• The Birdwatcher

  • By: William Shaw
  • Narrated by: Roger Davis
  • Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (114 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Birdwatcher  By  cover art

The Birdwatcher

By: William Shaw
Narrated by: Roger Davis
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.83

Buy for $21.83

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Police Sergeant William South has a good reason to shy away from murder investigations: He is a murderer himself.

Long-listed for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year

A methodical, diligent, and exceptionally bright detective, South is an avid birdwatcher and trusted figure in his small town on the rugged Kentish coast. He also lives with the deeply buried secret that, as a child in Northern Ireland, he may have killed a man.

When a fellow birdwatcher is found murdered in his remote home, South's world flips. The culprit seems to be a drifter from South's childhood. The victim was the only person connecting South to his early crime, and a troubled, vivacious new female sergeant has been relocated from London and assigned to work with South. As our hero investigates, he must work ever harder to keep his own connections to the victim and his past a secret.

The Birdwatcher is British crime fiction at its finest: a stirring portrait of flawed, vulnerable investigators, a meticulously constructed mystery, and a primal story of fear, loyalty, and vengeance.

©2017 William Shaw (P)2017 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Well told [and] affecting. The writing is beautifully understated, and the characters are vividly drawn and likable in their imperfections. Shaw makes the stony landscape an important element in the work; it becomes, by the end of the story, a place to which readers will feel a curiously strong attachment." ( Booklist)
"Engaging.... A fine procedural.... The action builds to a thrilling ending." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Award-winning author Shaw...delivers an outstanding stand-alone novel; its gritty protagonist, intricate plot, and atmospheric description of the English countryside will please readers of Tana French's 'Dublin Murder Squad' series." ( Library Journal)

What listeners say about The Birdwatcher

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    56
  • 4 Stars
    43
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    62
  • 4 Stars
    32
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    51
  • 4 Stars
    40
  • 3 Stars
    16
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

This is what they call a hidden gem. I never would have found it except my favorite writer mentioned it on her blog. Very enjoyable and intriguing listen with characters you really care about. I got thoroughly immersed in it. I would read anything else by this author. The writing is so nice--straightforward and unpretentious. I rate this along with The Dry as being just perfect, superb "mysteries" with a heart and soul.

The narrator is fine, but the sound quality is so poor in the "past" sections I had to mark it down.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Not your typical detective story

Bird watching and detecting require many of the same talents and patience. Although this is the first in a series that shifts its focus to DI Cupidi in future volumes, the focus here is on a local copper William South with a rich personality and a past to hide. When his neighbor and fellow birdwatcher is murdered, South puts his observational skills to work, while the past plagues him and he is snookered into babysitting. The best part of this book is the three-dimensional, likable characters. Can’t wait until the rest of the series is available on Audible.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb thriller!

I could not wait to finish! Loved it! The voice actor was excellent!

I recommend it to everyone!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved this story

this was a great story, it unfolded in so many directions. Great writing, great narration. I highly recommend it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Very good Narrator & Good Mystery

With the Audio version you can tell by the accents, that the story takes place in two countries/cities, and goes back and forth in time. (The Narrator makes the story more lively than the book.) A good story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

4

This is an offbeat mystery. I liked the setting, the birds, the characters and the slow unfolding of a good story. I hope there is a sequel in the works.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not your usual cop novel.

I liked that the main character was introspective & had a slightly unusual hobby. This novel was methodical and I enjoyed it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

engaging and well-written

Enjoyed this book very much. I thought the narrator was excellent and most of the characters had depth and were 3-dimensional.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Appealing protagonist

Would like to read more about South (didn’t like character Cupidi); enjoyed the writing, will try his other collection.
Performance outstanding.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Absolutely fantastic!

I have been waiting for a new author with new and refreshing crime mysteries and I’m so glad I have found William Shaw! This was incredibly well written and truly transported me to England. The character development was great, the plot development was fantastic. Also, the narration was perfect and engaging. I could easily see this being developed into a series on Netflix…. I can’t wait to read my next book by William Shaw!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!