The Birdwatcher, William Shaw
The Birdwatcher, William Shaw
List: $27.99 | Sale: $19.59
Club: $13.99

The Birdwatcher

Author: William Shaw

Narrator: Roger Davis

Unabridged: 9 hr 53 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/27/2017


Synopsis

Police Sergeant William South has a good reason to shy away from murder investigations: he is a murderer himself.

A methodical, diligent, and exceptionally bright detective, South is an avid birdwatcher and trusted figure in his small town on the rugged Kentish coast. He also lives with the deeply buried secret that, as a child in Northern Ireland, he may have killed a man. When a fellow birdwatcher is found murdered in his remote home, South's world flips.

The culprit seems to be a drifter from South's childhood; the victim was the only person connecting South to his early crime; and a troubled, vivacious new female sergeant has been relocated from London and assigned to work with South. As our hero investigates, he must work ever-harder to keep his own connections to the victim, and his past, a secret.

The Birdwatcher is British crime fiction at its finest; a stirring portrait of flawed, vulnerable investigators; a meticulously constructed mystery; and a primal story of fear, loyalty and vengeance.

**Longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year

Reviews

Goodreads review by Liz on June 07, 2016

Really enjoyed this one from William Shaw – a bit of a different take on the normal whodunnit with a main protagonist who is himself a murderer so prefers to just be a community officer – however when his neighbour is killed he gets sucked into the investigation through the brilliantly portrayed Ale......more

Goodreads review by Abby • Crime by the Book on July 05, 2017

Read my full review here: [URL not allowed] This book snuck up on me. It took me about 100 pages to get into the swing of things, but once I did, I found myself fully engrossed in this mystery. It's most definitely a slow-burning mystery throughout, so do be aware of that! But......more


Quotes

One of "Summer's chilliest thrillers... Shaw's prose still sinks its hooks in."—Entertainment Weekly

"I liked its discreet, thoughtful prose. . . . By its theatrical but moving conclusion, The Birdwatcher has become an excellent read."—Charles Finch, USA Today

"William Shaw's The Birdwatcher is a gem of an addition to the stellar Mulholland line of crime fiction. Shaw's writing is true British procedural; lean and spectacle-free, it nevertheless grabs and doesn't let go. With minimal telling, Shaw paints full characters and relationships with seemingly preternatural ease. Particularly satisfying are South's relationship with Cupidi's daughter Zoe and emotional flashbacks to his childhood in Ireland during the Troubles. A well-plotted mystery with love and loyalty at its core,The Birdwatcher is a gratifying standalone that both satisfies and cries for more."—Shelf Awareness [starred review]

"A gem of an addition to the stellar Mulholland line of crime fiction. Shaw's writing is true British procedural; lean and spectacle-free, it nevertheless grabs and doesn't let go. . . . A well-plotted mystery with love and loyalty at its core, The Birdwatcher is a gratifying standalone that both satisfies and cries for more."—Shelf Awareness (starred review)

"Well told [and] affecting. The writing is beautifully understated, and the characters are vividly drawn and likable in their imperfections. Shaw makes the stony landscape an important element in the work; it becomes, by the end of the story, a place to which readers will feel a curiously strong attachment."—Booklist (starred review)

"A totally satisfying mystery from the first page to the last."—BookRiot

"There is a lot going on in this book which is artfully presented to the intelligent reader. I've read all of William Shaw's novels to date and consider him to be one of the top major talents to emerge in the last five years. Rating: A"—Deadly Pleasures Magazine

"Award-winning author Shaw ("Breen and Tozer" series) delivers an outstanding stand-alone novel; its gritty protagonist, intricate plot, and atmospheric description of the English countryside will please readers of Tana French's 'Dublin Murder Squad' series."—Library Journal

"Shaw crafts a delicious atmosphere."—Mystery Scene

"The Birdwatcher [is] exquisite in every way. A slow-burn book that begins with a violent crime and ends explosively... You won't want to put it down."—BookReporter