Michael Bouchard

Michael C. Bouchard is a prominent cold case investigator based in Berlin, Connecticut. He has a professional background that includes thirty-nine years in both law enforcement and archaeology.

Among his notable works is "The Disappearance of Joan Carolyn Risch," which is based on the original 5,127-page police report concerning the disappearance of Joan Risch from her home in Lincoln, Massachusetts, on October 24, 1961.

Additionally, he has written "The Disappearance of Dennis Lloyd Martin - Missing in the Smoky Mountains," which investigates the case of seven-year-old Dennis Lloyd Martin, who vanished from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on June 14, 1969. These publications are unique in that they utilize unreleased documents and include updated interviews with witnesses and individuals knowledgeable about the respective cases.

Bouchard's second novel, "The Disappearance of Dennis Lloyd Martin: The Hidden Files," offers a thorough exploration of the search for Dennis Lloyd Martin and discusses the eventual release of the FBI's investigation into the case. In addition, Bouchard is the author of "Missing in Connecticut: Missing and Unidentified Persons 1886-2011" and "The Connecticut Cult: The Broken Cross." The latter book investigates the religious cult known as "The Work," which emerged in the 1970s and was led by Brother Julius Schacknow, who claimed to be the divine reincarnation of Jesus Christ. This work provides an in-depth examination of the cult's internal dynamics and the more sinister aspects of its leader.

Bouchard has made further contributions with his work "Creatures of Folklore - Fact or Fiction," which delves into various urban legends, such as Bigfoot, crop circles, and the mysterious deaths of nine Russian hikers at Dyatlov Pass in 1959. Additionally, his book "Cop Stories - Unconscious Decisions" features a collection of intriguing accounts from his career in law enforcement. He reflects on the nature of fear, noting, "We often envision monsters as ghastly figures lurking in the dark. However, the most perilous monsters are often those that coexist with us in daylight."

His most recent work, "The Covered Bridge - A Steven Crawford and Jacob Andrews Mystery," revolves around the mysterious murder of Charles Harris, a bookstore owner who uncovers secret documents belonging to Nikola Tesla. After Harris goes missing, a hand-drawn map may reveal the location of Tesla's papers and shed light on several unexplained disappearances in Lincoln and Magalloway Plantation, Maine, from decades past. The narrative follows Steven Crawford, the newly appointed police chief, and his colleague, patrolman Jacob Andrews, as they search for Tesla's treasure, while also becoming targets of a female serial killer.

"The Police Car Caper" once again features Chief Steven Crawford and Patrolman Jacob Andrews. In this novel, Crawford and Andrews become targets of the Canadian mob, which has established a car fencing ring at an auto body shop located along the border of Maine and New Hampshire. While trying to capture the Canadian car thieves, Crawford and Andrews encounter two bank robbers and a family of moonshiners who are attempting to evade capture. "The Disappearance of Charles Wesley McCullar" follows Charles as he hitchhikes from Eugene, Oregon, to Crater Lake National Park. His disappearance in the park prompted a search that lasted several months, and his remains were eventually discovered by two hikers eighteen months later.

Bouchard's most recent novel, "Trenny," published on October 8, 2025, explores the mysterious disappearance of sixteen-year-old Trenny Lynn Gibson, who vanishes during a field trip with her high school class in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. During his investigation, Bouchard uncovered an FBI cover-up that hindered the inquiry to protect the main person of interest: the son of a prominent federal assistant district attorney. The novel also includes a detailed account from Trenny's mother.