A Rant of Ravens

The Birdwatcher’s Mysteries #1

by Christine Goff

Seeking refuge from a troubled marriage and career stalemate, Rachel Stanhope seeks refuge on her Aunt Miriam's Colorado ranch, but after agreeing to host meetings of the local birdwatching society, Rachel stumbles upon the body of a nosy journalist, a reporter for Birds of a Feather magazine, who had been investigating a rare bird trafficking scheme. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Birds, Cozy Mystery, Ebooks, Fiction, Cozy

207 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Chris Goff is an award-winning author of eight novels--six based on environmental themes and two in a new international thriller series. Her bestselling Birdwatcher's Mysteries have been nominated for several WILLA Literary Awards and a Colorado Authors' League Awards. Tony Hillerman, the New York Times bestselling author of the Navajo mystery series, said, "You don't have to be a bird lover to fall in love with Christine Goff's charming Birdwatcher's Mysteries;" while David Morrell, the New York Times bestselling author of Murder as a Fine Art, called it "a wonderfully clever, charming, and addictive series." The series is currently published by Sharpe Books.

There are currently two books in Goff's international thriller series. Red Sky, her most recent book, came out in June 2017 to critical acclaim and was a finalist for a 2018 Colorado Book Award. Her series debut, Dark Waters, was dubbed "a sure bet for fans of international thrillers" by Booklist, nominated for the 2016 Colorado Book Award, the 2016 Anthony Award for Best Crime Fiction Audiobook, and published internationally. Manhattan Book Review called it "Absolutely masterful..."

Goff began her career writing non-fiction, penning columns for several local newspapers in Summit County, Colorado, as well as articles for regional and national publication. Later she edited rock and ice-climbing guides for Chockstone Press and worked in graphic production for "Living the Good News," a division of The Morehouse Publishing Group. A long-standing member of multiple writing organizations, she serves on several national boards, including: International Association of Crime Writers and Sisters in Crime. The program coordinator for Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book, she lives in Colorado.

PRAISE FOR BIRDWATCHER'S MYSTERY SERIES

​ "You don't have to be a bird lover to fall in love with Christine Goff's charming Birdwatcher's Mysteries." -- Tony Hillerman, New York Times bestselling author of the Leaphorn and Chee novels.

​ "The birds of the Rocky Mountains will warm the binoculars of birders who have waited a lifetime to see real stories about birds in a popular novel." -- Birding Business Magazine

​ "A wonderfully clever, charming, and addictive series." -- David Morrell, author of Murder as a Fine Art.

​ "Very entertaining. Birders and nature lovers alike will enjoy this new twist on the cozy mystery." -- The Mystery Reader

PRAISE FOR RED SKY

​ A fine sequel to 2015's Dark Waters ." -- Publishers Weekly
​
"Jordan makes a fine lead character. Give this to readers who like Matthew Palmer's blend of diplomacy and thrills." -- Booklist

"Suspenseful and entertaining. Chris Goff writes with a sure hand and knows how to keep the reader turning the pages... Add her name to the growing list of excellent female thriller writers such as Taylor Stevens, Jamie Freveletti and Zoe Sharp."
-- Deadly Pleasures​

"Goff excels in setting the hook..." ​ -- Kirkus Reviews


PRAISE FOR DARK WATERS

​ "Great characters, action and location--altogether terrific." -- Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author

​ "Strong first thriller." -- Publishers Weekly

​​ "Goff reveals a knack for thrillers. A sure bet for fans of international thrillers." ​ -- Booklist

​ "Whip-smart, informed, and tightly woven, Chris Goff's international thriller Dark Waters reeks of authenticity and intrigue. Through her frank depictions of modern-day Israel, and on the backs of nuanced characters, Goff has fashioned a story that unfolds at a blistering pace, and feels like it all could happen tomorrow. Writing like a seasoned pro, she crushes the genre in her debut effort." -- Mark Sullivan, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of Private L.A. and Thief

​ "Goff combines cultural detail, rich geographic description, and countless plot twists to create an engaging and satisfying thriller." -- Foreword Reviews

Reviews

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read some of the other books in this series a while ago, and as I recall they were entertaining. Unfortunately this one, the first in the series, is very much a fledgling effort. Awkward plotting and way too many info-dumps. I groaned whenever a character would ask a question because inevitably the answer was a two page lecture on the topic. We don’t need a lengthy description of how to focus binoculars or how the heroine pulled up a word document on her computer.

