Friday, November 23, 2012

A Review of "Bad Little Falls" [91]

Bad Little Falls:A Novel by Paul Doiron
 Minotaur Books, ISBN 978-0312558482
 August 7, 2012, 320 pages



Back for the third time is Maine Game Warden Mike Bowditch and fans of the series will be thrilled. This may be my favorite one of the series so far.
Those of you who have not jumped on this series..what are you waiting for?!!

 Mike is a guy who tend to push the envelope, test the limits of his job and not the most popular with the higher ups in the Service. So it is no surprise that he has been transferred from the popular mid- coast to the ends-of-the-earth Maine style, the more rough and ready northern regions up by the Canadian border.

Drug smuggling is a big problem up here and the game wardens are even more unpopular than elsewhere in the state, which is saying something. Since he broke up with his girlfriend at the end of the last book as well, Mike has never felt so alone.

But he will be busy enough to keep him distracted.
A huge snowstorm moves into the region and right at the height of the storm, Mike gets called to the assistance of an older couple living in a remote cabin. A half frozen man...literally...has stumbled up to their door at the height of the blizzard, claiming his friend is still out there in the storm. When he is found, it is too late, but it is soon clear the storm did not kill him. No, his death came at more human hands, perhaps the frozen friend who sent the rescuers. And since the dead man was known to police as a major drug dealer, no doubt something illegal is probably involved.

On the personal side, Mike is getting involved with a beautiful young local woman. It might not be the best idea though...since she is the sister of the frostbitten man..and a woman with more than a few of her own issues. These include the fact that the dead man was her ex-boyfriend, she has her own drug history, and a strange little son who has a lot more secrets than a little boy should have.

I love this series for several reason. Yes, I love the location is Maine, even if this one is not set on the beautiful coast. And Mike is a great character, flawed but with a big heart. Happily, he seems to have realized his own issues with alcohol so apparent in the last book and has that more under control this time around. But while he is a smart guy, he is still often leading with his feelings, which makes for some great situations. And one of my favorite characters, his pilot friend Charley Stevens is back, along with his beautiful biologist/pilot daughter. Ok, she is engaged, but I am sensing a future love interest for Mike here ...I hope...and she is spunky enough that that should be great fun.
The plot is complicated enough to hold the interest, with a number of red herrings, well written, great location, great characters.What is not to like?

Yes, I do really like this series!


10 comments:

  1. It's always great to love a series! I don't think I've heard of this one before, though!

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    1. A good series gives we readers something to look forward too...well until the series starts to suck....

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  2. never heard of this series before .. a male version of Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon?

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    1. Sort of, except he stays in Maine..and is a lot less together than Anna.

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  3. I need to get an assistant, a maid, and a cook so I can read all of the books I want to read, like this series!

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    1. Sounds like a swell idea. I''ll go for that too!

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  4. Sounds like a good book....thanks. Can it be read as a stand alone?


    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Blog

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    1. oh yes, I think it certainly can, but I would recommend starting at the first. I mean there are just the three... ;-)

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  5. You ??? A series??? How wonderful. I'm glad you're liking this Maine based (setting and author) series. I just finished this one, and my review will be up next week, but I have to tell you, I wasn't as thrilled with it as you were. I'm getting tired of waiting for Mike to grow up.

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    1. I felt like that in the last book...my least fav...but I think he is making progress!

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