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DS Alexandra Cupidi #0/prequel
Birdwatcher
Birdwatcher
400 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2016
251 people are currently reading
2932 people want to read
About the author
William Shaw
20 books532 followersI'm a crime writer and write the Eden Driscoll series set in South Devon, the Alex Cupidi series set in Dungeness, Kent and the Breen & Tozer series set in London in 1968-9. The Red Shore – first in the Eden Driscoll series – is published on July 3 2025.
My most recent book is The Wild Swimmers,, the fifth in the Alex Cupid series - if you don't count The Birdwatcher .
In July 2025 I'm publishing the first in a new series set in South Devon, The Red Shore.
My non-fiction books include Westsiders , an account of several young would-be rappers struggling to establish themselves against a backdrop of poverty and violence in South Central Los Angeles, Superhero For Hire , a compilation and of the Small Ads columns I wrote for the Observer Magazine, and Spying In Guru Land , in which I joined several British religious cults to write about them.
A Song From Dead Lips was the first in a trilogy of books set in London in 1968, featuring DS Cathal Breen and WPC Helen Tozer. It was followed by A House of Knives and A Book of Scars .
I live in Brighton and play music with Brighton Ceilidh Collective. I also run an online book event called
My most recent book is The Wild Swimmers,, the fifth in the Alex Cupid series - if you don't count The Birdwatcher .
In July 2025 I'm publishing the first in a new series set in South Devon, The Red Shore.
My non-fiction books include Westsiders , an account of several young would-be rappers struggling to establish themselves against a backdrop of poverty and violence in South Central Los Angeles, Superhero For Hire , a compilation and of the Small Ads columns I wrote for the Observer Magazine, and Spying In Guru Land , in which I joined several British religious cults to write about them.
A Song From Dead Lips was the first in a trilogy of books set in London in 1968, featuring DS Cathal Breen and WPC Helen Tozer. It was followed by A House of Knives and A Book of Scars .
I live in Brighton and play music with Brighton Ceilidh Collective. I also run an online book event called
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 553 reviews
July 25, 2017
The opening paragraph is definitely a hook, a self confessed murderer. But how and when? As we read we come to know Community officer William South, an avid birder living on the coast at Kent, a mild mannered man, a quiet soul who lives alone. He has never been part of a murder investigation before, but is brought into one when a neighbor and fellow birder is murdered.
Alternating chapters take us back to the past, William's past as a child, living in Ireland with his mother and father during the period designated as The Troubles. What happened there will have a huge impact on his life as he lives it now and on his future. This is a slow burner of a book, the tone somewhat melancholy and lonely. Although William loves his quietness, his isolation, he becomes involved in a strange concurrence of events, although is to to back away. A young,troubled teen and a new officer to the police rota also play important parts.
One of those books that has almost the whole package, good and multilayered characters, a steady if slowly unraveling pace, gorgeous setting. Interesting asides about birds and birding, a book that connects past with present in a surprising way, a book to become immersed is and just enjoy the unraveling.
ARC from Netgalley.
Alternating chapters take us back to the past, William's past as a child, living in Ireland with his mother and father during the period designated as The Troubles. What happened there will have a huge impact on his life as he lives it now and on his future. This is a slow burner of a book, the tone somewhat melancholy and lonely. Although William loves his quietness, his isolation, he becomes involved in a strange concurrence of events, although is to to back away. A young,troubled teen and a new officer to the police rota also play important parts.
One of those books that has almost the whole package, good and multilayered characters, a steady if slowly unraveling pace, gorgeous setting. Interesting asides about birds and birding, a book that connects past with present in a surprising way, a book to become immersed is and just enjoy the unraveling.
ARC from Netgalley.
June 9, 2016
This is a slow burn and offbeat read located on the bleak, isolated and atmospheric Kent coast within sight of the ominous Dungeness Nuclear Power Station. DS William South has a buttoned down and emotionally closed personality who has two things in his life, he has an all consuming passion for birdwatching and works the local beat as a committed police officer. He is tasked to acquaint DS Alexandra Cupidi with the local area and work the rage killing of a local man, who transpires to be Robert Raynor, the only friend William had and whom he introduced to birdwatching. Initially reluctant to be on the murder team, William comes to find himself driven to discover what happened to his friend.
Running alongside the present day investigation is the compelling story of a 13 year old Billy (William) and his life growing up in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He already has an established interest in birdwatching largely because it allowed him to escape his drunk and violent father who serves as an enforcer for the loyalists. Against his natural instincts, an unsettled and upset William finds himself becoming closer to Cupidi and her daughter, Zoe. Zoe, experiencing problems settling into school and being bullied, is inexorably drawn to William and birdwatching. The investigation turns out be be complex, and closer inspection of Raynor's life and his sister uncovers deception and intrigue. William's concerns about the disappearance of a local drug dealer, Judy, turn out to be justified as she turns up dead. Evidence and the apparent suicide of Donald Fraser, whom William knew as a child and served time for the murder of his dad, suggests that he is responsible for Raynor's death. William is unconvinced and goes on to find himself in a violent and bloody quagmire of a situation that brings back echoes of his childhood actions.
William Shaw showcases his outstanding gifts in characterisation and plotting in this unforgettable story. What happens to William at the end, is I sense, a relief to him. He has carried this unbearable burden from his childhood where his actions and the repercussions have exacted a terrible price in terms of grief and guilt. He has never been able to actualise his emotional life and form meaningful and strong emotional connections. For me, it carries faint echoes of a book that I read as a teenager and loved, The Go-Between by LP Hartley. In that story, Leo also experiences an emotional aridity in his life due to what he experienced and his actions as a young boy. There is a realistic possibility that Cupidi and Zoe will connect with William, if justice is served. Superb novel that will be a rewarding experience for all who read it. Thanks to Quercus for an ARC.
Running alongside the present day investigation is the compelling story of a 13 year old Billy (William) and his life growing up in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He already has an established interest in birdwatching largely because it allowed him to escape his drunk and violent father who serves as an enforcer for the loyalists. Against his natural instincts, an unsettled and upset William finds himself becoming closer to Cupidi and her daughter, Zoe. Zoe, experiencing problems settling into school and being bullied, is inexorably drawn to William and birdwatching. The investigation turns out be be complex, and closer inspection of Raynor's life and his sister uncovers deception and intrigue. William's concerns about the disappearance of a local drug dealer, Judy, turn out to be justified as she turns up dead. Evidence and the apparent suicide of Donald Fraser, whom William knew as a child and served time for the murder of his dad, suggests that he is responsible for Raynor's death. William is unconvinced and goes on to find himself in a violent and bloody quagmire of a situation that brings back echoes of his childhood actions.
William Shaw showcases his outstanding gifts in characterisation and plotting in this unforgettable story. What happens to William at the end, is I sense, a relief to him. He has carried this unbearable burden from his childhood where his actions and the repercussions have exacted a terrible price in terms of grief and guilt. He has never been able to actualise his emotional life and form meaningful and strong emotional connections. For me, it carries faint echoes of a book that I read as a teenager and loved, The Go-Between by LP Hartley. In that story, Leo also experiences an emotional aridity in his life due to what he experienced and his actions as a young boy. There is a realistic possibility that Cupidi and Zoe will connect with William, if justice is served. Superb novel that will be a rewarding experience for all who read it. Thanks to Quercus for an ARC.
October 16, 2017
"Birding made you patient. A good birder should be able to sit still for hours, just watching. It was like a marksman lowering his heart rate to steady his aim."
Sergeant William South knows only too well that the sharp eyes that peruse the Kent coastline in seek of feathered creatures are the same eyes that have witnessed unspeakable events. He lowers the binoculars held in his tight grip with the depleting hope that no one will ever see into the inner chambers of his own soul. For there lies the remnants of a murder so long ago.
But when South's birding friend and neighbor is brutally murdered, he must search for answers both professionally and personally. Who would want Bob dead and why in such a rage-filled manner? This small community on the coast is a refuge for birds and small animals and certainly not a draw for murderers. But as the days pass by, South is led to believe that there is more to Bob's story than anyone ever knew.
DCI Alexandra Cupidi and her young teenage daughter, Zoe, have recently moved into the area. Cupidi will head up the investigation. South hopes that Cupidi's detective skills will rank a bit higher than her careless parenting skills. Zoe, prone to wayward actions of her own, is left to fend for herself most of the time with Cupidi clocking more office hours than home hours. South will find himself more involved in young Zoe's life than what he bargained for.
