Welcome! I’m a writer who has published a variety of novels from science fiction to mysteries to thrillers. They include:
- The Last P.I. Series — Dover Beach, The Distance Beacons, and Where All The Ladders Start — a series of private eye novels set in a dystopian future Boston.
- The Portal Series — Portal, Terra, and Home — a series of alternative universe adventures in the multiverse.
Senator, in which a charismatic young senator in a tough re-election campaign is under suspicion of having killed a beautiful journalist – a woman who was secretly his lover. He needs to keep his family and his campaign together while attempting to solve a murder for which everyone he knows and loves seems to have a motive.
- Replica, a near-future thriller in which a beautiful young computer scientist is kidnapped to create an android replica of the president of the United States. If she fails, she will die. If she succeeds, the future of the world is in jeopardy.
- Pontiff, in which a shadowy assassin stalks the first black pope, a reputed miracle-worker who has made many enemies at the Vatican during his short reign. Meanwhile a handsome young priest and a beautiful police detective try desperately to stop the killer before he strikes at an outdoor Mass in Boston’s legendary Fenway Park.
For more information on all my books, see here.
I live near Boston with my wife. We have two wonderful sons whom we’ve launched into the world.
Discovered and loved your work back when I attended college in Boston in the 80’s. Hope to see Marlborough Street and Dover Beach as ebooks. I plan on buying what you do have available at Amazon on my next paycheck.
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Thanks, Will. The plan is to get both those books, and a couple more, out as ebooks by the end of the year. Let me know what you think.
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I just discovered you, through “Senator,” and love it. Very well crafted, sophisticated, very real in terms of the people and the setting and the events. A pleasure to read. I just regret it took so long to discovery you.
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Thanks for the kind comments. And thanks for stopping by!
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Just reading Dover Beach at the moment and was very surprised at seeing my old local football team , Sutton United mentioned. Enjoying the book too.
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Local color! Thanks for stopping by — hope you enjoy the book.
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Where did you grow up? I knew a Dick Bowker in High School.
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Not me — no one calls me Dick. Turns out there are a surprising number of Richard Bowkers in this world
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Hi Richard (I knew you when you were just plain “Rich”). This morning my daughter asked what I wanted for Christmas, and I suggested she buy me a couple of books on Amazon. She asked for a list. So should I suggest Summit, The Pontiff, the Distance Beacons, or The Portal? Great to see that you’re writing so much new stuff.
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Hi Dave! So, which of my children do I love the best? Tough question! I’ll respond to you offline.
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Just have discovered your books and am about a third of the way through Dover Beach. I am thoroughly enjoying the Barnes & Noble Free Friday offering on my Nook. I was so surprised to find out that it was written in 1987! It could have been written in 2014, it seems. As so happens many times after getting a free Free Fridays book, I end up purchasing all others by the author and reading them all. I plan to do that again with your books. So glad to have found your writings and subsequently your blog.
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Thanks so much for the kind words, Marti. I hope you enjoy the rest of Dover Beach (and my other books, which are somewhat eclectic). I’m currently working on the third book in the series, which should be out this summer. I really appreciate your stopping by.
–Rich
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Just finished Dover Beach, and reeeally liked it. All of it. Loved the feel, the characters, the deft handling of the story… it just works! Ditto the comment above re: the contemporary feel. Of course, that I am a big Spenser fan may have something to do with my opinion. Frankly, I liked it better than any of Parker’s posthumous work. I stumbled over the eBook on my wife’s Nook and look forward to the “stunning sequel”.
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Thanks, John!
The “stunning sequel” is called “The Distance Beacons” and it’s also available on Nook. You can read the first chapter under “Books” in the menu on this web site. And, if can quit wasting time, the third volume should be available this summer.
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Sometimes the Nook “Free Friday’s” offers us an opportunity to find seriously good literature. Mr. Bowker, you are a clever, clever man. “Dover Beach” and “The Distance Beacons” flew by in a few hours. I miss Walter & the rest of the gang already. My only regret is that just now I can’t stop singing in my head…On the Thunny Thide of the Thtreet. If it doesn’t stop soon, I’ll have to resort to the old cure of singing “It’s a Small World”.
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Shouldn’t that be “It’th a Thmall World”? Seriously, thanks for the kind words. If you haven’t already done so, could you leave reviews for the books at B&N? That helps! (Free Fridays is a great promotion, but it resulted in some weirdly funky reviews.) The next novel in the series should arrive in a few months. Meanwhile, a pretty different novel of mine, “The Portal”, is free for a while on B&N and Amazon.
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Ordered “The Portal” and left reviews. Interesting reading the reviews. I happen to be one of those people who read quickly and remember a huge amount of what my friends & family have always called “useless trivia”. Surprising, since they sure ask me a lot of questions. I couldn’t help identifying with Walter.
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Thank you so much! Now back to working on Round 3 . . .
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Hi Richard,
I read Dover Beach and just finish the Distance Beacon, loved both books. Is there going to be a third book. I sure hope so..
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Hi Wilma,
Thanks for stopping by! I’m hard at work on the third book — the last couple of posts here give a progress report. I’m hoping to get it out in a couple of months.
Glad you liked Dover Beach and The Distance Beacons. If you have the time, writing customer reviews would be a big help!
–Rich
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Richie is that you? Riverside???
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No, sorry.
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Hello Mr. Bowker,
Enjoyed “Senator” and “Dover Beach”. Have you thought of Senator O’Connor’s future after being re-elected? Did he and Liz split, did he run for President or did he resign from the Senate? Thanks.
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Hi Greg,
Thanks for stopping by! I’m glad you like the books. I’ve never exactly “plotted out” a future for the characters in “Senator,” but I’m pretty sure O’Connor and Liz would stay together. And he would stay in the senate. But your guess is as good as min!
–Rich
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Read about you in the local paper. I also live in Hingham and am a struggling writer with my first novel coming about this October. Good luck with your writing, and I shall read one of your books.
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Thanks for stopping by, and good luck with your novel!
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A Charlie Bowker from Dorchester was in my class at Wentworth Institute from 1961-1963. Any relation?
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Not that I know if. There are a lot of Bowkers around, surprisingly.
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“I received this book from eBook Discovery in exchange for an honest review.”
Loved the character, plot and story. I am looking forward to another reading. I read the book from cover to cover. I love books that keep me guessing and entertained.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Would you consider leaving a review at Amazon or Barnes & Noble? Thanks!
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Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your book, Dover Beach. I just finished it for the second time and thought I would tell you.
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Glad you liked it, Misty! If you ever read the sequel, The Distance Beacons, I’d love to know what you think.
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Just discovered you while looking up into on Richard Baron Rich (ancestor), and will definitely be getting a few of your books.
I am descended from Edmund, who with his brother John, were two of the settlers of Scituate.
Their father James was in royal Courts of Kings James I and Charles I.
Keep hearing my fam are descended from William the Conqueror, and wonder if you know anything about.
Thank you
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Hi Doug,
Great to hear from you! Do you know the Bowkers currently living in Scituate? I’m related to them all. (It’s purely by accident that they’re there now — the family hasn’t been there since the 1600s.) One of them has done some genealogical research. I’ll see if I can dig it up. I’ll send it along if you can leave an email address here.
–Rich
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Richard, My grandmother was a Bowker and I’m working the family history. I have a facebook group called “Bouker relations.” ( the alternate spelling my branch has used since the late 1800s. ). I’d invite you to join and compare great grandparents. Bob Mazzi
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Welcome! I’ll take a look at the Facebook group. I think I have some information to share.
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