What do you think?
Rate this book
Birder Murder Mystery #3
A Cast of Falcons
The threat from above is an ever-present danger.
A man falls to his death from a high cliff face in northern Scotland. From a distance, another man watches. He approaches the body, tucks a book into the man’s pocket, and leaves.
When the Scottish police show Inspector Domenic Jejeune the book, a bird guide bearing his name, he can truthfully say he that he has no idea how it came to be in the dead man’s pocket. What he does not tell them is that he recognizes the book instantly. So, while puzzled, he is not entirely surprised when his brother Damian emerges from his fugitive existence to reveal that the dead man is a notorious “taker” — a poacher of live wild falcons.
The case gets personal in a way Jejeune has never experienced before. He is acutely aware that with each passing day, rare birds are being illegally taken from the wild. And hovering over his every move is the threat that if he gets this one wrong, no one in the North Norfolk Constabulary will escape the wrath of the nation’s highest-placed officials.
A man falls to his death from a high cliff face in northern Scotland. From a distance, another man watches. He approaches the body, tucks a book into the man’s pocket, and leaves.
When the Scottish police show Inspector Domenic Jejeune the book, a bird guide bearing his name, he can truthfully say he that he has no idea how it came to be in the dead man’s pocket. What he does not tell them is that he recognizes the book instantly. So, while puzzled, he is not entirely surprised when his brother Damian emerges from his fugitive existence to reveal that the dead man is a notorious “taker” — a poacher of live wild falcons.
The case gets personal in a way Jejeune has never experienced before. He is acutely aware that with each passing day, rare birds are being illegally taken from the wild. And hovering over his every move is the threat that if he gets this one wrong, no one in the North Norfolk Constabulary will escape the wrath of the nation’s highest-placed officials.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2016
74 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
About the author
Steve Burrows
17 books147 followersSteve Burrows has pursued his birdwatching hobby on five continents, while researching articles on a wide range of environmental issues. He has a degree in English from York University and is a past editor of the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society Magazine. After travelling the world together, Steve and his family now live in Oshawa, Ontario.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
April 14, 2016
This is a story that immerses itself in the world of birds and twitchers and places crime within it. A man observes another man fall to his death. He makes his way to the body, leaves a book in his pocket and departs. An uneasy relationship exists between DCI Jejeune and his brother. Later his brother explains his role over the death in Scotland and the whitegyr falcon.
In Norfolk, a university researcher has been murdered, and DCI Jejeune leaves for Scotland. DS Danny Maik is less than happy that his boss has disappeared. However, it slowly begins to emerge that there are connections between the murder in Norfolk and the death in Scotland.
This is a compelling story about a world of which I know little, birds and twitchers. Whilst there are times when the story feels a little uneven, this did not affect my enjoyment of the novel. A well plottted and offbeat police procedural which is an absorbing read. Thanks to Dundurn for an ARC via netgalley.
In Norfolk, a university researcher has been murdered, and DCI Jejeune leaves for Scotland. DS Danny Maik is less than happy that his boss has disappeared. However, it slowly begins to emerge that there are connections between the murder in Norfolk and the death in Scotland.
This is a compelling story about a world of which I know little, birds and twitchers. Whilst there are times when the story feels a little uneven, this did not affect my enjoyment of the novel. A well plottted and offbeat police procedural which is an absorbing read. Thanks to Dundurn for an ARC via netgalley.
August 3, 2016
Another mystery series enters my radar...and leaves a positive impression. To be clear, I am not a birder, though I enjoy seeing them on a very casual basis in my daily life. But the birding element is woven into the mystery, characters' lives and natural setting very well.
A man dies in Scotland...a man is murdered in North Norfolk in England. Is there a connection? Why is Inspector Jejeune of North Norfolk rather cryptically summoned to Scotland? These are two of the many questions that take an entire novel to unravel. Birds are involved, seemingly tangentially, as are the environment and water politics, fraught family relationships, the inner workings and office politics of the constabulary. All is woven together well and I plan to read the 2 preceding Birder Mysteries as I am very interested in the human relationships. All in all, a keeper...and it was no problem for me to enter the series here though there are references to incidents and past relationships that are likely explained in the past novels.
Recommended for mystery readers who like their stories with some complexity.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, Dundurn, through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
A man dies in Scotland...a man is murdered in North Norfolk in England. Is there a connection? Why is Inspector Jejeune of North Norfolk rather cryptically summoned to Scotland? These are two of the many questions that take an entire novel to unravel. Birds are involved, seemingly tangentially, as are the environment and water politics, fraught family relationships, the inner workings and office politics of the constabulary. All is woven together well and I plan to read the 2 preceding Birder Mysteries as I am very interested in the human relationships. All in all, a keeper...and it was no problem for me to enter the series here though there are references to incidents and past relationships that are likely explained in the past novels.
Recommended for mystery readers who like their stories with some complexity.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, Dundurn, through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
October 3, 2016
If you are a birder and you like murder mysteries, you are already predisposed to like the Birder Murder Mysteries by Steve Burrows. This third installment of the series returns the reader to the Norfolk area of England, to see what Inspector Domenic Jejeune is involved in now—obviously from the title, falcons feature as an important part of the action.