William Shaw has sculpted the likes of a painfully "human" individual within the character of William South who still breathes heavily from the weight of his past. South has been soldiering through life since he was a young boy in Northern Ireland. Shaw creates a paralleling storyline that slowly reveals South's deeply held secret of his youth with the conflicting incidents of his present day life as an officer. It's here that Shaw shines with the nodding head of reality. Your past will always bleed into your future.
It is my understanding that William Shaw's next book will center on the character of DCI Cupidi. I certainly hope that this next book will include William South in some capacity. South has been the complete draw of this present book as you will come to know. While able to identify many a bird in flight, South seems to have the uncanny knack of finding the true pulse of human nature as well. A very worthy read, indeed.
Sergeant William South knows only too well that the sharp eyes that peruse the Kent coastline in seek of feathered creatures are the same eyes that have witnessed unspeakable events. He lowers the binoculars held in his tight grip with the depleting hope that no one will ever see into the inner chambers of his own soul. For there lies the remnants of a murder so long ago.
But when South's birding friend and neighbor is brutally murdered, he must search for answers both professionally and personally. Who would want Bob dead and why in such a rage-filled manner? This small community on the coast is a refuge for birds and small animals and certainly not a draw for murderers. But as the days pass by, South is led to believe that there is more to Bob's story than anyone ever knew.
DCI Alexandra Cupidi and her young teenage daughter, Zoe, have recently moved into the area. Cupidi will head up the investigation. South hopes that Cupidi's detective skills will rank a bit higher than her careless parenting skills. Zoe, prone to wayward actions of her own, is left to fend for herself most of the time with Cupidi clocking more office hours than home hours. South will find himself more involved in young Zoe's life than what he bargained for.
William Shaw has sculpted the likes of a painfully "human" individual within the character of William South who still breathes heavily from the weight of his past. South has been soldiering through life since he was a young boy in Northern Ireland. Shaw creates a paralleling storyline that slowly reveals South's deeply held secret of his youth with the conflicting incidents of his present day life as an officer. It's here that Shaw shines with the nodding head of reality. Your past will always bleed into your future.
It is my understanding that William Shaw's next book will center on the character of DCI Cupidi. I certainly hope that this next book will include William South in some capacity. South has been the complete draw of this present book as you will come to know. While able to identify many a bird in flight, South seems to have the uncanny knack of finding the true pulse of human nature as well. A very worthy read, indeed.
Read
September 14, 2017The Hook - The birds and the bees, well, not really, it was the birds, the birder and the mystery that made The Birdwatcher a must to purchase.
The Line - ”NO POPE HERE “
The Sinker - A basic definition of sinker A weight of lead or other metals designed to sink a hooked bait or lure.
The Birdwatcher is a standalone prequel to the DS Alexander Cupidi Series. Now how can that be? If it’s a prequel how can it be a standalone?…as Carol sighs and gives up. The older I get the best plan is “just go with it”.
It took me awhile to get into this story. I wanted more birds and less detecting. However, I soon found myself wrapped up in this slow, literate procedural and did get those birds in the end. The main character (at least for me), William South is revealed slowly. Just like bird watching you’ll need to be patient, listen carefully and enhance your view by using your binoculars wisely. You can’t rush it, you need to sit and wait and you’ll be glad you did.
South’s complex background was far more what kept me reading than DS Cupidi. Frankly I’d love to see more South and doubt I’ll read another Cupidi. She didn’t grab me though I did like her daughter, Zoë.
Deeply atmospheric, moody, the bleak countryside of Kent nails the whole. So, William Shaw? What do you say? Will William South return?
The Line - ”NO POPE HERE “
The Sinker - A basic definition of sinker A weight of lead or other metals designed to sink a hooked bait or lure.
The Birdwatcher is a standalone prequel to the DS Alexander Cupidi Series. Now how can that be? If it’s a prequel how can it be a standalone?…as Carol sighs and gives up. The older I get the best plan is “just go with it”.
It took me awhile to get into this story. I wanted more birds and less detecting. However, I soon found myself wrapped up in this slow, literate procedural and did get those birds in the end. The main character (at least for me), William South is revealed slowly. Just like bird watching you’ll need to be patient, listen carefully and enhance your view by using your binoculars wisely. You can’t rush it, you need to sit and wait and you’ll be glad you did.
South’s complex background was far more what kept me reading than DS Cupidi. Frankly I’d love to see more South and doubt I’ll read another Cupidi. She didn’t grab me though I did like her daughter, Zoë.
Deeply atmospheric, moody, the bleak countryside of Kent nails the whole. So, William Shaw? What do you say? Will William South return?
July 23, 2017
I'd heard so much about this book & now I know what all the fuss is about. Happily, I'm here to tell you that (for once) you can believe all the hype. What a great read.
There's already a whack of reviews so I'll just add a few thoughts. First, if you're looking for car chases & non-stop action, this is not for you. But if you enjoy smart, character driven police procedurals with slow building suspense, grab it. Picked it up in the morning & didn't put it down 'til I finished (as evidenced by the state of my house...).
The MC is a compelling, every-man copper who begins by telling you why he has no interest in being part of a murder investigation: 1. migrating birds are returning to the area & he'd rather be bird watching 2. he's a murderer, himself. Yup, he puts it right out there in the first 4 sentences of the story.
Chapters alternate between his childhood in Ireland during the Troubles & the present day investigations along England's Kentish coast. The smooth prose & cast of characters make for effortless reading & by the time I looked up, I was gobsmacked to see I was already halfway through.
Highly recommend, especially for fans of Ann Cleeves' Shetland series, Anthony Quinn's Insp. Celsius Daly series, Jim Kelly & Stuart Neville.
And now...sigh...since no cleaning or laundry fairies showed up while I was reading......
There's already a whack of reviews so I'll just add a few thoughts. First, if you're looking for car chases & non-stop action, this is not for you. But if you enjoy smart, character driven police procedurals with slow building suspense, grab it. Picked it up in the morning & didn't put it down 'til I finished (as evidenced by the state of my house...).
The MC is a compelling, every-man copper who begins by telling you why he has no interest in being part of a murder investigation: 1. migrating birds are returning to the area & he'd rather be bird watching 2. he's a murderer, himself. Yup, he puts it right out there in the first 4 sentences of the story.
Chapters alternate between his childhood in Ireland during the Troubles & the present day investigations along England's Kentish coast. The smooth prose & cast of characters make for effortless reading & by the time I looked up, I was gobsmacked to see I was already halfway through.
Highly recommend, especially for fans of Ann Cleeves' Shetland series, Anthony Quinn's Insp. Celsius Daly series, Jim Kelly & Stuart Neville.
And now...sigh...since no cleaning or laundry fairies showed up while I was reading......
March 16, 2018
I really loved William Shaw’s Breen and Tozer crime series, set in the Sixties, so was pleased to have the chance to read and review his latest, stand alone, novel. This novel is set in the Kent marshlands, where William South both works and lives. Although he works for the police force, William South is nervous when he is asked to take part in a murder investigation. Firstly, as it is October and the migrating birds have begun arriving on the coast, and William is a dedicated Birder (not bird spotter…). Secondly, because, as we know from the beginning of this book, William is, himself, a murderer.
In fact, the victim turns out to be known to William – a neighbour, Bob Reyner, who would join him in watching birds on the nearby reserve. Despite the novel being set near the coast and the marsh this is a romantic area at all; but bleak and slightly run down. William’s neighbourhood is towered over not by cliffs, or hills, but a nearby nuclear power station and, as with the location, all is definitely not what it seems in this book. Why was such a gentle, unassuming man as Bob Reyner killed so brutally? The crime reminds William of the events of his childhood which dominate his life still and, as the book unfolds, we learn about his past and why he is named a murderer from the first page.
Although William is not keen to investigate a murder, he is also asked to work with Alexandra Cupidi, who has just arrived from the Met. She appears slightly brash and there is some gossip about the reason why she has transferred to the Kent force. Alexandra is also a single mother and we are also introduced to her troubled teenage daughter, Zoe. I have to say that I loved the characters in this book and the relationship between William and Alexandra reminded me slightly of Breen and Tozer, although they are very different. Although I do hope there will be more of the Breen and Tozer series books to come, I really loved this stand alone novel. It was very character driven, with a good sense of place and, as I would expect from William Shaw, extremely well written.
