The story was a tad bit predictable, but I still enjoyed it! It kept me on the edge of my seat and definitely had my attention. Double murder? Yes please. Mystery? Absolutely. What a fun read!

I received a free copy of Dead Man’s Wake from Netgalley and St Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.
Game Warden Mike Bowditch is on another case, this one a double murder on the lake at night. The hunt begins for a mysterious boater who left behind a severed arm (and eventually, the rest of the corpse is found).
Dead Man’s Wake is an exciting thriller that kept me engaged and sucked in. It wasn’t quite as good as Dead by Dawn in my opinion, but it was a great read and one that many will enjoy. The Mike Bowditch books can be read in any order as well, so feel free to jump in with Dead Man’s Wake!

This is an easy to read story in a series that can be read without starting with other books in the series. It was somewhat predictable for me - I guess in the beginning it was more intriguing but then flattened. It was a good story but not the page turner, sitting in the edge of my seat I expected it to be. The characters are likeable and interesting which kept my attention. If you are looking for a quick read and a storyline that will not keep you up all night then this is for you. Perhaps a rainy day read that will lead to picking up other books in the series. I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

My first book in the series and it was pretty interesting. The family members were interesting and helped round out the story. The story was interesting and the pace picked up about halfway through so I couldn’t put it down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the arc.

First experience reading Paul Doiron, and Dead Man's Wake is book 14 of a series. I meet our main characters at their engagement party when they are suddenly dumped into the middle of a mystery. This who done it can be a intense at times, and also has plenty of walking the gray areas with regard to procedure. Very interesting introduction to the characters and the series! I did enjoy reading it as a standalone!

Maine Game Warden Investigator Mike Bowditch and girlfriend Stacey Stevens witness an apparent hit-and-run speedboat crash on the lake near Mike's stepfather's house. There to celebrate their engagement, the pair end up being involved in the investigation that results from the gruesome sight in the region of the accident. As the puzzling clues lead to more questions than answers, will Mike be able to help solve the mystery?

Having read all of the previous novels, the plot was not a surprise. Mike Bowditch is a predictable character: getting involved in investigations that often skirt the jurisdictional lines. As an avid reader of the novels, I am growing tired of the main character trying to be better but never learning the lesson. This novel is particularly convoluted, with many periphery characters that are there just for set dressing. Overall, Dead Man's Wake does nothing to further the character development or storyline. For these reasons, I hesitate to recommend the novel to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to read and review this novel was entirely my own.

Is there such a thing as product placement in novels now? How many times were we told about the protagonists inherently better Phoenix flashlight? Is there a name for this type of fiction, where the author focuses on the specs of the gear used instead of creating a well developed plot? Gear-fiction? Either way, you won't need a high-end depth finder on your blah-blah-blah speed boat to get to the bottom of this predictive mystery.

This title was purchased for my library as a way to introduce patrons to a series by way of a stand alone novel, thinking that if they liked it, they could then work their way through it from the beginning. Given the ratings here and the number of times it's been checked out at my library I seem to be in the minority for this novel.

I found the story interesting. The plot gives off that suspense mystery of intrigue. The story comes with the main character as the narrator. The need to find the killer grips the story spinning in a number of directions. I enjoyed that the book was a page turner for me. The chemistry between the characters worked well for readers to picture the story. I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

First time reading this author and first if those series that I have read. It is easily read as a standalone. Fast paced and keeps you turning pages. Characters are difficult to determine who is the good guy and who is not. The main character seems to be portrayed as a loose cannon and borderline redneck . I kinda thought the author is a little hard on him. Overal, A good quick read. I was provided an advanced reader copy and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I haven't read the other book in the series, but now I definitely want to! Overall, this was fast-paced, interesting, and easy-to-read page-turner!

Mike and Stacey are at their own engagement party when they hear what sounds like a speedboat crash. What they discover is a severed arm. Later the dive team find two dead bodies at the bottom of the lake. As Mike and Stacey get closer to uncovering the killer, they realize they are the ones being hunted!

This is book 14…geez…I have read none of these. This is my first one. I did not feel lost or anything, but I needed more history. So, this is a good series to add to my tumbling TBR.

I absolutely loved the setting of Maine. This has been on my bucket list for years. I also enjoyed the characters, Mike and Stacey, especially Stacey. She definitely has Mike’s number and can make him stand around!

Now, on to the important stuff…this story is a super good whodunit and why! It is intense and a bit creepy in places. But, I so loved the hunt for the killer!

Need a good, intense mystery….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I didn’t realize this was a series, but you could read it as a stand-alone regardless.

