Thanks to St. Martin's Press- Minotaur Books, I was given this advanced reader's copy. This is the 15th book of a series that I had never heard of. However, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. Pitch Dark introduced me to Mike Bowditch, a game warden investigator, and takes place in the isolated northernmost region of Maine, near the Canadian border. Mike receives a call from one of the employees at the park, that someone who appears to be armed was asking about a father and daughter in the area that he was searching for and has just rented an ATV and taken off into the woods. Mike and his father-in-law Charley decide to go in search of this suspicious character because it is not ATV weather and they want to make sure this man doesn't run into or cause trouble.
Mike and Charley do not find this man but with the help of Josey, a local pilot, find the father/daughter duo who we find out are traveling under fake names. After drugging Mike, Charley, and Josey, the father, Paul Renaud, and his daughter Chloe, disappear. Mike then spends the rest of the book in pursuit of the two through the rough, dangerous, and freezing terrain.
The sense of place is strong and reminiscent of Peter Heller. The suspense is enough to keep the pages turning. Pitch Dark is what I consider an airport book. The kind of quick read you'd pick up before a flight to keep you entertained. I didn't like it enough to want to read the whole series but as a stand-alone, it was pretty good.

This is my first Paul Doiron book and while this is Mike Bowditch #15, I very much enjoyed this and will be going back and starting at book one. Given that I have not read any of the other books in this series, this book was done so well with enough information to fill in the gaps that it didn't feel like I was missing out on all the background information.

The immersive setting and gripping, fast-paced storyline captivated me from start to finish. Mike Bowditch emerges as a compelling protagonist, facing off against an adversary who is equally, if not more, skilled and experienced. Their intense cat-and-mouse game unfolds with surprising twists and turns that kept me on edge throughout.

The writing is sharp, the characters are convincingly portrayed with superb development, and the narrative brims with action and adventure, making it a truly thrilling read. However, I found myself wishing that Stacey had played a more active role in this installment.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for the digital review copy and Macmillan Audio for ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Pitch Dark

A Novel

By: Paul Doiron

Publish Date: 25 June 2024

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Mystery and Thriller

100 Book Reviews Professional Reader

Book Review:

I really enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. This book is about a game Warden named Mike. He is newly married and gets a call one day about a missing person. This missing person is not your normal person. He is very well built and intimidating. He is asking some interesting questions and wants to rent an ATV. He has been missing now for a couple days. So, Mike goes looking for him and trying to find out what he is up too. Mike goes with his father-in-law to check out the area he was riding and also to talk with a family friend about another person. Things get really interesting when they talk with this other person and his daughter. This book is about a man chase and survival all in one where you are turning the pages quickly to find out what happens. I really like the Mike and his family and how they get along. Mike also gets along great with his co-workers.

There are more books about this game Warden before this one and you really don’t have to read them before you read this to find out who is who or what has happened before. The author does a great job on giving you some back information.

This was the first book I have read in the Mike Bowditch series. However, I think it worked okay as a standalone book. And, to be honest, I am not sure I’ll go back and read previous books or any future books to be released. The characters were well developed, but none actually appealed to me. I felt like Mike was a little bit too quick to act without thinking about the repercussions. I think this would appeal to men more than the female audience of readers. So, while it wasn’t my cup of tea, I would encourage you to give it a try and see if it is one you enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Pitch Black
By Paul Doiron
Mystery
Minotaur Books
June 2024

Mike Bowditch has seen a lot during his time as a Maine game warden, but his latest outing has new events, kinds of people and emotions. In Pitch Black, Bowditch is asked to make a welfare check on an inept-seeming outsider who sets off in the woods, in bad weather, and who has been asking about a man and child who may be in the area.

He wants to get back home as soon as he can; his wife is waiting for him to take a pregnancy test to see if they are going to start a family. Before he looks for the guy on the ATV, Bowditch learns about who the man and child might be. He has concerns and questions.