In fact, the victim turns out to be known to William – a neighbour, Bob Reyner, who would join him in watching birds on the nearby reserve. Despite the novel being set near the coast and the marsh this is a romantic area at all; but bleak and slightly run down. William’s neighbourhood is towered over not by cliffs, or hills, but a nearby nuclear power station and, as with the location, all is definitely not what it seems in this book. Why was such a gentle, unassuming man as Bob Reyner killed so brutally? The crime reminds William of the events of his childhood which dominate his life still and, as the book unfolds, we learn about his past and why he is named a murderer from the first page.
Although William is not keen to investigate a murder, he is also asked to work with Alexandra Cupidi, who has just arrived from the Met. She appears slightly brash and there is some gossip about the reason why she has transferred to the Kent force. Alexandra is also a single mother and we are also introduced to her troubled teenage daughter, Zoe. I have to say that I loved the characters in this book and the relationship between William and Alexandra reminded me slightly of Breen and Tozer, although they are very different. Although I do hope there will be more of the Breen and Tozer series books to come, I really loved this stand alone novel. It was very character driven, with a good sense of place and, as I would expect from William Shaw, extremely well written.
September 30, 2017
I was drawn to this book by its title because I am a birdwatcher. The protagonist, William South, is an avid birder and this resonated with me. South has also been a copper for 20 years and, by choice, has never worked a murder because he is a murderer. That intrigued me even further.
A murder has occurred and South is assigned to assist newly transferred DS Alexandra Cupidi. He resists, then learns it occurred in his neighborhood, and the victim is, in fact, his friend and a fellow birder. South may be inexperienced with murder investigations, but he has insight into the locals.
Interspersed are sections revealing Billy South’s childhood in Ireland. Billy was a young teenager during the times known as the Troubles. He discovers something about his father which sets off events in domino fashion. These childhood memories have long term effects on Billy. As an adult, he lives alone in a desolate area along the Kentish coast, has become a cop, and birds in his free time.
I really liked William South. He mostly puts the pieces together correctly. He sometimes gets taken advantage of. I loved his budding friendship with Cupidi’s daughter, Zoë. I wanted to know how things got so out of control when he was a kid. I wanted to know who killed his friend and why. I think the resolutions of both storylines will bring peace to William South.
A murder has occurred and South is assigned to assist newly transferred DS Alexandra Cupidi. He resists, then learns it occurred in his neighborhood, and the victim is, in fact, his friend and a fellow birder. South may be inexperienced with murder investigations, but he has insight into the locals.
Interspersed are sections revealing Billy South’s childhood in Ireland. Billy was a young teenager during the times known as the Troubles. He discovers something about his father which sets off events in domino fashion. These childhood memories have long term effects on Billy. As an adult, he lives alone in a desolate area along the Kentish coast, has become a cop, and birds in his free time.
I really liked William South. He mostly puts the pieces together correctly. He sometimes gets taken advantage of. I loved his budding friendship with Cupidi’s daughter, Zoë. I wanted to know how things got so out of control when he was a kid. I wanted to know who killed his friend and why. I think the resolutions of both storylines will bring peace to William South.
July 12, 2017
This novel has probably one of the best first paragraphs I've read in quite a while:
"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."
Wow! Doesn't this just make you want to keep reading? Well done William Shaw!
William South lives alone in a tiny coastguard cottage in Dungeness, Kent near the nuclear power station. South has been a policeman for over twenty years. An ordinary copper, he is assigned to support the new Detective Sergeant as she is unfamiliar with the area. DS Alexandra Cupidi has just moved to Kent with her daughter. Her previous job was with the London Metropolitan Police.
"Birding had always been his one safe place."
South, an avid birdwatcher, uses the skills he has learned as a birder in his police work. He writes all his observations down in his notebook, a discipline that all birders work to acquire. Birding has made him patient. Birdwatching has been his passion ever since he was a child. It is an occupation for a solitary boy, and a solitary man.
"Birdwatching was like being a beat copper. You spent your days looking for anomalies. Things that were just a little different."
The first case DS Cupidi is tasked with is a murder. When William South learns that the murder victim is his good friend, fellow birder, and close neighbor, he is deeply troubled. Bob Rayner had been a nice gentle man, a private man, much like South himself. His murder was brutally violent causing South to re-access his love of the place where he lives.
"It wasn't just the threat of violence, the idea that the killer was out there still; something dark had been stirred up".
South lives alone partly because he does not want to inflict his 'baggage' on another person. He grew up in Armagh, Northern Ireland during a time when school children practiced running in a zigzag pattern so as to avoid being shot at. Back then his name was Billy McGowan and his father was in the paramilitaries. His experiences in 1978 during "The Troubles" have indelibly colored his life and he lives with guilt on a daily basis.
DS Cupidi works all the hours God sends. As a result her teenage daughter Zoë is often left to her own devices. Zoë harbours a lot of anger at her mother for taking her out of South London and away from all of her friends. She is not getting along at her new school and fights with her classmates. Cupidi enlists South to take Zoë out birdwatching to keep her out of trouble. Much to South's surprise he finds that Zoë is a natural birder who displays a real interest in the pursuit.
The murder investigation spurs other crimes. Other murders. One of which is connected to South's past in Northern Ireland. DS Cupidi, at first very friendly toward South, turns distant and decidedly cool. Why? Will South's career survive the secrets he carries?
This was a great read! All of the characters were so real that you felt compassion for them and you become invested in their fate. The Dungeness, Kent setting was atmospheric and perfectly suited to the story. Like many novels the action was divided between a past narrative (Billy's boyhood in Northern Ireland), and a present narrative (his adult life as a policeman in Kent). The author skillfully alternated between the two time periods and linked them up in a cohesive manner. The suspense-filled final pages will delight all those who relish crime thrillers and police procedurals. All in all - reading time well spent!
In this novel William South was very much the protagonist and DS Cupidi a supportive character. When I finished reading the book I found myself wishing the characters would return in another novel - though "The Birdwatcher" was touted as being a stand-alone. I then discovered that DS Cupidi is returning in another book entitled "Salt Lane" which is #1 in the DS Alexandra Cupidi series. I've already added "Salt Lane" to my TBR.
I received a digital copy of this book from Mulholland Books via NetGalley in consideration of my honest and unbiased review.
"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."
Wow! Doesn't this just make you want to keep reading? Well done William Shaw!
William South lives alone in a tiny coastguard cottage in Dungeness, Kent near the nuclear power station. South has been a policeman for over twenty years. An ordinary copper, he is assigned to support the new Detective Sergeant as she is unfamiliar with the area. DS Alexandra Cupidi has just moved to Kent with her daughter. Her previous job was with the London Metropolitan Police.
"Birding had always been his one safe place."
South, an avid birdwatcher, uses the skills he has learned as a birder in his police work. He writes all his observations down in his notebook, a discipline that all birders work to acquire. Birding has made him patient. Birdwatching has been his passion ever since he was a child. It is an occupation for a solitary boy, and a solitary man.
"Birdwatching was like being a beat copper. You spent your days looking for anomalies. Things that were just a little different."
The first case DS Cupidi is tasked with is a murder. When William South learns that the murder victim is his good friend, fellow birder, and close neighbor, he is deeply troubled. Bob Rayner had been a nice gentle man, a private man, much like South himself. His murder was brutally violent causing South to re-access his love of the place where he lives.
"It wasn't just the threat of violence, the idea that the killer was out there still; something dark had been stirred up".
South lives alone partly because he does not want to inflict his 'baggage' on another person. He grew up in Armagh, Northern Ireland during a time when school children practiced running in a zigzag pattern so as to avoid being shot at. Back then his name was Billy McGowan and his father was in the paramilitaries. His experiences in 1978 during "The Troubles" have indelibly colored his life and he lives with guilt on a daily basis.
DS Cupidi works all the hours God sends. As a result her teenage daughter Zoë is often left to her own devices. Zoë harbours a lot of anger at her mother for taking her out of South London and away from all of her friends. She is not getting along at her new school and fights with her classmates. Cupidi enlists South to take Zoë out birdwatching to keep her out of trouble. Much to South's surprise he finds that Zoë is a natural birder who displays a real interest in the pursuit.
The murder investigation spurs other crimes. Other murders. One of which is connected to South's past in Northern Ireland. DS Cupidi, at first very friendly toward South, turns distant and decidedly cool. Why? Will South's career survive the secrets he carries?
