Mike Bowditch, game warden in Maine involves himself in the disappearance of his friend and mentor Charley Stevens. Charley has left a cryptic note telling Mike not to try to follow him. Mike sees the message as an invitation to search for Charley. Closure for a fifteen year old murder sends Charley into the past. Mike follows the path Charley has set.
Doiron’s Mike Bowditch mysteries are always engrossing with fully fleshed out characters and great descriptions of Maine’s outer reaches. 15=year-old mysteries are not always that intriguing. This one is because it involves Charley, an undercover agent and a deep regret for Charley’s own actions.

The Maine woods come alive once again in Paul Doiron’s latest Mike Bowditch mystery. Charley Stevens, Mike’s mentor and father-figure, is missing and Mike must follow the scant and cryptic clues in order to locate him. Along the way, he is hindered by unsavory characters who will do everything in their power to prevent him from reaching his goal.

Doiron’s characters are always well-drawn and the wilderness descriptions bring readers right into forest. I could feel the mosquitos and hear the black flies buzzing. He is an excellent writer and is adept at drawing the reader in and holding interest throughout. I’ve enjoyed all of the books in this series, but this might’ve been my favorite because of the way the mystery developed and because Charley Stevens is one of my favorite characters. If you have not read this series yet, now’s the time start!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Minotaur Books and Paul Doiron for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is another one I love by this author. I just love warden Bowditch and his cast of characters and the Maine setting. Keep them coming.

Paul Doirion never disappoints. The latest book in the Mike Bowditch series is also the best. It's definitely a page turner that kept me guessing until the end. Bowditch grows personally & professionally in each book, & I've loved seeing his evolution. As someone who works in this field, it's clear that Doirion does his research, which is greatly appreciated & rarely carried out to such detail. He doesn't hesitate to inject humor, & my favorite line of the book was "emergency ass surgery," about which I'm still laughing. I'm anxiously awaiting the next chapter of Bowditch's story.

This is a great series, and I was excited to see it available on NetGalley, especially since the libraries are closed right now. This book didn't disappoint, Paul Dorion writes in a way that as a transplant to Maine makes me want to go explore more of my chosen state. The relationship between Mike and Charley was explored a little more with a conclusion I didn't see coming.
Thanks to NetGally for this advanced review copy. It's always fun to follow my favorite characters.

Game Warden Investigator Mike Bowditch thinks his life is full of excitement and then he gets the call asking for help in finding his old boss and mentor who has gone awol. Dropping everything he takes off North certain that his mentor is chasing down a lead to the one case and death that he feels responsible for. From trapping pythons with his old girlfriend in the Everglades to fighting off unknown assailants, giant moose and monster trucks in Canada - this game warden's job is never done and never boring. Wonderful real characters, great wit and nonstop action from the wildlife and lowlife of Maine to the Canadian border. Part of a series but you will have no problem enjoying it on its own. Readers of C.J. Box , Carl Hiaasen and of course other Paul Doiron books will jump into this one with both feet. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

I absolutely love this series and it just keeps getting better and better. The characters are believable, the setting is beautiful, and the story line grips you from the very first chapter. I love a book like that!

This one gets personal for Mike as he searches for his surrogate father, Charley Stevens, who has disappeared without an explanation. It all seems to relate to a former game warden and his disappearance from an uncover assignment that Charley was a part of. Plus Mike's old girlfriend shows back up in his life while his current girlfriend is dealing with a situation Mike wishes he could be there for.

The book is amazing and the ending....well you just have to read it! You won't be disappointed. I can't wait for the next one!

Maine game warden Mike Bowditch is sent to Florida to do a background check for a perspective new pilot. He quickly gets home to find his long time mentor and best friend is missing or run off. Mike finds a note and delves in.
Doiron has developed a wonderful and original series and his writing is top notch. This book more then ever describes the beauty of Northern Maine. Great who dunnit but a wonderful travel guide too. Keep this series going it’s simply wonderful.

