Publication order

Although the Mike Bowditch books do not need to be read in order,⁠[1-26] readers will get more context and continuity by reading them in publication order using the sequence below:⁠[27-52]

OrderCoverTitleFirst publishedNotes
1 Book cover of The Poacher’s Son. The Poacher’s Son2010⁠[27]Mike’s first major case establishes his family history and his connection with Charley.
2 Book cover of Trespasser. Trespasser2010⁠[28]The aftermath of Jack’s case carries into Mike’s attempt to rebuild his relationship with Sarah.
3 Book cover of Bad Little Falls. Bad Little Falls2012⁠[29]A transfer to Washington County follows professional trouble in Mike’s earlier investigations.
4 Book cover of Massacre Pond. Massacre Pond2013⁠[30]Billy Cronk’s friendship becomes central during an investigation into moose killings.
5 Book cover of The Bone Orchard. The Bone Orchard2014⁠[31]Mike’s departure from the Warden Service tests his loyalty to Kathy Frost.
6 Book cover of The Bear Trap. The Bear Trap2015⁠[32]Charley’s rookie experiences add background after his mentorship of Mike is established.
7 Book cover of The Precipice. The Precipice2015⁠[33]Mike and Stacey’s developing relationship becomes part of a wilderness search.
8 Book cover of Widowmaker. Widowmaker2016⁠[34]A missing-person case revisits Jack’s legacy and introduces Shadow.
9 Book cover of Knife Creek. Knife Creek2017⁠[35]Patrol work gives way to investigator ambitions while Stacey struggles with earlier events.
10 Book cover of Rabid. Rabid2018⁠[36]Charley and Ora’s contrasting recollections expand their shared history.
11 Book cover of Stay Hidden. Stay Hidden2018⁠[37]A first hunting-homicide assignment opens Mike’s career as a warden investigator.
12 Book cover of Backtrack. Backtrack2019⁠[38]A search from Charley’s youth explains a regret he carries into old age.
13 Book cover of Almost Midnight. Almost Midnight2019⁠[39]Mike’s obligations to the Cronk family build on Billy’s imprisonment and their earlier friendship.
14 Book cover of The Imposter. The Imposter2020⁠[40]Mike’s Down East posting returns to focus through an impersonation case.
15 Book cover of One Last Lie. One Last Lie2020⁠[41]Charley’s disappearance brings his concealed professional history to the foreground.
16 Book cover of The Caretaker. The Caretaker2021⁠[42]A vacation investigation explores how Mike and Charley work together.
17 Book cover of Dead by Dawn. Dead by Dawn2021⁠[43]Mike’s winter ordeal builds on his established ties to Billy, Dani, Stacey, and Shadow.
18 Book cover of Skin and Bones. Skin and Bones2022⁠[44]Jack and Charley’s past dealings add context to Mike’s understanding of both men.
19 Book cover of Hatchet Island. Hatchet Island2022⁠[45]Recovery from the winter attack accompanies Mike and Stacey’s renewed relationship.
20 Book cover of Snakebit. Snakebit2023⁠[46]Mike’s earlier patrol work connects with the feral-pig problem in Knife Creek.
21 Book cover of Dead Man’s Wake. Dead Man’s Wake2023⁠[47]An engagement celebration brings Mike’s stepfather back into the story.
22 Book cover of Pitch Dark. Pitch Dark2024⁠[48]Marriage and possible parenthood add personal stakes to a remote-cabin investigation.
23 Book cover of Sheep’s Clothing in Skin and Bones And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories. Skin and Bones: And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories2025⁠[49]Mike’s return to patrol duty follows the cross-border pursuit in Pitch Dark.
24 Book cover of Blaze Orange. Blaze Orange2026⁠[50]Kathy’s early training with Charley reveals the beginnings of her interest in K-9 work.
25 Book cover of Storm Tide. Storm Tide2026⁠[51]Professional setbacks continue as Mike and Stacey prepare for parenthood.
26Book cover of Cold FrontCold Front2027⁠[52]A murder investigation threatens Mike’s family after he becomes a father.

