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George & Molly Palmer-Jones #8
High Island Blues
In a bird watcher's paradise, murder comes home to roost.
Among the birders from around the world gathered for the dazzling spring avian migration on the Texas coast are three old friends from England - Rob, Mick, and Oliver - celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their first unforgettable trip to High Island.
But the party's over when Mick, the introvert who surprisingly got the girl they all wanted years ago, is murdered. The police tag Rob for the crime, but shrewd birder-investigator George Palmer-Jones focuses his attention on some odd ducks among the English contingent.
Meanwhile, back home in England, George's wife, Molly, digs up the dirt on a save-the-earth society. And on High Island, a killer finds that one murder is not enough . . .
Among the birders from around the world gathered for the dazzling spring avian migration on the Texas coast are three old friends from England - Rob, Mick, and Oliver - celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their first unforgettable trip to High Island.
But the party's over when Mick, the introvert who surprisingly got the girl they all wanted years ago, is murdered. The police tag Rob for the crime, but shrewd birder-investigator George Palmer-Jones focuses his attention on some odd ducks among the English contingent.
Meanwhile, back home in England, George's wife, Molly, digs up the dirt on a save-the-earth society. And on High Island, a killer finds that one murder is not enough . . .
432 pages, Hardcover
First published May 24, 1996
261 people are currently reading
744 people want to read
About the author
Ann Cleeves
132 books8,822 followersAnn is the author of the books behind ITV's VERA, now in it's third series, and the BBC's SHETLAND, which will be aired in December 2012. Ann's DI Vera Stanhope series of books is set in Northumberland and features the well loved detective along with her partner Joe Ashworth. Ann's Shetland series bring us DI Jimmy Perez, investigating in the mysterious, dark, and beautiful Shetland Islands...
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.
While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.
In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.
For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony
Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.
In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.
Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"
The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).
Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. Raven Black was shortlisted for the Martin Beck award for best translated crime novel in Sweden in 200
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 31, 2014
It appears this book is #8 or so a series. I would hope that earlier books were better, because this book is peopled by some of the most unlikeable characters I've ever come across, including those solving the mystery. It's a story that revolves around a whole group of truly miserable, unhappy people and getting through it was a complete slog.
May 13, 2025
On the bookstore crawl in Houston, I visited Murder By the Book. Before I even arrived, I was worried about this stop; I was planning to buy a book at every bookstore and what mystery could I buy that I would like? Then I remembered that my husband and I had recently watched the first ten seasons of Vera. Maybe I could find a Vera book?
The bookstore clerk shook his head. No, no Vera. But the store did have a lot of Ann Cleeves' older titles, books that had been republished from many years ago, books appearing for the first time in America. And here, the clerk said, picking up this book, is a book a lot of people in Houston like. It's set, he went on, on High Island and the characters are birders.
Sold, I told him.
My thoughts? It's a perfectly good mystery. My chief enjoyment of the story came from the Texas setting and Texas characters and birding references, but that could just be me.
The bookstore clerk shook his head. No, no Vera. But the store did have a lot of Ann Cleeves' older titles, books that had been republished from many years ago, books appearing for the first time in America. And here, the clerk said, picking up this book, is a book a lot of people in Houston like. It's set, he went on, on High Island and the characters are birders.
Sold, I told him.
My thoughts? It's a perfectly good mystery. My chief enjoyment of the story came from the Texas setting and Texas characters and birding references, but that could just be me.
August 5, 2024
The 8th and final book in the Molly and George Palmer-Jones detective series. I enjoyed this one more than any of the others - the plot was more complex, the characters more defined and the pace quicker than in the other books.
November 1, 2024
“ Old sins have long shadows “
It’s a time worn theme to many a murder mystery but when it’s done well there is nothing more satisfying. A fitting finale to the eight instalment series of the adventures of George and Molly Palmer-Jones. A cracker..
It’s a time worn theme to many a murder mystery but when it’s done well there is nothing more satisfying. A fitting finale to the eight instalment series of the adventures of George and Molly Palmer-Jones. A cracker..
February 16, 2022
After a slow start, this was a very enjoyable detective novel. I like a murder mystery in a surprising location, so birdwatchers from England on travels to Texas was a winner for me.
September 8, 2021
"IN A BIRD-WATCHER'S PARADISE, MURDER COMES HOME TO ROOST.