If you are interested in this set, I would recommend starting with the next books.

[Lisa Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent my childhood before video games, cable TV and the internet, and used to identify birds in our back yard with my mother, so I enjoyed hearing about a birding group. The aunt's husband was named after my favorite, Tanager, and that's not the only Easter egg (no pun intended)!! But it's an enjoyable mystery as well as information-packed about numerous nature topics, with fun characters and a strong heroine .

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cozy mystery interlude. My son gave this book to me because of the birdwatching angle. (He is a wonderful giver of books.) My rating for this is based on cozy stuff and, so it gets a good rating. It’s the first in a series - lots of set-up - well, too much. Still, it had good cozy mystery moments!

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. This is a fast and easy read that introduces the Birdwatchers series.

[DMC · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a book I gave to my mom many years ago and finally read it myself. The premise was fun- a mystery surrounding a bird watching club, and the location was great, the environs of Rocky Mountain National Park; however, the story was a bit lacking. Mainly it is bizarre to me when mystery novels have regular people making ridiculous decisions. You start off being a person who is living a big city life with an important job, but going through a tough phase while getting divorced. Ok. So then you’re on a sort of hiatus from your job going to house sit at your aunt’s house across the country. Ok. And then you find a body while hanging out with a birdwatching group. Ok. Then after that, literally every decision you make from that point is bizarre- acting weirdly defensive when the sheriff asks you more than once to explain the situation where you found the body, keeping potentially critical information from the police, hiding physical evidence from the police, not reporting key moments when people try to kill you while you’re single handedly trying to solve the murder. The list goes on.

[Art (aka Whistler Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⅗

Just the type of Cozy I prefer:

ᕗslice of life...
ᕗ strong characters stepping up and showing personal growth...
ᕗ a lot of background supporting environs/milieu...
ᕗand a mystery or two mixed in.

I wish there were more stars in the rating system, it's more than a three, but not quite 'solid' enough for a four... subjective, I know ...

I'll most certainly be continuing with this one...

♪♪(👍ᐛ )👍

[Judith Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not generally drawn to reading mysteries, but this little book was fun. Solving a mystery in the Colorado mountains, with the help of a group of dedicated birdwatchers: What's not to like? Technology has changed so much in the 20+ years since this was written, but that just adds another point of interest; the number of typos and other errors in this edition is more annoying. But I think I might have to read some more of this series.

[RC Prentice · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s surprising how often birdwatching can provide the catalyst for getting people together and placing them all in a particular location. The plot here is fairly standard; the writing is not particularly scintillating; and as cozy mysteries are wont to be, quirky characters are packed in and meant to provide entertainment. And this is not the only plot to utilize the well-worn eco-terrorist theme. Altogether, the primary draw is the mountains, for those who don’t know them.

[Woody · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining who-dunnit for birders, reminiscent of Nevada Barr tales in National Parks. This fictional tale was set in the Colorado Rockies and involved a complex web of eco-terrorists. It was a nice break from the long, dense historical tomes I have been reading.

[Mary Lucal · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a smart environmental mystery! Our sleuth is newish with birds and birding, but this book delves into several topics related to birds, DDT and animal rights activists. All with a great cast of characters! A great series to discover.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 /12 stars. A solid mystery with a lot of red-herrings. It was interesting to see some of the workings of the early days of ecoterrorism and how belief in the end justify the means can make for some very strange bedfellows. The characters were a little one dimensional.

[Rita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the setting. Few too many characters.