Developments include Jejeune’s relationships with his partner Lindy, his sergeant Danny Maik, and his superior officer Colleen Shepard, among others. Plus we finally get a peek into the family backstory that has been alluded to in the previous two books.
Burrows uses his life experience as a birder and as a Brit transplanted to Canada to craft an engaging main character (Jejeune is a Canadian ex-pat in Norfolk).
The plot gets a bit messier, just like real life, and the entanglements get more difficult to sort out. Justice proves a little more difficult to achieve. A satisfying story—but I can see the possibilities for the next book A Shimmer of Hummingbirds, which I will be on the look-out for next year.
Developments include Jejeune’s relationships with his partner Lindy, his sergeant Danny Maik, and his superior officer Colleen Shepard, among others. Plus we finally get a peek into the family backstory that has been alluded to in the previous two books.
Burrows uses his life experience as a birder and as a Brit transplanted to Canada to craft an engaging main character (Jejeune is a Canadian ex-pat in Norfolk).
The plot gets a bit messier, just like real life, and the entanglements get more difficult to sort out. Justice proves a little more difficult to achieve. A satisfying story—but I can see the possibilities for the next book A Shimmer of Hummingbirds, which I will be on the look-out for next year.
November 27, 2025
Quite a lot of characters to get your head around, but enjoyable all the same.
April 26, 2019
A Birder Mystery book #3
As in his previous books, Mr. Burrows once again has skillfully integrated birds and birding as part of his plots and has brought the personal drama of his protagonist DCI Dominic Jejeune into a suspenseful mystery.
A blurb:
“A man falling to his death from a remote cliff sets off a high-stakes chase for Inspector Dominic Jejeune, who pursues a ruthless killer knowing any misstep could bring down wrath from above on Dominic, his family, and the entire police force.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Danny Maik investigates the brutal murder of a researcher involved in a local climate change project.”
My thoughts:
The author uses all tools in his box to craft the perfect combination to make his mystery a joy to pass time with: such a dialogue, scene description and character development. We have two well-crafted plots, one center on researching carbon capture and sequestration and the other on falconry both are filled with suspense, unexpected twists and surprises from the start and are complex and interesting. Unfortunately the action is slow moving, keeps this pace throughout and is somewhat repetitive. Furthermore, the police procedural is totally off beat making this story a bit uneven but of course Jejeune is a transplanted Canadian an ex-pat in Norfolk trying to blend in….what more can I say….:) Dominic’s black sheep brother Damian makes an appearance and his contribution explains a lot why Dominic has such a strange behavior and is so reserved, really not what we would think of a policeman. Along the way we find out a little more about Danny Maik and Dominic’s relationship with Lindy, will this last…stay tuned.
Overall in terms of crimes, “A Cast of Falcons” has good mix of bird watching and investigating and as in great mystery the murderer is not unmasked until the very end. This series is quite original…..but may not be for everyone.
As in his previous books, Mr. Burrows once again has skillfully integrated birds and birding as part of his plots and has brought the personal drama of his protagonist DCI Dominic Jejeune into a suspenseful mystery.
A blurb:
“A man falling to his death from a remote cliff sets off a high-stakes chase for Inspector Dominic Jejeune, who pursues a ruthless killer knowing any misstep could bring down wrath from above on Dominic, his family, and the entire police force.
Meanwhile, Sergeant Danny Maik investigates the brutal murder of a researcher involved in a local climate change project.”
My thoughts:
The author uses all tools in his box to craft the perfect combination to make his mystery a joy to pass time with: such a dialogue, scene description and character development. We have two well-crafted plots, one center on researching carbon capture and sequestration and the other on falconry both are filled with suspense, unexpected twists and surprises from the start and are complex and interesting. Unfortunately the action is slow moving, keeps this pace throughout and is somewhat repetitive. Furthermore, the police procedural is totally off beat making this story a bit uneven but of course Jejeune is a transplanted Canadian an ex-pat in Norfolk trying to blend in….what more can I say….:) Dominic’s black sheep brother Damian makes an appearance and his contribution explains a lot why Dominic has such a strange behavior and is so reserved, really not what we would think of a policeman. Along the way we find out a little more about Danny Maik and Dominic’s relationship with Lindy, will this last…stay tuned.
Overall in terms of crimes, “A Cast of Falcons” has good mix of bird watching and investigating and as in great mystery the murderer is not unmasked until the very end. This series is quite original…..but may not be for everyone.
April 2, 2016
A fascinating trip through Northern Scotland as a detective who is a passionate birder deals with murders and family issues while trying to sort out a politically-sensitive situation. The characters are defined as real people, the relationships are well-portrayed in the narrative, and the murderer is not unmasked until the very end. this is a worthwhile book for your library.
