Thursday, August 09, 2012

Review: "Trespasser: A Novel" by Paul Doiron


For Game Warden Mike Bowditch it has already been a very long day when he was told by dispatch about the possible car accident. Dispatcher Lori Williams says a deer was killed in the impact but the driver was not injured. He isn’t sure why he would be needed and with Mr. Varnum yelling at him he is very focused on the immediate problem at hand. Bowditch is on what is supposed to be his last call of the day out at Hank Varnum’s place where all-terrain vehicle riders have been causing an escalating problem. Mr. Varnum was already mad about the damage on his land by the big wheels of the ATV’s and that was before somebody cut down two old oak trees. Varnum is sure some less than desirable nearby neighbors who ride ATV’s are the folks responsible, but can’t prove it.

Once finished with Mr. Varnum and with no sign of State Police response, Warden Mike Bowditch responds to the car crash. He finds a red sedan with a crushed hood, blood on the road presumably from a deer, and no sign of the driver. With blood and chunks of hair in the blood pool on the road and caught under the fender it is pretty clear the driver hit a deer. A deer that is long gone as no doubt somebody came along and took it. That does not explain where the driver is. According to the driver of the wrecker dispatched to help, the driver said she didn’t need a ride.

The State Police finally arrive in the form of Trooper Curt Hutchins. While Warden Bowditch is a bit concerned that the driver can’t be found, Trooper Hutchins is sure she found a ride and is somewhere sobering up. Hutchins makes it clear that Warden Bowditch can go on his merry way as he has no use for him. The fact that he is Jack Bowditch’s son continues to cause issues and this is one of those cases. An exhausted Warden Bowditch leaves and will come to deeply regret that decision in the coming days.

 

In this strong and very good sequel to The Poacher’s Son author Paul Doiron has created another top flight mystery. While continuing to explore the very complicated character of Mike Bowditch, Game Warden and son of Maine’s most notorious criminal in the eyes of some, there are two very complicated mystery treads at work in the novel. Eventually pieces of each merge together as the cases become intertwined while a deep conflict between those who live year around and those that summer guests erupts again. Warden Bowditch isn’t the only one in Maine who can’t escape the mud of his notorious past.

This is a series that definitely should be read in order. If you have not had the pleasure of reading The Poacher’s Son you should rectify that after you read my review at http://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2012/07/ffb-review-poachers-son-by-paul-doiron.html


The third book in the series, BAD LITTLE FALLS will be out this month.


Trespasser: A Novel
Paul Doiron
Center Point Large Print
2011
ISBN# 978-1-61173-100-2
Hardback
$35.95
440 pages

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System. Again this year the summer reading challenge for adults and kids is now underway. For more information go to


Kevin R. Tipple ©2012

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