This is the 14th book in the Mike Bowditch Series and it is still going strong.

Mike Bowditch is a Maine Game Warden Investigator. Mike and Stacey are at their own engagement party on the lake when they see and hear a high-speed boat crash. Grabbing their dads and heading out they find debris and a severed arm is below the surface. As the dive team arrives they recover two naked bodies. One belongs to the severed arm, a man and one belongs to the married woman he was secretly ( or not) having an affair with.

With that information, Mike knows this was probably not an accident. But he is quite alone in that theory. As they find out more, Mike is feeling this may be a professional job. But as he gets closer to nailing a killer, their own lives are threatened and this killer wants them dead.

Always a thrill ride with Mike. This may be the 14th book, but it was just as edgy as the first.

NetGalley/ St. Martin’s/ Minotaur June 27, 2023

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader and audiobook copy of Dead Man's Wake by Paul Doiron in exchange for an honest review. I am really enjoying the Mike Bowditch series. I started with number 13 and now this book, even though I haven't gotten to the earlier books, I am still able to enjoy these. I have always wanted to visit the northeastern coast and that is the location of these. A good murder mystery for a quick weekend read.

Though this book was my introduction to the character, Dead Man's Wake is the 14th book in the Mike Bowditch series by Doiron. Mike is a Maine game warden who gets caught up in investigating a murder when he's visiting family to celebrate his engagement. (Now I'll have to hunt down the first 13.)

A one-armed body is found near an island in the lake where Bowditch's stepfather has a home and Mike gets pulled into the investigation. Another body is soon recovered as well. Uncooperative or inefficient law enforcement officers from other branches, people safeguarding their own interests, sabotage, red herrings, and even the weather throw obstacles in the way of the investigation but Mike and his crew persist to solve the crime. The victim is a notorious womanizer married to a wealthy but ill woman. Mike, his fiancée Stacey, his future father-in-law, and others work together to solve the mystery, stepping on the toes of the locals along the way. The married woman whose body was found has a violent, biker husband with whom they must contend as well.

This is one for those who enjoy mysteries, adventure, and the outdoors.

hank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the copy of Dead man’s Wake by Paul Doiron. I have read a couple of previous books in this series and I don’t remember being so annoyed with the first person narrative before, but in this book it was really hard to take. The story has a really slow start, so slow I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to finish it. Fortunately, the book picked up and about two thirds through it got really good. I really liked how all of the pieces and people started to fit together, making the long start worth it. If you don’t mind a slow-paced book, you will love this installment in the series. If you’re more impatient (like I am) it might not be for you.

Imagine, if you will, an entire play cast with only 1 actor who simply changes names and jobs throughout, while keeping the same personality and mannerisms. You now have every female character outside the protagonists family, that he ever meets in this book. Does he really encounter that many horrible women, or is his inherit narcissism responsible for an unflattering view of those around him? We'll never know because it seems that other than being genuinely unlikable, these characters are as flat as paper. I was really interested in reading a thriller with a game warden instead of police investigating but in the end it didn't matter, there was nothing different. A ton of research must have been done into the technicalities of boating because entire passages read like an instruction manual, leaving me feeling bored and frustrated. 2 stars for the great descriptions of Maine, I want to visit more than ever. But not if boats are involved.

I picked this book by its beautiful and striking cover, even though my momma taught me better. 😆
I’ve also been wanting to try this author for a long time, so when I was offered an eARC of this book, I jumped at the chance.

First of all, it is possible to read this book even if you haven’t read 1-13 in the series. I got the impression there was a lot of backstory which I had missed but it did nothing to prevent me from understanding this story—it did make me want to go back and read the previous stories, though.

My copy was an uncorrected proof and that was extremely noticeable—I’ve actually never seen so many errors in a book but hopefully those will be all ironed out before the final printing.

The chapters are short, which worked well to keep the pacing fast. There was a solid plot and the mystery was good and not completely obvious, which I appreciated. The characters were interesting and there even seemed to be some noticeable growth from the main character and at least one side character.