Regardless, this one didn’t work for me. It’s mostly police procedural and not enough action, and I found it very CSI/NCIS-ish, which I can’t stand either show so it was annoying to me. If you like those shows, I really think you would enjoy this one though and probably the rest of the series. Thanks to Minotaur Books for my eARC. Dead Man’s Wake is available now.

This book started out strong and was really interesting, but I started to lose interest as it continued. I liked the premise, the storyline and the mystery behind what happened in the lake, but the story just dragged for me at some points and I needed more suspense.

It’s hard to believe this is #14 in the Mike Bowditch series who is now a Game Warden Investigator and about to get married. This was a solid addition to these well written mysteries featuring the beautiful Maine woods, a fine cast of interesting characters (including my favorite – Mike’s mentor and future father-in-law, Charley Sevens) plus an engaging and original storyline.

This time around the plot leaned a bit more toward a straight forward whodunnit and procedural than some of the previous installments in which Doiron brought the setting to the forefront. I have to admit I prefer the latter. And even though there were several potentially nail-biting scenes in Dead Man’s Wake , they needed a bit more tension and suspense to push this book to the top of my favorites list for this series.

Despite those drawbacks, this was an entertaining read and I was not disappointed! Having read all of the full-length entries in the series, I am a fan and will look forward to the next.


FYI - I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good detective/investigator book! This one did not disappoint. This is my first from this author, but now I want to read this series from the beginning!

This is 14th in Paul Doiron's outstanding series starring Maine game warden Mike Bowditch. Doiron brings different aspects of the spectacular Maine wilderness to life for the reader.

As the story opens, a loud noise interrupts Mike and Stacey's engagement celebration, hosted by Mike's stepdad Neil at his lake house in central Maine.

Mike suspects a speedboat hit-and-run, and finds a severed arm at the scene. Mike soon has a target on his own back. To readers' relief, he survives yet another close shave. Great series!

Police procedural/crime thriller that takes place on a lake in Maine. Along with the fast-moving plot, I liked the details about boating, policing, the lake and its surrounds. I also liked the characters and found even some of the peripheral characters to be well-developed. I didn't 100% like the main character, Mike, but isn't that true in real life? Anyway, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. I hadn't known, but this is the 14th in a series. It worked just fine as a standalone and I would definitely read others in the series.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

The story unfolds with a riveting opening: an engagement party interrupted by a horrifying discovery of a hit-and-run speedboat crash. From the outset, Doiron's descriptive prose paints a vivid picture of the darkened lake, setting the stage for the spine-chilling events to come. As Mike Bowditch and his fiancée Stacey Stevens arrive at the scene, they are met with a macabre sight—a severed arm lurking beneath the surface, setting off a chain reaction of events that will test their mettle.

Paul Doiron's skillful storytelling shines through in "Dead Man's Wake." The pacing is masterfully controlled, with the author adeptly crafting a sense of urgency that compels readers to keep turning the pages. The vivid descriptions of Maine's natural beauty and the perilous situations that Mike and Stacey find themselves in create a palpable atmosphere that enhances the suspenseful narrative.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its ability to seamlessly blend the intricacies of a murder investigation with the characters' personal lives, creating a well-rounded and engaging reading experience. The complex web of relationships, motives, and secrets keeps the reader guessing until the final revelation, and the twists and turns are executed with precision.

Mike and his fiancée Stacey Stevens are at his stepfather’s lake house for their engagement party when they hear a boat crash. As a Game Warden for the Maine Warden Service and with no one else available Mike set out to find out what happened with his future father-in-law, Charley, a retired Game Warden, in tow. They find gruesome remains and evidence of two deaths.

Mike investigates with the State Police Detectives. It’s very much a crime procedural with Mike interviewing witnesses and traveling around the small islands to gather evidence. I enjoy Mike’s interactions with his mentor/friend/future father-in-law Charley. He’s such a rascal, but a big help in solving the case. Even Stacey helps a lot with being able to fly and just being a sounding board helping Mike puzzle through the clues. I was happy that Mike seems to be maturing and thinking things through more before acting. A conscious decision on his part to do better and think of the other people in his life. I did miss Shadow, his part wolf dog in this installment.

The coast of Maine and the little islands are a big part of the story, Mr. Doiron brings the area to life with his lovely writing. Yes, it’s a fast-paced plot, but I like how he takes a moment to feature nature’s beauty all around.

This is book fourteen in the Mike Bowditch series, but I’ve skipped around and read out of order. I think you could read this as a stand-alone, but you’d miss some of the character backstory. The ending brought a smile to my face!

I alternately read and listened to a library audio copy. I’ll still keep working my way through the previous mysteries. The audios are great with Henry Leyva narrating the series. He has a great easy-going voice, that I now picture as Mike, and he does the Maine/Boston accents well. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

Great pacing, good mystery, and good plot twist. This was a great read and will keep you reading far into the night.