[Jeremy Jl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Steve Burrowes series Of Birder Murder mysteries is far superior as far as ornitholical fiction is concerned

[Bea Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely readable and worth reading the next in the series, if there is one.

[Cecilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

fairly good mystery

[Lynne Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute murder mystery that revolves around birds. A fun cast with a few birdy names.

I would give this four stars except it badly needed an editor, despite it being an updated edition.

[Virginia Adi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not quite capture my interest or affection.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book and will read more of The Birdwatcher's Mysteries.

[Kristina Creighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting Theme

This hits all the marks—conservation, bird-watching, home-grown eco-terrorists, you name it. It’s all blended into a story that holds your interest.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really care until the end. The climax was interesting, but I truly didn't care about the characters and I was bored for most of the book.

[Nancy Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clunky storytelling, and the editor not only missed grammar and punctuation errors, but also left in some pre-publication notes intended for the author.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

bit dull

[Katherine P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full Review: http://iwishilivedinalibrary.blogspot...
This was an interesting mystery. I liked that Rachel was new to the birdwatching and bird rescue field so that we learned along with her. The information on the birds was fascinating and I frequently found myself looking up different birds to see what they look like. I don't see myself ever going on a birdwatching expedition but it was interesting all the same. The mystery was compelling and I definitely kept turning the pages to see what happened next. There were lots of twists and turns and while I guess the who (I read a lot of mysteries so I'm generally surprised if I DON'T guess the who) but all the whys were interesting. I'm not normally a big fan of a really hostile character but I thought Gertie was well used. She obviously detested Rachel and Aunt Miriam but she was used just enough to be almost a devil's advocate and a counter-argument but not used so much that she got annoying.

Con: While I found all the bird information interesting I got a little restless with the paragraphs about the different legislation. Some of the descriptions got a little detailed and technical. Also, Rachel's behavior bordered on TSTL. She confronts people and snoops in places she most definitely shouldn't.

Overall: While not perfect this was an interesting mystery that kept me reading and guessing the outcome.

[Dorothy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This first mystery by Christine Goff was mildly entertaining. It featured one of my favorite activities, birding, as a central part of the plot. Indeed, this is the first in her series of "birdwatching mysteries." The references to birds and to birding were enough to keep me reading to the end, although I had successfully solved the mystery long before the heroine, Rachel Stanhope.

Rachel is a New York City girl who is in the midst of the breakup of her marriage. At the invitation of her Aunt Miriam, she goes to Colorado to stay with her at "Bird Haven," her raptor rehabilitation center. Unfortunately, soon after Rachel arrives, she stumbles over the dead body of a birders' magazine reporter. Shortly thereafter, Aunt Miriam disappears along with three valuable birds and it looks very much as if she might be the murderer. Rachel doesn't believe it, of course, and sets out to prove otherwise and to find her aunt, who she believes may be in danger.

As I said, the mystery was mildly entertaining. It could have been a bit tighter and the scenes of danger could have been a bit more suspenseful and - um - dangerous. But, overall, it was just interesting enough to keep me reading the other entries in the series.

[Star]

After catching her husband with another woman, Rachel Stanhope escapes to her Aunt Miriam’s ranch in Colorado to take stock of her situation. Miriam is a passionate bird enthusiast and hosts meetings of local birdwatching society. When Rachel agrees to go out with them on her first birding expedition, she stumbles upon the dead body of a reporter who was trying to make trouble for her aunt. Now Miriam and her friends are suspects in the violent death and soon after the investigation starts Miriam disappears along with three precious birds, which only serves to make her look guilty. I didn’t know anything about serious birdwatching when I started A RANT OF RAVENS, so it was nice to learn about something new. The author takes the reader through a twisted path on the journey to solve the mystery of the reporter’s murder and Miriam’s disappearance. A RANT OF RAVENS seemed a little old-fashioned, especially in the computer technology areas, so it might serve from a little updating. A RANT OF RAVENS is a cozy mystery set in the birding world, with enough intrigue to entertain the traditional mystery lover without any of the gore which would be distasteful to some readers.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rant of Ravens by Christine Goff

Rachael Stanhope goes to Colorado to visit her Aunt Miriam. Miriam is a bird enthusiast, her property holds a bird sanctuary and she has many acres of land for the birds. Miriam asks her niece if she could cover for her in her weekly bird club , Rachel reluctantly accepts. Soon a report if found dead, one who was looking to expose Miriam's late husband and a bird trafficking scheme. Miriam becomes the number one suspect and soon she goes missing. Rachel is first to try to find her Aunt and clear her name.