August 18, 2017
My Mini-Review:
Starting in Saltmarsh, Norfolk with parts also set in Scotland, A Cast Of Falcons was a different sort of crime fiction read for me. The book has an interesting start but was a slower read than I am used to. It also has various threads that take the reader on a bit of a journey. DCI Jejeune and DS Maik are the main characters – each with their own strand to follow in the storyline. For me, Maik was definitely the most interesting character and probably the more likeable. The one aspect of the story that I just could not get into was the bird-side of things. There was quite a big emphasis on it – or at least it felt that way and if that is a hobby you enjoy, you will love this book – I just found it a little distracting.
In terms of the crimes/crime storyline – this was interesting and overall this was a good story. It is book 4 in the series and definitely has the elements of mystery, suspense and a few twists. If this is your kind of story, I think you will enjoy the mix of bird-watching with crime – the writing is great, and worth it if you like something a wee bit different!
Starting in Saltmarsh, Norfolk with parts also set in Scotland, A Cast Of Falcons was a different sort of crime fiction read for me. The book has an interesting start but was a slower read than I am used to. It also has various threads that take the reader on a bit of a journey. DCI Jejeune and DS Maik are the main characters – each with their own strand to follow in the storyline. For me, Maik was definitely the most interesting character and probably the more likeable. The one aspect of the story that I just could not get into was the bird-side of things. There was quite a big emphasis on it – or at least it felt that way and if that is a hobby you enjoy, you will love this book – I just found it a little distracting.
In terms of the crimes/crime storyline – this was interesting and overall this was a good story. It is book 4 in the series and definitely has the elements of mystery, suspense and a few twists. If this is your kind of story, I think you will enjoy the mix of bird-watching with crime – the writing is great, and worth it if you like something a wee bit different!
December 27, 2019
This is #3 and my third. Not as good (IMHO) as the first two, but then maybe it's me. DCI Domenic Jejeune seemed a little wimpy in this one. Maybe because we finally got to meet his big brother, Damian. Meh. In #2 there were some veiled references to big brother, implying that he was some kind of outlaw. No, actually he is some kind of superhero. But one the story could have done well without. The lead up to big brother and a couple of other "surprises" felt contrived and artificial. I hate that.
Aside from that it was a fair read. This time the avian reference is to a collection of gyrfalcons (I learned that the correct pronunciation is "jur-falcon"). They are owned by - wait for it - a middle eastern prince! He is of course a self-absorbed, preening, entitled, dismissive asshole. But he is also the source of funding for a local eco project dealing with processing carbon dioxide. So the British upper crust just love him and Jejeune has to solve the crime with his hands tied. There is the continuing saga of the unrequited love of female constable Lauren Salter for her clueless male colleague Danny Maik, and of course Domenic's constant struggles with Chief Constable, Colleen Shepherd.
There is a convoluted plot involving a poacher, some Kazakhstani bird thieves, the princes' flock, a jealous girl-friend, competing scientific theories of how to deal with excess CO2, and a couple of murders -one locally and one in Scotland. The murders are a bit grizzly. Once again Domenic's expertise in avian behavior helps solve the crime.
Big brother complicates things for no apparent reason. The clueless locals cannot put two and two together, even though the brothers bear close resemblance and are both avian experts. Go figure.
I won't be discouraged and will soldier on to book #4. Who knows, maybe penguins or albatrosses.
Aside from that it was a fair read. This time the avian reference is to a collection of gyrfalcons (I learned that the correct pronunciation is "jur-falcon"). They are owned by - wait for it - a middle eastern prince! He is of course a self-absorbed, preening, entitled, dismissive asshole. But he is also the source of funding for a local eco project dealing with processing carbon dioxide. So the British upper crust just love him and Jejeune has to solve the crime with his hands tied. There is the continuing saga of the unrequited love of female constable Lauren Salter for her clueless male colleague Danny Maik, and of course Domenic's constant struggles with Chief Constable, Colleen Shepherd.
There is a convoluted plot involving a poacher, some Kazakhstani bird thieves, the princes' flock, a jealous girl-friend, competing scientific theories of how to deal with excess CO2, and a couple of murders -one locally and one in Scotland. The murders are a bit grizzly. Once again Domenic's expertise in avian behavior helps solve the crime.
Big brother complicates things for no apparent reason. The clueless locals cannot put two and two together, even though the brothers bear close resemblance and are both avian experts. Go figure.
I won't be discouraged and will soldier on to book #4. Who knows, maybe penguins or albatrosses.
September 6, 2016
This series is quite simply, excellent. Written by a Canadian and set mainly in Norfolk, a place I have always wanted to visit for its architecture, natural beauty and history, this series features Dominic Jejeune, an avid birdwatcher and brilliant detective. But this,in itself, doesn't say enough about the timeliness and power of these books as they also feature information on the horrors of climate change and how corporations are now trying to deal with ways to solve the problem and make money doing i by inventing methods of carbon storage.This particular book.also deals with the underground trafficking of prized falcons used in hunting and the terrible price being paid by those who interfere with the traffickers. I have never liked birds much, but the history of falconry is fascinating. Not to mention that the books are intelligently written and the characters are likeable. Well done.
April 5, 2016
I read this book as an ARC before publication.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on A Cast of Falcons after I read Steve Burrows first two birder murders. The main character is Dominic Jejeune, a Canadian detective transplanted to the wilds of Norfolk in the UK where he actively participates in bird watching when not unraveling murders. All have a strong birding flavour in the plot.
