The Poacher’s Son
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The Poacher’s Son is our introduction to Maine Game Warden Mike Bowditch, now the protagonist of a dozen novels by Paul Doiron. Warden Bowditch had a tough upbringing - his father was an aggressive drunk, he and his mother escaped and moved to southern Maine where his mother remarried, but throughout the book we see that Bowditch has never really escaped that past. First, he has returned to the rural setting where his life began, though this time he’s an adult and in a position of authority as a game warden. Second, the plot of the book centers around Bowditch’s search for his father who has been accused of murder. Through that, we meet a cast of characters who knew his father and have known (or known of) Mike himself. We also see as Bowditch struggles with his own personal relationship, losing his girlfriend in the midst of the drama of the book.
The book takes us through the woods of Maine, introducing us to a cast of characters and building tension. The climactic scene at the end was a bit overdone, but getting there was the fun part. The book is exciting, keeps you guessing about who to trust, and the setting is as much a character as any person in the story. Throughout the book, you get to know and even care about Mike Bowditch even as you want to scream at him for making dumb choices.
It’s a book about finding your footing as an adult as much as it is about finding a fugitive. Grappling with your past and your family while building stronger relationships with acquaintances and colleagues during tough times.
TL;DR: Definitely read The Poacher’s Son! And then, keep reading the rest of the series. This book was nominated for an Edgar Award, after all.
Maine Thoughts: Throughout the book is woven a deep appreciation for Maine’s wilderness, as well as a recognition of the dangers it can pose. It paints a sometimes grim, but not always miserable, picture of life in rural Maine while showing, mostly through Bowditch’s eyes, why many people prefer life closer to the woods, nearer to nature than to crowds.