The Birdwatcher: A Novel
“A gem. . . . Shaw's writing is true British procedural; lean and spectacle-free, it nevertheless grabs and doesn't let go.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

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.

“One of summer’s chilliest thrillers. . . . Shaw's prose still sinks its hooks in.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Discreet, thoughtful prose. . . .an excellent read.” —USA Today



“Well told [and] affecting. The writing is beautifully understated, and the characters are vividly drawn.” —Booklist, starred review

“[O]utstanding. . . . will please readers of Tana French's 'Dublin Murder Squad' series.” —Library Journal

“Shaw's most accomplished book yet.” —The Independent [UK]
1124746463
The Birdwatcher: A Novel
“A gem. . . . Shaw's writing is true British procedural; lean and spectacle-free, it nevertheless grabs and doesn't let go.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

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.

“One of summer’s chilliest thrillers. . . . Shaw's prose still sinks its hooks in.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Discreet, thoughtful prose. . . .an excellent read.” —USA Today



“Well told [and] affecting. The writing is beautifully understated, and the characters are vividly drawn.” —Booklist, starred review

“[O]utstanding. . . . will please readers of Tana French's 'Dublin Murder Squad' series.” —Library Journal

“Shaw's most accomplished book yet.” —The Independent [UK]
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The Birdwatcher: A Novel

The Birdwatcher: A Novel

by William Shaw
The Birdwatcher: A Novel

The Birdwatcher: A Novel

by William Shaw

eBook

$17.99 

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Overview

“A gem. . . . Shaw's writing is true British procedural; lean and spectacle-free, it nevertheless grabs and doesn't let go.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

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.

“One of summer’s chilliest thrillers. . . . Shaw's prose still sinks its hooks in.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Discreet, thoughtful prose. . . .an excellent read.” —USA Today



“Well told [and] affecting. The writing is beautifully understated, and the characters are vividly drawn.” —Booklist, starred review

“[O]utstanding. . . . will please readers of Tana French's 'Dublin Murder Squad' series.” —Library Journal

“Shaw's most accomplished book yet.” —The Independent [UK]

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780316316255
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication date: 09/24/2024
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 304
File size: 2 MB

About the Author

William Shaw is an award-winning music journalist and the author of several non-fiction books including Westsiders: Stories of the Boys in the Hood. Prior to becoming a crime writer, he worked at the post-punk magazine ZigZag and a journalist for The Observer, The New York Times, Wired, Arena, and The Face. He lives in Sussex, England.
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