This book does not disappoint — it's as exciting and tense as the others. The sub-plots are just as good.
I could not put it down and thoroughly recommend it to all who love a well-written, unusual, and thrilling mystery.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on A Cast of Falcons after I read Steve Burrows first two birder murders. The main character is Dominic Jejeune, a Canadian detective transplanted to the wilds of Norfolk in the UK where he actively participates in bird watching when not unraveling murders. All have a strong birding flavour in the plot.
This book does not disappoint — it's as exciting and tense as the others. The sub-plots are just as good.
I could not put it down and thoroughly recommend it to all who love a well-written, unusual, and thrilling mystery.
May 24, 2021
Time taken to read - in and out over 3 days
Pages - 352
Publisher - Point Blank
Source - Bought
Blurb from Goodreads
The threat from above is an ever-present danger.
A man falls to his death from a high cliff face in northern Scotland. From a distance, another man watches. He approaches the body, tucks a book into the man’s pocket, and leaves.
When the Scottish police show Inspector Domenic Jejeune the book, a bird guide bearing his name, he can truthfully say he that he has no idea how it came to be in the dead man’s pocket. What he does not tell them is that he recognizes the book instantly. So, while puzzled, he is not entirely surprised when his brother Damian emerges from his fugitive existence to reveal that the dead man is a notorious “taker” — a poacher of live wild falcons.
The case gets personal in a way Jejune has never experienced before. He is acutely aware that with each passing day, rare birds are being illegally taken from the wild. And hovering over his every move is the threat that if he gets this one wrong, no one in the North Norfolk Constabulary will escape the wrath of the nation’s highest-placed officials.
My Review
This is book three in the series, don't know what I have been but just seen on FantasticFiction there are three more books YAAAAY so just ordered them. If you haven't read the previous two books you could get away reading this as a standalone however I think you would be missing out by not reading them. Crime fiction meets bird watchers, a different turn/infusion for folk who love crime but appreciate wildlife too.
Jejeune is based in Norfolk, a senior police officer whose name is found on a bird book in the pocket of a body found at the bottom of a cliff, in Scotland. He heads to Scotland and finds more than he bargains for, the private and quiet officer finds his past is about to encroach on his personal and work life. On top of all this a murder has taken place and when Norfolk needs their greatest assesst, Jejeune at the top of his game he is distracted and won't discuss what is bothering him.
I really like these books although I appreciate they won't be for everyone. I have loved birds since I was a kid but never been a bird watcher or studier of them. Jejeune is an avid birder as are some of the village so you learn tidbits and bits about birds as the story goes on. The previous books has even found Jejeune's vast knowledge and experience with birds assist in his observations and cases.
The opening chapter is a doozy. This book sees us get to know Jejeune a bit more, we learn of his personal family background and insight into who he is. Family, relationships, murder and of course birds :D I always take a bit longer to read these books as I have to put the book down to google the birds, love it, 4/5 for me this time and the others are on route.
Pages - 352
Publisher - Point Blank
Source - Bought
Blurb from Goodreads
The threat from above is an ever-present danger.
A man falls to his death from a high cliff face in northern Scotland. From a distance, another man watches. He approaches the body, tucks a book into the man’s pocket, and leaves.
When the Scottish police show Inspector Domenic Jejeune the book, a bird guide bearing his name, he can truthfully say he that he has no idea how it came to be in the dead man’s pocket. What he does not tell them is that he recognizes the book instantly. So, while puzzled, he is not entirely surprised when his brother Damian emerges from his fugitive existence to reveal that the dead man is a notorious “taker” — a poacher of live wild falcons.
The case gets personal in a way Jejune has never experienced before. He is acutely aware that with each passing day, rare birds are being illegally taken from the wild. And hovering over his every move is the threat that if he gets this one wrong, no one in the North Norfolk Constabulary will escape the wrath of the nation’s highest-placed officials.
My Review
This is book three in the series, don't know what I have been but just seen on FantasticFiction there are three more books YAAAAY so just ordered them. If you haven't read the previous two books you could get away reading this as a standalone however I think you would be missing out by not reading them. Crime fiction meets bird watchers, a different turn/infusion for folk who love crime but appreciate wildlife too.
Jejeune is based in Norfolk, a senior police officer whose name is found on a bird book in the pocket of a body found at the bottom of a cliff, in Scotland. He heads to Scotland and finds more than he bargains for, the private and quiet officer finds his past is about to encroach on his personal and work life. On top of all this a murder has taken place and when Norfolk needs their greatest assesst, Jejeune at the top of his game he is distracted and won't discuss what is bothering him.
I really like these books although I appreciate they won't be for everyone. I have loved birds since I was a kid but never been a bird watcher or studier of them. Jejeune is an avid birder as are some of the village so you learn tidbits and bits about birds as the story goes on. The previous books has even found Jejeune's vast knowledge and experience with birds assist in his observations and cases.
The opening chapter is a doozy. This book sees us get to know Jejeune a bit more, we learn of his personal family background and insight into who he is. Family, relationships, murder and of course birds :D I always take a bit longer to read these books as I have to put the book down to google the birds, love it, 4/5 for me this time and the others are on route.
