William Shaw: The Birdwatcher

Flight and landing

Sergeant Bill South is a neighbourhood copper. He takes stolen property reports, attends neighbourhood meetings and addresses the needs of the community.

When the body of his next door neighbour Bob Reyner is discovered, South is stunned by the brutality of the act. They were birdwatching enthusiasts and quietly companionable, but South doesn’t much more about him.

He’s not a detective but South is assigned to DS Cupidi, due to his relationship with the victim, and knowledge of the area. Cupidi, newly assigned to the station, brings with her a brash approach to her work, and an unruly teenager at home.

William Shaw delivers a slow, nuanced build, and excellent characters faced with hard decisions in The Birdwatcher.

Longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year

~ June Lorraine

PS – Criminal Element has a great Q&A with Shaw