A Bird in the Hand

The First George & Molly Palmer-Jones Novel

By: Ann Cleeves

Narrated by: Sean Barrett

Before Shetland and Vera, Ann Cleeves wrote the George and Molly Palmer-Jones series following remarkable mysteries in a birdwatching community—now available for the first time in the US.

In England’s birdwatching paradise, a new breed has been sighted—a murderer . . .

Young Tom French is found dead, lying in a marsh on the Norfolk coast, with his head bashed in and his binoculars still around his neck. One of the best birders in England, Tom had put the village of Rushy on the birdwatching map. Everyone liked him. Or did they?

George Palmer-Jones, an elderly birdwatcher who decides quietly to look into the brutal crime, discovers mixed feelings aplenty. Still, he remains baffled by a deed that could have been motivated by thwarted love, pure envy, or something else altogether.

But as he and his fellow ‘twitchers’ flock from Norfolk to Scotland to the Scilly Isles in response to rumors of rare sightings, George—with help from his lovely wife, Molly—gradually discerns the true markings of a killer. All he has to do is prove it . . . before the murderer strikes again.

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

Critic reviews

“This is a wonderful example of the genre. The characters are strong and beautifully drawn, and the landscape integral to the story. Best of all, there is a message from the author discussing her circumstances when writing this and critiquing a work that she obviously loves. Happy to say, there will be more to come.”—First Clue

Terrible narrator

I knew this was one of Ann Cleeves first books and wasn't expecting a book on the par with Vera or Perez. This one, however, simply didn't grab my interest. The narrator sounded like he's stepped out of the movie reel news in the 30's and 40's. Simply terrible. It took away from the story because I could not separate him from the plot.