June 20, 2022
Another book I would give 3.5 stars if the option was available. The book was a little heavier on the bird-watching aspects that I had hoped, but it did not draw away from the murder mystery itself. Instead it kind of tied the story together as the author likely intended. Was surprised by the ending which doesn’t happen very often to me when reading this genre of novels…so we’ll done to the author in doing that.
Would definitely recommend this book as a nice summer read…especially if you happen to be staying in a nice seaside cabin overlooking a marshy area with plenty of different types of birds to watch over.
Would definitely recommend this book as a nice summer read…especially if you happen to be staying in a nice seaside cabin overlooking a marshy area with plenty of different types of birds to watch over.
August 14, 2019
Enjoyed this the most of the first 3 in the series. Perhaps it is more character development. I enjoy the combination of the detective series that includes the world of birding. What could be better.
March 2, 2021
I would suggest that this is a series you need to read in order. Jumping in at book 3 left me confused with relationships, characters, backgrounds. I think I would have enjoyed it more, and rated it higher, if I had started at the beginning.
July 15, 2018
Well, I have #4 in the Birder Murder Mysteries all lined up to read, so that says something about #3. It was a very mixed bag however and whilst it met my reading needs at the time, it didn't really engage overall. Partly due to what wasn't there (sooooo much work to do on characterisation) and partly due to what was, which stretched credulity beyond breaking point and made worse by apparent inconsistencies. Characters do of course have the right to change their mind and that may be what Steve Burrows intends to show, but it comes across as lack of editorial oversight. For example, the way Domenic and Lindy deal with their fugitive houseguest.
A pity as there were some interesting elements to the story - environmental mitigation measures with downsides, research funding, family relationships... and of course the birds. In this case we have a Middle Eastern Crown Prince's captive gyrfalcons, about which I would like to have heard a lot more. Danny Maik is always intriguing (compared to Jejeune who still doesn't escape elegant arsedom for me). But what lifted the book above merely an OK and rather frustrating and disappointing read was Eric, Lindy's magazine boss, taking up birdwatching. This whole strand of the story was handled beautifully, allowing the Norfolk setting for the series and the wild birds and people's passion for watching them and being in nature to come alive on the page.
A pity as there were some interesting elements to the story - environmental mitigation measures with downsides, research funding, family relationships... and of course the birds. In this case we have a Middle Eastern Crown Prince's captive gyrfalcons, about which I would like to have heard a lot more. Danny Maik is always intriguing (compared to Jejeune who still doesn't escape elegant arsedom for me). But what lifted the book above merely an OK and rather frustrating and disappointing read was Eric, Lindy's magazine boss, taking up birdwatching. This whole strand of the story was handled beautifully, allowing the Norfolk setting for the series and the wild birds and people's passion for watching them and being in nature to come alive on the page.
January 28, 2019
There's a lot going on, two mysteries in one book covered with more bird talk than even a birder might enjoy. I actually like the lead character DCI Jejeune. However, half the novel was in the point of view of another investigator because there are two separate investigations to follow. I actually found this to be difficult, the constant switching back and forth. I much prefer a book that has a few less twists and turns.
In addition, Jejeune's brother is in the mix and that adds even more tension to the story.
Burrows is a good writer, but I wish he'd focused more on just one tale instead of making my head spin with all the switches before it all comes together.
In addition, Jejeune's brother is in the mix and that adds even more tension to the story.
Burrows is a good writer, but I wish he'd focused more on just one tale instead of making my head spin with all the switches before it all comes together.
February 19, 2016
Thank you Net galley. A well plotted British police procedural with a lot of bird watching information. I found the book engrossing and perfect reading for my long commute. I particularly liked the descriptions of nature and birds.
October 30, 2015
I love this series. Great continuing backstory -- natural history buffs are a mysterious sort!
June 13, 2016
Another well-done Birder Murder mystery. This time Jejeune is struggling to keep his eye on solving the case, and it's not because of his birdwatching hobby for once.
April 20, 2017
I finished this with 8 minutes to spare from the library - Phew! It was an enjoyable read but a little rushed for full enjoyment. Got me checking out my birds a little more :)
November 16, 2022
This third book in the series had a lot of new information on the characters' backstories.
June 8, 2019
The unconventional DCI Domenic Jejeune is distracted in this installment as his brother Damien shows up in Scotland and sends him a message via a bird book found on a body at the bottom of a cliff. Jack de Laet was looking for gyrfalcons when he falls, and Damien had accompanied him in order to ask for Domenic's help. There is an international warrant for his arrest for the deaths of four individuals in Columbia. He is accused of manslaughter though the deaths were of native villagers exposed to an illness to which they had no immunity, and Damien had lead a bird tour into a restricted area with a man who was ill and also died. He wants Domenic to make a deal with a country that does not have extradiction to Columbia, where a prison sentence would be a death sentence, to serve in a prison elsewhere. Domenic in the end will not do it, because he knows that Damien, expert birder and lover of the out of doors would not be able to withstand being incarcerated. Furthermore, Jejeune's career is on the line if anyone discovers that Damien is in the Country, and staying with his brother and Lindy.
The issue of gyrfalcons is the focus of one murder, and the capture and storage of carbons is the reason for another death. Domenic is not able to focus and as his brother manages to show up in a variety of places there is suspicion by Maik and others about who this stranger is and how he relates to Jejeune. A research center owned by a Crown Prince and managed by his entourage is trying one method of capture and a researcher who had been with the facility left and went to the university to pursue another method. Philip Wauyland cannot continue his research without more resources. He is murdered and Jejeune believes it is connected to Prince. It is a delicate situation and DCS Colleen Shepherd presents obstacles to his theories. Then the woman who cares for and flies the Prince's gyrfalcons, Darla Doherty, is killed supposedly by mishandling one of the falcons.
Further complications arise when a two billion pound prize is offered for the best solution to the carbon issues.
This is an excellent, if complicated and obscure, addition to the series. The reader gets another look at the lives of the obsessed birders, and learns more about the environmental issues that birds and humans face with global climate change.
The issue of gyrfalcons is the focus of one murder, and the capture and storage of carbons is the reason for another death. Domenic is not able to focus and as his brother manages to show up in a variety of places there is suspicion by Maik and others about who this stranger is and how he relates to Jejeune. A research center owned by a Crown Prince and managed by his entourage is trying one method of capture and a researcher who had been with the facility left and went to the university to pursue another method. Philip Wauyland cannot continue his research without more resources. He is murdered and Jejeune believes it is connected to Prince. It is a delicate situation and DCS Colleen Shepherd presents obstacles to his theories. Then the woman who cares for and flies the Prince's gyrfalcons, Darla Doherty, is killed supposedly by mishandling one of the falcons.
Further complications arise when a two billion pound prize is offered for the best solution to the carbon issues.
This is an excellent, if complicated and obscure, addition to the series. The reader gets another look at the lives of the obsessed birders, and learns more about the environmental issues that birds and humans face with global climate change.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2022
A Cast of Falcons by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett is a Dr Nell Ward mystery which opens on a wedding day, not Nell’s, but her good friend, Percy’s. It was really supposed to be her engagement party but the groom’s mother had a serious illness and would not live to see them married, so it all changed. Now, Percy’s parents would not be there: her grandfather (90) was too ill. It was all very convoluted. But, Percy did manage to walk down the aisle, in a blood-red dress. Leave it to Percy. Nell did not really like, Hawke, the groom, but to be fair, she didn’t really know him, until he sat next to her at the wedding dinner and tried to feel her up. She stabbed him with a fork. Oh, how had Percy gotten mixed up with this man? Not to worry. A couple of hours later he was dead. Fell from an upper landing. James, Nell’s partner, was a Detective Inspector so he tried to control the crime scene and call the police. It was the wee hours when they finally got to sleep, but Nell was restless. She went downstairs to get a drink and found Linda, Hawke’s mother, in her her death throes, her throat had been cut. What was happening? The next morning when they went to wake up Percy’s grandfather, who had shown up after all, they found him dead as well. Presumably a heart attack, he was 90. Far too much going on: this was only part of it.
Nell Ward is a terrific sleuth. She is also known as a lady with a title, something she keeps quiet. She is an ecologist and with her parents is doing her best to keep the estate afloat. This is an excellent cozy mystery series, with complicated plots, excellent characters, and just a little romance. Yarwood-Lovett has created an interesting, yet, believable world with a large cast of characters, some permanent, some not. The theme of this book is families and how very complicated they can become. It is also about love and how very complicated it can be, as well. It is well-written and holds the reader in its grip, with the outcome not what one would expect in many ways.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Cast of Falcons by Embla Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #EmblaBooks #SarahYarwoodLovett #ACastOfFalcons
Nell Ward is a terrific sleuth. She is also known as a lady with a title, something she keeps quiet. She is an ecologist and with her parents is doing her best to keep the estate afloat. This is an excellent cozy mystery series, with complicated plots, excellent characters, and just a little romance. Yarwood-Lovett has created an interesting, yet, believable world with a large cast of characters, some permanent, some not. The theme of this book is families and how very complicated they can become. It is also about love and how very complicated it can be, as well. It is well-written and holds the reader in its grip, with the outcome not what one would expect in many ways.
I was invited to read a free e-ARC of A Cast of Falcons by Embla Books, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #EmblaBooks #SarahYarwoodLovett #ACastOfFalcons
May 21, 2025
This is the third book in the Birder Mystery series and the second I've read. First let me get this off my chest- I can't think of anything I'd rather not do less than bird watching. Its right up there with watching golf or paint drying. These activities have their fans. I say more power to you!! Alos it took me a bit to understand that it has its own jargon. Bins. People looking through bins. I thought, luke dumpster diving? Frankly I think I get dumpster diving more but no, bins are binoculars! go figure!
