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The Birdwatcher
- Narrated by: Roger Davis
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
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Publisher's summary
Police Sergeant William South has a good reason to shy away from murder investigations: He is a murderer himself.
Long-listed for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year
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.
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Critic reviews
What listeners say about The Birdwatcher
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Performance
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- Richard Yeary
- 10-07-22
Different but very good
Found a new author , liked the story but must admit didn't like Cupido . Well written
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- Donna
- 07-05-17
4
This is an offbeat mystery. I liked the setting, the birds, the characters and the slow unfolding of a good story. I hope there is a sequel in the works.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Calliope
- 01-10-23
Forgettable, not very interesting
I'd figured out the "surprise" of the protagonist's history early, and the writing and story in general were kind of clumsy. An OK listen, but not very good value unless it's on sale.
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- A Martin
- 06-16-23
Absolutely fantastic!
I have been waiting for a new author with new and refreshing crime mysteries and I’m so glad I have found William Shaw! This was incredibly well written and truly transported me to England. The character development was great, the plot development was fantastic. Also, the narration was perfect and engaging. I could easily see this being developed into a series on Netflix…. I can’t wait to read my next book by William Shaw!
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- C L Towle
- 07-18-18
Very good Narrator & Good Mystery
With the Audio version you can tell by the accents, that the story takes place in two countries/cities, and goes back and forth in time. (The Narrator makes the story more lively than the book.) A good story.
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1 person found this helpful
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- A reviewer
- 07-13-20
Wonderful
This is what they call a hidden gem. I never would have found it except my favorite writer mentioned it on her blog. Very enjoyable and intriguing listen with characters you really care about. I got thoroughly immersed in it. I would read anything else by this author. The writing is so nice--straightforward and unpretentious. I rate this along with The Dry as being just perfect, superb "mysteries" with a heart and soul.
The narrator is fine, but the sound quality is so poor in the "past" sections I had to mark it down.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Deborah
- 05-14-21
Not your typical detective story
Bird watching and detecting require many of the same talents and patience. Although this is the first in a series that shifts its focus to DI Cupidi in future volumes, the focus here is on a local copper William South with a rich personality and a past to hide. When his neighbor and fellow birdwatcher is murdered, South puts his observational skills to work, while the past plagues him and he is snookered into babysitting. The best part of this book is the three-dimensional, likable characters. Can’t wait until the rest of the series is available on Audible.
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3 people found this helpful
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- andreaptdd
- 06-01-22
loved this story
this was a great story, it unfolded in so many directions. Great writing, great narration. I highly recommend it!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Laura G. Williams
- 08-25-17
Superb thriller!
I could not wait to finish! Loved it! The voice actor was excellent!
I recommend it to everyone!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Bruce Watford
- 11-26-22
Quirky, But Not Great
The birdwatching references made the story kind of quirky. But, overall, it was very slow and didn't get really interesting until about the last hour. Both main characters seemed to always be either too nice or too mean for the situation. The childhood flashbacks were interesting, though. The narration would have been fine, but the volume decreased drastically every time it switched to his childhood.
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