minded determination to not only solve the case but attempt to lay to reast the ghosts of his past life. As Mike disobeys the edicts of his superiors to track down his father on the run through the wild terrain, he takes an uncomfortable journey back to the source of his uneasy relationship with his father to determine his father’s guilt or innocence, with other formerly peripheral figures from his formative years, having their own part to play in his search for the truth. The characterisation is perfectly weighted throughout the book, not only in the central charaters of Mike and his father, but by those who seek to help or hinder this troubled young man in his emotionally difficult case. There are two particularly well-realised female characters in the novel. Mike’s colleague Kathy Frost, understands Mike’s torn loyalties and in her own straight talking manner endeavours to keep him on the right track, recognising the promise in him, and she is set against BJ, a figure from Mike’s past who re-enters his life, skilfully manipulating him and his father, in her role as a kind of backwoods femme fatale. Through the machinations of a great cast of characters, Doiron, weaves a great plot, which not only plays out as a solid murder mystery, but also encapsulates the struggle of life in a community now controlled at the behest of all powerful logging companies, who have tightened their hold, and dictate to a large extent the socio-economic life of this community and highlighting the tensions that arise within.
What struck me most about this book was the absolute attention paid to location and sense of place. I have read a number of contemporary American fiction writers, who in the naturalistic tradition of American literature, wield their portrayal of landscape as almost another character in their books and Doiron achieves the same effect. His grasp of description and the use of natural images is superlative throughout the book, appealing to the reader’s senses and awakening our imagination to a locale, that many of us will never witness, but feel that we can picture with astonishing clarity. With the destruction of the landscape and communities, I highlighted earlier, Doiron challenges us to weigh up the demands of big business, against the huge loss of a beautiful wilderness previously unspoilt. This he achieves by the emotional weight he pours into his lyrical depiction of this area and makes for another undercurrent of interest to the central storyline.
In closing I would say that this novel appealed to me on many levels with the sheer balance achieved between an engaging plot, solid characterisation and the strength of Doiron’s description of both the environment and the conflicts that arise within it. A very satisfying read and an author that I would most certainly recommend.
What this book most movingly conveys is a young man’s struggle, at the beginning of what could be a promising career, to balance the demands of his profession with the demands of family loyalty. Despite his dysfunctional upbringing at the hands of his entirely irresponsible father, the nagging sense of duty Mike experiences to defend his father’s name when implicated in a senseless murder, leads him into an emotional case that could be the undoing of his own career. Mike experiences a maelstrom of emotions that cause him to act very much out of character, but highlight his single minded determination to not only solve the case but attempt to lay to reast the ghosts of his past life. As Mike disobeys the edicts of his superiors to track down his father on the run through the wild terrain, he takes an uncomfortable journey back to the source of his uneasy relationship with his father to determine his father’s guilt or innocence, with other formerly peripheral figures from his formative years, having their own part to play in his search for the truth. The characterisation is perfectly weighted throughout the book, not only in the central charaters of Mike and his father, but by those who seek to help or hinder this troubled young man in his emotionally difficult case. There are two particularly well-realised female characters in the novel. Mike’s colleague Kathy Frost, understands Mike’s torn loyalties and in her own straight talking manner endeavours to keep him on the right track, recognising the promise in him, and she is set against BJ, a figure from Mike’s past who re-enters his life, skilfully manipulating him and his father, in her role as a kind of backwoods femme fatale. Through the machinations of a great cast of characters, Doiron, weaves a great plot, which not only plays out as a solid murder mystery, but also encapsulates the struggle of life in a community now controlled at the behest of all powerful logging companies, who have tightened their hold, and dictate to a large extent the socio-economic life of this community and highlighting the tensions that arise within.
What struck me most about this book was the absolute attention paid to location and sense of place. I have read a number of contemporary American fiction writers, who in the naturalistic tradition of American literature, wield their portrayal of landscape as almost another character in their books and Doiron achieves the same effect. His grasp of description and the use of natural images is superlative throughout the book, appealing to the reader’s senses and awakening our imagination to a locale, that many of us will never witness, but feel that we can picture with astonishing clarity. With the destruction of the landscape and communities, I highlighted earlier, Doiron challenges us to weigh up the demands of big business, against the huge loss of a beautiful wilderness previously unspoilt. This he achieves by the emotional weight he pours into his lyrical depiction of this area and makes for another undercurrent of interest to the central storyline.
In closing I would say that this novel appealed to me on many levels with the sheer balance achieved between an engaging plot, solid characterisation and the strength of Doiron’s description of both the environment and the conflicts that arise within it. A very satisfying read and an author that I would most certainly recommend.
November 26, 2016
There are three thing I look for in a novel, three things that, in my opinion, make a book good: 1) good, crisp writing where the story moves along and doesn’t drag 2) an interesting story with unexpected plot twists and turns and 3) likeable characters. Or at least characters I can relate to on some level.
The Poacher’s Son is the first novel I’d read by Paul Doiron. In my opinion, this novel had only one of the three essentials. I did not finish this book. I got halfway through and gave up.
While I cant say the writing was anything extraordinary or masterful, it was a fast moving book.
That’s the only positive thing I can say.
The plot seemed interesting, something different. A young game warden, new on the job, learns that his father is wanted for murder of a cop. Okay, that’s different. However, I read half the book, about 165 pages of 320 or so and honestly, not much happened. No surprises, no twists, no turns.
Lastly, characters I can relate to on some level is a big thing for me. I’ve read many novels where even if the story itself isn’t that great, I’ll read the entire novel simply because I like the hero, I connect to him or her, I identify with him or her and, in a way, feel I, too, have something vested in the outcome. I cant stand when authors create a bland boring protagonist that we root for simply because they are the protagonist.