This was a great read! All of the characters were so real that you felt compassion for them and you become invested in their fate. The Dungeness, Kent setting was atmospheric and perfectly suited to the story. Like many novels the action was divided between a past narrative (Billy's boyhood in Northern Ireland), and a present narrative (his adult life as a policeman in Kent). The author skillfully alternated between the two time periods and linked them up in a cohesive manner. The suspense-filled final pages will delight all those who relish crime thrillers and police procedurals. All in all - reading time well spent!
In this novel William South was very much the protagonist and DS Cupidi a supportive character. When I finished reading the book I found myself wishing the characters would return in another novel - though "The Birdwatcher" was touted as being a stand-alone. I then discovered that DS Cupidi is returning in another book entitled "Salt Lane" which is #1 in the DS Alexandra Cupidi series. I've already added "Salt Lane" to my TBR.
I received a digital copy of this book from Mulholland Books via NetGalley in consideration of my honest and unbiased review.
June 7, 2016
Really enjoyed this one from William Shaw – a bit of a different take on the normal whodunnit with a main protagonist who is himself a murderer so prefers to just be a community officer – however when his neighbour is killed he gets sucked into the investigation through the brilliantly portrayed Alexandra Cupidi (I rather loved her and daughter Zoe). South’s hobby, even a bit of an obsession is birdwatching, again a little different from the norm and I’m always a fan of crime writing where the author attempts to change things up a bit or add something a little different into the mix. The Birdwatcher had loads of that and is a beautifully written atmospheric thriller to boot.
There is a wonderfully clever use of the past/present vibe as we come to learn what led South to murder in the first place and how that follows him through life – mixed in with the present day murder investigation and some beautifully placed scenes of his normal routines in life. The birdwatching aspects were fascinating enough to make me consider taking it up and the relationship South builds with both Cupidi and her daughter just had a beautiful depth which made you worry about where they would all end up. Especially considering the secrets being kept, all in all its quite the page turner.
The setting is realistic, you can see it right there and I adored the descriptive sense of feeling William Shaw brought to all of that, a true sense of place and it just added so much to the overall. The mystery is enticing and there are surprises along the way, I was very randomly upset by the ending in that “ohhhh” way (the best way) – I can only hope perhaps that these characters will be revisited in another novel. Yes that is a blatant questioning glare I’m giving there so if you read this Mr Shaw – Hmm.
Really really good. In fact as I said on twitter having just finished it – bloody good.
Highly Recommended.
There is a wonderfully clever use of the past/present vibe as we come to learn what led South to murder in the first place and how that follows him through life – mixed in with the present day murder investigation and some beautifully placed scenes of his normal routines in life. The birdwatching aspects were fascinating enough to make me consider taking it up and the relationship South builds with both Cupidi and her daughter just had a beautiful depth which made you worry about where they would all end up. Especially considering the secrets being kept, all in all its quite the page turner.
The setting is realistic, you can see it right there and I adored the descriptive sense of feeling William Shaw brought to all of that, a true sense of place and it just added so much to the overall. The mystery is enticing and there are surprises along the way, I was very randomly upset by the ending in that “ohhhh” way (the best way) – I can only hope perhaps that these characters will be revisited in another novel. Yes that is a blatant questioning glare I’m giving there so if you read this Mr Shaw – Hmm.
Really really good. In fact as I said on twitter having just finished it – bloody good.
Highly Recommended.
July 6, 2017
Read my full review here: http://crimebythebook.com/blog/2017/7...
This book snuck up on me. It took me about 100 pages to get into the swing of things, but once I did, I found myself fully engrossed in this mystery. It's most definitely a slow-burning mystery throughout, so do be aware of that! But fans of classic British crime will absolutely love this one.
This book snuck up on me. It took me about 100 pages to get into the swing of things, but once I did, I found myself fully engrossed in this mystery. It's most definitely a slow-burning mystery throughout, so do be aware of that! But fans of classic British crime will absolutely love this one.
September 2, 2024
Having brought us the engaging Breen & Tozer series set in London in the late 1960's, William Shaw has demonstrated his writing skills in this original standalone novel, The Birdwatcher.
In an episode of Channel 4's Home by the Sea, Kent & Sussex I remember the stark, bleak landscape of Dungeness. The beautiful wooden homes set against the menencing presence of a nuclear power plant.
All this is captured in this wonderful book set in this isolated place; as locations go it makes an impact as much as any other character in this novel.
William South is the star of the story both in his role as a neighbourhood police officer and as a 13 year boy during the troubles in Northern Ireland; memories which are stirred when he is forced to attend the murder of a neighbour and friend.
The wonderful skill of the narrative as it goes between both stories is that William/Billy is such a good man was a loyal kid. The magic that bridges the years is that he is a loner and a birder; his methods of recording his sightings similar to his routine police notes.
He is a loner. He has few friends and he takes the death of his mate more deeply than he imagined.
A narrative packed full of secrets, relationships with secrets and lies and a bobby who is a much better detective often than those around him.
I love the character of South both young and old, and his interaction with Zoe who he empathises with immediately as an outsider in a strange new home. One of the delights is their new found love and understanding of birds.
The crimes committed are gruelsome and slowly reveal that perhaps the murderer is not just a killer but perhaps will not be satisfield while they believe their secrets might be exposed.
A very satisfying read by a writer who is a natural storyteller and has produced a book that will thrill and delight all who pick it up.
In an episode of Channel 4's Home by the Sea, Kent & Sussex I remember the stark, bleak landscape of Dungeness. The beautiful wooden homes set against the menencing presence of a nuclear power plant.
All this is captured in this wonderful book set in this isolated place; as locations go it makes an impact as much as any other character in this novel.
William South is the star of the story both in his role as a neighbourhood police officer and as a 13 year boy during the troubles in Northern Ireland; memories which are stirred when he is forced to attend the murder of a neighbour and friend.
The wonderful skill of the narrative as it goes between both stories is that William/Billy is such a good man was a loyal kid. The magic that bridges the years is that he is a loner and a birder; his methods of recording his sightings similar to his routine police notes.
He is a loner. He has few friends and he takes the death of his mate more deeply than he imagined.
A narrative packed full of secrets, relationships with secrets and lies and a bobby who is a much better detective often than those around him.
I love the character of South both young and old, and his interaction with Zoe who he empathises with immediately as an outsider in a strange new home. One of the delights is their new found love and understanding of birds.
The crimes committed are gruelsome and slowly reveal that perhaps the murderer is not just a killer but perhaps will not be satisfield while they believe their secrets might be exposed.
A very satisfying read by a writer who is a natural storyteller and has produced a book that will thrill and delight all who pick it up.
August 19, 2020
4.5 stars
This is my kind of police procedural. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
This is my kind of police procedural. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
May 27, 2023
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.
This opening to THE BIRDWATCHER promises a story that will engage both emotions and mind, one that will question society’s values and regulations, one that will not be just a murder mystery, although it starts with a murder.
The murdered man, Bob Reyner, was William South’s neighbour and close friend, and his body was battered, suggesting that he was killed in a rage. South, who is assigned to assist DS Alexandra Cupidi in her investigation, soon discovers that he didn’t know Reyner as well as he thought, as he helps Cupidi, the newest member of the team, search for evidence. After they discover the body of a vagrant, Donald Fraser, an apparent suicide, along with some incriminating evidence, Cupidi concludes that Fraser was the murderer.
During the investigation, there are flashbacks wherein we learn that South grew up during the Troubles in Northern Ireland with a father who was highly respected member of a paramilitary group, but still abused both William and his mother. It is obvious early in the narrative that 14-year-old William murdered his violent father using his father’s gun, although much of this backstory is told slowly, showing why South was never suspected of the crime. Instead, another member of the paramilitary group, Donald Fraser, was convicted of his father’s murder.
So South knew both the murdered man and his alleged murderer; he worries because the accepted theory (that Fraser killed Reyner during a robbery gone bad) does not coincide with what he knew about Fraser’s personality, nor does it clarify the unexplained mysteries in Reyner’s life. Also, South feels that the disappearance of the local drug dealer, Judy, is somehow connected to the overall picture.
Concurrent with the murder investigation is yet another story strand. DS Cupidi has recently arrived in the isolated Kent community, and her teenage daughter, Zoe, is having difficulty fitting in. South tries to help Zoe by introducing her to his passion, birdwatching. Slowly these three threads merge—South’s past, Zoe’s problems, and the current murder investigation, leading to an explosive climax.
Altogether a very satisfying storyline—complex, a logical disclosing of clues, a strong emphasis on character and location, and an explosive turning point when all becomes clear. Plus excellent writing.