"Among the birders from around the world gathered for the dazzling spring avian migration on the Texas coast are three old friends from England -- Rob, Mick, and Oliver -- celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their first unforgettable trip to High Island.
"But the party's over when Mick -- the introvert who surprisingly got the girl they all wanted years ago -- is murdered. The police tag Rob for the crime, but shrewd birder-investigator George Palmer-Jones focuses his attention on some odd ducks among the English contingent. Meanwhile, back home in England, George's wife, Molly, digs up the dirt on a save-the-earth society. And on High Island, a killer finds that one murder is not enough ..."
~~back cover
I didn't think this book was up to Ms. Cleve's usual standards. It seemed to drag on in the "middle" way too long, with false starts and general malaise -- all the false leads being tidily swept away just at the end. Perhaps I missed clues along the way but if I did, they were minisclue. Perhaps that's an accolade to the author, after all.
"Among the birders from around the world gathered for the dazzling spring avian migration on the Texas coast are three old friends from England -- Rob, Mick, and Oliver -- celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their first unforgettable trip to High Island.
"But the party's over when Mick -- the introvert who surprisingly got the girl they all wanted years ago -- is murdered. The police tag Rob for the crime, but shrewd birder-investigator George Palmer-Jones focuses his attention on some odd ducks among the English contingent. Meanwhile, back home in England, George's wife, Molly, digs up the dirt on a save-the-earth society. And on High Island, a killer finds that one murder is not enough ..."
~~back cover
I didn't think this book was up to Ms. Cleve's usual standards. It seemed to drag on in the "middle" way too long, with false starts and general malaise -- all the false leads being tidily swept away just at the end. Perhaps I missed clues along the way but if I did, they were minisclue. Perhaps that's an accolade to the author, after all.
August 6, 2018
This series (which has largely disappeared from view in libraries and bookshops) is basically an amateur sleuth story involving bird watching and murder (this may sound odd but it does work, although it probably works better for you if you are a serious birder, as the author is). A good quick read (and actually it wasn't easy to work out who did it and what the motive was). It involves a story from the past, and the setting is, mainly, Texas, with a bird fall expected. The birdwatching makes a surprisingly good cover setting for murder!
December 9, 2023
High Island Blues by Ann Cleeves
Blurb
In a bird watcher's paradise, murder comes home to roost.
Among the birders from around the world gathered for the dazzling spring avian migration on the Texas coast are three old friends from England - Rob, Mick, and Oliver - celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their first unforgettable trip to High Island.
But the party's over when Mick, the introvert who surprisingly got the girl they all wanted years ago, is murdered. The police tag Rob for the crime, but shrewd birder-investigator George Palmer-Jones focuses his attention on some odd ducks among the English contingent.
Meanwhile, back home in England, George's wife, Molly, digs up the dirt on a save-the-earth society. And on High Island, a killer finds that one murder is not enough . . .
My Opinion
This is the eighth and final book in the George & Molly Palmer-Jones series, but it could be read as a standalone. Over the last year I have slowly worked my way to the end of the series. In a change to what I expect from this series, this book is mostly set in Texas, but it has the slow plot that I have grown to enjoy as the series has gone on.
This is a rather enjoyable murder mystery, once again set around birdwatching. If you are looking for a short series with some quick reads then this has to be a series to look into reading.
Rating 4/5
Blurb
In a bird watcher's paradise, murder comes home to roost.
Among the birders from around the world gathered for the dazzling spring avian migration on the Texas coast are three old friends from England - Rob, Mick, and Oliver - celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their first unforgettable trip to High Island.
But the party's over when Mick, the introvert who surprisingly got the girl they all wanted years ago, is murdered. The police tag Rob for the crime, but shrewd birder-investigator George Palmer-Jones focuses his attention on some odd ducks among the English contingent.
Meanwhile, back home in England, George's wife, Molly, digs up the dirt on a save-the-earth society. And on High Island, a killer finds that one murder is not enough . . .
My Opinion
This is the eighth and final book in the George & Molly Palmer-Jones series, but it could be read as a standalone. Over the last year I have slowly worked my way to the end of the series. In a change to what I expect from this series, this book is mostly set in Texas, but it has the slow plot that I have grown to enjoy as the series has gone on.
