A Siege of Bitterns: A Birder Murder Mystery: Winner of the Arthur Ellis Award 2015 (Birder Murder Mysteries) (Paperback)

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A Siege of Bitterns: A Birder Murder Mystery: Winner of the Arthur Ellis Award 2015 (Birder Murder Mysteries) By Steve Burrows Cover Image
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Staff Reviews


Celebrated Canadian Domenic Jejeune, recently arrived to the Norfolk area of England, has newly been appointed to DCI of Saltmarsh.  An avid birder, Dom is more thrilled to be in the heart of Britain's premier birding county than being a detective. When an ecological activist/birder is found murdered, Jejeune's investigative reputation is put to the test.  Can the death be related to a competition involving birdwatching lists?

— Brenda

Description


Winner of the Arthur Ellis Award 2015

In this first Birder Murder mystery newly appointed police inspector Domenic Jejeune doesn’t mind ruffling a few feathers to flush out suspects in the brutal murder of a renowned ecological activist

Newly appointed police inspector Domenic Jejeune doesn’t mind ruffling a few feathers. Indeed his success has elevated him into a poster boy for the police. The problem is Jejeune doesn’t really want to be a detective at all; he much prefers watching birds.

Recently reassigned to the small Norfolk town of Saltmarsh, located in the heart of Britain’s premier birding country, Jejeune’s two worlds collide with the grisly murder of a prominent ecological activist. His ambitious police superintendent foresees a blaze of welcome publicity, although doubts soon emerge when Jejeune’s best theory involves a feud over birdwatching lists. A second murder does little to bolster confidence.

Jejeune must call on all his birding knowhow to solve the mystery and deal with unwelcome public acclaim, the mistrust of colleagues and his own insecurities. For, in the case of the Saltmarsh birder murders, the victims may not be the only casualties…

About the Author


Steve Burrows has pursued his birdwatching hobby on six continents. He is a former editor of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society magazine and a contributing field editor for Asian Geographic. Steve now lives with his wife, Resa, in Oshawa, Ontario.

Praise For…


'Most entertaining.'
— The Times

‘Entertaining, instructive and amusing’.
— The Comet

'I didn't realise trying to spot rare birds could be so ruthlessly competitive, with fowl play as a result in this Midsomer-ish case'.
— Peterborough Telegraph

'A sound plot and well-drawn characters within the police and from all sides of Norfolk's ecological issues make for a most entertaining read'.
— The Times

'The books are well written…and instructive. We are promised a series of birder murder stories: good!'
— Literary Review

'It's always nice to come across a new angle in crime fiction…this is an entertaining visit to the Norfolk coast and a good introduction to the world of birders'.
— Crime Review

'A new genre is born: the "birder murder"'.
— Sunday Times Crime Club

'One of the most delightful…mysteries of recent years'.
— Daily Mail

‘A murder plot built around birdwatching doesn’t, at first, seem plausible or even possible. But Burrows pulls it off in a dazzling debut... Riveting from first page to final line.’
— Globe and Mail

‘While Jejeune may not be too enthusiastic about his profession, it’s easy to be enthusiastic about Burrows’ first mystery, and I’m looking forward to more fowl play in the future.’
— National Post

‘Finally, a solid, well-constructed murder mystery that happens to involve a subject with which many mystery readers might not be familiar.’
— Booklist

'Filled with clues dead ends ... and blinding moments of “Eureka!'
— Owen-Sound Sun Times
Product Details
ISBN: 9781786074263
ISBN-10: 1786074265
Publisher: Point Blank
Publication Date: February 6th, 2018
Pages: 368
Language: English
Series: Birder Murder Mysteries