DEAD MAN’S WAKE

When Maine Game Warden Investigator Mike Bowditch attends his engagement party at a beautiful lakeside cottage on Labor Day weekend, he never dreamed he would soon be up to his gun belt in his most
puzzling and dangerous investigation yet.

“Dead Man’s Wake” is Maine author Paul Doiron’s 14th novel in the mystery series featuring the head-strong Bowditch, and this is the fastest-paced, most intricate mystery — complex, suspenseful and full
of plot twists and surprises. Doiron has already won the Barry, Strand and Edgar Awards for his superb writing, and this latest book is also deserving of such recognition.

Bowditch and guests at the party believe they’ve witnessed a high-speed jet ski and speedboat collision out on the dark lake at night. When they check out the scene they find a severed arm floating in the water, but no boat or jet ski. Further search reveals two dead bodies underwater, and one is clearly a murder victim. Mouse Island is nearby and that scene uncovers more evidence of homicide and maybe something else.

Working with state police detectives and their dive team, the investigation spins confusing leads in different directions, hampered by an angry and inept local constable who knows too much and yet too
little. Several other witnesses come forward with surprisingly detailed descriptions of events, but Mike is convinced they are lying about different things for different reasons.

Add a powerful Boston family’s wealth and influence, a suspiciously unhelpful police chief, a state police detective with a private agenda, a violent biker gang, a witness who doesn’t really exist, and an unexpected killer who is almost too good at tying up loose ends, and Mike becomes a target but doesn’t know why.

This story is exactly why Doiron is such an effective mystery writer.

BANGOR

French poet Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) said: “The life of our city is rich in poetic and marvelous subjects. We are enveloped and steeped as though in an atmosphere of the marvelous; but we do not
notice it.” He was writing about Paris then, but if he’d been in Maine, he’d be speaking of Bangor.

Bangor resident and honorary historian Richard Shaw has penned “Bangor,” another of Arcadia’s “Past & Present” series of American history, using both vintage and contemporary photographs to tell the
vibrant story of life in small towns and cities, then and now. This is Shaw’s ninth book, including earlier books about Blue Hill, Ellsworth and Brewer.

This is not a comprehensive history of Bangor; instead, Shaw uses 164 black and white and color photographs and narrative to focus on schools, public buildings, houses of worship, landmarks, parks, and some
notable “breaking news” items in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Known as the Queen City for its beautiful homes and distinctive public buildings, Bangor was also known as the Lumber Capital of the World in the 1800s. Shaw’s depiction of Bangor schools in those years
is fascinating, especially the photograph of the kindergarten class in 1891. Public buildings include the Bangor Public Library and a hilarious group photo of the very stern, unsmiling all-female library
staff (No Talking!).

One chapter covers churches and synagogues, another features landmarks like Paul Bunyan’s statue and writer Stephen King’s home, and street scenes showing horse, wagon and trolley traffic on the city’s
dirt streets. “Breaking News” shows dramatic photos of devastating downtown fires, floods and crippling blizzards, as well as the deadly “Tin Bridge” train wreck in 1871 and the famous downtown gun battle
between FBI agents and gangsters in 1937 (the gangsters lost).

Bill Bushnell lives and writes in Harpswell.

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