I enjoyed reading this book and found myself thinking about it and wanting to get back to it frequently throughout the day. The story moved along quickly and kept me very engaged. I would recommend this to a reader who likes fast-paced mystery books.

Death is not the end of this story. It's only the beginning.

Paul Doiron has outdone himself in his latest offering in the Mike Bowditch Series. Don't gasp at the #14. It reads fine as a standalone, but you'll probably be enticed to read some of the earlier ones. There's good stuff happenin' here.

What should have been a night of celebration turns into a night of horror. Mike Bowditch, game warden investigator, and Stacey Stevens, wildlife biologist, have announced their engagement on Labor Day. The champagne toasts have been sidelined because of an ear-splitting crash on the lake. Mike borrows his stepdad's boat along with Stacey and her father, Charley. Charley is a retired warden and still active pilot. What will meet them in this water is mind-numbing.

There are casualties here. Something floats near their boat......it's a human arm. Charley dives below the surface to verify the remains. Later, they find the remnants of a party for two on some huge rocks on Mouse Island. There's a missing woman to go along with that unidentified corpse of a man. What exactly is the story behind this unnamed couple and where is the boater responsible for this late night swim tragedy?

A swarm of law enforcement hunkers down in the area: State Police, the lake constable, the Maine Warden Service, and a diving team. Mike is put in charge and the tension permeates throughout these teams. Like herding cats, Mike. The story will keep widening and widening as more information surfaces......and the suspects do as well.

I felt the vibes of Paul Doiron's original writing game plan hitting the ground running in Dead Man's Wake. Just sayin'. Chapter 54 onward to the end is filled with such taut descriptive writing that the reader will almost hyperventilate. Doiron lays the scene wide open. Someone is casting a massive shadow over Mike and he's in the clutches of an evil being. Bravo, Paul Doiron, just bravo.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to the talented Paul Doiron for the opportunity.

I picked this out of the pile thinking it would be a swift sorbet, and was pleasantly surprised when it became more than a run-of-the-mill thriller. Yes, there is a mystery, several in fact, to be resolved by Mike Bowditch who solves crimes in his role as a game warden in Maine. But it is the State of Maine and its beauty at the cusp of seasons is what made me pay closer attention. What Doiron has managed to do is create a setting that provides such sensory elements that the reader can feel the nip in the air, witness the gradual turning of the leaves, smell the earth cooling. Although there are 13 preceding volumes in the series, this could be read as a standalone.

The beginning of the book was a bit boring to read and kind of hard to push through, but I kept going. There were also lots of technical terms that didn't seem to help the plot at all. As things picked up, it got a little more interesting, but not enough for me to want to pick this book up and buy it. The cover is really nice though.

*received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Game Warden Mike Bowditch and his fiancée Stacey Stevens are at the home of Mike's step-father and his wife who are hosting an engagement party for them along with Stacey's parents. While out on the dock at the house Mike and Stacey witness a hit and run by a speedboat. What they find are two dead bodies in the lake. Trying to identify the boater and all that happened and why gets more and more complicated and dangerous for them as the clues and trails they follow nearly get them and their fellow officers killed.

This was my first Mike Bowditch book, but it certainly won’t be my last! I loved that I could jump into this without reading the backlist books—and didn’t feel like I was missing a giant chunk of the story.

Taking place at a Maine lake house, this suspenseful mystery follows the investigation into a boating death. Or was it something more sinister? I didn’t see the villain coming, it was a little out of left field. But made sense looking back. I wish there had been further exploration of why the villain did what they did, and what the total outcome for all parties was.

I adore books that take place in Maine. This setting was no different. The author really gives a sense of what it feels like to be there in the summer in this book.

Overall, good read and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next Mike Bowditch book!

This is the 14th in the Mike Bowditch series and I only just discovered it! Although I’m sorry I missed out on the earlier stories, this works well as a standalone.