In The Poacher’s Son, not only did I feel nothing for the main character, but I actually thought the guy was kind of a jerk.
***spoiler***
One premise I found completely unbelievable is the basic underlying theme. Mike Bowditch’s father is accused of murder and our hero is determined, come hell or high water, to prove his father is innocent. Okay, that’s cool. However…why?
We are told, through memory and flashbacks, that the kid’s father was a real a**hole. He was an alcoholic, verbally abusive and almost physically abusive. The guy was just a crappy father. So much so, that Mike’s mom took her son and left at 9 years-old. Mike is now 24 and in the last 15 years, he’s had very little interaction with his father. And what he had was not good.
So, why, why, WHY, is Mike so adamant that his father, who’s an abusive alcoholic, didn’t take the life of this cop? It makes no sense.
Secondly, there is one scene when Mike is debating having his ex-wife come over. He mulls it over but decides not to because he knows that if she comes over, they will get drunk, have sex and that will only complicate things. He decides not to call her.
That night, Mike returns home to see his ex-wife waiting for him. He invites her in. They have dinner. They get drunk. They end up having sex. At no point does Mike even try to ask her to leave or avoid having sex with her. What made me dislike the protagonist is that, in the morning, after sleeping with his ex, he, for some reason is angry at her. He treats her like a cheap hooker and kicks her out. Classy guy.
***end spoiler***
I may eventually try this author again but that wont be for a while. If I do, he’ll have to grab me
early. I read a little more than half this book but gave up because I simply didn’t care what happened.
The Poacher’s Son is the first novel I’d read by Paul Doiron. In my opinion, this novel had only one of the three essentials. I did not finish this book. I got halfway through and gave up.
While I cant say the writing was anything extraordinary or masterful, it was a fast moving book.
That’s the only positive thing I can say.
The plot seemed interesting, something different. A young game warden, new on the job, learns that his father is wanted for murder of a cop. Okay, that’s different. However, I read half the book, about 165 pages of 320 or so and honestly, not much happened. No surprises, no twists, no turns.
Lastly, characters I can relate to on some level is a big thing for me. I’ve read many novels where even if the story itself isn’t that great, I’ll read the entire novel simply because I like the hero, I connect to him or her, I identify with him or her and, in a way, feel I, too, have something vested in the outcome. I cant stand when authors create a bland boring protagonist that we root for simply because they are the protagonist.
In The Poacher’s Son, not only did I feel nothing for the main character, but I actually thought the guy was kind of a jerk.
***spoiler***
One premise I found completely unbelievable is the basic underlying theme. Mike Bowditch’s father is accused of murder and our hero is determined, come hell or high water, to prove his father is innocent. Okay, that’s cool. However…why?
We are told, through memory and flashbacks, that the kid’s father was a real a**hole. He was an alcoholic, verbally abusive and almost physically abusive. The guy was just a crappy father. So much so, that Mike’s mom took her son and left at 9 years-old. Mike is now 24 and in the last 15 years, he’s had very little interaction with his father. And what he had was not good.
So, why, why, WHY, is Mike so adamant that his father, who’s an abusive alcoholic, didn’t take the life of this cop? It makes no sense.
Secondly, there is one scene when Mike is debating having his ex-wife come over. He mulls it over but decides not to because he knows that if she comes over, they will get drunk, have sex and that will only complicate things. He decides not to call her.
That night, Mike returns home to see his ex-wife waiting for him. He invites her in. They have dinner. They get drunk. They end up having sex. At no point does Mike even try to ask her to leave or avoid having sex with her. What made me dislike the protagonist is that, in the morning, after sleeping with his ex, he, for some reason is angry at her. He treats her like a cheap hooker and kicks her out. Classy guy.
***end spoiler***
I may eventually try this author again but that wont be for a while. If I do, he’ll have to grab me
early. I read a little more than half this book but gave up because I simply didn’t care what happened.
April 2, 2020
I have to own at the outset of my review, by way of full disclosure, Paul is a cousin of mine. And to be honest, I was seriously thinking of reviewing the book favorably (simply to be nice) even before reading it. I never knew I was related to an accomplished writer until my husband grabbed this book recently (when he recognized the last name) and gave it a read. It wasn't until I checked out the inside jacket liner that I realized he didn't just share a family name but was actually family. Now with mandatory social distancing renewing my interest in reading and increasing available time to read, I figured I'd give this one a go, even though I'm more partial to romance novels than mysteries. The book took me maybe a chapter or two to really get into it, but I have to say I am very impressed with how much I liked it and how engaging it became up to the end. I can honestly say my five star rating is based on quality and not generosity. While the plot is pretty straightforward and plays itself out well, what I really loved was how beautifully evocative the whole setting of Maine is. And I loved the dialogue. Everyone has read authors who can not finesse these two, and they can be tiresome to muddle through. In this novel, the trees, the roads, the animals, the temperature...you feel like you are right there in the woods. There are the right number of characters to make you guess the whole book, but not so many it's convoluted. I really enjoyed learning about what game wardens actually do and all the side stories that played out as the lead character did his day to day job. I am definitely interested in checking out the next book in the series.
September 21, 2024
A satisfying, page-turning thriller.
Takes place in Maine and he uses Maine character names. There were so many I knew. As a kid I went to school with Twomblys, Tripps and Pelletiers. He also mentions Grindle.
Takes place in Maine and he uses Maine character names. There were so many I knew. As a kid I went to school with Twomblys, Tripps and Pelletiers. He also mentions Grindle.
June 24, 2023
Listened to this one on audio 🎧 Really enjoyed the Maine connection and felt like I was at my own camp on leased land in the back woods of Maine. Definitely recommend this series for all those nature lovers out there…including my male family members who are readers!
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