Billed as a political thriller, the new book “Wolf Runner” by Gregory Burr is firmly grounded in Maine and moves briskly, building compelling tension in the never-ending struggle between good and evil.
Burr is a local boy and this is his first book. An avid outdoorsman, he grew up in Northeast Harbor and spent his career as a fisheries biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. In the spirit of disclosure, I know Burr as a friend and offered suggestions on the book at his request.
The novel opens with a quote from the Roman emperor Hadrian, who was a hunter: “This evenly matched battle between human intelligence and the wisdom of wild beasts seemed strangely clean compared to the snares set by men.” It sets the tone for a story in which humans, not wildlife, are the most dangerous predators.
As the dust cover suggests, the book title, “Wolf Runner,” is a metaphor equating humans with animals. Although the protagonists, a game warden and a wildlife biologist, are fictional, it’s clear from the start that Burr is writing from experience. This knowledge brings realism and a sense of authenticity to his characters, their actions and the professional roles of those responsible for protecting Maine’s natural resources.
The bad guys, and they are as bad as they get, are corrupt, greedy, ego-maniacal politicians who wind up heading up the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. They also are in cahoots with the Irish mafia in Massachusetts.
The setting of the proverbial snares begins with the election of a new governor, Hal Gooch, who is “a foul-mouthed autocrat who is a scheming, selfish megalomaniac, wanting power to get wealth and create a kleptocratic regime for the benefit of friends and family.”
Governor Gooch rounds out his dubious cabinet appointments by naming an Aroostook County yes-man, Dick Jacobs, to be Game and Fish Commissioner. A rich, spoiled lumber baron with mafia connections, Jacobs had a “kill and harvest today and to hell with tomorrow attitude,” writes Burr.
The plot escalates when the game warden and wildlife biologist, who are best of friends, speak out and challenge the reckless policies of Commissioner Jacobs. The two friends unknowingly wind up on the mafia hit list.
Dennis, the no-good druggie son of the commissioner, contacts his mafia cohorts, saying, “I need two guys wiped from the face of the earth. Their names are Dave Carro and Joe Riddle. Caro is a namby-pamby biologist. An easy mark. Riddle is a game warden, so he will be formidable and always carries a gun.”
The plot thickens.
Suffice to say, without giving away the suspenseful twists and turns, Burr’s human predators take on a malevolence that is intense as they target their prey. Artful character development as well as superb detailed description breathes life and believability into the carefully crafted scenes in this thriller.
Yes, in the end, the bad guys get what they deserve, but it is the how and the way of their punishment that makes this book’s conclusion so unique and riveting.
“Wolf Runner,” by Gregory Burr, is a really good read. It’s published by Maine Authors Publishing in Thomaston.
