City News
Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin
Review by Ben
Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin is about a man named Rice Moore who is trying to
escape his dark past. Rice got into some trouble with the Mexican cartel back in Arizona and has been running from them ever since. In an effort to remain hidden, he took a job as a caretaker for a wildlife preserve in Virginia. Throughout the story the author reveals information about Rice’s past as well as what his job entails while on the preserve. One day, he finds a dead bear on the mountain and becomes interested in who killed it and for what purpose. There isn’t any poaching allowed on the preserve so Rice begins investigating who is involved. He soon finds out that bear parts, specifically their paws and gallbladders, can be sold for large amounts on the black market; this prompts his realization that this may be a bigger problem than he thought and that there may be more parties involved: the local biker gang and maybe even the cartel. While on the
preserve he shares his thoughts on the matter with the previous caretaker, Sara Birkeland, who he begins to befriend. Their friendship begins to become more complicated when she learns of his past. Rice continues his investigation which leads him to altercations with some locals and even the law. His involvement with the law causes his past to begin to catch up to him.
This book was incredibly well written and the author did a great job of keeping the reader engaged on a number of levels. The plot is very intricate in the way that it slowly brings the past and the present together for a thrilling finale. My favorite part about this book was the author’s attention to detail when describing Rice’s time while on the preserve. He brings the wildlife and plants to life with specific details regarding their appearances and colors, causing you to feel as if you have been there yourself.
I would not change anything about this book because of its complexity. The plot is so
involved that a simple change would disrupt the perfect balance of action and nature which the author has struck. The characters are all well developed and I liked how even the main character was not completely good, meaning he had internal struggles throughout the book.
I would definitely recommend this book to someone. The book was easy to read because the author keeps you engaged through detailed descriptions as well as flashbacks into Rice’s dark past. If you love nature, but also enjoy action-packed books this is definitely for you. It was interesting watching the story develop because you never know who is involved in the poaching until the end. On top of the present plot you get to enjoy the suspense of finding out just how quickly Rice’s past will catch up to him and wonder if his past will always be chasing him. It’s a 10/10. I hope you enjoy reading Bearskin!