Wendigo is one of those books that you pick up and hate to put down. Vaughn Hardacker creates a picture of northern Maine in winter as a frigid, bitter environment that is home to the relentless, savage wendigo that stalks humans as its primary food source. Cursed, the more the wendigo eats, the more it craves. John Bear, a lone wildlife warden and, Canadian Indian, knows and understands the truth of the creature. As the ravaged bodies stack up, the warden seeks a means to stop the slaughter.
June 16, 2021

An exciting read and good information about N Maine and native beliefs. One of the better Wendigo stories from what I have read.
April 24, 2022

Well written. I have read several books about the Wendigo and I must say I really enjoyed this author’s version.
June 2, 2021

I read “Wendigo” in 1-1/2 days, I just could not put it down! It is a fantastic book with many different characters and the descriptions were well written. This was the first book of his I read and it blew me away! Truly a masterpiece and I cannot wait to read more novels from this outstanding author.
May 26, 2021

This book is a work of art. I know it sounds cliche but this book is a page turner that I could not put down. It may have helped that I am a Boston area guy and Sergeant Detective Mike Houston is a Boston guy and one tough cop. However, whether you are from the Boston area or not you need to read this book. The bad guy in this book is one sick dude and it takes everything Mike Houston has in him to get to a showdown that is as good as I’ve seen in any movie. This being the first book by Vaughn Hardacker that I’ve read, I am now a fan and it won’t be my last. I only hope that Detective Mike Houston does not retire yet. And I hope that there are sequels and he and Anne Bouchard tie the knot. Mike’s brother-in-law is a South Boston wise guy who I’ve probably met in real life. What a character, great addition to the cast of characters in this book.
Thanks, Vaughn, great book
May 9, 2018

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A story about a cop with issues struggling to catch a killer. The plot is tight, well written, and face paced. A handful of intriguing characters move the plot along successfully to its conclusion. The author creates suspense in his storytelling and introduces an interesting twist into the storyline. (No spoilers! Read it for yourself!) I recommend this book to all mystery lovers! I’ve already purchased the next book in the series and look forward to reading it.
December 9, 2017

This is the first author in a long time on whom I’ve clicked “follow”. Trigger warnings: rape, kidnapping, assault. Sounds terrible … but those are worked into the storyline well and not at all graphic; however, if you’re sensitive to any of them, it’s probably best to stay away. You’ll be missing a great story, though.
June 12, 2016

When hitman Ian Connah retires from Boston’s Irish mob, he thinks he’s all set. Four divorces with alimony payments don’t faze him; after all he’s got a $3 million retirement nest egg in the bank. Then his financial advisor steals all the money and skips town, leaving Connah broke and back in the game. And he’s not happy.
“Ripped Off” is the perfect title for Stockholm, Maine, author Vaughn Hardacker’s newest novel, a fast-paced, complex tale of money, murder, and mayhem. Hardacker has penned six novels, and three were finalists for the MWPA Literary Award. He understands what makes people tick and is very skillful at convincingly describing bad guys doing bad things (especially to each other, which is refreshing).Now that Connah is back in the business and needs money, he finds himself in a dilemma. Two former girlfriends run mob operations in Boston: Billie runs the Irish mob, and Bobbi runs the Italian mob, and they hate each other. Each wants to hire Connah to kill their unladylike rival, but he refuses to kill a woman (a hitman with morals?). Then a third gangster takes out a contract on both women, and Connah has to protect them from hired guns at a lakeside hideout in Maine.
Meanwhile, the financial advisor is on the run in South America, scared to death knowing Connah is coming for him. Connah is determined to catch up with the thief and recover his money, but first he and his sidekick, Stone, must plow through layers of South American crooks, corruption, and the deadly Amazon rainforest.The reader will quickly see this could have easily been two separate novels, but Hardacker pulls it off nicely with loads of action, plot twists, a high body count, and a guy who just wants to retire.

February 10, 2023