With the help of Charley, his father-in-law, a retired warden, Bowditch enlists Josie, a bush pilot to take them to the site of her cabin in the woods. It's being constructed by a secretive craftsman whose work is excellent. He and his preteen daughter are living in a tent on the grounds.

When Josie, Charley and Bowditch arrive at the site, the father and daughter soon prove the game officer's worst fears true. The three are attacked and left tied up. One of them dies. Their attackers had planned for an escape if necessary. They lead Bowditch on a chase through rugged back country during a dark, rainy night that would challenge anyone's survival.

While Bowditch is in pursuit, he takes stock of himself -- is he overconfident when he shouldn't be? Does he make assumptions or take anything for granted? And not just about this pursuit, but about people. It's difficult to include musings like this during a high-stakes, twisty chase, but Doiron doesn't overdo it and so keeps disbelief suspended. And it fits the book's title: Which is more dark, those who Bowditch is pursuing or the storm through which he perseveres?

Since the first book in the series, The Poacher's Son, had him chasing his own father, who was suspected of murder, Bowditch's continuing story has always included family dynamics and how he measures his worth. Pitch Black, 15th in the series, is set up as a new chapter in his ongoing search to be the best he can.

3.5/5 stars rounded up

Thank you Minotaur Books for the advanced reading copy!

SYNOPSIS: When Maine game warden Mike Bowditch gets a call about an armed man offering lots of money for information on Mark Redmond, he's instantly suspicious. Mike recently found out that Mark is building a home for his wife's godmother, Josie Jonson, in a remote area, living there with his 12-year-old daughter, Cady. When Mike investigates further, he finds a trail of confusing back story and a concerning amount of isolation in Redmond's past. After convincing Josie to take him and his father-in-law, Charley, to see Redmond, they realize that Mike's concern was valid, as they are taken captive and Redmond disappears. While this game of cat-and-mouse escalates, Mike uncovers more and more information that blurs the lines between good and bad even further, leaving him uncertain who he is there to protect.

First, this is the 15th book in the Mike Bowditch series, but the first one that I've read. I think this can definitely be read as a standalone; while I missed some of the underlying nuance of the relationships, I never felt confused or lost when jumping into this one. And jump in, I did! This book was super fast-paced, with some big shocks. The premise itself was interesting, and it was cool to watch the story unfold from the perspective of the game warden -- not something I'm used to hearing much about. While I couldn't put it down, I also wasn't super invested in the characters. A few weeks after finishing this book, I'm having a hard time remembering details beyond the basic plot, which says to me that I wasn't super connected to the characters. I enjoyed this one overall, but it likely won't stick with me.

PITCH DARK by Paul Doiron

Game warden Mike Bowditch must chase down a cunning and dangerous fugitive in the north Maine woods in this nailbiter of a thriller.

This is book 15 in the series . I had not read any other books from this series and I had no trouble following along.

The only problem is that I have a new series that I’m going to start from the beginning .

I love the style of this writing, and the pace of the story . I really enjoyed this one. There are many interesting characters as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur books for the e-book copy.

This was published on June 25, 2024 and is available now.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ℙ𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜
Mike Bowditch Mysteries - Book 15
𝗣𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻
Mystery/Thriller
304 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs
Mike Bowditch is a game warden who sets out to find a missing man and finds more than he bargained for.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs
This story takes place in the wilderness of Maine, near the Canadian border. The desolate landscape, without connection to the rest of the world, offers a cringeworthy atmosphere. I never knew what was around the corner.

Mike is headstrong and willing to go the extra mile for justice, even to his detriment. Some of his choices were iffy in my mind, but it made the story’s action soar.

The big reveal shocked me. It took what was happening to a whole new level.

Although this is the first book l've read in this series, Pitch Dark took me on a twisted ride to an astonishing ending. It can easily be read as a standalone.

💕Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing this ebook for me to read and review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St, Martin's Press for the ARC of this!

