The Birdwatcher Audiobook By William Shaw cover art

The Birdwatcher

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The Birdwatcher

By: William Shaw
Narrated by: Roger Davis
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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.

©2017 William Shaw (P)2017 Hachette Audio Crime Crime Fiction Murder Thriller & Suspense Fiction Suspense

Critic reviews

"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)
"Engaging.... A fine procedural.... The action builds to a thrilling ending." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Award-winning author Shaw...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)
Well-drawn Characters • Engaging Plot • Excellent Voice Actor • Refreshing Mystery • Atmospheric Setting • Good Accents
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Found a new author , liked the story but must admit didn't like Cupido . Well written

Different but very good

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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.

4

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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.

Forgettable, not very interesting

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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!

Absolutely fantastic!

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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.

Very good Narrator & Good Mystery

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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.

Wonderful

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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.

Not your typical detective story

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this was a great story, it unfolded in so many directions. Great writing, great narration. I highly recommend it!

loved this story

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I could not wait to finish! Loved it! The voice actor was excellent!

I recommend it to everyone!

Superb thriller!

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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.

Quirky, But Not Great

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