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The Birdwatcher
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
24 posts | 17 read | 26 to read
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.
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Cathythoughts
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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My camping homework is done 👍🏻⛺️( really enjoying Tomorrow, had to make myself stop at halfway)

So now I can read what I want .. it‘s a rainy day here. It‘s time for some long overdue murder and crime and detectives ♥️♥️♥️ our mini heat wave is over for now, the cardigan is out again 🙄

LeahBergen I much prefer cardigan weather. 😆 2y
Ruthiella Long over due murder! 🔪😱😂 2y
Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Me too , cardigan weather and winter clothes in general … 👌🏻❤️ summer is ok for awhile 😁 2y
Cathythoughts @Ruthiella Yes, it‘s all about balance 😂 2y
64 likes4 comments
review
erzascarletbookgasm
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Pickpick

I enjoyed my first book by William Shaw, set in the Kent coast, England. This is a prequel/introduction to the DS Alex Cupidi series, which I will now look up to read. A well-written, slow-burn story with vivid descriptions of the landscapes, strong character driven. A policeman with a secret past, a peek into the atmospheres of The Troubles,..more than a crime novel. 👍

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TheAromaofBooks
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Pickpick

First off, this is the second thriller I have read this month that involves birdwatching in Britain?? Seems like a weird theme 😂 This book had a lot of good qualities, but somehow didn't suck me in like I thought it would, and I had mixed feelings about the ending, as I thought things got a bit ridiculously dramatic. A solid enough read that I won't avoid Shaw in the future, but I also don't feel like I NEED to delve into the rest of his books.

65 likes2 comments
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Jerdencon
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Finished these 2 for #scarathon as well as one other book not related...

Sorry for being a day late with my totals for #teamslaughter
And it‘s not such a great amount but it came out to 72 points! Will do better this week!

@TheAromaofBooks I really enjoyed the Birdwatcher!
@Clwojick @StayCurious

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Glad you enjoyed it. I'm totally going to read my copy one of these days! 😂 4y
38 likes1 comment
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Jerdencon
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Started this for #scarathon #teamslaughter
Was a gift from @TheAromaofBooks ❤️and figured it was a great time to start it! Seems like a creepy mystery! @Clwojick @StayCurious

Clwojick Sounds interesting! 4y
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! My copy is still on the shelf unread. 😂 4y
19 likes2 comments
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TheEllieMo
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Mehso-so

First book by this author that I have read, and it was OK. It switched between two timelines, and I felt that the earlier timeline interrupted the modern-day timeline a little. Interesting concept, though, in that we are told in the opening paragraphs that the main character is a murderer.

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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Pickpick

Great start to this series - I'm ready to read Salt Lane now - which is coming in any day for me from the library.

Ddzmini The bird... the bird.... is the word 👀🤣🤣🤣 6y
Penny_LiteraryHoarders @Ddzmini this is actually the third book I've read recently that had something about birds! 🤣🐦 6y
34 likes2 comments
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Penny_LiteraryHoarders
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Have to read The Birdwatcher before my hold for Salt Lane comes in!

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bnp
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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This happens to me every summer. I've not been wanting to read with my eyes but with my ears, so listening to a lot of Deborah Crombie.

Enjoyed the tagged book, a mystery by new-to-me author William Shaw.

Introvert who needs some people time most days.

Ummm . . Yes! Saw Will you be my fried documentary last week with friends.

Cook!

Do something physical, reread a favorite.

@hermyknee #bookslumpblues

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Yvonnel
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Pickpick

This book was a bit of a slow burn but a thoroughly enjoyable police procedural. It felt a little like a Peter Robinson story and that‘s high praise since he‘s my all time fave. I‘d recommend this one.