This opening to THE BIRDWATCHER promises a story that will engage both emotions and mind, one that will question society’s values and regulations, one that will not be just a murder mystery, although it starts with a murder.
The murdered man, Bob Reyner, was William South’s neighbour and close friend, and his body was battered, suggesting that he was killed in a rage. South, who is assigned to assist DS Alexandra Cupidi in her investigation, soon discovers that he didn’t know Reyner as well as he thought, as he helps Cupidi, the newest member of the team, search for evidence. After they discover the body of a vagrant, Donald Fraser, an apparent suicide, along with some incriminating evidence, Cupidi concludes that Fraser was the murderer.
During the investigation, there are flashbacks wherein we learn that South grew up during the Troubles in Northern Ireland with a father who was highly respected member of a paramilitary group, but still abused both William and his mother. It is obvious early in the narrative that 14-year-old William murdered his violent father using his father’s gun, although much of this backstory is told slowly, showing why South was never suspected of the crime. Instead, another member of the paramilitary group, Donald Fraser, was convicted of his father’s murder.
So South knew both the murdered man and his alleged murderer; he worries because the accepted theory (that Fraser killed Reyner during a robbery gone bad) does not coincide with what he knew about Fraser’s personality, nor does it clarify the unexplained mysteries in Reyner’s life. Also, South feels that the disappearance of the local drug dealer, Judy, is somehow connected to the overall picture.
Concurrent with the murder investigation is yet another story strand. DS Cupidi has recently arrived in the isolated Kent community, and her teenage daughter, Zoe, is having difficulty fitting in. South tries to help Zoe by introducing her to his passion, birdwatching. Slowly these three threads merge—South’s past, Zoe’s problems, and the current murder investigation, leading to an explosive climax.
Altogether a very satisfying storyline—complex, a logical disclosing of clues, a strong emphasis on character and location, and an explosive turning point when all becomes clear. Plus excellent writing.
September 19, 2021
The Birdwatcher is for me one of the stories that kept me captivated by one of the main characters!
I liked William South's personality and his personal story, past and present! With every chapter I grew fonder of him and more interested in what is going to happen to him!
I know that Cupidi is the star of the series but in this book she didn't give me much to like about her and can't say I cared about her much!
Other characters I liked reading about was Ferguson and Cupidi's daughter Zoe!
As to the plot now I must say it was kinda predictable as to who did it after a certain point but I wasn't bored despite figuring it out!
A good read that I would recommend!
I liked William South's personality and his personal story, past and present! With every chapter I grew fonder of him and more interested in what is going to happen to him!
I know that Cupidi is the star of the series but in this book she didn't give me much to like about her and can't say I cared about her much!
Other characters I liked reading about was Ferguson and Cupidi's daughter Zoe!
As to the plot now I must say it was kinda predictable as to who did it after a certain point but I wasn't bored despite figuring it out!
A good read that I would recommend!
October 20, 2021
William Shaw's crime novels have gained some good reviews, so I thought it was time I read one. The Birdwatcher is a stand alone novel, although it does introduce detective Alexandra Cupidi who will feature in a new series of books as the main character.
After a great openeing paragraph The Birdwatcher build sup slowly into a well written, charcter driven story. Although I found the solution to the crime a little disappointing it was the charcters that kept me reading to the end.
After a great openeing paragraph The Birdwatcher build sup slowly into a well written, charcter driven story. Although I found the solution to the crime a little disappointing it was the charcters that kept me reading to the end.
January 7, 2018
4 solid stars
I really enjoyed this book. William South is a policemen in Kent and lives on a rocky beach near the ocean. He lives a very quiet life, doing small town policing and birdwatching. William carries a secret that he has never revealed to anyone but memories begin to come back as his neighbor, Bob, is murdered. It turns out that Bob's life was as secretive as William's.
I really enjoyed the character of William and the slow reveal of this book. It is written in alternating chapters between present day and William's childhood past and contains a bang-up ending. So many things happen that secrets have to come out. I see from the title this is a prequel to a series about DS Alexandra Cupidi. She is a homcide investigator who along with her daughter Zoe, befriend William. My hope is that author William Shaw will continue to find a role for William South.
I really enjoyed this book. William South is a policemen in Kent and lives on a rocky beach near the ocean. He lives a very quiet life, doing small town policing and birdwatching. William carries a secret that he has never revealed to anyone but memories begin to come back as his neighbor, Bob, is murdered. It turns out that Bob's life was as secretive as William's.
I really enjoyed the character of William and the slow reveal of this book. It is written in alternating chapters between present day and William's childhood past and contains a bang-up ending. So many things happen that secrets have to come out. I see from the title this is a prequel to a series about DS Alexandra Cupidi. She is a homcide investigator who along with her daughter Zoe, befriend William. My hope is that author William Shaw will continue to find a role for William South.
June 26, 2017
Loved it!
My View:
What a fantastic narrative. This already has a place in my top reads of 2017!
Without spoilers – we start with a fantastic hook, a confession, that colours our expectation and perception of what we might read next in this intriguing and mesmerising narrative; South’s secret is mind blowing and the circumstances surrounding this event will fill your heart with sadness, such is the strength of the character development here that you will mourn the tragedies that are slowly revealed.
What can I add? Fantastic relatable characters - minor and main, life stories that will resonate and/ or move the reader, locations that shape the dual narratives, a brooding sense of foreboding and a poignancy that is bitter sweet. Despite the bloody crimes – in the past and the present spaces, there is an underlying optimism that permeates the narrative, tightly grasp hold of this emotion as you stagger bloodied, battered and emotionally drained towards the resolution of this narrative.
My View:
What a fantastic narrative. This already has a place in my top reads of 2017!
Without spoilers – we start with a fantastic hook, a confession, that colours our expectation and perception of what we might read next in this intriguing and mesmerising narrative; South’s secret is mind blowing and the circumstances surrounding this event will fill your heart with sadness, such is the strength of the character development here that you will mourn the tragedies that are slowly revealed.
What can I add? Fantastic relatable characters - minor and main, life stories that will resonate and/ or move the reader, locations that shape the dual narratives, a brooding sense of foreboding and a poignancy that is bitter sweet. Despite the bloody crimes – in the past and the present spaces, there is an underlying optimism that permeates the narrative, tightly grasp hold of this emotion as you stagger bloodied, battered and emotionally drained towards the resolution of this narrative.
August 2, 2022
Really absorbing and atmospheric crime fiction. William South is ordinarily a community police officer, enjoying liaising with neighbourhood groups and performing the kind of methodical tasks that his job entails, as well as the solitude that his life affords him. In his spare time, he is a passionate birdwatcher, often joined by his similarly solitary neighbour, Bob. At the outset of the story, however, William is pulled in to assist a new superior officer with a murder investigation, and the victim is Bob. As it turns out, both Bob and William kept secrets from each other, and William's pursuit of Bob's killer comes to endanger his own secret.
I loved the Kent setting - flat, shingle beaches, nuclear power stations - I haven't been there, but it was so vividly described I almost felt like I had. And William was an interesting, multilayered protagonist. The way that Shaw described his interest in birding and its relationship to his personality and approach to policing was well done, and the story moved back and forth very effectively between the present and the events of his youth in Northern Ireland. I'll be interested to read more by Shaw.
I loved the Kent setting - flat, shingle beaches, nuclear power stations - I haven't been there, but it was so vividly described I almost felt like I had. And William was an interesting, multilayered protagonist. The way that Shaw described his interest in birding and its relationship to his personality and approach to policing was well done, and the story moved back and forth very effectively between the present and the events of his youth in Northern Ireland. I'll be interested to read more by Shaw.
May 18, 2016
The Birdwatcher – You Can Never Be Too Observant
The Birdwatcher is an excellent standalone novel from the author of the Breen & Tozier crime series, that draws you and keeps you guessing all the way to the end. William Shaw has written an excellent thriller with clear crisp prose, that is wonderfully descriptive, observant and at times quite bleak. William Shaw’s storytelling is getting better and better and The Birdwatcher is proof of that.
Police Sergeant William South is a uniformed officer who happily works his beat around the Kent coast, around Dungeness where at times the landscape may be rather bleak, but to a twitcher like South it is an ideal area. South has never worked on a murder, he has worked deaths and road traffic accidents where deaths have occurred but that is all in the life of a uniformed officer.
