David Marshall James has an insightful review of The Poacher's Son (if I do say so myself) on Shine by Yahoo:
The novel benefits from the built-in thrill of the chase, from the mystery of whether or not Jack Bowditch is an innocent man. The author turns the northern Maine topography-- with the omnipresent threat of logging/paper industries-- into a major character here.
As I was writing the book I did my best to make the Maine woods as vivid as I could (although I'm never sure what critics mean when they describe setting as a character). I've been pleased that readers have responded to the role nature plays in the novel.