Bad Little Falls

A Mike Bowditch Mystery, Book 3

By: Paul Doiron

Narrated by: Henry Leyva

Anthony- and Edgar-award nominated author Paul Doiron delivers another "masterpiece of high-octane narrative" (Booklist) with Bad Little Falls, his newest harrowing thriller about the hunt for a murderer at the height of a major snowstorm.

Maine game warden Mike Bowditch has been sent into exile, transferred by his superiors to a remote outpost on the Canadian border. When a blizzard descends on the coast, Bowditch is called to the rustic cabin of a terrified couple. A raving and halffrozen man has appeared at their door, claiming his friend is lost in the storm. But what starts as a rescue mission in the wilderness soon becomes a baffling murder investigation. The dead man is a notorious drug dealer, and state police detectives suspect it was his own friend who killed him. Bowditch isn't so sure, but his vow not to interfere in the case is tested when he finds himself powerfully attracted to a beautiful woman with a dark past and a troubled young son. The boy seems to know something about what really happened in the blizzard, but he is keeping his secrets locked in a cryptic notebook, and Mike fears for the safety of the strange child. Meanwhile, an anonymous tormentor has decided to make the new warden's life a living hell. Alone and outgunned, Bowditch turns for assistance to his old friend, the legendary bush pilot Charley Stevens. But in this snowbound landscape—where smugglers wage blood feuds by night—help seems very far away indeed. If Bowditch is going to catch a killer, he must survive on his own wits and discover strength he never knew he possessed.

©2012 Paul Doiron (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Henry Leyva gives a solid performance in this third book in the Mike Bowditch mystery series…Leyva's varied Maine accents are convincing and interesting and make each character distinct…Leyva is at his best, however, portraying the complicated Bowditch with a quiet, even voice that captures the capable but struggling game warden.” —Audiofile Magazine

“When you combine the expertise of Doiron and the seasoned vocal talents of Henry Leyva (and his authentic Maine accents), we can't help but feel like we're on a ride along with Mike Bowditch, flying over the wilderness, being saturated with skunk spray, and trudging through the snow, as he tracks down a murderer and uncovers a deeply guarded secret.” —New World Review

Mystery in the wilds of Downeast Maine

"Bad Little Falls", is an outstanding mystery set in a small town in the wilds of Downeast Maine. It revolves around a recurring character named Mike Bowditch, a registered Maine Guide (like the author, Paul Doiron), and a Maine Game Warden, and a member of the state's law enforcement, who, through the previous novel, has been reassigned to one of the remotest areas of the state, and perhaps, the U.S.

It starts in the middle of a severe winter, as if there any other kind there, as the sleeping town of Machias, the shire town of Washington County, discovers the activities of certain insomniac and dangerously troubled members of it's tiny community.

The writing is descriptive and heartfelt. The area residents are by and large, desperately poor, and easily taken advantage of. There are some very bad people here as well, and Mike Bowditch, a fish out of water (again, as detailed in Doiron's first novel, "The Poacher's Son"), though a big fish taken to a small pond, falls in to protect a single mother and her odd son from several human predators. It's a cracking good mystery, and read masterfully by Henry Leyva, who performs the unique Downeast accent with grace and respect, as well as Rene Auberjonois, to this listener's ear. I live nearby, down near Acadia National Park, and it's an incredibly complex drawl, but Leyva couldn't have sounded so authentic without Mr. Doiron's careful ear for the language of this far-flung area.

I highly recommend this, and look forward to another chapter in the life of Mike Bowditch, as he explores his new bailiwick.

Best one yet in the series

The mystery in this 3rd novel in the series is compelling and well spun. I always enjoy this narrator’s performance. It fits the main character and the region - though I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the accent. I like it because it sounds vaguely like parts of the New England coast sufficient to convey a sense of insularity/the remoteness of the region but isn’t distracting.

Hooked on Maine

Love the sense of place in this series. The reader in the second and third books sounds like he's from New Jersey not Maine but that may be a good thing. Most folks probably couldn't make it thru the book if he had a real Maine accent (I've lived on the border of Maine and New Hampshire for the last 37 years). The reader does nicely capture the spirit of the character and his often near fatal flaw. Not your typical hero but not much about the real Maine is what people expect.

A DECENT NOVEL, BUT NOT AS GOOD AS HIS FIRST BOOKS

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Paul Doiron writes a pretty good story using the atmosphere of the Maine wilderness and the 'quirky' characters who live there.

I really enjoyed his first two books ('The Poacher's Son', 'Trespasser'), which were better than Bad Little Falls. Still, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a "C.J. Box" type of mystery.

Overall, I found this novel to be a bit too much like his first two books, and I hope that Doiron can find some new ground with Mike Bowditch in his next novel.

Would you be willing to try another book from Paul Doiron? Why or why not?

Yes, I do enjoy the Mike Bowditch series. Paul Doiron has a talent for accurately describing the Maine wilderness and the readers do a very good job of bringing his characters to life.

What does Henry Leyva bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Henry Leyva gives a very good performance in reading this book. He brings a lot of energy and realism to the characters. Mr. Leyva actually lifted the overall quality of this story, in my opinion.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Not sure. I might wait for a few friends to recommend it. I think his previous book (Trespasser) would make a very good movie.

Any additional comments?

This series reminds me a lot of the C.J. Box and Steve Hamilton series of books. If you like Paul Doiron, then I highly recommend the Joe Pickett series by Box.

Excellent Mystery

I've been reading the Mike Bowditch mysteries in sequence and am enjoying the development of the character. Having lived in the North, I appreciate the accuracy and honesty conveyed in character development, setting description, and plot. The ending of this novel is complex, realistic, and satisfying. Hope you enjoy it too.