He is asked by a colleague to babysit a new Detective Sergeant who has transferred in from London, help her find her feet around the area, something he is not pleased about. When he first meets DS Alexandra Cupidi, he notes how she seems out to impress in her new post. When they meet he is to take her to a murder scene, something he is would rather not do. South has never wanted to investigate murder as he is a murderer himself and that would mean facing a few truths he would rather keep down.
The only thing he is sure of is that Cupidi is the sort of Police Officer that would and could find his secret if the opportunity arose. He is even more shocked when he finds that the murder scene and the victim happens to be his friend, neighbour and fellow twitcher, Bob Rayner. So begin a series of events that he would rather not happen even more so when a drifter from Northern Ireland appears to be the primes suspect, Donnie Fraser.
It seems as if South’s past is starting to catch up with him and that scares him even more. The reader is able to understand South’s past as his background as a youngster is revealed giving clues to his worries about his future.
Shaw takes the reader seamlessly from the storm lashed coast of Kent to the world of the Irish borderlands during the Troubles of the 70s and 80s where the common theme is the bleakness of it all. The Birdwatcher is an intelligent crime thriller packed full of suspense that asks the characters to face their inner demons and challenges their fear and guilt. An excellent and engrossing thriller which is both engaging and atmospheric while the environment around the story seems to be at its bleakest is just a reflection of South’s personal history.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that just draws you in and the bleakness is the one things that breathes life in to the story while reflecting the characters and the background to the story.
The Birdwatcher is an excellent standalone novel from the author of the Breen & Tozier crime series, that draws you and keeps you guessing all the way to the end. William Shaw has written an excellent thriller with clear crisp prose, that is wonderfully descriptive, observant and at times quite bleak. William Shaw’s storytelling is getting better and better and The Birdwatcher is proof of that.
Police Sergeant William South is a uniformed officer who happily works his beat around the Kent coast, around Dungeness where at times the landscape may be rather bleak, but to a twitcher like South it is an ideal area. South has never worked on a murder, he has worked deaths and road traffic accidents where deaths have occurred but that is all in the life of a uniformed officer.
He is asked by a colleague to babysit a new Detective Sergeant who has transferred in from London, help her find her feet around the area, something he is not pleased about. When he first meets DS Alexandra Cupidi, he notes how she seems out to impress in her new post. When they meet he is to take her to a murder scene, something he is would rather not do. South has never wanted to investigate murder as he is a murderer himself and that would mean facing a few truths he would rather keep down.
The only thing he is sure of is that Cupidi is the sort of Police Officer that would and could find his secret if the opportunity arose. He is even more shocked when he finds that the murder scene and the victim happens to be his friend, neighbour and fellow twitcher, Bob Rayner. So begin a series of events that he would rather not happen even more so when a drifter from Northern Ireland appears to be the primes suspect, Donnie Fraser.
It seems as if South’s past is starting to catch up with him and that scares him even more. The reader is able to understand South’s past as his background as a youngster is revealed giving clues to his worries about his future.
Shaw takes the reader seamlessly from the storm lashed coast of Kent to the world of the Irish borderlands during the Troubles of the 70s and 80s where the common theme is the bleakness of it all. The Birdwatcher is an intelligent crime thriller packed full of suspense that asks the characters to face their inner demons and challenges their fear and guilt. An excellent and engrossing thriller which is both engaging and atmospheric while the environment around the story seems to be at its bleakest is just a reflection of South’s personal history.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that just draws you in and the bleakness is the one things that breathes life in to the story while reflecting the characters and the background to the story.
June 20, 2017
When I read crime novels these days I'm looking for something that doesn't feel like the same old thing. Not the same old grizzled detective, not the same old protagonist haunted by unspeakable loss, not the same old addictions and vices. THE BIRDWATCHER is smart enough to tweak the formula just enough to feel fresh but also keep you in the slow rhythm of a bit-by-bit procedural.
William South is a cop, but he's not in a big city, not a detective, not grizzled. He's the eponymous birdwatcher, a man who keeps mostly to himself in a little house near the sea. He is also, as he tells us from the very first page, a murderer. But he isn't a hardened killer or a ruthless man, and we get regular flashbacks to his youth to understand more about this murder and who William is then and now.
The lead detective on the case, Cupidi, may look a little more familiar: the divorced mom of a troubled kid who is competent but frazzled. She brings South into a murder investigation mostly because the victim is his neighbor and friend, normally South wouldn't even touch this kind of case. His unassuming manner makes him an unlikely but soon trusted friend of Cupidi's, and watching them figure out how to be friends and/or coworkers is one of the highlights of the book. (It also means Cupidi lets her guard down with him a lot and is more often portrayed as harried and overwhelmed than as the solid detective she clearly is, my main quibble.)
The flashbacks don't have much suspense, but they do a lot for the pacing and the character-building, and bring in an unexpected backstory that ends up tying in to the current case (though the full weight of it is mostly left unexplored, sadly).
A good fit for readers of procedurals, including fans of Tana French and Denise Mina. Not quite at the depth of writing and character you'll find there, but it'll help sate your appetite while you wait for their next ones.
William South is a cop, but he's not in a big city, not a detective, not grizzled. He's the eponymous birdwatcher, a man who keeps mostly to himself in a little house near the sea. He is also, as he tells us from the very first page, a murderer. But he isn't a hardened killer or a ruthless man, and we get regular flashbacks to his youth to understand more about this murder and who William is then and now.
The lead detective on the case, Cupidi, may look a little more familiar: the divorced mom of a troubled kid who is competent but frazzled. She brings South into a murder investigation mostly because the victim is his neighbor and friend, normally South wouldn't even touch this kind of case. His unassuming manner makes him an unlikely but soon trusted friend of Cupidi's, and watching them figure out how to be friends and/or coworkers is one of the highlights of the book. (It also means Cupidi lets her guard down with him a lot and is more often portrayed as harried and overwhelmed than as the solid detective she clearly is, my main quibble.)
The flashbacks don't have much suspense, but they do a lot for the pacing and the character-building, and bring in an unexpected backstory that ends up tying in to the current case (though the full weight of it is mostly left unexplored, sadly).
A good fit for readers of procedurals, including fans of Tana French and Denise Mina. Not quite at the depth of writing and character you'll find there, but it'll help sate your appetite while you wait for their next ones.
July 28, 2018
The Birdwatcher is a slow suspense building character driven police procedural located in the Kent area of England. The first lines of the book are maybe some of the best beginning lines in any book I have read. The Sergeant William South is letting the reader know that he has committed murder in the past. He is now a policeman.
The book alternates between the now and the childhood of William South. William South has always been a devout birdwatcher. Another reviewer on Goodreads related how the book could be compared to the patience one must have watching birds and letting the viewing unfold. It was compared to the plot of this book where the reader must have patience and the plot or story will slowly unveil it. I thought the reviewer nailed it. I hadn't thought of this but she was right.
The book was slow at the beginning for me but the ending was quite exciting. I hope William South will make appearances in future books. The next book or series will be based on DS Alexandra Cupidi. I did not care for her at all in this book. I am wondering if I will go on with the series due to my dislike of her. I will give it some time and will probably read the next book. I did like the character of William South and DS Cupidi's teenage daughter Zoe.
The book alternates between the now and the childhood of William South. William South has always been a devout birdwatcher. Another reviewer on Goodreads related how the book could be compared to the patience one must have watching birds and letting the viewing unfold. It was compared to the plot of this book where the reader must have patience and the plot or story will slowly unveil it. I thought the reviewer nailed it. I hadn't thought of this but she was right.
The book was slow at the beginning for me but the ending was quite exciting. I hope William South will make appearances in future books. The next book or series will be based on DS Alexandra Cupidi. I did not care for her at all in this book. I am wondering if I will go on with the series due to my dislike of her. I will give it some time and will probably read the next book. I did like the character of William South and DS Cupidi's teenage daughter Zoe.
July 17, 2017
My review from USA Today
*
One of Kurt Vonnegut’s many invaluable pieces of writing advice was that a novelist should start as close to the end of the story as possible. The first hundred pages of this novel are grievously dull; they’re about a police officer named William South on the southeastern coast of England, whose beachside neighbor is murdered. Nothing particular ensues. Slowly, however, Shaw finds his footing, and when South discovers a second body connected with his own violent childhood, the novel begins to race. What to make of such a mixed experience? I liked its discreet, thoughtful prose, and South’s hobby – “Birding had always been his one safe place” – grounds it character in his own quietness, often enough a symptom of trauma. By its theatrical but moving conclusion, “The Birdwatcher” has become an excellent read. Not everyone will get there.
*
One of Kurt Vonnegut’s many invaluable pieces of writing advice was that a novelist should start as close to the end of the story as possible. The first hundred pages of this novel are grievously dull; they’re about a police officer named William South on the southeastern coast of England, whose beachside neighbor is murdered. Nothing particular ensues. Slowly, however, Shaw finds his footing, and when South discovers a second body connected with his own violent childhood, the novel begins to race. What to make of such a mixed experience? I liked its discreet, thoughtful prose, and South’s hobby – “Birding had always been his one safe place” – grounds it character in his own quietness, often enough a symptom of trauma. By its theatrical but moving conclusion, “The Birdwatcher” has become an excellent read. Not everyone will get there.
August 15, 2016
4.5* I really enjoyed this murder/police procedural story, interesting relationships between the main characters and great descriptions of the landscapes and bird watching. Will definitely be reading more by this author.
May 29, 2016
With a notable change of pace, period and location from his 1960’s set trilogy- A Song From Dead Lips , A House Of Knives, , and A Book of Scars – William Shaw transports us in this haunting standalone to the desolate beauty of the Kent coast, and a tale that reverberates with the dark echoes of the past…
I should say from the outset that this book encapsulates the very best of European crime fiction in terms of pace, characterisation and location, drawing on the most recognisable elements of Scandinavian noir with its bleak location, sublimely controlled plotting, and the emotional but strikingly underplayed turmoil that Shaw injects into his central characters. Indeed the mantra of ‘location, location’ is the key element to Shaw’s beautiful mirroring effect of the sparse, wild nature of this area reflecting the feeling of emotional barrenness that lies within the psyches of his characters, and also draws an interesting juxtaposition between the natural freedom of the proliferation of the coastal bird community and the hemmed in feel of his characters’ existences. Personal isolation looms large not only in his main protagonist, William South for reasons that are slowly revealed during the course of the book, but also to a certain degree in DS Cupidi, following her relocation to the area. As much as South struggles with the ghosts of the past coming back to haunt him, Cupidi is seeking to make her mark in this investigation as the new face on the squad, and there is an intuitive use of her daughter, Zoe, to provide South with a path back to normal human interaction that he has so solidly distanced himself from outside of his professional career. I loved the interplay and shifting dynamic between these three characters, albeit with some hard decisions arising from their interactions, and the way that the slowly unfurling trust between them comes to be so sorely tested. This careful manipulation of human emotion, and finding connections, is a real strength of all of Shaw’s books to date, and I would say that this book is no exception to this real craft in his writing.
In the same way as Scandinavian authors so routinely return to reference the Second World War, Shaw uses the Irish upbringing of his central protagonist, Police Sergeant William South to provide this gravitational axis to conflicts of the past. I’m always interested in the way that the past dictates and shapes our present and future actions, and whether an individual can truly escape darker periods of their life. In the story of South we see an individual who has laboured under this shadow for many years, and Shaw beautifully controls the gradual reveal of the more shadowy and violent previous life. I found it interesting that Shaw had then cast South in the role of protector and policeman, and the sharp contrast this reveals between his younger and older self, which added a certain frisson to the story overall. It goes without saying that this also serves well in manipulating the empathy of the reader, and if, like me, the psychological quirks and anomalies of protagonists is a real draw in your crime fiction reading this will serve you well. Once again Shaw has produced, in my opinion, an exceptionally perceptive and sensitive crime novel, that raises as many questions on human nature and redemption as it answers. Intelligent and thought provoking.
I should say from the outset that this book encapsulates the very best of European crime fiction in terms of pace, characterisation and location, drawing on the most recognisable elements of Scandinavian noir with its bleak location, sublimely controlled plotting, and the emotional but strikingly underplayed turmoil that Shaw injects into his central characters. Indeed the mantra of ‘location, location’ is the key element to Shaw’s beautiful mirroring effect of the sparse, wild nature of this area reflecting the feeling of emotional barrenness that lies within the psyches of his characters, and also draws an interesting juxtaposition between the natural freedom of the proliferation of the coastal bird community and the hemmed in feel of his characters’ existences. Personal isolation looms large not only in his main protagonist, William South for reasons that are slowly revealed during the course of the book, but also to a certain degree in DS Cupidi, following her relocation to the area. As much as South struggles with the ghosts of the past coming back to haunt him, Cupidi is seeking to make her mark in this investigation as the new face on the squad, and there is an intuitive use of her daughter, Zoe, to provide South with a path back to normal human interaction that he has so solidly distanced himself from outside of his professional career. I loved the interplay and shifting dynamic between these three characters, albeit with some hard decisions arising from their interactions, and the way that the slowly unfurling trust between them comes to be so sorely tested. This careful manipulation of human emotion, and finding connections, is a real strength of all of Shaw’s books to date, and I would say that this book is no exception to this real craft in his writing.
In the same way as Scandinavian authors so routinely return to reference the Second World War, Shaw uses the Irish upbringing of his central protagonist, Police Sergeant William South to provide this gravitational axis to conflicts of the past. I’m always interested in the way that the past dictates and shapes our present and future actions, and whether an individual can truly escape darker periods of their life. In the story of South we see an individual who has laboured under this shadow for many years, and Shaw beautifully controls the gradual reveal of the more shadowy and violent previous life. I found it interesting that Shaw had then cast South in the role of protector and policeman, and the sharp contrast this reveals between his younger and older self, which added a certain frisson to the story overall. It goes without saying that this also serves well in manipulating the empathy of the reader, and if, like me, the psychological quirks and anomalies of protagonists is a real draw in your crime fiction reading this will serve you well. Once again Shaw has produced, in my opinion, an exceptionally perceptive and sensitive crime novel, that raises as many questions on human nature and redemption as it answers. Intelligent and thought provoking.
December 3, 2021
Birding made you patient. A good birder should be able to sit for hours, just watching. The trick was not to think too much. It was like a marksman lowering his heart rate to steady his aim.
I was drawn to this one by the title and location (Kent). Sergeant William South is a good community police officer with the Kent Police, living in a cottage on the south coast where he indulges in his hobby, birdwatching. Reluctantly he is drawn into assisting detectives in the brutal murder of his friend and fellow birder, Bob Raynor, finding that he didn’t really know the man at all.
The investigation is led by DS Alexandra Cupidi, recently arrived from the Met in London, and eager to make her mark. Her transfer is the subject of much rumour and innuendo, and she is hamstrung in not only being female, but a single parent to daughter Zoë, with the usual teenage hang-ups, who has difficulty fitting in at her new school (not helped when her mother drives away with a police siren wailing.)
South has his own problems. After his father was killed, he and his mother escaped “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland, to start life afresh, but he is haunted by a deadly secret and the past has a way of catching up. When more bodies turn up, the story switches between the investigation and South’s past.
I particularly liked the minor characters (Zoë is a stand-out), bully figures from the past, local intrigues and policing from the present - (South’s cottage is commandeered by tired and wet police officers searching for clues). This is a prequel to the DS Alexandra Cupidi series, (which I have not read) and as I found her character a little too clichéd, I am unsure whether to continue with the series. Overall, a good police procedural.
For birders only
I was drawn to this one by the title and location (Kent). Sergeant William South is a good community police officer with the Kent Police, living in a cottage on the south coast where he indulges in his hobby, birdwatching. Reluctantly he is drawn into assisting detectives in the brutal murder of his friend and fellow birder, Bob Raynor, finding that he didn’t really know the man at all.
The investigation is led by DS Alexandra Cupidi, recently arrived from the Met in London, and eager to make her mark. Her transfer is the subject of much rumour and innuendo, and she is hamstrung in not only being female, but a single parent to daughter Zoë, with the usual teenage hang-ups, who has difficulty fitting in at her new school (not helped when her mother drives away with a police siren wailing.)
South has his own problems. After his father was killed, he and his mother escaped “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland, to start life afresh, but he is haunted by a deadly secret and the past has a way of catching up. When more bodies turn up, the story switches between the investigation and South’s past.
I particularly liked the minor characters (Zoë is a stand-out), bully figures from the past, local intrigues and policing from the present - (South’s cottage is commandeered by tired and wet police officers searching for clues). This is a prequel to the DS Alexandra Cupidi series, (which I have not read) and as I found her character a little too clichéd, I am unsure whether to continue with the series. Overall, a good police procedural.