This is a rather enjoyable murder mystery, once again set around birdwatching. If you are looking for a short series with some quick reads then this has to be a series to look into reading.
Rating 4/5
December 27, 2022
The last book in the George and Molly Palmer Jones series. Not as good as Ann Cleeve's later works but enough to keep an interest.
An aristocratic friend of George's hires him to investigate a case of charity fraud. Then his friend Rob Earl is accused of murder in Texas and George is flying out to investigate leaving poor Molly in a rainy Devon. There's lots of bird watching as Rob was leading a British birding tourist group to High Island, Texas (near Galveston). Rob also intended to meet up with two university friends from twenty years ago. Michael married an American and stayed in Houston. Oliver is a charity law solicitor in Bristol. But after a few days, one of the friends turns up dead during a birding trip and George must find the killer before Rob is tried for murder.
I found some bits rushed, some bits a bit fanciful, and the American accent could have been written better (maybe I am being unfair on this point). But I really enjoyed the birding aspect. I had hoped that the tension in the relationship between Molly and George could have been flushed out a bit more. It's a shame the series ended but maybe it's for the best.
An aristocratic friend of George's hires him to investigate a case of charity fraud. Then his friend Rob Earl is accused of murder in Texas and George is flying out to investigate leaving poor Molly in a rainy Devon. There's lots of bird watching as Rob was leading a British birding tourist group to High Island, Texas (near Galveston). Rob also intended to meet up with two university friends from twenty years ago. Michael married an American and stayed in Houston. Oliver is a charity law solicitor in Bristol. But after a few days, one of the friends turns up dead during a birding trip and George must find the killer before Rob is tried for murder.
I found some bits rushed, some bits a bit fanciful, and the American accent could have been written better (maybe I am being unfair on this point). But I really enjoyed the birding aspect. I had hoped that the tension in the relationship between Molly and George could have been flushed out a bit more. It's a shame the series ended but maybe it's for the best.
December 22, 2019
George and Molly Palmer-Jones a retired couple and now working together as Private Eyes get embroiled in a murder case where George's friend is suspected of killing an old friend while the group of English friends are visiting the site of their 20 year old youthful adventure at a Texas coast hotel and a center for "Birding" George travels to Texas while Molly remains in England to do investigating there. Twist abound until a 20 some year old grievance brings the murder to light. A nice read and so far I have liked the author's books that I have read.
March 11, 2018
Another well crafted novel in the Palmer-Jones series. The book was mainly set in Texas and the characters were well constructed. As I've come to expect with Ann Cleeves, I was kept guessing right to the end to find out who was the perpetrator and what was the motive. Although I enjoyed the novel, I felt that there was a little too much about the minutiae of the bird watching fraternity. Notwithstanding, I will not hesitate to read others by Ann Cleeves.
January 18, 2021
This is the same author as the Vera mysteries. I read quite a few with Vera, but this is my first Palmer-Jones mystery. Most of the action takes place in East Texas; however, this is definitely a British mystery as the characters are pretty obsessed with bird watching and have come to Texas for that purpose. The number of characters and the flashbacks made this one a bit difficult to follow for the first half.
June 7, 2023
This is a rather good story that again highlights the research of Ann CLEEVES in relation to bird watching. She has a good case of characters and several intertwining plots/stories.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to understand at times and can tend to drawl on somewhat, and in addition, the ending is a bit of a letdown.
Nevertheless, her language and dialogue are good and I can only give this one a slight recommendation.
Recommended.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to understand at times and can tend to drawl on somewhat, and in addition, the ending is a bit of a letdown.
Nevertheless, her language and dialogue are good and I can only give this one a slight recommendation.
Recommended.
February 23, 2024
"High Island Blues" by Ann Cleeves is a gripping mystery novel that falls within the genre of contemporary crime fiction. Incorporating the classic trope of a small, tight-knit community harboring dark secrets, Cleeves masterfully navigates the intricacies of human relationships against the backdrop of the remote and atmospheric Shetland Islands. With its compelling characters and skillful execution of the genre's tropes, "High Island Blues" is sure to satisfy fans of suspenseful whodunits.
