Review: Hatchet Island: A Novel

Hatchet Island: A Novel by Paul Doiron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not sure if, in each of these 13 installments of the life of Mike Bowditch, Doiron has covered all the biases, perversions and socio-economic statuses that exist in Maine but there are not many I can think of that he hasn't! Will have to wait until June to see what he comes up with in episode 14.

This time around we have the obsessive behavior of some environmentalists who have been granted the exclusive use of a State owned island to protect the nesting grounds of several species of sea birds. The lead researcher is going slightly mad because the number of birds is rapidly diminishing and yet she is willing to do almost anything to retain the donations coming from the rich folks who have moved into several of the other islands, using their money to create their own feudal estates among the lobstermen etc of the area.

Of course, there has to be a law enforcement officer or two who seem less than professional and therefore may, possibly, be part of the crime committed. Oh, yes, the crime--while the lead researcher is mysteriously off the bird sanctuary, someone has brutally murdered two of her interns, and posed them for pictures. The third intern, Black by the way, has disappeared and may have survived. Ah, is he the murderer?? Naturally, one of the investigators with no evidence is sure he is, but naturally too, this is a racist supposition as Mike and Stacy are swift to deduce.

Yes, Stacy and Mike are back together again and this time it seems for good. To the point, that having headed out for a romantic camping trip on one of the other islands, they have stopped off at the bird sanctuary. Stacy's ex-college roommate, Kendra has asked them to drop by and for Mike to bring his gun and badge. Kendra is nervous about Maeve's deteriorating mind and about some fishermen who have begun to stalk around the island. After meeting the other two interns, Garrett and Hillary, the lovebirds head off to a nearby island. During the night, the sound of a gunshot in the vicinity of Baker Island brings them back in the morning to the site of the horrible massacre.f

Soon, the two of them are assistants of sorts in the investigation that soon involves a strange photographer who stages death scenes for his works, his aggressive wife, the photographer's assistant and his family, several lobstermen of varying ages and their families. Making sure all bases of diversity are covered the new State trooper is a Hispanic woman from not Maine. Don't want to give away the specific type of perversion in this one, since it is the motivating factor in all that ensues.

BTW, Shadow who was left at home is doing fine and has allowed Stacy to sit next to him and pet his head without tearing off her arm. Must be she will say yes when Mike asks.

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