AVAILABLE now: THE national bestseller

Pitch Dark is "a perfect beach read that will make you hug yourself in pleasure and excitement." — Kirkus ⭐️ Starred Review

“Tracking a villain through a wilderness is something of a staple for crime novelists... However, it would be difficult to find one more suspenseful or with more startling twists than “Pitch Dark.” As always, Doiron’s characters are well-drawn, and his cold, rain-drenched setting is so vividly portrayed that readers may find themselves shivering.” ―Bruce DeSilva, Associated Press

“The resolution is absolutely stunning, and the narrative, as always, is compelling. Mike is a truly driven and principled man, fierce and resourceful. A genuine hero. Maine native Doiron is an outdoorsman, which adds a rare authenticity to the series.” —Booklist ⭐️ Starred Review

"Suspense, murder, and danger are expected from Paul Doiron’s Mike Bowditch series, and Pitch Dark, the fifteenth book in the series, brings the action and intensity to new levels." —Mystery and Suspense magazine

“Make sure you have nothing else on your agenda because once you start reading Pitch Dark, you won’t be able to stop.”—Criminal Element

‘The resulting cat-and-mouse survival narrative features more breathless action than in past Bowditch adventures. Less surprising—but equally welcome—are Doiron’s always excellent characterizations and atmospheric descriptions of the rugged Northeastern setting. Series fans will love this.”—Publishers Weekly

“Superb…Paul Doiron’s evocative novels about Maine Warden Service investigator Mike Bowditch deftly show the beauty and harshness of nature that no person can ever completely conquer.” —Oline Cogdill, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

“Pitch Dark is a thriller with twists and turns the reader won’t anticipate.  It’s always a pleasure to read about Mike Bowditch, and this book gives readers a deeper insight into what has made him the man he has become.  This novel is an outstanding addition to the series.”—Marilyn Mystery Reads

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?

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DEAD MAN’S WAKE : Named one of the BEST BOOKS OF 2023 BY AMAZON

Game Warden Mike Bowditch's engagement party is interrupted by the discovery of a gruesome double murder in Dead Man's Wake, a thriller from Edgar Award-nominated author Paul Doiron.

“Doiron’s crisp first-person narrative is thoroughly absorbing and richly atmospheric. Readers will enjoy every pine needle–crunching step.” — Booklist (⭐️ Starred Review)

“Doiron creates an array of colorful, well-drawn characters, writes in vivid, graceful style, and accurately portray investigative procedures — this time including the handling of underwater crime scenes. He spins his tale with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the end.” —Associated Press

“Delivers one of [the series'] most satisfying shocks yet... A winner.” —Publishers Weekly (⭐️ Starred Review)

“Doiron is a master of nature writing... Superb.” —The Globe and Mail

“This riveting crime thriller and police investigation keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish....engaging, gripping, and atmospheric with good characterization and great world-building details. Even though this is part of a series, it is a great stand-alone read too.” —Mystery and Suspense Magazine

Read an Excerpt Here

Paul Doiron is the best-selling author of the Mike Bowditch series of crime novels set in the Maine woods. His first book, The Poacher’s Son, won the Barry Award and the Strand Critics Award and was nominated for an Edgar for Best First Novel. His second, Trespasser, won the 2012 Maine Literary Award. His novelette “Rabid” was a finalist for the 2019 Edgar in the Best Short Story category. Paul’s twelfth book, Dead by Dawn won the New England Society’s 2022 Book Award for Fiction, as well as his second Maine Literary Award. It was also a finalist for the Barry Award. His books have been translated into 11 languages.

Paul is the former chair of the Maine Humanities Council, Editor Emeritus of Down East: The Magazine of Maine, and a Registered Maine Guide specializing in fly fishing.

Have you read my most recent Mike Bowditch short story?

In “Snakebit," an original short story, Maine game warden Mike Bowditch must hunt down a killer who uses the unlikeliest of murder weapons: rattlesnakes.