Chronological order

The chronology follows each work’s central investigation rather than its later framing scenes. Undated placements, including the relative order of the early Charley and Kathy cases and the position of The Caretaker, are estimates based on career stages and relationships.⁠[1-26]

Alternatively, the Mike Bowditch books may be read in chronological order by following this sequence:⁠[1-26]

OrderCoverTitleFirst publishedNotes
1 Book cover of The Bear Trap. The Bear Trap2015⁠[32]Charley begins his warden career; Mike hears the account during his own rookie year.
2 Book cover of Backtrack. Backtrack2019⁠[38]At twenty-eight, Charley undertakes a winter search while Ora is pregnant.
3 Book cover of Blaze Orange. Blaze Orange2026⁠[50]Veteran Charley trains Kathy near the beginning of her career, before she becomes Mike’s supervisor.
4 Book cover of Rabid. Rabid2018⁠[36]Charley and Ora’s central case unfolds in the mid-1980s, before Mike joins the service.
5 Book cover of Skin and Bones. Skin and Bones2022⁠[44]Jack’s case with Charley predates Mike’s career; Mike hears it three years into his service.
6 Book cover of The Poacher’s Son. The Poacher’s Son2010⁠[27]Mike enters the main sequence as a twenty-four-year-old rookie warden.
7 Book cover of Trespasser. Trespasser2010⁠[28]Sarah has returned, and Charley is recovering from the events of The Poacher’s Son.
8 Book cover of Bad Little Falls. Bad Little Falls2012⁠[29]Disciplinary trouble leads to Mike’s transfer to Washington County.
9 Book cover of The Imposter. The Imposter2020⁠[40]Mike’s Down East assignment under Sergeant Rivard places this case before Massacre Pond.
10 Book cover of Massacre Pond. Massacre Pond2013⁠[30]Billy has become Mike’s friend, while Stacey remains engaged to Matt Skillen.
11 Book cover of The Bone Orchard. The Bone Orchard2014⁠[31]Mike has left the Warden Service and is working as a fishing guide.
12 Book cover of The Caretaker. The Caretaker2021⁠[42]A vacation investigation returns Mike to his former Down East district alongside Charley.
13 Book cover of The Precipice. The Precipice2015⁠[33]Mike and Stacey are four months into their relationship.
14 Book cover of Snakebit. Snakebit2023⁠[46]Twenty-seven-year-old Mike is dating Stacey and pursuing an investigator position, before Widowmaker.
15 Book cover of Widowmaker. Widowmaker2016⁠[34]Mike is twenty-eight when the case begins, and Shadow enters his life.
16 Book cover of Knife Creek. Knife Creek2017⁠[35]Stacey faces the helicopter crash’s aftermath while Mike awaits promotion.
17 Book cover of Stay Hidden. Stay Hidden2018⁠[37]Four months into his investigator role, Mike handles his first hunting homicide.
18 Book cover of Almost Midnight. Almost Midnight2019⁠[39]Billy remains imprisoned, and Mike has begun a relationship with Dani.
19 Book cover of One Last Lie. One Last Lie2020⁠[41]Mike is still seeing Dani, while Stacey is working in Florida.
20 Book cover of Dead by Dawn. Dead by Dawn2021⁠[43]The winter ordeal follows Dani’s illness and Mike’s earlier involvement with Billy and Shadow.
21 Book cover of Hatchet Island. Hatchet Island2022⁠[45]July brings Mike and Stacey together again after the winter attack.
22 Book cover of Dead Man’s Wake. Dead Man’s Wake2023⁠[47]Mike and Stacey are engaged when the lake investigation begins.
23 Book cover of Pitch Dark. Pitch Dark2024⁠[48]Six months into their marriage, Mike and Stacey face the possibility of parenthood.
24 Book cover of Sheep’s Clothing in Skin and Bones And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories. Skin and Bones: And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories2025⁠[49]The Witham investigation follows Mike’s demotion after Pitch Dark, during Stacey’s pregnancy.
25 Book cover of Storm Tide. Storm Tide2026⁠[51]Stacey is seven months pregnant as Mike handles a new case on patrol.
26Book cover of Cold FrontCold Front2027⁠[52]Mike and Stacey now have a young son.

Works in sequence

Four short stories are optional rather than recommended because skipping them does not remove substantial continuity needed elsewhere in the series. The Bear Trap supplies early-career background for Charley without affecting Mike’s ongoing story, while Backtrack is another self-contained Charley recollection whose central importance is personal regret rather than later continuity.⁠[6]⁠[12]⁠[16]⁠[24]

The Caretaker gives Mike and Charley a separate vacation investigation but does not advance an unresolved plot or bring about a lasting change in their relationship. Blaze Orange looks back at Kathy Frost’s early training and the origins of her interest in K-9 work, so it adds character history without providing context readers need for her later appearances.⁠[16]⁠[24]

1. The Poacher’s Son

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of The Poacher's Son.
Book cover of The Poacher’s Son.