This was my first by this author. What a discovery! I feel bad that this is my first of his. It will not be the last! This is #15 in a series (Mike Bowditch) so once you get hooked you can just keep on rolling.

This was a very fast read for me as I was traveling and I could just keep on reading. This was a real treat for me. It worked well enough for me as a standalone but I am certain that any readers of the series would benefit from the prior character knowledge. The setting (Maine) is just perfect for this type of story.

Highly recommended!

Pitch Dark by Paul Doiron

A Maine Game Warden investigator finds himself on a relentless chase through unforgiving terrain.

Mike Bowditch, the investigator, talks to himself continuously and frequently he doesn’t like the answers he gets. His pseudo-father, his actual father-in-law, points out that Mike is impulsive, overconfident, and jumps to conclusions.

Mike faces an unfriendly bush pilot, an enormous private eye, an ex-special services operator, a pre-teen girl, and the entire law enforcement community of Canada.

The only drawback to the book was the wolf-dog Shadow. I had hoped he would have a larger role.

I highly recommend the book and hope to see a sequel.

I have recently discovered the captivating world of the Mike Bowditch series, and even though I am new to it, I found that it can be enjoyed as a standalone story. Right from the beginning, it captured my attention, showcasing the essence of suspense and its ability to keep readers hooked. Throughout the narrative, I was fully engaged, eagerly following the protagonist, Mike, as he navigated the rugged wilderness of Maine. Mike's character is skillfully crafted, leaving a profound impact on the reader. Personally, I was particularly enamored by the vivid portrayal of Maine itself.

Within the depths of Maine's untamed landscapes, Mike serves as a game warden. What initially appears to be a mere missing person case quickly evolves into a heart-stopping pursuit through the dense forests, involving a murderer and his twelve-year-old daughter. The plot is far from straightforward, filled with breathtaking twists that continue to surprise until the very end. As a result of my exhilarating experience, I am compelled to include this remarkable series and its talented author in my "To Be Read" list for the future, and I highly recommend you do the same!

I received an ARC of this book. I enjoyed this captivating mystery with lots of unexpected twists. Highly recommend this riveting story!

My first read by Paul Doiron and I loved it! I loved this action packed thriller featuring game warden Mike Bowditch and his hunt for a killer through the Maine and Canadian wilderness. There were twists I didn’t see coming and an extra special cliffhanger at the end. I will definitely read more!

While I have yet to tackle all of the books in this series, each is a captivating journey. The characters are incredibly well-crafted, pulling you deep into the story, not missing a single detail.

I highly recommend reading this book while soaking up the sun. The author's descriptions of the Maine wilderness are so vivid that you can almost feel the icy chill creeping through the pages. You'll find yourself fully immersed in the beauty and danger.

In this captivating read, Mike Bowditch has his hands full with the unique father-daughter team he's hunting. They're unlike any other father-daughter duo I've read about before!

Get ready to be captivated by the incredible MCs in this series. You won't be able to resist coming back for more!

Thank you to St. Martins Press/Minotaur/Macmillan Audiobooks for providing this ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

#MacAudio2024 #StMarinsPress #Minotaur #Netgalley #pitchdark #pauldoiron #ARC #pageturner #reader #read #honestreview #thriller #bookreviewer #thrillerbooklovers #thepulse #pulsepoint #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMeTeam #lovetoread #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #bookstagrammer #booktok #booktoker

This is the second book in this series that I have read. I really enjoyed both. It worked well as a stand alone although I am sure starting with book #1 would give more insight into the characters of Mike, Charley and Stacy.

This time around Mike gets a report of a sketchy guy missing from a local hotel and the owner says he was asking questions about a man hiding in the woods with his young daughter. In searching for the missing man he decides to question the man and his daughter. From that point in the book the action didn't let up. Mostly I prefer character-driven stories but this was so well done and not overly descriptive that I could picture what was happening. I hope to read more from this author,

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Pitch Dark by Paul Doiron is another book in the series about Mike Bowditch. Mike is a Game Warden in Maine. This is the 15th book written about him. In some ways, the book reminds me of the Joe Pickett books only set in Maine.