As a Mainer,Paul Doiron is one of my favorite authors. Having read all of his prior books, I have to say that the series gets better with each book. I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment to see how Mike works out his predicament with Dani and Stacy.....such a cliffhanger ending. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy. Cannot wait to recommend the next book to everyone.

Even though I have come across this series quite a few books in I am pleased to say I really enjoyed it and will be looking for more.

I really enjoyed this latest entry into the Mike Bowditch series. It show cases a different aspect of Maine while making the mystery a lot more personal. I think it’s a big one in terms of setting the stage for the next cycle of growth for Mike. I could do without the Dani/Stacey diversions though. The tortured romance isn’t my thing. Outside of that, which is relatively minor, I enjoyed it!

I received an advance copy from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have always enjoyed this series. In this outing, Mike Bowditch goes to the Everglades to do a deep background check on a recruit, learning enough about #metoo complaints to derail the candidate's job prospects. While there he learns something about the Miccosukee Indians who still live in the area. This gives us a glimpse of who Bowditch is and how he approaches his work. Once back in Maine, he finds the temperatures nearly as hot an oppressive as he heads far north, in search of his friend and mentor who has disappeared. The man, now in his 70s, left a message that he's trying to right a wrong from the past, that he doesn't want to be found - but Bowditch heads out to track him anyway, leading him to a well-fortified compound in the deep woods and into danger as he flushes out the facts of that long-ago shooting that has come back to haunt his mentor. This was not, to me, as strong a book as others. Though there are vivid characters and lots of interesting place descriptions (with detours to explain the past and recent history of the Maine/Canadian border) something was a bit off with the pacing - lots of running around after clues, but the momentum doesn't build as well as would be ideal. Still, some of the characters stick with me, as does the view he provides of the deep, lonely woods.

This is the 11th book in Doiron’s crime series featuring former Maine game warden and now recently promoted warden investigator Mike Bowditch, now 31. (In Maine, game wardens are full law-enforcement officers, with all the powers of state troopers: “They are the ‘off-road police.’” A warden investigator, on the other hand, is “for all intents and purposes a plainclothes detective.”)

This book begins with Mike in Florida doing a background check on someone who had applied for a job with the Maine Warden Service. Investigating applicants to the service was one of his duties now; ultimately, he explained, “it was my responsibility to prevent an unfit candidate from acquiring a badge and gun.”

While in Florida, Mike contacted his former long-time girlfriend Stacey Stevens, daughter of his father-surrogate Charley, a retired warden pilot. Mike was now involved with Dani Tate, a former game warden who had transferred to the Maine State Police but he had promised Stacey if he were ever in the area he would look her up. Mike doesn’t quite trust his feelings around Stacey, but he accompanies her on a hunt for a Burmese python sighted int he Big Cypress National Preserve. In the process, Mike gets to compare the flora and fauna of Florida to that of Maine, allowing readers to do so as well.

While still in Florida, Mike gets a call from Ora, Charley’s wife, telling him that Charley has disappeared. Mike rushed up to see what he could find out; Charley was his hero as well as his surrogate father. Before long, Mike was off a trip following Charley’s trail. He quickly came to believe that Charley was investigating a 15-year-old murder that had never been solved, and that he was in danger.

To find Charley, Mike must investigate the murder also, and soon must add himself to the list of the endangered. Moreover, what Mike finds out about Charley teaches him that “only small boys and fools worship other men. The point of life is to find heroism in yourself.”

Mike’s personal life is in flux as well. Dani got bitten by a tick and becomes gravely ill, and Stacey, who came back to Maine when she found out her dad was missing, announced she was moving back. If he survives the quest to find Charley, he needs to figure out what and who he really wants.

Evaluation: I love learning more about the biology of Maine from Doiron’s books, and this one has the bonus of teaching me about Florida biology as well . The crimes in his books are complicated, but hold your attention. I always look forward to more stories in the series.