This is a collection of eight short stories featuring Mike Bowditch and Charlie Stephens. I am always surprised when reading one of his books that the people that the wardens encounter are frequently not vacationers, but people who live there year round, in a place where the depth of the snow may be measured in feet.

The short stories are fabulous, surprising me by the variety of the stories. The first story features a hermit who managed to stay hidden for decades, living by breaking into cabins and stealing food, propane, blankets, and other needed items. Other stories involve a rabid bat who may have infected a human, a hunter missing in a blizzard, a dead man with Mike's name, and more. I received an e-arc of this book from publisher St. Martin's Press, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

Paul Doiron has delivered yet again with Skin and Bones: And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories! This is a gripping, wonderfully written, vividly detailed, and entertaining short story collection featuring Mike Bowditch and Charley Stevens. Some were new to me and a few I had read previously. For fans of the Mike Bowditch series, this short story collection will be a gripping and entertaining read. This book shows both Charley and Mike doing what they do best. Readers will get to see a younger Charley in some of the stories as he began his career.

The short stories in this book are: THE BEAR TRAP, RABID, BACKTRACK, THE IMPOSTER, THE CARETAKER, SKIN AND BONES, SNAKEBIT, and SHEEP’S CLOTHING. With short story collections there will always be some that readers enjoy more than others. That is true with this book as well. My two favorites were THE BEAR TRAP and RABID. Having said that, all the short stories are enjoyable and wonderfully written.

If Paul Doiron writes it, I am going to read it! The Mike Bowditch series is one of my favorite book series of all time.

I absolutely loved this culmination of short stores and Skin and Bones was exceptionally good! I’ve read most of Paul Doiron’s books and Skin and Bones is in the top 5, and I honestly wish it was a full story!

I am going to jump right into the short story for which this collection is titled, “Skin and Bones.” It all begins with an eagle that has been shot and killed and brought to Maine Game Warden, Mike Bowditch. Mike, in turn, shows the tragically shot majestic bird to his friend and mentor Charley Stevens, a retired Maine Game Warden. At this point, Charley regales Mike with a memory from his own experience as a young warden and another eagle that had been shot dead. Unfortunately for Mike, this story includes the character of Jack Bowditch, Mike’s father, who is a known poacher and criminal to the Maine Warden Service. As Charley’s story unfolds, it’s fast-paced, compelling, followed by shocking discoveries, and downright grisly! This story is by far some of the best writing by Paul Doiron!
While “Skin and Bones” was the major short story in this collection, there were some very interesting and informative other stories as well. In these stories, Doiron gives the reader an intriguing glimpse of the character development of Charley Stevens, retired Maine Game Warden. Doiron really peels back the layers that creates Charley, and he indicates how Charley has gained so much experience and wisdom in his years of service to the State of Maine.
Throughout the entire Bowditch series, Doiron takes the reader to a specific location in Maine during the different and ever-changing seasons. His description of the vast woodlands, rocky coastline, and most recently in the novel Pitch Dark, the Canadian border. The story “Sheep’s Clothing” takes place after Pitch Dark and shows Mike dealing with the consequences of his actions. With this little story one can only hope and possibly presume that Doiron is already composing his next Bowditch novel.
Many thanks for this ARC from NetGalley, Paul Doiron, and St. Martin’s Press. I leave an honest and voluntary review and rate this collection a high 5 out of 5 rating.