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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