So, when I say these are riveting reads, this is no idle statement. There is nothing twee about these intelligent, nuanced police procedurals. This one has tons of suspense as it involve the protagonist hiding a fugitive from justice, his brother, a cut throat competition (throats are literally cut!) to win a billion dollar race to a successful carbon capture process, spurned and vengeful lovers, a sad father daughter relationship with echoes of King Lear as well as a recurring cast of characters whose lives evolve along with the plot.
On top of all this you get to learn how incredibly beautiful and vicious birds can be! But wait! there's more! You also get to learn the collective nouns of birds! In this case the collective for gyrfalcons is a "cast"
I will be circling back to the beginning of this series with the enthusiasm of a falcon circling its prey
So, when I say these are riveting reads, this is no idle statement. There is nothing twee about these intelligent, nuanced police procedurals. This one has tons of suspense as it involve the protagonist hiding a fugitive from justice, his brother, a cut throat competition (throats are literally cut!) to win a billion dollar race to a successful carbon capture process, spurned and vengeful lovers, a sad father daughter relationship with echoes of King Lear as well as a recurring cast of characters whose lives evolve along with the plot.
On top of all this you get to learn how incredibly beautiful and vicious birds can be! But wait! there's more! You also get to learn the collective nouns of birds! In this case the collective for gyrfalcons is a "cast"
I will be circling back to the beginning of this series with the enthusiasm of a falcon circling its prey
November 25, 2025
This is the third in of this series that I read, and I think I’m going to continue with it. After the second one I almost gave up because the main hero, Domenic Jejeune, annoyed me so much, but he is starting to grow on me. This novel also gives the reader a bit more background into Jejeune and he makes more sense as a result.
What I’ve always liked about this series is the way Steve Burrows manages to blend debate on birding, ecology, climate change and related topics with mystery in a way that actually works. This can be tricky, but having characters that are into birding helps to make these topics natural part of the conversations of these characters. These topics are also weaved into the mysteries themselves in a perpetual good manner.
Of course, this isn’t nonfiction on these topics, but a mystery, and it does work well as such too. There is a nice build up, and a pretty exciting finish. I hadn’t figured the murderer beforehand which is always a plus in a mystery. Even the subplot builds up nicely with the main plot and does enhance the story. It’s a bit slow to start, but I don’t think that is a bad thing here. Over all, just a good mystery with a eco background.
One thing that did annoy me. That remark on punk music only show how little that character knows about the genre.
What I’ve always liked about this series is the way Steve Burrows manages to blend debate on birding, ecology, climate change and related topics with mystery in a way that actually works. This can be tricky, but having characters that are into birding helps to make these topics natural part of the conversations of these characters. These topics are also weaved into the mysteries themselves in a perpetual good manner.
Of course, this isn’t nonfiction on these topics, but a mystery, and it does work well as such too. There is a nice build up, and a pretty exciting finish. I hadn’t figured the murderer beforehand which is always a plus in a mystery. Even the subplot builds up nicely with the main plot and does enhance the story. It’s a bit slow to start, but I don’t think that is a bad thing here. Over all, just a good mystery with a eco background.
One thing that did annoy me. That remark on punk music only show how little that character knows about the genre.
November 14, 2020
There is something about a British Police Procedurals that just keep me coming back for more! It's true that I love a good mystery, but usually I want all the action too! But as with most British Procedurals (and in this case, A Cast of Falcons is no different), the action takes a backseat to the moody weather, making for a slower pace as they systematically investigate the crime! Despite that, I still love this style of story telling!
Journey with DI Jejeune and his DS, Danny Maik as they investigate a brutal murder... a beheading in North Norfolk... it doesn't help matters that Jejeune is distracted by family issues!
Steve Borrows, as an avid birder himself, takes on present day environmental issues without hammering a personal agenda down your throat! As a plus, the Audubon Society recommends the Birder Murder Series!
The bird in the spotlight is a Gyrfalcon, the biggest of the all Falcons breeds! The demands made on this breed by the sport of Falconry, and the pressure this puts on the wild bird population by the poaching of these beautiful birds, is all part of the mix in A Cast of Falcons!
Once again, I recommend getting the audio version, as David Thorpe is the perfect voice for all the nuances of a DI Jejeune story!
Journey with DI Jejeune and his DS, Danny Maik as they investigate a brutal murder... a beheading in North Norfolk... it doesn't help matters that Jejeune is distracted by family issues!
Steve Borrows, as an avid birder himself, takes on present day environmental issues without hammering a personal agenda down your throat! As a plus, the Audubon Society recommends the Birder Murder Series!
The bird in the spotlight is a Gyrfalcon, the biggest of the all Falcons breeds! The demands made on this breed by the sport of Falconry, and the pressure this puts on the wild bird population by the poaching of these beautiful birds, is all part of the mix in A Cast of Falcons!
Once again, I recommend getting the audio version, as David Thorpe is the perfect voice for all the nuances of a DI Jejeune story!
August 10, 2022
The Cast of Falcons A Birder Murder Mystery by Steve Burrows
9781459732148
386 Pages
Publisher: Dundurn, Point Blank
Release Date: May 7, 2016
Fiction, General Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller, Birds, Birdwatching, Scotland
Canadian born Detective Chief Inspector Domenic Jejeune is working a case when a book with his name on it is found on a dead man who fell off a cliff. Domenic goes to the site to investigate and finds his brother Damian, who is a fugitive hiding from the law. This puts Domenic in a precarious position. Is he a policeman or a brother?