Mike is a Maine Game Warden Investigator engaged to Stacey, an EMT. While visiting his step father and his new wife in their lakeside home, along with his future in laws, the couple observe what may be a hit and run boat crash. When they investigate, they discover a severed arm in the water. The next day, two bodies are found in the lake. The dead bodies bring out personnel from various law enforcement departments, with Mike and Stacey caught up in a dangerous quest for the truth.


I loved the unique take on a police procedural…featuring a game warden investigator.It was a fast paced, engrossing read with a solid plot and lots of action. Doiron created a good sense of place. I enjoyed learning some new information related to boating, water searches, float planes. Although there are hints of a rough background, I liked the main character. He was realistic. Mike respects warrants and there were minimal superhuman feats. I also liked Stacy’s character. She is a smart, capable female who plays an important role in the story.

I am adding this series to my list of must reads. I am looking forward to the next one.

Ebook/Thriller: What a great book; I read it in two days! The only other "Mike Bowditch" novel I've read is #9. This one was better. Mike was isolated in the last one, but is around other people where his humor comes out because he's around other characters. There is the whole family and fiance' family I had to figure out.
As for the plot, I really liked all the twists and turns. Mike is a game warden (who also has to investigate water deaths), so he has to think out of the box to stay on the case. I really enjoyed the novel and recommend it. I want to thank Netgalley for letting me have an advanced copy of the book.

I could not stop reading! Mike's engagement party is interrupted by the sound of a boat hitting something out on the lake. The boat speeds off and Mike goes out to see what was hit. Unfortunately he finds an arm. Things get very complicated very quickly. Dead Man's Wake is definitely a can't-put-it-down book!

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. When two individuals were found murdered, it will take everything Mike has to figure out who did it. This book grabbed my attention from the start.

Dead Man’s Wake is a fast paced murder investigation story dealing with a boating accident. Character development is well done. I was thoroughly engaged in this page turner.

An exciting, suspenseful and action packed story. Paul really knows how to keep you turning pages.i can't wait to read more from him.

14th on the series. I'll definitely be reading the earlier books. We'll developed characters and great storyline. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

When I look back at things it really seems like time flies, but when you're in the moment time seems to move slowly. I can't believe that I just read the 14th Mike Bowditch book, Dead Man's Wake by Paul Doiron.

I liked the premise of Dead Man's Wake - a boating accident under the cover of night on a dark empty lake, with all the lake front inhabitants as possible witnesses. Alas for me that was the best part of the story.

I felt that the story was rather wordy, laced with technical boating terminology that really didn't add anything to the story for me, and a variety of flat characters. Granted I loved the return of Mike, Stacey, Charlie, Ora etc and the mention of Storm but the new additions to the story were difficult for me to get on-board with.

Please don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the book, it’s just not the best of the Mike Bowditch books. In my opinion there was very little “mystery or suspense”, just a good old fashioned who-dunnit, that didn’t progress like a police procedural, but more like a cold case being reviewed. I enjoyed the action in the last quarter of the book and the actual reason why Mike and the Stevens family and friends were at the lake to begin with. Let’s just say I expected more, especially with such a great book title.

I highly suggest for those followers of the series that you read this installment so that you will be up to date when the next book comes out. For new readers of the series, I would not start with this book (which can be read as a stand-alone) but start at the beginning so that you will have more background on the main characters, thus making their relationships make more sense.

I wish to thank Minotaur Books, the author and NetGalley for providing the digital advance reader copy of “Dead Man’s Wake” in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions provided voluntarily without any compensation to me.

The book will be published in all formats June 27th, 2023.

For me this was a 3 star out of 5 stars read.

Dead Man's Wake by Paul Doiron is the 14th installment in this series. I didn't feel like I missed anything by not reading all the books in this series. The story was entertaining and fast-paced. It took me a bit to get into the story, but it didn't let up once it got going.

The mystery was good, and the characters were well-developed and three-dimensional. It had enough false clues, suspense, and tension throughout the storyline.

I would recommend this book and this author. A 4 out of 5 stars for me.

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