• Massacre Pond

  • A Novel
  • By: Paul Doiron
  • Narrated by: Henry Leyva
  • Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (550 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Massacre Pond  By  cover art

Massacre Pond

By: Paul Doiron
Narrated by: Henry Leyva
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.24

Buy for $20.24

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Massacre Pond is Edgar finalist Paul Doiron's superb new novel featuring Game Warden Mike Bowditch and a beautiful, enigmatic woman whose mission to save the Maine wilderness may have incited a murder

On an unseasonably hot October morning, Bowditch is called to the scene of a bizarre crime: the corpses of seven moose have been found senselessly butchered on the estate of Elizabeth Morse, a wealthy animal rights activist who is buying up huge parcels of timberland to create a new national park.

What at first seems like mindless slaughter—retribution by locals for the job losses Morse's plan is already causing in the region—becomes far more sinister when a shocking murder is discovered and Mike's investigation becomes a hunt to find a ruthless killer. In order to solve the controversial case, Bowditch risks losing everything he holds dear: his best friends, his career as a law enforcement officer, and the love of his life.

The beauty and magnificence of the Maine woods is the setting for a story of suspense and violence when one powerful woman's missionary zeal comes face to face with ruthless cruelty.

©2013 Paul Doiron (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“The strikingly beautiful Maine woods contrast against a killer's ugly agenda in this tightly written novel, superbly performed by Henry Leyva.” —Wisconsin Book Watch

“Narrator Henry Leyva 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 Leyva's Bowditch kicking back and leisurely recounting his experiences to a friend over a drink.” —Publishers Weekly

“Doiron's third Bowditch entry is riveting and honest, with full-depth characters and a landscape that isn't cutting any slack. Readers of Nevada Barr and C. J. Box will enjoy this similar tale, with the added surprise of a refreshing hero whose youth and inexperience Doiron skillfully twists into an asset.” —Booklist

More from the same

What listeners say about Massacre Pond

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    369
  • 4 Stars
    134
  • 3 Stars
    36
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    345
  • 4 Stars
    119
  • 3 Stars
    23
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    328
  • 4 Stars
    109
  • 3 Stars
    35
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    7

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Massacre Pond

I found this series after I finished the Joe Pickett series. I am definitely now a fan!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

You Can See the Forest Despite the Trees

There are elements of this Bowditch story I like as in other stories in the series: the action never lags; twists appear without taking the story off plot; and the numerous woodland or other descriptions melt in seamlessly. The main character has flaws which keep you rooting for him to avoid a catastrophe as a result of them. Supporting characters are consistent and interesting as well. You might wonder why something like cell phone tracking isn’t used in investigations Although I had this one solved correctly early on I never lost interest. Great narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

thumbs up

loved it! best yet in this series! can't wait to listen to the rest of the books

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Hackneyed prose & dialog-Stereotype characters-DNF

I started this because of complimentary comparisons with C.J. Box and Joe Pickett. For me, it isn't even close. I found the protagonist, game warden Mike Bowditch immature and irritatingly whiny. His dialog quickly became predictable as well as the personalities of the other characters. The overdrawn conflict between the "tree hugger," former hippy, wealthy landowner and local hunters and those economically dependent on them. Does she have to be so dislikable as to have no allies, even though she wants to create a National Park? Even if she doesn't like or trust government in general or state Department of Natural Resources in particular, why isn't she working with NGO's such as the The Nature Conservancy, the Environmental Defense Fund, or more radical groups such as PETA or Greenpeace? I invested about two hours of listening, in part because I found Henry Leyva such a good reader, before giving up.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great tale!

Love the Maine locales & the likeable characters, both good and notorious. Keep up the good work!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

As a Mainer…

This series has me captivated except when the narrator mispronounces some of the key names and places in Maine! Producers should have done better research… (And the author should have been consulted, as well…)
Still going to listen, but I’m going to cringe anytime Augusta, Skowhegan and Passamaquoddy are named… (I’m sure there will be more as the series continues…)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

It was good

Overall it was a pretty good book. Liked the story line. Would read more from this author

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Still going strong

4th in series is still strong and moves at a good pace. Good description, good characters. Sometimes characters seem a bit slow to question/see obvious clues, but otherwise good stories. Keeps me listening and I’ll probably continue with the series which is something I’ve rarely done except for notable classics like Chandler’s Marlowe series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

That’s it for me.

I began listening to this series as a diversion from reality, but the author has taken me too far away from REALITY. Doiron has allowed his politics to replace a legitimate theme, and he ruined it for me. Just wait until Big Wind and Big Solar and Big Government scrape his North Woods free of life. They’ve done it in my area, already.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Starts strong, second half....

Chapters 1-19 kept my interest but I'm having trouble finishing the book (and meeting the minimum word requirement for this review).

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!