The brutal murder of a research, found beheaded by a machete, is troubling for the locals and the police investigating. They begin to question the monetary incentive for the research as the reason behind the murder. When a falconer dies, the investigators wonder when the body count will end.
The book has a steady pace, the characters are somewhat developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. I was fascinated with the amount of information regarding falcons and birds in general. It was nice to see a police officer with a hobby outside of law enforcement. If you like birds along with a mystery, you will enjoy this book.
9781459732148
386 Pages
Publisher: Dundurn, Point Blank
Release Date: May 7, 2016
Fiction, General Fiction (Adult), Mystery, Thriller, Birds, Birdwatching, Scotland
Canadian born Detective Chief Inspector Domenic Jejeune is working a case when a book with his name on it is found on a dead man who fell off a cliff. Domenic goes to the site to investigate and finds his brother Damian, who is a fugitive hiding from the law. This puts Domenic in a precarious position. Is he a policeman or a brother?
The brutal murder of a research, found beheaded by a machete, is troubling for the locals and the police investigating. They begin to question the monetary incentive for the research as the reason behind the murder. When a falconer dies, the investigators wonder when the body count will end.
The book has a steady pace, the characters are somewhat developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. I was fascinated with the amount of information regarding falcons and birds in general. It was nice to see a police officer with a hobby outside of law enforcement. If you like birds along with a mystery, you will enjoy this book.
May 19, 2025
It's been a while since I read #1 and 2 in this series. I don't have strong memories of them, except that I didn't hate them. This book has more about birds than I'd remembered, which is good (I dislike a gimmick that shows up in the opening pages of a book just to disappear once you've been snared into reading). It's pretty standard detective fair: lead detective, bit of a Sherlock Holmes genius, couple of loyal underlings, competent but with their own quirks, demanding boss putting the pressure on to solve the murder, and then the group of suspects who are questioned, requestioned, and requestioned as new murders or events arise and clues are unearthed.
What stands out to me from this murder mystery is how, as they start to tie up the whodunit, the answers are unstated and one must read between the lines, closely, to catch the answers and turning points. It feels a little unfair, to spoon feed the reader along with narrative details in a normal way, the way of all novels, just to require of them to cook their own food suddenly with a different style of reading at the end.
But still, I enjoyed the book and will read #4 shortly.
What stands out to me from this murder mystery is how, as they start to tie up the whodunit, the answers are unstated and one must read between the lines, closely, to catch the answers and turning points. It feels a little unfair, to spoon feed the reader along with narrative details in a normal way, the way of all novels, just to require of them to cook their own food suddenly with a different style of reading at the end.
But still, I enjoyed the book and will read #4 shortly.
May 13, 2021
At last! The infamous brother is revealed. But, enough of that. No spoilers!
Burrows is an enjoyable author, to be sure, but, having read three of his novels in short order, it has become clear that he has a consistent pattern to his writing. Each chapter begins in a similar manner. Each tale includes its "twist at the end." This third installment has upped the complexity of that solution, perhaps a bit too much.
Still, these are good stories that move right along, have interesting characters who develop over time and aren't entirely cardboard cutouts just filling space around the protagonist and antagonist. I'm not sure yet whether I like this auxiliary character development as there are times when it doesn't exactly move the story along - though these lines of development are by no means gratuitous.
The avian content is interesting, as always. Birds and birding are part of the character development I mention above. This adds a perspective I find pleasant.
So . . . 3 for 3! Good going Steve Burrows!
Burrows is an enjoyable author, to be sure, but, having read three of his novels in short order, it has become clear that he has a consistent pattern to his writing. Each chapter begins in a similar manner. Each tale includes its "twist at the end." This third installment has upped the complexity of that solution, perhaps a bit too much.
Still, these are good stories that move right along, have interesting characters who develop over time and aren't entirely cardboard cutouts just filling space around the protagonist and antagonist. I'm not sure yet whether I like this auxiliary character development as there are times when it doesn't exactly move the story along - though these lines of development are by no means gratuitous.
The avian content is interesting, as always. Birds and birding are part of the character development I mention above. This adds a perspective I find pleasant.
So . . . 3 for 3! Good going Steve Burrows!
May 22, 2019
Best yet in this series. I love a mystery that discusses carbon sequestration! And I was particularly moved by this observation, in the mouth of a minor character, speaking of the destruction of the Norfolk (England) coastline that just dealing with carbon will entail (let alone the disasters if we don't figure out how to do that): "It's not just the present they'll destroy, or the future. It's the past they'll be taking away as well. This was a place of prosperity once. Shipments of Norfolk wool went all around the globe from those wharves down there. What will be left of that heritage, once they've finished?"
Oh yeah, they mystery's pretty clever too. ;-) And the regular characters are developing nicely. I'm moving on to hummingbirds next.
Oh yeah, they mystery's pretty clever too. ;-) And the regular characters are developing nicely. I'm moving on to hummingbirds next.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews