This is the 5th book in the series. I read them in order and am already looking forward to finding the 6th one at the library once I'm done with a few other books I have waiting for me.
STORY SUMMARY
Mike Bowditch is dealing with the aftermath of a family tragedy. He has left the Maine Warden Service and is working as a fishing guide in the North Woods of Maine. One evening, his good friend and mentor, Sargeant Kathy Frost, is forced to kill a disturbed and suicidal war veteran. It's clearly a case of "suicide by cop".....and this makes Mike wonder about his decision to quit being a Game Warden.
Kathy and her new partner Dani Tate are now under investigation and an official inquiry from the dead soldier's platoon mates.
But....one night, she finds herself the target of a sniper and is shot right outside her own farmhouse. Mike decides he's going to join the hunt and try to figure out exactly who injured Kathy. She is in a coma and is likely to face brain damage due to the extent of her injuries.
Mike needs to delve into Kathy's past....she seems to have a lot of secrets.....and then a pretty woman, Sarah, whom Mike used to live with, comes back into his life and threatening to jeopordize his shaky romance with Stacy Stevens, the daughter of his good, older friends Charley and Ora Stevens who are like parents to Mike. Stacy is a wildlife biologist and they date on and off.
Kathy Frost lies on the brink of death while a dangerous shooter stalks the apple orchards, woods and blueberry fields of central Maine.
During this hunt for the mysterious shooter, Mike is forced to confront the various choices he has made and figure out what kind of a man he really is.
MY THOUGHTS
This is such a well developed character that I actually feel like I could meet him one day. I love good fiction that makes the plot seem so real and believable and this one does not disappoint. So far I think it's my fave of the first 5 books. I love that Mike makes an important decision in the end and I think the author is brilliant in how he made that happen.
All of the established characters are well developed and the setting of course is something I enjoy reading about as I love visiting Maine. I can almost smell the woodsmoke, pines and salty sea air when the author describes various scenes.
The book is fast-paced and not a difficult read. It's got a tiny bit of romance that isn't sappy, a lot of strong family and friend relationships, and a whole lot of action and drama.
I guessed wrong about the actual sniper and loved the sub plot that appeared in the main plot and the way the author wrapped everything up together to create the ending. I was very surprised at finding out who did shoot Kathy.
The main themes in this story seem to be: friendship, family relationships, alcoholism, domestic violence, mental illness and struggles of war veterans, as well as love and second chances.
This is the first book in the series, though, where I found a lot of editing mistakes!! For example: the phrase "Arlington National Ceremony" was used when it should read "Arlington National Cemetery". There were a few other editing errors as well.
In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older (due to some mature content).
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 9.
3 comments:
Sounds like a good book. It is reminiscent of books by C.J. Box. His Joe Pickett series is about a game warden in Wyoming who solves crimes. His books are good, but somewhat violent and usually have a little sex. Glad you liked the book.
Hi, Faith! Congratulations! You won the giveaway at my blog. Please email me your mailing address so we can get your book in the mail to you.
This sounds good. The title is familiar, maybe was it made it into a movie at one time?
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