Death of a Songbird (Birdwatcher's Mystery)
by Christine Goff
Paperback; 224 pages; published July, 2001
Book review by Linda Crisalli
Last year Christine Goff came out with the first of
her "Birdwatcher's” mysteries, A
Rant of Ravens, to rave reviews. Descriptive
phrases such as smart and informative and well drawn
out and captivating described the "mystery story
surrounded by the world of birdwatching." This
year Goff has managed to complete and publish the second
of the series, Death of a Songbird, with
an interesting twist.
In her first book, Goff let the scene in Colorado with
the character, Rachel Stanhope, as her main detective.
She was a novice birdwatcher and out of town visitor
in the crowd of locals. In Death of a Songbird,
Goff has veered off Stanhope and used Lark (note the
bird name) who played a secondary role last book.
Death of a Songbird revolves around the
Warbler Café, the Drummond Hotel and a coffee
bean business. Be prepared to lose a familiar character
from the first book to murder in the first few pages
of the second story. Also be prepared to grab a cup
of coffee each time you turn the page. When they go
into details about the organic coffee plantations in
Mexico that grow crops in the shade to avoid pesticides
and then go on to tell about the harvesting, roasting
and grinding of said beans ... well... you can almost
smell the aroma!
Birdwatching is indeed woven through the story line
as the author deals with such intrigue as murder, espionage
and betrayal. During the whole mystery, a birding convention
is being held in the hotel and daily bird walks and
activities are planned and executed. Even the name of
the Chipe Coffee Company ties in with the theme ...
chipe means warbler in Spanish, and a siting of a Red-faced
Warbler (not typically found this far north) illusively
taunts the birders until the last pages.
And speaking of last pages... the very back of the
book has information about Wood Warblers as well as
info on the Migratory Bird Conservancy, founded in 1999
for the purpose of conserving bird habitat in the Western
Hemisphere. If you love birds and want to help preserve
them in the wild you might find the last page helpful,
indeed.
All in all, if you are in the mood for a light murder
mystery with a definite avian twist, Death of
a Songbird is a "good read."
All books in this series:
A Rant of
Ravens
Death
of a Songbird
A Nest
in the Ashes
Death Takes a Gander
Death Shoots a Birdie |
