It seems a long time ago that Fitz and Gabby were together, with his work on extinct species about to make him world-famous. Now, it’s his career that is almost extinct.
Suddenly, though, the beautiful Gabby reappears in his life. She wants his help in tracing the history of The Mysterious Bird of Ulieta, a creature once owned by the great 18th Century naturalist Joseph Banks.
It soon becomes clear that Fitz is getting involved in something more complicated – and dangerous – than the search for a stuffed bird.
To solve the puzzle, he must uncover the identity of the amazing woman Banks loved – a woman who has disappeared from history as effectively as the specimen he is hunting.
THE CONJUROR’S BIRD is the perfect mixture of detection, romance and history.
Suddenly, though, the beautiful Gabby reappears in his life. She wants his help in tracing the history of The Mysterious Bird of Ulieta, a creature once owned by the great 18th Century naturalist Joseph Banks.
It soon becomes clear that Fitz is getting involved in something more complicated – and dangerous – than the search for a stuffed bird.
To solve the puzzle, he must uncover the identity of the amazing woman Banks loved – a woman who has disappeared from history as effectively as the specimen he is hunting.
THE CONJUROR’S BIRD is the perfect mixture of detection, romance and history.
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Reviews
A highly readable page-turner
THE CONJUROR'S BIRD is a rare treat of a book; a romance, thriller and historical novel all in one - and perfectly formed.
'An exciting and absorbing debut novel...'
'A pacy confection of history, mystery and romance... a most engaging and unusual novel'
An enjoyable tale of love, loss and taxidermy . . . a cracking holiday read.
'Enjoyable, gently told yarn...'
A pacy confection of history, mystery and romance...Davies interweaves his complex narrative with energy and authority...a most engaging and unusual first novel.
'Two gripping, intercut narratives... a lyricism that captures the joy of the natural world... a highly successful and informative entertainment'
An absorbing historical detective story . . . a beautifully evoked narrative from the past
'This book I loved on so many levels...the excitement of a great mystery...a truly fantastic book.'
'A poignancy that will aptly linger with you after you've turned the final page'
Ambitious and intriguing... part thriller, part love story, part quest, this is a hugely readable book.
'Ideal for book clubs, ideal too for any lover of commercial literary fiction. An exciting and absorbing debut novel from Davies.'
'Intriguing and cleverly constructed'
'Ambitious and intriguing... part thriller, part love story, part quest, this is a hugely readable book whose concerns linger in the mind... Davies' novel hints, unobtrusively but effectively, at many of the issues underlying man's urge to collect ornithological specimens, and also the uneasy relationship between science, business and the natural world.'
'Poignant and beguiling... like all the best novels, it left me with a sense of having learned something.'
"[A] gripping book of literary suspense. . . . Davies indulges in clever speculation about the bird's whereabouts and adds an appealing strain of romance surrounding the identity of Banks's mistress. . . . A captivating novel."
The book flits easily back and forth between the past and the present and I found it not only a page-turner but one where the turning accelerated as the story went along
'Goddard-esque, drawing several mysteries and periods together in a fascinating tale'
"Suspenseful, intriguing, and romantic, this is great entertainment and an excellent choice for book discussion groups; highly recommended."
"A gripping blend of history and conjecture, romance and detection...it consists of two parallel stories wrapped around the race to unravel one of natural history's most enduring puzzles. [An] elegantly crafted journey into the nature of loss and love, memory and history."
"This book I loved on so many levels. Firstly for a greater understanding of the life of Sir Joseph Banks...then for the excitement of a great mystery... A truly fantastic book full of three centuries of secrets and surprises."
This book haunts me: I was moved, intrigued and entertained and, with each page turned, I wanted, very much, to know what was going to happen. Economically and beautifully drawn, the enigmatic delicacy of the characters and the way the stories of the past and the present intersect so teasingly, so elegantly, makes THE CONJUROR'S BIRD a deeply satisfying novel. And, best of all, the layers of the story take one deeper and deeper into the worlds of the past and the present until, in the end, there seems nothing more to discover in the lives of these characters; yet I wanted more. I heartily recommend this book!
An entertaining read