Saturday, June 21, 2025

Skin and Bones by Paul Doiron Book Review

About the Book:


For the first time in print, Skin and Bones features a collection of eight gripping original short stories in the bestselling Mike Bowditch series―including one brand new, never-before-published story―from Edgar-award nominated author Paul Doiron.

In 
THE BEAR TRAP, legendary Maine woodsman and bush pilot Charley Stevens tries to convince young Mike of the dangers awaiting rookie game wardens.

RABID draws Mike into the story of a gruesome case involving a bat with rabies from his Charley Steven’s past (2019 Edgar award nominee for Best Short Story).

When a visiting hunter goes missing in the middle of a snowstorm, a young Charley Stevens sets off to rescue him―but begins to suspect the man may not want to be found in 
BACKTRACK.

In 
THE IMPOSTER, Mike is confronted with a baffling case of stolen identity when he discovers a dead body whose driver’s license claims he is none other than Mike Bowditch himself.

Mike tracks down a sinister prowler who turns a couple's dream vacation home into a nightmare in 
THE CARETAKER.

An investigation into the killing of a bald eagle in 
SKIN AND BONES unearths an old case of a missing young man whose physically abusive brother might have murdered him.

In 
SNAKEBIT, Mike must hunt down a killer who uses the unlikeliest of murder weapons: rattlesnakes.

(Brand New!) Mike suspects there’s more to a grisly murder-suicide than meets the eye in SHEEP’S CLOTHING.

My Review:

I have read a number of Doiron's full length novels featuring Maine game warden Mike Bowditch and enjoyed him. I enjoyed these short stories too. Some feature his mentor, retired warden Charley Stevens. Each of the stories is paced well and is a quick read. This collection is a good way for readers to get an idea of Doiron's writing style and plot development capabilities. Readers who like out door adventures with plenty of action will like this collection.


My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:


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. PopMatters named it one of the best novels of the year. 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.

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. He lives on a trout stream on the Maine midcoast.

His novels have been translated into 11 languages: German, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Romanian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Czech, and Finnish.

Minotaur Books, 368 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

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