Set in the wilds of Maine, this is an explosive tale of an estranged son thrust into the hunt for a murderous fugitive—his own father.
Maine Game Warden Mike Bowditch returns home one evening to find an alarming voice from the past on his answering machine: his father Jack, a hard drinking womanizer who makes his living poaching illegal game. An even more frightening call comes the next morning from the police: they are searching for the man who killed a beloved local cop the night before—and his father is their prime suspect. Jack has escaped from police custody, and only Mike believes that his tormented father might not be guilty.
Now, alienated from the woman he loves, shunned by colleagues who have no sympathy for the suspected cop-killer, Mike must come to terms with his haunted past. He knows firsthand Jack’s brutality, but is the man capable of murder? Desperate and alone, he strikes up an uneasy alliance with a retired warden pilot, and together the two men journey deep into the Maine wilderness in search of a runaway fugitive. They meet a beautiful woman who claims to be Jack's mistress but seems to be guarding a more dangerous secret. The only way now for Mike to save his father is to find the real killer—which could mean putting everyone he loves in the line of fire.
The Poacher’s Son is a sterling debut of literary suspense. Taut and engrossing, it represents the first in a series featuring Mike Bowditch.
Praise for The Poacher's Son
“With precise and evocative prose, Paul Doiron weaves a riveting tale set deep in the wilderness that can be the tenuous bond between father and son. This is a compelling, moving, and utterly impressive debut!”
—Andre Dubus III, author of House of Sand and Fog
“Paul Doiron’s The Poacher’s Son is one of the best-written debut novels I’ve read in years. This story has it all—a great plot, a wonderful Maine woods setting, and a truly remarkable and believable cast of characters.”
—Nelson DeMille, author of The Gate House
“The Poacher’s Sonis a haunting tale, and Paul Doiron is a powerful and evocative writer.”
—Tess Gerritsen, author of The Keepsake
“The Poacher’s Son is a gripping, original, and literate tale of love and loyalty, betrayal and redemption. You won’t want to put it down.”
—John Lescroart, author of A Plague of Secrets
“Paul Doiron makes the backwoods culture of Maine come vibrantly alive in this excellent debut... The Poacher’s Son is a fast-paced outdoor adventure filled with murder, betrayal, and a terrific sense of place. Welcome aboard, Mr. Doiron . . . ”
—C.J. Box, Edgar Award-winning author of Blue Heaven
“In The Poacher's Son, a baffling double murder forces Mike Bowditch to face his complex feelings for his father and, more poignantly, his well-hidden need for a sense of family. This is a page-turning, thoroughly satisfying blend of murder mystery and family drama. I fell in love with Mike, so I hope his creator is typing as fast as he can!"
—Monica Wood, author of Any Bitter Thing
“The Poacher's Son is an adventure worthy of its magnificent Maine setting. Fans of C.J. Box and Nevada Barr will relish the riveting debut of the Jack Bowditch series. Paul Doiron is a spellbinding new storyteller whose literate, intelligent novel will have readers begging for more.”
—Julia Spencer-Fleming, Edgar Award finalist and author of I Shall Not Want
“Paul Doiron is a first-rate storyteller who masterfully evokes the moxie and mayhem of small-town Maine. The Poacher's Son won me over instantly.”
—Lewis Robinson, author of Officer Friendly and Other Stories