The Poacher’s Son (2010)⁠[27] follows rookie Maine game warden Mike Bowditch when his estranged father becomes a suspect in a double murder. The manhunt puts Mike’s family loyalty in conflict with his official responsibilities.⁠[1]

As the opening case, it establishes his troubled family history and his connection with retired warden Charley Stevens.⁠[1]

2. Trespasser

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Trespasser.
Book cover of Trespasser.

Trespasser (2010)⁠[28] begins with a roadside collision whose driver and injured deer have disappeared. Mike’s search connects a new killing to a disputed older conviction.⁠[2]

His attempt to rebuild his life with Sarah carries personal consequences forward from the opening novel.⁠[2]

3. Bad Little Falls

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Bad Little Falls.
Book cover of Bad Little Falls.

Bad Little Falls (2012)⁠[29] sends Mike into a blizzard investigation after an injured man appears at an isolated house. A troubled family and local hostility complicate his inquiries.⁠[3]

The Washington County posting develops the professional and personal fallout of his earlier cases.⁠[3]

4. Massacre Pond

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Massacre Pond.
Book cover of Massacre Pond.

Massacre Pond (2013)⁠[30] centers on the slaughter of moose on land closed to traditional local uses. The investigation draws Mike into threats against the property’s wealthy owner.⁠[4]

Billy Cronk’s friendship with Mike becomes a continuing concern alongside Mike’s family difficulties.⁠[4]

5. The Bone Orchard

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of The Bone Orchard: A Novel.
Book cover of The Bone Orchard.

The Bone Orchard (2014)⁠[31] finds Mike working as a fishing guide after leaving the Warden Service. An attack on Kathy Frost draws him into a case involving a veteran’s shooting.⁠[5]

Loyalty to his former supervisor forces Mike to reconsider his relationship with the job.⁠[5]

6. The Bear Trap

Short storyOptional reading
Book cover of The Bear Trap.
Book cover of The Bear Trap.

The Bear Trap (2015)⁠[32] has Charley recount his pursuit of a hermit stealing from lakeside camps. A fishing trip with a rookie warden frames the earlier investigation.⁠[6]

Charley’s recollection adds detail about his early service rather than advancing Mike’s current cases.⁠[6]

7. The Precipice

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of The Precipice.
Book cover of The Precipice.

The Precipice (2015)⁠[33] follows the search for two hikers missing in Maine’s Hundred Mile Wilderness. Stacey’s involvement makes the investigation personal as questions arise about what happened on the trail.⁠[7]

Mike and Stacey’s partnership develops through the first months of their relationship.⁠[7]

8. Widowmaker

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Widowmaker: A Novel.
Book cover of Widowmaker.

Widowmaker (2016)⁠[34] begins when a woman asks Mike to find her missing son and claims the young man is his half-brother. The search leads to a remote logging operation.⁠[8]

Jack Bowditch’s legacy returns to the foreground, and Shadow enters the continuing story.⁠[8]

9. Knife Creek

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Knife Creek: A Mike Bowditch Mystery.
Book cover of Knife Creek.

Knife Creek (2017)⁠[35] begins when a feral-hog hunt uncovers an infant’s remains. The discovery draws Mike toward a missing-person case while Stacey struggles after a helicopter tragedy.⁠[9]

The case bridges Mike’s patrol work and investigator ambitions while continuing Stacey’s difficulties.⁠[9]

10. Rabid

Short storyRecommended reading
Book cover of Rabid: A Mike Bowditch Short Mystery.
Book cover of Rabid.

Rabid (2018)⁠[36] follows a visit to a secluded house that prompts Charley to recall a family endangered by domestic violence. Ora supplies a different account of the same events.⁠[10]

Their recollections expand the Stevens family’s history, while the frame predates Mike and Stacey becoming a couple.⁠[10]

11. Stay Hidden

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Stay Hidden: A Novel.
Book cover of Stay Hidden.

Stay Hidden (2018)⁠[37] sends newly promoted investigator Mike to an island after a reported hunting fatality. Local allegiances complicate the inquiry into a journalist’s reported death.⁠[11]

The assignment begins a new professional phase while continuing his strained connection with Charley.⁠[11]

12. Backtrack

Short storyOptional reading
Book cover of Backtrack.
Book cover of Backtrack.

