This story is filled with danger (both from people and the elements), mystery, interesting/quirky characters, and a detailed description of the scenes. Then, just when you think you have it figured out, there's another twist in what's happening. Oh, and Mike also has to decide who he can trust. This story will have you turning the pages to see what will happen next.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Pitch Dark by Paul Doiron

Game warden Mike Bowditch is no slouch. Always working above his pay grade, he leaves his new wife, grabs his best friend, and now father-in-law Charley, and heads out to check on a couple of things. ATV renter Hammond Pratt is missing and a father/ daughter duo may be in danger.

Things immediately go bad. Charley, Mike and their helicopter pilot Josie are in trouble out in the wilderness in NW Maine. They all become ill and need help, but their communication devices are useless. Mike heads out on his own and now the real adventure begins.

My thanks to Minotaur Press for a solid four star book I highly recommend for mystery readers who like a good story with chase scenes that keep them engaged. Keep up as a name or two might change along the way and some characters may die. I found Cole’s character particularly interesting. That’s all I can say about that without spoilers!

***ARC received from Minotaur Books and NetGalley, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

Mike Bowditch is back in the 15th installment in the series and while its the 15th book in the series each book can read as a stand alone with running themes of Mark’s personal life so don’t worry if this is your 1st or 15th you are in for a great read.

Mike is back with a new adventure in the Maine wilderness when a mysterious figure has showed up asking questions. With his father-in-law he sets out to figure out who the man is and what he is up to. Setting up an action packed book that moved rapidly along. I liked Mike as much in this book as the previous book, he is a fun character that is set to do what is right even if it means breaking a few rules along the way. Mark is a great counter to Mike, the two men pushing themselves. There are a few characters that show up along the way but this is really a lot of just Mike by himself and he really carries the story just by himself never feeling for an action story the books suffers when it just him.

The reality of why Mark was doing what he was doing with his daughter when Mike finally puts all the piece together is sad. It doesn’t absolve Mark of anything that he did but left Mike and the readers with the question of how far would one go to protect someone. Its an interesting twist that the books does a good job of setting up making it feel like it is going one way but goes another and done exceptionally well.

Sometimes things get a little have to expand you belief to make things work. Yes it could happen but it just seems so convenient that it keeps working in favor of one person or the other. For a place that is supposed to be so rural and difficult to get into contact with people they have a surprisingly easy time getting in contact with each other. Or just hanging around doing nothing other than waiting for something that may or may not happen. I get how it can be set up but it doesn’t doesn’t really make any sense and for what a good cat and mouse style chase the book has between Mike and Mark it doesn’t really need it. The book is at its best when it pits two exceptionally good outdoors folks, Mike and Mark, against each other in who can manage the wilderness the best. But it is still a good and tightly paced action thriller.

This is a great new installment in the series with an interesting set up at the end that I can’t wait to see where the author takes it.

"Pitch Dark" was an atmospheric and gripping read. From start to finish I was pulled into this storyline eager to see what was going to happen next.

The plot, pacing and characters are so well-developed. I read this book as a standalone and I felt like I could easily keep up with the storyline even though there are so many other books in this series. I will definitely be going back and picking up more from this author and look forward to reading them!

Thank you Paul Doiron, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press- Minotaur Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

PITCH DARK, Paul Doiron

Another great Mike Bowditch book by author Paul Doiron, the best of the series (#15) so far, set in the wilderness of the Maine woods bordering Canada. Game Warden Mike goes in search of a missing person but ends up questioning a father and daughter that don't want to be found. This leads to a 24-hour fast-paced, action-filled suspense story, with twists and bodies piling up, while Mike applies all his acuity and survival skills to outfox a very resourceful and desperate man. The characters were as unique as the setting, and the story was brought to a satisfying conclusion. Even though this is part of a series, it is also a great stand-alone read, could not turn pages fast enough! When is #16 coming out!?!

Many thanks to the Author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is the 15th book in the Mike Bowditch series, but I only read this one so it does work as a stand alone. Mike Bowditch is a Maine game warden who gets a call from another agent about a possible or missing person. When he sets off to follow some leads on this case, his gut tells him something is really off about some of the people involved. However he doesn’t figure out what is going on until someone close to him gets hurt. What follows is a crazy hunt for some very dangerous and very smart people. There were some crazy twists and turns in this book that kept me guessing until the very end. I did take a star off because the pacing in this book was very slow for the first 20-33% of the book, and I didn’t get hooked as early as I would have hoped for in a thriller. I received an ARC and this is my honest review.

