The woods and waters of Maine hold many secrets. Wolf Runner reveals that predators and prey are not always those of fur, feathers, fang, or claw.
—David Craven, Retired Maine Warden Service Sergent
WOLF RUNNER
A Political Thriller
The title Wolf Runner is a metaphor, equating humans to animals. Game warden Joe Riddle grew up in the Maine woods in a rough poaching family, and wildlife biologist Dave Caro had his humble beginnings on the rough streets of Hell’s Kitchen, New York, and learned to love hunting and fishing on Long Island. Even though they grew up in different states, they became fast friends when they met in college and went on to become outstanding professionals in their fields of study. After years of being apart, they reunite when they are both hired by Maine Game and Fish.
A corrupt regime takes over the executive branch of Maine’s government and the Game and Fish Department. The two friends stand up to the megalomaniac commissioner and his minions, only to receive targets on their backs. The malevolent leadership, along with criminal partners, conspire to have their opposition silenced.
Who will win this epic struggle between good and evil? Will good people stand by and do nothing? The author breathes life into intense scenes that make the reader feel like they are there. Read as the protagonists use their outdoor skills, the landscape, and the animals, to battle overconfident lowlifes.
Drawing from his coastal Hancock County upbringing and an outstanding career managing fisheries in the Downeast Maine region, Burr’s first foray into the outdoor murder mystery genre will have readers smelling balsam as they traverse a dark trail of greed, pitted against respect for wild resources. Evil state power and politics, addiction, and New England crime are featured in contrast to noble values of service, integrity, and long-term friendship. The woods and waters of Maine hold many secrets. Wolf Runner reveals that predators and prey are not always those of fur, feathers, fang, or claw.
—David Craven, Retired Maine Warden Service Sergent
Burr has spun a nail-biter. The intertwined elements of the sportsmen’s wild woods and upright and miscreant characters are taken together in an epic tale of love, hate, honesty, and corruption you won’t want to miss. The tapestry of the human condition is laid out on the best backdrop of all: the rich colors and aromas of the Maine woods.
—Dennis LaBare, author of The Landlocked Salmon at Grand Lake Stream and Appalachian Grouse Dog: A Boomer’s Memoir
Burr’s Wolf Runner may be his first novel, but it won’t be his last. Drawing on his own experience as a Maine biologist, Burr delivers a riveting book of a young man’s unexpected journey from the rough and tumble streets of Hell’s Kitchen to Long Island and the fabled Maine woods, where budding biologist Dave Caro develops into a nationally renowned bear biologist. Burr’s page-turner is a thrilling read.
—Ron Joseph, author of Bald Eagles, Bear Cubs, and Hermit Bill: Memories of a Maine Wildlife Biologist