Backtrack (2019)⁠[38] follows a young Charley as he searches for a missing hunter in a snowstorm. The encounter challenges his understanding of rescue and responsibility.⁠[12]

Charley’s later reflection develops a lasting regret rather than continuing an unresolved Mike investigation.⁠[12]

13. Almost Midnight

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Almost Midnight: A Novel.
Book cover of Almost Midnight.

Almost Midnight (2019)⁠[39] begins when Billy Cronk asks Mike to investigate a corrections officer at his prison. A separate attack on Shadow creates another demand on his attention.⁠[13]

Both investigations develop obligations created by Billy’s imprisonment and Mike’s connection with the wolf dog.⁠[13]

14. The Imposter

Short storyRecommended reading
Book cover of The Imposter.
Book cover of The Imposter.

The Imposter (2020)⁠[40] begins with a body carrying identification in Mike Bowditch’s name. Earlier reports of a fake game warden connect the discovery to intimidation and missing drugs.⁠[14]

The case revisits Mike’s Down East posting and his strained dealings with Sergeant Rivard.⁠[14]

15. One Last Lie

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of One Last Lie.
Book cover of One Last Lie.

One Last Lie (2020)⁠[41] follows Mike’s search for Charley after an old warden’s badge resurfaces. The disappearance leads back to an undercover officer who vanished fifteen years earlier.⁠[15]

Charley’s concealed professional history comes into focus while Mike’s relationships with Dani and Stacey remain unsettled.⁠[15]

16. The Caretaker

Short storyOptional reading
Book cover of The Caretaker.
Book cover of The Caretaker.

The Caretaker (2021)⁠[42] pairs Mike and Charley in an investigation into complaints of harassment at a remote vacation home. An unsettling handyman becomes the focus of their initial suspicions.⁠[16]

Mike’s quick suspicions contrast with Charley’s more cautious investigation, developing their working partnership.⁠[16]

17. Dead by Dawn

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Dead by Dawn.
Book cover of Dead by Dawn.

Dead by Dawn (2021)⁠[43] traps Mike in an icy river after a deliberate road ambush. The narrative alternates between his fight to survive and the day’s earlier investigation of a disputed drowning.⁠[17]

His established ties to Billy, Dani, Stacey, and Shadow give the survival story its personal continuity.⁠[17]

18. Skin and Bones

Short storyRecommended reading
Book cover of Skin and Bones.
Book cover of Skin and Bones.

Skin and Bones (2022)⁠[44] begins when a dead eagle prompts Charley to recount an old case involving Jack Bowditch. Another eagle killing leads into a teenager’s disappearance.⁠[18]

Charley’s recollection reframes Mike’s understanding of both his father and his mentor.⁠[18]

19. Hatchet Island

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Hatchet Island.
Book cover of Hatchet Island.

Hatchet Island (2022)⁠[45] takes Mike and Stacey to a seabird research station after a call for help. Threats against the project develop into a homicide investigation across neighboring islands.⁠[19]

The island case continues Mike’s recovery from the winter attack and his renewed relationship with Stacey.⁠[19]

20. Snakebit

Short storyRecommended reading
Book cover of Snakebit.
Book cover of Snakebit.

Snakebit (2023)⁠[46] follows Mike’s investigation of timber rattlesnakes appearing in Maine. A secretive family and conflicting accusations complicate his response after a teenager is bitten.⁠[20]

This earlier patrol case connects with the emerging feral-pig problem developed in Knife Creek.⁠[20]

21. Dead Man’s Wake

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Dead Man's Wake.
Book cover of Dead Man’s Wake.

Dead Man’s Wake (2023)⁠[47] interrupts Mike and Stacey’s engagement celebration with a boating incident and the discovery of human remains. The investigation draws in island visitors, family tensions, and conflicting accounts.⁠[21]

Mike’s stepfather returns to focus as Mike and Stacey prepare for married life.⁠[21]

22. Pitch Dark

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Pitch Dark.
Book cover of Pitch Dark.

Pitch Dark (2024)⁠[48] follows Mike and Charley to a remote cabin as they investigate a stranger’s search for a father and daughter. The visit develops into a pursuit toward the Canadian border.⁠[22]

Mike’s new marriage and concerns about parenthood give the pursuit personal stakes beyond his official duties.⁠[22]

23. Skin and Bones: And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories

Short storyRecommended reading
Book cover of Skin and Bones And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories.
Book cover of Skin and Bones: And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories.