A fast paced murder mystery. Rachael is likable and so is the eccentric Miriam. The suspect list is very high, when you think you know who did it, another person seems to be the one. I like that in a book, one that keeps you guessing. I also liked all the details about birds, bird watching, birds on the extinct list. I found this informative and learned a lot about birds. I feel that those who like a cozy murder mystery and birds will enjoy A Rant of Ravens.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel’s world comes crashing down on her when she finds her husband in bed with another woman. Her Aunt Miriam suggests to Rachel to come out to the Bird Haven in Colorado to clear her head of the divorce. The Bird Haven helps rehabilitate raptors and is a place for bird watchers.

When a special sparrow is spotted at the Bird Haven, people come in search of it. Rachel then stumbles upon a dead body. Then Miriam goes missing along with three birds. It’s looking like Miriam may be the killer and it’s time or Rachel to figure out what is going on.

This is a cute little mystery. If you don’t know anything about bird watching be prepared, you soon will. I like how it is presented without dragging down the story. You will also stumble into the exotic bird trade and people that are willing to do whatever it takes to get there hands on a rare bird. I loved the mystery and how it slowly unfolded.

This is a really great cozy mystery. This is Astor + Blue launching The Birdwatcher’s Mystery series. Make sure to check it out if you like mysteries and add the other books to your list too.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[I'd So Rather Be Reading {Nat} · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Rant of Ravens was a fun, light read. I really enjoyed it!

I was drawn to this book after I read about the setting: the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. My family vacationed there every summer growing up, and reading A Rant of Ravens was like being back in the mountains again. I loved that aspect of the story---the beautiful imagery was one of my favorite things about this book.

I love a good stand-alone read and A Rant of Ravens is the perfect example of why stand-alone novels are so satisfying. The story is complete! No cliffhangers, no waiting to see what happens. The action happened, the mystery got solved, and the characters moved on with their lives.

A Rant of Ravens is a murder mystery, and it was written in a way that made it feel almost light hearted. I love it when authors don't take their books too seriously, and Goff hit just the right note with this story.

I was surprised by the ending and I loved that. I also liked that this is a clean adult fiction novel. A Rant of Ravens is a fast, fun read, and I'd definitely read Christine Goff again.

[Sylvia Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad that this mystery is the first in a series, as that means there are more of them to read! One doesn't need to be a birder to enjoy this book, but the birding and raptor rescue aspects are a special treat if one is. It's hard to find murder mysteries featuring the birding community that aren't poorly written, so finding an exception to this dismal rule is nice. "A Rant of Ravens" is a quick, fun, clean read. The fact that Lark, our heroine, isn't a birder herself, and has no particular interest in it, just adds to the fun, and gives the author a chance to explain a little about birds, birding, and the birding community. The plot was complex enough to keep me guessing, and when it came to who-done-it, I guessed wrong. Looking forward to more in the series.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this 3 1/2 stars

This is a slightly older mystery being reissued (circa 1998 or so) and you can tell by some of the terminology in the book (telecommuting via modem and the computer discs). Despite that, the book was enjoyable and the author did a good job of not letting on who the killer was and why. I was truly surprised at that revelation but it made sense once you knew the whole story.

I did wonder how Rachel was able to leave her job to help her aunt in another state, but was glad to see that was explained a little bit into the book. I don't know a lot about birds so it was interesting to hear some of the descriptions and learn about birds and what is on the endangered list and such.