Mike Bowditch was a curious man. He questioned many things, perhaps to his detriment (as past readers can agree). The novel took place in the backwoods of Maine near the Canadian Border. He heard about a builder who is putting together for a friend the cabin she has dreamed about. When questions were asked, Mike became even more sure that there was something hinky about Mark Redmond and his daughter Cady.

Mike’s father-in-law joins him on his plane ride to the northern woods to check out the cabin and the builder. They fly up with the cabin owner, just before a storm is going to hit. Ofcourse, Mike’s sense of wrongdoing was correct and then the storm hit. From there, Mike chased the family through swamps, forests and over lakes. With darkness and the cold rain, each encounter seems more desperate and unlikely.

Cold and wet with few resources and fewer breaks, Mike presses on as the true story of Mark Redmond and his daughter Cady comes out, adding a sense of urgency to the trek. Pitch Dark by Paul Doiron brings us into a chase for the ages. Pitch Dark is a good read.

Pitch Dark by Paul Doiron is another in his game warden series featuring, primarily, Mike Bowditch. Bowditch is a complicated character and we learn more about him with every book. His father was a criminal and his last name was unique enough that people asked about it all the time. He was recently married to Stacey, the daughter of his mentor and retired game warden, Charley Stevens, whom he still called on for assistance. They were looking at a potentially missing person, based on the cabin owner’s report that the guest had been gone for two days and he had no faith in the missing man’s outdoor skills. He was looking for someone and that someone sounded like the man building a cabin for Stacey’s godmother, Josie. Apparently the man was a genius and master craftsman. Charley took him to Josie’s where she flew then to the cabin site. Things started getting dicey pretty quickly. It all ended with a manhunt which took Mike over the Canadian border and left a trail of bodies, mostly not of his doing.

Mike is a complicated character, totally dedicated to his job and keeping people save. It occurred to him during this episode that he wasn’t keeping people particularly safe but he learned as he went along and understood his prey better the longer he tracked him. It was a complicated story, mostly about tracking the criminals, although at the beginning he didn’t realized who they were. He picked up a private investigator along the way and didn’t take him seriously either. A mistake. Trekking through the wilds of Maine and Canada was no one’s idea of fun, yet this was a very readable and interesting book. Thanks Paul Doiron for this very readable character.

I was invited to read Pitch Dark by St Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #PaulDoiron #PitchDark

This is just not believable. One man, injured and in the most difficult weather conditions, simply cannot run from pillar to post, back and forth, up and down during a twenty-four hour period and accomplish everything this story purports. Game Warden Mike Bowditch might be in great condition, know the terrain, be pretty savvy, but nope, I am not buying it. However, if you like explicit descriptions of the forests and wilderness of Maine, enjoy fast and furious action and adventure and a very twisty story this book is for you.

This is #15 in the series but it can be read as a standalone. I liked the book - I just didn’t believe it could all happen. This was a one sitting read and I thought I had it all figured out until the last page and that invaded my thoughts and peace of mind for hours after I finished. Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy.

WOW!

This is a new-to-me author, and now I'm hooked. This book grabbed my attention from the beginning and didn't let go. I covered the first 55% in a flash, and would have continued if I didn't have to work. Highly recommend, now I need to go find others by this same author! I'm hoping there will be another book in the series.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

This is a book to gulp down like a cold beer on a hot summer day! It’s a read that is impossible to put down and pause from. A slightly experienced game warden in northern Maine tries to determine whether a missing man is missing or a threat to a man and his daughter living in the deep Maine woods. Driven, action-packed, with unanticipated hazards and accurate descriptions of the territory patrolled, the dangers are not what you think and the plotting will fully engage your imagination. Utterly thrilling.