Massacre Pond

It’s a shame that the dramatic opening of this fourth mystery from Doiron featuring Maine game warden Mike Bowditch isn’t properly conveyed in this audio edition. But the news isn’t all bad. Narrator Henry Levya creates a plausible down-to-earth voice for Bowditch, the quintessential person of integrity up against corrupt and lazy superiors. It’s easy to imagine Levya’s Bowditch kicking back and leisurely recounting his experiences to a friend over a drink. But when a murder mystery kicks off with a bloody crime against nature, listeners have a right to feel the horror of the scene. And, unfortunately, Levya fails to capture it here. A Minotaur hardcover. (July)