Wow. The twists this plot takes had me reading late into the night, I couldn’t put the book down. As a new resident of Maine the chance to read about the wildness of the North woods, the Maine Warden Service and their Canadian counterparts drew me to it when offered a chance to read an advance copy. I enjoyed the portrayal of the main character, Warden Mike Bowditch. He knows to follow his intuition, knows his skills and strengths in the forest, but can also accept, however grudgingly, the superior abilities of the man he’s pursuing after he causes a death. Add the killers 12 year old daughter in to the mix, and other characters who can’t always be trusted and you get a story that takes the reader along for quite a ride.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC, it read very well as a standalone, but I’m sure the earlier books are as great as this, I’m looking forward to reading them.

Well, Mike Bowditch got himself in a jam again. No surprise there but this time he does it on an international level. Way to go, Mike! This book definitely tugged at the heartstrings. There were times I felt for the decision Mike had to make because he got in situations no one would ever want to be in. Those parts were hard to read, but at the same time I couldn’t put it down. There was suspense and action on nearly every page.
I love this series. I recommend it every chance I get. Not a single book in this series has disappointed.
I did receive this book as a free ARC and am voluntarily leaving this review.

Pitch Dark by Paul Doiron is the 15th book in the Mike Bowditch series, but it’s the first one I’ve ever read. When I was invited to read this book, I had not heard of either the author or the series, but the blurb sounded interesting. I’m glad I decided to read it. It can be read as a standalone, but there were mentions of things that I think were covered in other books that I’d love to know more about. Guess I’ll be going back to the beginning with this series!

Maine game warden Mike Bowditch learns that a man visiting the area has gone missing after asking about a father-daughter duo who live off the grid. Mike’s wife knows someone who knows the pair, and they set off to ask some questions. They end up witnessing a murder and being drugged and tied up for their trouble. When Mike comes to, he realizes he must pursue their assailant through the rough Maine wilderness or else risk them getting away.

This was a fast paced thriller with an air of mystery, even if some of the action was a little far fetched. I’ll be interested to go back and read more about what led Mike to where he is on this book. Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is closer to a 2.5 but it's not a 2 star, so 3 it is. Honestly, I think this author just isn't for me. The idea sounded interesting, but I didn't enjoy the author's tone, word choice, and the overall flow of the story. I was thinking it would be more murdery-thriller, not action thriller, but I didn't hate it. Just didn't love it.

This was a fast paced edge of your seat thriller!
It’s very descriptive and full of action. It was so descriptive that I felt like I was right there tagging along behind him. It has a good plot with an ending that surprised me. Definitely recommend

This is an unusual story. I never knew what was going to happen next. Many twists and turns.
The main character, Mike, the game warden, wasn't very smart at times, He made many obviously bad decisions. But he was a good shot and talked a lot about guns. Every time a rifle or pistol was pulled out, the author described it in detail. Actually the author described everything in detail. I had to skim so it didn't detract from the scene or story. And then there was the French dialog???
I had no idea what they were saying and not much was translated. And it was important to the story.
And then we are left with an open ending. Only probably this and probably that will happen.
The story was interesting but the authors style of telling it bothered me. It took me forever to finish it. I couldn't stay reading for long.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Readers will be totally awed by this mesmerizing drama. Mike Bowditch goes on a wild adventure through the wilderness as he hunts a killer. The plot is action packed and has many twists and turns that readers will find fascinating. The characters are fascinating and gives the an added incentive to keep turning the pages to its entertaining conclusion.

I first discovered this author when I found a copy of Dead by Dawn at the library. It was put together so well that it didn’t matter that I hadn’t read the rest of the series. So I was very excited to have the opportunity to read this ARC. Let me just say that it was FANTASTIC!

Mike Bowditch feels real and gets involved in twisted adventures that kept my eyes on the page from start to finish. This was equally as good as the last book, but in different ways. This makes me so, so happy because most series’ pick a simple formula and repeat it in book after book. That might make a winning formula for some authors, but it’s a trait that I cannot stand about reading more than one book in a series. Finally, I’ve found a new author whose series I actually enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

I've always had mixed feelings about long-running series. On the one hand, I appreciate the depth of following characters across multiple books. On the other hand, starting a new series can be daunting, especially with annual releases. With this trepidation, I approached Paul Doiron's latest book, Pitch Dark. The premise of a game warden investigating a crime in the remote wilderness intrigued me, and when his publisher offered me a review copy, I was eager to dive in. However, I was also apprehensive because Pitch Dark is the 15th novel in Doiron's Mike Bowditch series. I wondered if I could jump into the story and still follow along.

As the novel begins, Mike Bowditch, an investigator for the Maine Bureau of Warden Services, receives a call from a young warden about a potentially missing man. This man was searching for Mark Redmond, a skilled builder working on the property of Mike's friend and experienced bush pilot, Josie Johnson. Upon arriving at the scene, Mike finds Mark missing. Josie mentions Mark's exceptional craftsmanship, a rare skill in this remote area. Mark had agreed to build Josie's home in exchange for living on the property and homeschooling his 12-year-old daughter, Cady.

Mike immediately senses something amiss, and his suspicions are soon confirmed by a gruesome murder shortly after his arrival. He sets off through the dense Maine forest towards Canada with only his experience and instinct to help him chase down the allusive fugitive. Mike marvels at his adversary's superior bushcraft skills as he navigates the dense terrain. As he tries to save the life of a young girl, Mike faces the unsettling question: is he the hunter or the hunted in this deadly game?

Paul Doiron immerses readers in the rugged landscape of the Maine wilderness, plunging them straight into the heart of the action. As someone new to the series, it took me a while to grasp the characters and their dynamics, yet this initial unfamiliarity did little to diminish my enjoyment of the narrative. The explosive start captivated me, and I eagerly anticipated each twist and turn. While familiarity with the preceding novels would provide deeper context, Pitch Dark reads just fine on its own merits. If anything, it left me eager to explore the earlier installments from the beginning.

Pitch Dark delivers a tense cat-and-mouse chase through rugged wilderness, unafraid to explore its darker depths. The conclusion is satisfying yet leaves a tantalizing cliffhanger, setting the stage for the next book. I approached this novel with some trepidation, unsure of diving in without prior knowledge, but now I can't wait to see where Doiron will take the story next.

This latest in a great series- which will be just as exciting as a standalone- sees Maine game warden Mike Bowditch in a headlong rush of a chase after Paul Redmond and his daughter Cady, who have been living in the woods while building a cabin. Seems a tourist has gone missing after asking around about Hammond, forcing Mike to search, in the rain, in the mud, in the forest. This combines a very twisty mystery with terrific atmospherics and a devilishly clever set of characters. No spoilers from me - and there are a number of surprises. This is a real page turner, keeping up the tension as Mike keeps going when others might have turned around and headed home.. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Oh, for fans- the story starts as Mike's partner Stacey is contemplating a pregnancy test.

When Mike gets a call that gets his spidey senses tingling, he sets off with his father-in-law Charlie, who is one of my favorite characters, to figure out if a man is really missing, and why he's looking for a man and his daughter currently living off the grid.

From the moment they meet up with the father and daughter things feel wrong, and like the other shoe is going to drop any moment. And when it does it's a doozy. This guy and his daughter are not what they seem and before long Mike is hunting them through the wilderness at night, in the rain, hoping he can stop them before they escape, and anyone else ends up dead.

This book is fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat from page one. It felt like you were right next to Mike as he was trekking through the woods, obstacles constantly in the way. Twists and turns literally around every corner, not only with Mike surviving in the woods trying to take a killer down but also closer to home. I did not want to put it down and read it in one sitting. I can't wait to see what Mike will be investigating next, and whats going to happen now that Mike got some very important life-changing information at the end!!

I voluntarily read and advance reader copy of this story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow. A rare 5 stars from me. It's my first reading of this authors work, and I was blown away. Apparently, there are 14 previous books in this series and somehow, I've missed them all. Mike Bowditch is such an interesting character and written well. Just enough action and inner dialog mixed together. The plot was fantastic and kept my interest till the end. I read this in two days. Enjoyable and highly recommended by me.

#Pitch Dark #Mike Bowditch #Paul Doiron #Netgalley #Minotaur Books #mystery

Having never read a book in this series I was a bit nervous to dive into book 15 but as other reviews have said you definitely can read this as a stand alone. Mike is a game warden up in Maine and is known for his skills for finding missing people. When a man seemingly disappears Mike is called to try to help. What happens next is a thrilling game of cat and mouse that lead to me finishing this book in a day. Very easy read with a great amount of action.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this great book and opening my eyes to a great author.

When game warden Mike Bowditch is sent looking for a missing man asking about a man and his daughter, he never expected the chase that ensues. Mike and his father in law must fly into the spot and with the help of Jodie the pilot they arrive safely but when they find the missing man and his daughter things take a drastic turn and people start dying.
An intense read that is full of action with lots of twists but I didn't much like the main character, I found him to be too judgemental. In some ways he was by the book too much and on other things he didn't care. This is my personal opinion and others might love it. Thanks to netgalley, St Martins Press and the author for an arc of this story.