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valeriegeary
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Fell in love with a new word today: "scrumpled". It's a variant of crumple. Perhaps used more in the UK than the US? (Where my UK Littens at?!) Anyway... My dog's neck is scrumpled. ??❤️ #wordoftheday

saresmoore Eep! Scrumpled doggy neck is scrumptious! 7y
BookMaven407 😂good example 🐶 7y
batsy Scrumpled doggy is too cute! 7y
See All 7 Comments
Kappadeemom That word sounds totally Southern..”Bless her heart, that hairdo of hers is totally scrumpled” 😂😂 7y
jbhops I like it! I would use the term smooshy buy that's just my generic term for everything. 😁 7y
valeriegeary @Kappadeemom oh my yes! 🤗 7y
valeriegeary @jbhops smooshy is also a wonderful word that I don't use nearly enough! 7y
58 likes1 stack add7 comments
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valeriegeary
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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I was drawn in by this cover. First time I'd heard of the book. It's a mystery set on the dreary coast of England with one detective who's a birdwatcher and also keeping a terrible secret, and another detective who's just moved to town with her troubled teenage daughter and something to prove. So far I'm enjoying it. Crisp writing, intriguing characters. 👍

Booksnchill This was one of my favorite books of the year- loved it! 7y
58 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Booksnchill
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Pickpick

"There were two reasons why William South did not want to be on the murder team. The first was that it was October. The migrating birds had begun arriving on the coast. The second was that, though nobody knew, he was a murderer himself" These are the first lines from this book and it only gets better. I have read a few disappointing mysteries lately but this one is wonderful! Great characters, good mystery with twists and moves along-quietly.

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Booksnchill
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Just started this police procedural and thought I'd have a little fun with the visual- my birdwatcher Whiskey is ever vigilant- those #AngryBirds are everywhere!

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Pasaal
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
Pickpick

A better than average English murder mystery. William South is a policeman and avid birdwatcher who gets drawn into a murder case that brings back many memories of the murder of his father in Northern Ireland. South is an interesting character and the town and coastal life around Kent is well done. The ending was a bit over the top, but I'd read more books with this protagonist.

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Audrey
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Pickpick

A solid character driven mystery. Interesting pov from someone who isn't investigating the murder but who knows the parties. I almost want to go birdwatching. Almost.

blurb
Liberty
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Afternoon reading. ☠️🖤📚

RealBooks4ever Want! 💜 7y
102 likes8 stack adds1 comment
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Matilda
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Wait, is there another kind of ketchup?!

Moray_Reads Ooh, I love mushroom ketchup 8y
Matilda @Moray_Reads I've never heard of that! Sounds like I need to go fall down a rabbit hole of ketchup. 8y
Hooked_on_books I've lived places where a "pen" is an "ink pen" and had the same question. I know of no pen that doesn't use ink. 8y
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Matilda @Hooked_on_books a blood pen! (Totally made that up) 8y
rubyslippersreads @Hooked_on_books A pig pen. 😄🐷 8y
Matilda @rubyslippersreads 😂👏🏽 8y
fraudfyter I've seen banana ketchup! 8y
Megabooks Actual lol! 8y
Matilda @fraudfyter I know tomatoes are a fruit but banana ketchup seems a stretch! Lol 8y
mandapants I must be tired. I was so absorbed by the ketchup quote, trying to figure out what was weird about it, that when my daughter asked if it was bedtime I stared blankly at her and said 'i don't know.' YES. Yes it is bed time. Don't let the ketchup fool you. 8y
Matilda @mandapants 😂. In the US we don't say tomato ketchup, just ketchup. I assume if other countries make the distinction there must be other types of ketchup I didn't know existed! 8y
Blaire Because I had to know: http://www.cooksinfo.com/ketchup 8y
Blaire It did not originally have tomatoes and there was mushroom ketchup. #themoreyouknow 8y
margaux.andrea Banana ketchup is quite common here in the Philippines. It's probably more popular than tomato ketchup. 8y
Hooked_on_books @rubyslippersreads Well played! 😂 8y
56 likes2 stack adds15 comments
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Matilda
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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I'm listening! #greatfirstline

RealBooks4ever I need to know why!! 😳😳😆 8y
Soubhiville Hooked! What are they?!?! 8y
zsuzsanna_reads Great first line! 8y
60 likes10 stack adds3 comments
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Matilda
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Lunch reading.

BoldCityBooks LOVE my Paperwhite! 8y
66 likes1 comment
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audiothing
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Pickpick

My #BestBookRead this book will be around for many, many years

MrBook Ooh! Added 😎🙌🏻! 8y
6 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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audiothing
The Birdwatcher | William Shaw
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Pickpick

William Shaw is one of my favourite writers. He is the author of the fabulous Breen and Tozer series set in London of the 1960s.
This book is a standalone, a murder mystery set in a bleak area of England. In my review I said that it is a keeper, to be taken off the shelf every few years to be re-read. Good writing, good story

5 likes1 stack add