The Precipice: A Novel Read online

  ALSO BY PAUL DOIRON

  The Bone Orchard

  Massacre Pond

  Bad Little Falls

  Trespasser

  The Poacher’s Son

  Thank you for buying this

  St. Martin’s Press ebook.

  To receive special offers, bonus content,

  and info on new releases and other great reads,

  sign up for our newsletters.

  Or visit us online at

  us.macmillan.com/newslettersignup

  For email updates on the author, click here.

  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  Epigraph

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Author’s Note

  About the Author

  Also by Paul Doiron

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  THE PRECIPICE. Copyright © 2015 by Paul Doiron. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

  www.minotaurbooks.com

  Cover design by David Baldeosingh Rotstein

  Cover photographs: landscape © Gomezdavid / Istophoto; clouds © Zorankrstic / Shutterstock

  eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to [email protected].

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

  Doiron, Paul.

  The precipice: a novel / Paul Doiron. — First edition.

  pages; cm. — (Mike Bowditch mysteries; 6)

  ISBN 978-1-250-06369-4 (hardcover)

  ISBN 978-1-4668-6868-7 (e-book)

  1. Game wardens—Fiction. 2. Young women—Crimes against—Fiction. 3. Murder—Investigation—Fiction. 4. Missing persons—Investigation—Fiction. 5. Wilderness areas—Maine—Fiction. I. Title.

  PS3604.O37P74 2015

  813'.6—dc23

  2015013520

  e-ISBN 9781466868687

  First Edition: June 2015