April 22, 2024
Ann Cleeves is an excellent writer. Plots and stories always good. Characters good. This is the first of this series I've read. Very disappointing. The bird stuff was overwhelming and actually very boring. The characters are all horrible, including George and Molly. I skipped some of the more tedious passages and only read to the end because Ms Cleeves is a compelling writer. I didn't guess 'whodunnit' and tbh, couldn't have cared less, although it was all a bit unlikely.
December 18, 2024
The eighth and final in the George and Molly Palmer-Jones series. An interesting insight into people and the things which happen early in life and how they impact years later.
I would have liked Molly to be much more involved. I believe this series was written before the Vera Stanhope series and whilst George is interesting it is Molly with whom I wanted to know her thoughts and feelings so much more. 3 1/2 stars.
I would have liked Molly to be much more involved. I believe this series was written before the Vera Stanhope series and whilst George is interesting it is Molly with whom I wanted to know her thoughts and feelings so much more. 3 1/2 stars.
February 21, 2025
An enjoyable listen Sad that this is the last of the George and Molly Palmer- Jones novels to listen too.
They have got stadily more engrossing as the series progressed. I love the relationship between George and Molly, which whilst there is clearly a deep bond displays a surface level of petty irritations. I did guess whio the culprits were and why, but enjoyed the journey nonetheless.
This series has been brilliantly read by Sean Barrett.
They have got stadily more engrossing as the series progressed. I love the relationship between George and Molly, which whilst there is clearly a deep bond displays a surface level of petty irritations. I did guess whio the culprits were and why, but enjoyed the journey nonetheless.
This series has been brilliantly read by Sean Barrett.
January 27, 2022
This book was not a success. Ann should never have left the UK locations. I am American, and lived in Texas for a time, so her portrayal of the culture and language was jarring. I started reading, and couldn't get past the first couple of chapters. If Ann had an American editor, they did not give her good advice. If she didn't--then she should have.
May 1, 2024
Good
Familiar themes: birdwatching; reunions agreed in the distant past; and, of course, murder!
George goes out to the upper Texas coast to help an old bird watching friend who is a person of interest in a murder inquiry, while Molly does background research back home in Blighty.
A tad slow but well written and holds the interest throughout.
Familiar themes: birdwatching; reunions agreed in the distant past; and, of course, murder!
George goes out to the upper Texas coast to help an old bird watching friend who is a person of interest in a murder inquiry, while Molly does background research back home in Blighty.
A tad slow but well written and holds the interest throughout.
August 26, 2024
I couldn’t describe this as vintage Ann Cleeves. The book was enjoyable, had some good twists in it, while at the same time it lacked the vibrancy and tension of those of her books in other series. It was slower paced, a sort of gentrified crime novel. So yes, worth the read but not up to the standard I’ve come to expect and enjoy in her writing.
March 28, 2021
Always good - by the author of the "Vera" series.....complicated but steadily interesting stories without being gory. Good characters, interesting & deep into the world of bird watching - recommended.
May 27, 2023
A slight shift in location and characters but well worth reading. Old friends, financial fraud, long held grief and loss all pointing to murder but in the meantime there are birds to be spotted, counted and listed ... another good read from a talented writer.
May 24, 2024
Excellent
I must admit I was sceptical when I first picked this up but when I saw it had been written by Ann Cleeves I thought why not and I’m glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and will certainly be on the lookout for the remainder of the series.
I must admit I was sceptical when I first picked this up but when I saw it had been written by Ann Cleeves I thought why not and I’m glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and will certainly be on the lookout for the remainder of the series.
June 24, 2025
This is the only Ann Cleeves mystery set in the U.S. A birding trip in Texas for English birders provides both the excitement of bird fall and a tense atmosphere of murder.
Another winner for Ann Cleeves.
Another winner for Ann Cleeves.
November 22, 2025
Nice mystery from the Vera author, and it's set in Texas. Somewhat less complicated than her Vera books.
It's part of a series, and it may have helped if I'd read some of the earlier books in that series.
It's part of a series, and it may have helped if I'd read some of the earlier books in that series.
July 23, 2020
Last of the series - another gently done mystery
March 19, 2021
This is an early Ann Cleeves and it tells a pretty good story, has loads of bird lore and is set in Texas.
December 5, 2021
A lovely mystery in the 'bird watch' world.
April 7, 2022
I do like her earlier books.....
November 3, 2022
As always - a wonderful read. I am all caught up on my Ann Cleeves books now. Waiting for new ones to be written. :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews