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The Birdwatcher

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The Birdwatcher

By: William Shaw
Narrated by: Roger Davis
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About this listen

Police Sergeant William South has a reason for not wanting to be on the murder investigation. He is a murderer himself. But the victim was his only friend - like him, a passionate birdwatcher.

South is warily partnered with the strong-willed Detective Sergeant Alexandra Cupidi, newly recruited to the Kent coast from London. Together they find the body, violently beaten, forced inside a wooden chest. Only rage could kill a man like this. South knows it. But soon - too soon - they find a suspect: Donnie Fraser, a drifter from Northern Ireland. His presence in Kent disturbs William - because he knew him as a boy.

If the past is catching up with him, South wants to meet it head on. For even as he desperately investigates the connections, he knows there is no crime, however duplicitous or cruel, that can compare to the great lie of his childhood.

Moving from the storm-lashed, bird-wheeling skies of the Kent Coast to the wordless war of the Troubles, The Birdwatcher is a crime novel of suspense, intelligence and powerful humanity about fathers and sons, grief and guilt and facing the darkness within.

©2016 William Shaw (P)2016 WF Howes Ltd Crime Crime Thrillers Murder Mystery Thriller & Suspense Thriller Fiction Exciting Suspense Detective

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All stars
Most relevant  
I found this rather laboured and pedestrian. I have loved READING the first three books in the Alexandra Cupidi series and am addicted. The Birdwatcher filled me in on how DS Cupidi and daughter Zoe started off on their journey in Dungeness, so worthwhile.

Spoilt by the oerformance

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William Shaw is a good writer with a lot to say about being human. Great story, with characters you can believe in and get involved with. Great evocation of a bleak coastal landscape. Switching between past and present works well. I thought the reader was really good- some of the accents were a bit dodgy but no reader's perfect and it didn't spoil an otherwise excellent narration for me.

Much more than just a murder story

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The biggest disappointment of this book was that I only discovered it after listening to the 2 Cupidi books which meant that I was backtracking. It didn’t matter as far as South’s story went but it did mean that the South and Cupidi relationship was a known.

Should be the first of the Cupidi series

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I have enjoyed this first book of DS Alexandra Cupidi, Book and pleased that this has now become a series. I am about to read the book 1 in this new series. I always like a detective series, the people in the team of detectives you come to know, I always chose these types.

A good start to a new series

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This is my first audiobook by William Shaw & read by Roger Davis & I don't think it will be the last.

Great story & narration.

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Great story, read really well - I was so gripped I was even looking for more ironing to do so I could carry on listening

Really well narrated

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This is only the 3rd audio book that I have listened to and I haven't read any books by the author before. I loved it and will be listening to more books by the same author. The narrator was wonderful, he gave the characters such different voices that I always knew who was speaking so will be looking out for more audio books that he narrates. South is a great character who I hope will pop up in later books. I am always worried about trying a new author but this time I didn't need to be.

Amazing!

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Love this author . I have read all of his Cupidi novels . All excellent . Very well narrated too. That makes all the difference .

Great book

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Set in two time zones one in the troubles in NI and the other in the wild open beaches of the Kent coast. It took me a while to get hooked but once it caught me I enjoyed the twists and turns.

Love, Jealousy, Drugs and Murder!

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Really good police story. Listened to it over 3 days. Beautifully read with a great Northern Ireland accent

Great story well read

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