For birders only
July 30, 2017
The Birdwatcher from William Shaw is a quiet character driven crime novel that packs an emotional wallop like an uppercut from Mike Tyson, like a karate chop from Bruce Lee, like a bicycle kick to the testicles from Pele. This is the kind of novel you do not see much anymore in the mystery genre—there is a real 1970’s era vibe here. Subtract the trifling flash and extravagance of today’s bestselling titles (looking for that hook), and replace it with emotion, poignancy, and strong storytelling.
William South, the police sergeant working the community beat on the coast of Kent, England is quiet, thoughtful, observant, and a bird watcher. He is hiding something from his past—a murder he committed while young-- though the details of this remain murky. He is the type of man consistently minimized and underestimated. In my mind I pictured him in height and characteristics as the sensational actor Martin Freeman.
South’s neighbor and friend, a fellow birdwatcher, has been brutally murdered--his brains beaten like they were the main ingredient of some diabolical spinach, bacon, and cheddar frittata. South is pulled from his normal civic policing duties into a murder investigation that suffocates him even as he finds himself drawn to solving it’s dark mystery. Another dead body soon appears and this is even more gut wrenching as it is someone from his past! Someone from his days living in Northern Ireland when his dad worked for the IRA and he committed that murder. How are they connected?
This is the type of mystery that is straightforward, and direct and seems like it would be easy to write. But if that were the case, than why are there not more of them being churned out? The Birdwatcher is slow burning, engaging, and haunting. This was shortlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award (The UK’s top prize for mystery novels) and rightfully so. Great read!
William South, the police sergeant working the community beat on the coast of Kent, England is quiet, thoughtful, observant, and a bird watcher. He is hiding something from his past—a murder he committed while young-- though the details of this remain murky. He is the type of man consistently minimized and underestimated. In my mind I pictured him in height and characteristics as the sensational actor Martin Freeman.
South’s neighbor and friend, a fellow birdwatcher, has been brutally murdered--his brains beaten like they were the main ingredient of some diabolical spinach, bacon, and cheddar frittata. South is pulled from his normal civic policing duties into a murder investigation that suffocates him even as he finds himself drawn to solving it’s dark mystery. Another dead body soon appears and this is even more gut wrenching as it is someone from his past! Someone from his days living in Northern Ireland when his dad worked for the IRA and he committed that murder. How are they connected?
This is the type of mystery that is straightforward, and direct and seems like it would be easy to write. But if that were the case, than why are there not more of them being churned out? The Birdwatcher is slow burning, engaging, and haunting. This was shortlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award (The UK’s top prize for mystery novels) and rightfully so. Great read!
September 15, 2024
This novel is a prequel to the author’s excellent Alexandra Cupidi series where Detective Sergeant Cupidi has just been transferred to Kent Police from London and moved to a home near Dungeness Power Station – a move her teenage daughter Zoe is extremely unhappy about.
The story, however, mainly centres around Sergeant William South - the Birdwatcher of the title - a man with a terrible secret buried in his past which he is desperate to conceal. It begins with the brutal murder of a man William considered his best friend, although investigations reveal he was not whom he claimed to be. These are followed by the deaths of a local drug dealer and a man William knew in his childhood and was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.
Each chapter contains a section at the end which tells of William’s turbulent childhood back in Northern Ireland at the height of The Troubles. In those days he had a different surname.
The story doesn’t end happily for William, although, as the events unfold, in some ways that seems inevitable. It does, however, stand as an excellent introduction to the series and the descriptions of the bleak Kent coastline and its wide variety of wildlife are highly evocative.
The story, however, mainly centres around Sergeant William South - the Birdwatcher of the title - a man with a terrible secret buried in his past which he is desperate to conceal. It begins with the brutal murder of a man William considered his best friend, although investigations reveal he was not whom he claimed to be. These are followed by the deaths of a local drug dealer and a man William knew in his childhood and was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.
Each chapter contains a section at the end which tells of William’s turbulent childhood back in Northern Ireland at the height of The Troubles. In those days he had a different surname.
The story doesn’t end happily for William, although, as the events unfold, in some ways that seems inevitable. It does, however, stand as an excellent introduction to the series and the descriptions of the bleak Kent coastline and its wide variety of wildlife are highly evocative.
November 24, 2020
I've read the other Cupidi series ones and enjoyed them but seemed to have missed out on this one. Quite why it isn't book one seems strange however it is the start of the series without question. For me books 1 & 2 were good with book 3 probably better. On that basis I was expecting too much from this earlier book - I was wrong! I like the combination of South, Zoe and Cupidi anyway but this one introduces things very well. Cupidi and Zoe move to the area, William (as a sergeant then) helps Cupidi with a case and starts Zoe off on birding. Those who have read the other books will know the outcome for William anyway however I found that part of the story very good indeed. Powerful enough and it will keep me reading these books. 4.5/5
February 19, 2017
William South is a policeman in the flatlands around Kent. He is a loner by nature and this is reflected in his past time of bird watching: a hobby that requires stealth, patience and a love of being by oneself. However, when his neighbour Bob Rayner is murdered the responsibility falls to him and his immediate superior DS Cupidi to bring the perpetrators of this vile crime to justice. South spent his childhood in the troubled streets of a 70's Belfast and is no stranger to death and suffering his father having been supposedly murdered by paramilitaries present in the province at that time.
This story has a certain slow tempo and style, South is not a man to be hurried and he approaches his job in the same meticulous manner is his bird watching. He forms a connection with Cupidi whose daughter Zoe it would appear is keen to learn the principles of bird watching and South is almost forced to allow her to accompany him on "twitcher" expeditions. There is a presumption by the reader that South and Cupidi have a mutual romantic interest in each other but the author fails to explore this and their feelings never develop beyond their working environment. The author uses South's troubled childhood to introduce an element of intrigue as past and present collide in a bloody conclusion.
I found the whole story to be somewhat boring and lacking in any real warmth towards the characters. It is told in a present and past time line and indeed William's childhood was the most exciting and dangerous part, in contrast to his laborious and humdrum Kent existence.
This story has a certain slow tempo and style, South is not a man to be hurried and he approaches his job in the same meticulous manner is his bird watching. He forms a connection with Cupidi whose daughter Zoe it would appear is keen to learn the principles of bird watching and South is almost forced to allow her to accompany him on "twitcher" expeditions. There is a presumption by the reader that South and Cupidi have a mutual romantic interest in each other but the author fails to explore this and their feelings never develop beyond their working environment. The author uses South's troubled childhood to introduce an element of intrigue as past and present collide in a bloody conclusion.
I found the whole story to be somewhat boring and lacking in any real warmth towards the characters. It is told in a present and past time line and indeed William's childhood was the most exciting and dangerous part, in contrast to his laborious and humdrum Kent existence.
May 26, 2019
The Birdwatcher by William Shaw is a top of the tier police procedural that involves police detectives without substance abuse or misconduct issues too commonly found in many police procedurals.
Sergeant William South is a detective more keen on solving quality of life issues rather than major crimes while enjoying a solitary lifestyle. South also carries hidden baggage of his own that is revealed in alternating, flash-back chapters and reaches back to the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland.
South's neighbor is found savagely beaten to death which stuns the local community because his neighbor is a quiet, keep to himself person that, like South, happens to be an avid birdwatcher.
Detective Alexandra Cupidi and her troubled teenager daughter have relocated from London and unlike South, Cupidi is quite enthusiastic when it comes to the investigation of major crimes.
Shaw's descriptive writing creates a sense of time and place and consistently moves the story forward as the murder is investigated. He creates believable characters that are not one dimensional which allows reader interest to develop.
Highly recommended to readers that enjoy high-quality police procedurals.
Sergeant William South is a detective more keen on solving quality of life issues rather than major crimes while enjoying a solitary lifestyle. South also carries hidden baggage of his own that is revealed in alternating, flash-back chapters and reaches back to the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland.
South's neighbor is found savagely beaten to death which stuns the local community because his neighbor is a quiet, keep to himself person that, like South, happens to be an avid birdwatcher.
Detective Alexandra Cupidi and her troubled teenager daughter have relocated from London and unlike South, Cupidi is quite enthusiastic when it comes to the investigation of major crimes.
Shaw's descriptive writing creates a sense of time and place and consistently moves the story forward as the murder is investigated. He creates believable characters that are not one dimensional which allows reader interest to develop.
Highly recommended to readers that enjoy high-quality police procedurals.
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