Trespasser

Paul Doiron, author of The Poacher’s Son, has penned a series of books featuring Maine Game Warden Mike Bowditch.  His strength as an author lies in his characterization of the people and landscape of Maine, imbuing his stories with a strong sense of place.  I have always been a sucker for stories that do this well.  Doiron has created a likable main character in the person of Bowditch–an honest man with a very troubled past.  When he makes his bad decisions–which he often does–we as readers are right along with him for the ride.  In this story, Mike is obsessed with the disappearance of a girl from the scene of an accident, only to turn up later as the victim of a grisly murder.  Mike Bowditch blames himself for not pursuing the missing girl and while conducting his own non-official investigation, runs afoul of the police, public officials, and many others (including his live-in girlfriend).  Author Doiron’s portrayal of the brutal poverty of Maine juxtaposed with the natural beauty of the landscape is what keeps me coming back to his stories.  The plot in this one, however, lacked something and the big reveal of the murderer at the end felt motiveless and flat.  That being said, still would pick up one of his novels for an entertaining read.