Pitch Dark

Mike Bowditch Mysteries, Book 15

By: Paul Doiron

Narrated by: Henry Leyva

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

"[Narrator Henry] Leyva and [author Paul] Doiron are a great combination offering a fast-paced thrill ride."—AudioFile on Almost Midnight

Game Warden Mike Bowditch must chase down a cunning and dangerous fugitive in the North Maine Woods in this nail-biter of a thriller from Edgar Award-nominated author Paul Doiron, Pitch Dark.

Legendary bush pilot Josie Jonson can’t believe her luck when a skilled builder just happens to show up after she purchases land near Prentiss Pond. All Mark Redmond asks in return for building Josie’s dream cabin is that he be left alone to homeschool his 12-year-old daughter, Cady.

For Maine game warden investigator Mike Bowditch, the intensity of Redmond's secretiveness is troubling, especially in light of suspicious criminal activity being reported around the area―including rumors of an armed man offering large sums of money in exchange for the location of Redmond and Cady. Josie, though hesitant to violate the trust of her prized builder, eventually agrees to fly Mike and his father-in-law Charley Stevens to the secluded pond in an attempt to protect Redmond and Cady. But hours after landing, the trip takes a dark turn when they witness a horrific murder and are taken captive themselves.

Freeing himself, Mike is forced to set off through the impenetrable Maine forest towards Canada, alone and unarmed in pursuit of a mysterious fugitive. As he navigates a windblown landscape choked with deadfalls and blocked by swollen streams, he marvels at his enemy’s bush craft. The killer possesses skills surpassing his own, and Bowditch can't tell if he is the cat or the mouse in this dangerous game. Can Mike Bowditch stop his adversary in time to save the life of a young girl, or will he be forced to watch another innocent soul die?

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

©2024 Paul Doiron (P)2024 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"No list of Maine mysteries would be complete without Paul Doiron."—Bangor Daily News

Pitch Dark

I really Loved number 15 of the series. Can’t wait for the next another book to be written.

Best in the series, they get better with each book

I’ve read everyone of the books in this series and have enjoyed each of them for somewhat different reasons. I live in Maine and therefore each of the books which are set in different areas around the state have familiarity for me. I particularly like the way. The author seems to choose a section of the state and then construct a story which really holds your interest and over the years has developed the character of the main game warden Mike Bowditch. As he matures as a person, and in his profession, the result is that each story becomes a little bit more involved and leaves you wanting to know what happens next in his life and the lives of the supporting characters. as this story is better than the last and I can’t wait for the next. Even if you don’t know the state of Maine, I think you’ll find the ever evolving saga of Mike to be something that you want to continue to read about. I literally didn’t know what was coming next as the author peeled back the story like peeling the skin off an onion. The finale was a surprise for sure. I highly recommend reading this book and if you haven’t go back to the beginning and enjoy being introduced to Mike Bowditch and reading about his adventures in Maine as a Maine game warden. The only part that I don’t like is that I probably will have to wait till next summer to find out what happens next in his life and his adventures. Please keep the series going.

Worst Book of the Series

I have read or listened to every book in the Mike Bowditch series. This book was by far the worst. Story was depressing and lacked character development.