Skin and Bones: And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories (2025)⁠[49] features the short story Sheep’s Clothing, which follows Mike’s inquiry into an apparent murder-suicide involving an isolated couple. Family pressure and valuable timber complicate the deaths.⁠[23]

The investigation develops Mike’s return to patrol duty after the cross-border pursuit in Pitch Dark.⁠[23]

24. Blaze Orange

Short storyOptional reading
Book cover of Blaze Orange.
Book cover of Blaze Orange.

Blaze Orange (2026)⁠[50] pairs Kathy Frost with training officer Charley after an apparent hunting accident. Her knowledge of dogs becomes important to the inquiry.⁠[24]

Kathy’s early career reveals how her K-9 ambitions developed alongside her partnership with Charley.⁠[24]

25. Storm Tide

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Storm Tide.
Book cover of Storm Tide.

Storm Tide (2026)⁠[51] opens with Mike responding to a house fire while back on patrol after his demotion. His suspicions lead toward connected crimes and threats to his family.⁠[25]

This story carries forward the professional consequences of Pitch Dark as Mike and Stacey approach parenthood.⁠[25]

26. Cold Front

Self-containedRecommended reading
Book cover of Cold Front
Book cover of Cold Front.

Cold Front, which will be published on June 22, 2027,⁠[52] turns a search for a missing instrument maker into a murder investigation in Acadia National Park. Family secrets and international pursuers place Mike’s wife and young son at risk.⁠[26]

Mike’s life as a father continues through a case rooted in Cold War history.⁠[26]

References

  1. The Poacher’s Son. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781429926393.
  2. Trespasser. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250001597.
  3. Bad Little Falls. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250031471.
  4. Massacre Pond. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250033925.
  5. The Bone Orchard. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250034878.
  6. The Bear Trap. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250174918.
  7. The Precipice. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781466868687.
  8. Widowmaker. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781466868670.
  9. Knife Creek. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250102379.
  10. Rabid. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250314178.
  11. Stay Hidden. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250102393.
  12. Backtrack. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250259578.
  13. Almost Midnight. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250102423.
  14. The Imposter. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250776464.
  15. One Last Lie. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250235091.
  16. The Caretaker. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250824547.
  17. Dead by Dawn. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250235121.
  18. Skin and Bones. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250871916.
  19. Hatchet Island. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250235145.
  20. Snakebit. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250319883.
  21. Dead Man’s Wake. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250864413.
  22. Pitch Dark. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250864420.
  23. Skin and Bones: And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories. Minotaur Books. Sheep’s Clothing. ISBN: 9781250382139.
  24. Blaze Orange. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250462091.
  25. Storm Tide. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250864451.
  26. Cold Front. Minotaur Books. ISBN: 9781250373557.
  27. The Poacher’s Son. Macmillan Publishers.
  28. Trespasser by Paul Doiron. Hachette Australia.
  29. Bad Little Falls. Macmillan Publishers.
  30. Massacre Pond. Macmillan Publishers.
  31. The Bone Orchard. Macmillan Publishers.
  32. The Bear Trap. Macmillan Publishers.
  33. The Precipice. Macmillan Publishers.
  34. Widowmaker. Macmillan Publishers.
  35. Knife Creek. Macmillan Publishers.
  36. Rabid. Macmillan Publishers.
  37. Stay Hidden. Macmillan Publishers.
  38. Backtrack. Macmillan Publishers.
  39. Almost Midnight. Macmillan Publishers. Archived.
  40. The Imposter. Macmillan Publishers.
  41. One Last Lie. Macmillan Publishers.
  42. The Caretaker. Macmillan Publishers.
  43. Dead by Dawn. Macmillan Publishers.
  44. Skin and Bones. Macmillan Publishers.
  45. Hatchet Island. Macmillan Publishers.
  46. Snakebit. Macmillan Publishers.
  47. Dead Man’s Wake. Macmillan Publishers.
  48. Pitch Dark. Macmillan Publishers.
  49. Skin and Bones. Macmillan Publishers.
  50. Blaze Orange. Macmillan Publishers.
  51. Storm Tide. Macmillan Publishers.
  52. Cold Front. Macmillan Publishers.