Something isn’t right on the coast of Maine in Southport-based author Charlie Britton’s, aka C.W. Wells, newest novel, “Lobster Trap.”  

A tonal departure from Britton’s other works, this campy romp follows Pixie McGee, a lovelorn former stripper turned real estate empress, who teams up with a lonely lobsterman named Caleb Gray to uncover a dastardly plot. Utami, a cellular seafood bioengineering firm, is hell-bent on destroying Maine’s commercial lobster industry. Utami's plan? A nefarious cocktail of genetically modified "Franken-lobsters," backroom deals with a scheming senator, and the dubious talents of a washed-up actor. The book is available now. 

While bioengineered lobsters are more science fiction than fact, Britton said there’s an undercurrent of truth as the state’s fishing industry is under threat from environmental changes and regulatory measures. According to Gulf of Maine Research Institute, the gulf is one of the fastest warming ocean surfaces and, as marine species migrate to cooler waters, historical fishing practices are being disrupted.   

“Sometimes satire makes it easier to handle the realities,” said Britton.  

It was also important to Britton to reflect lobstering accurately as a Southport native with friends in the industry. He even had some of them fact-check the novel. “It’s a great beach read, but it also might make people think about what it's like to haul on a frigid January day, or the growing sense of the haves and have-nots in the world.” 

Britton’s research has paid off with positive feedback from the community. Locals had encouraged Britton to return to Maine as a subject. His first book, “Eight-Man Cowboy," took place in the state, but his more recent works have been based in Texas, where Britton spent several years living and working. “I just feel fortunate that I'm able to write this book and I'm able to live in this community.” 

This sentiment is heightened for Britton as a self-described “late in the game” fiction writer, but he isn't new to the writing game entirely, spending several years working at the Boothbay Register during his college days. “Lobster Trap” is dedicated to his late colleague, “life mentor" and proud eighth-generation Mainer David McKown. “He was one of the brightest, smartest people, hardest working people I've ever been around.”  

Britton’s newest work is a return to his hometown, and to a beloved character. Readers might recognize Pixie McGee as the saving grace from “Eight-Man Cowboy.” A no-nonsense type with a great sense of humor, McGee, Britton said, is one of his favorite characters he’s ever written. Often, finishing a book is melancholic because it feels like leaving friends behind, so Britton's glad Pixie got to make a reappearance.  

But don't worry, while “Lobster Trap” is a spin-off, there’s no required reading beforehand.