The Earthquake Bird

A Novel

By: Susanna Jones

Narrated by: Kirsty Rider

Now a major Netflix film starring Alicia Vikander and Riley Keough, a haunting psychological thriller set in Tokyo probing deep into the mind of a murder suspect

The grisly headline leaves nothing to the imagination: "Woman's torso recovered from Tokyo Bay. Believed to be missing British bartender Lily Bridges." The only suspect is Lucy Fly. Her friend is dead, her lover has disappeared, and as far as anyone is concerned, she's as good as guilty.

Trapped in the interrogation room, Lucy begins to unravel two stories. One, for the police, is a spare outline, offering more questions than answers. The other--the real one, if you believe her--is a gripping dive into an obsessive mind, revealing the checkered past that brought her to Japan, her complicated friendship with Lily, and a tempestuous affair with a missing Japanese photographer named Teiji. As she excavates the dangerous secrets--both past and present--that haunt her waking mind, Lucy relates an unsettling life story that spans bustling Tokyo, the British countryside, and remote Japanese islands, each step taking us closer to the chilling truth about Lily's death. An all-consuming crime story like no other, Susanna Jones's mesmerizing debut novel is a neo-noir thriller as shocking as it is exquisitely composed.

"Novels of psychological suspense hang on the delicacy of the writer's touch--that feathery brushstroke that darkens a mood, heightens an action and brings a revealing word to a character's lips--and Susanna Jones has the touch."--Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times

Critic reviews

"Novels of psychological suspense hang on the delicacy of the writer's touch—that feathery brushstroke that darkens a mood, heightens an action and brings a revealing word to a character's lips—and Susanna Jones has the touch."—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times

“Susanna Jones maintains a chilling ambiguity throughout, scoring 10 on the suspense Richter scale. Compelling and haunting, this delicately crafted debut novel’s tremors are felt long after the final page is turned.”—The Observer

“Gripping and haunting—an unforgettable debut.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The sentences may be lean and spare, but the murder on the first page heralds a weight and menace to this story that’s strangely chilling. This is a very compelling and rather dis­quieting debut.”—Elle

“An astonishingly accomplished debut by Susanna Jones . . . It’s hard to believe that this skillfully constructed and beau­tifully written work is a first novel.”—The Sunday Telegraph

“This spare, urgent debut is not only a polished crime novel, but a hymn to Tokyo and an awkwardly tender love story. Noodle bars, skyscrapers, subways, and the rainy season are described with the fragile elegance of a Japanese painting. The narrative’s vertiginous momentum is offset by an unnervingly cool prose. The Earthquake Bird is distin­guished by its alluring ambiguity.”—The Daily Telegraph

“One of the best books I’ve read in recent years.”—A. N. Wilson, New Statesman
“Literary crime at its best.”—The Bookseller

“An examination of the slippery nature of truth and mem­ory, obsessions and betrayals, all of which Jones handles with confidence and skill.”—Publishers Weekly

Best audiobook narrator

I came to this book after watching the movie several times on Netflix. This was the first audiobook I had ever listened to since I was sure that all audiobooks would be boring and cause me to daydream. Also I was sure I would feel nothing but guilt for cheating on the physical book. I'm so glad this was not the case!

Kirsty Rider is so good at her job in fact that I could hardly fall asleep listening to it (I've started using audiobooks to replace the tv at bed time), it was so riveting. Although the story differed slightly from the film, it didn't matter because her delivery was so good and interesting. After listening to several audiobooks after this (some of the greats), I can still confidently say that she is by far the best. I wish I could hire her directly to read my favorite books with narrators I don't much care for. Her accents alone are worth the listen. The story itself is quite weird, interesting, and even a little philosophical. I normally prefer non fiction to fiction but this is one of those nice exceptions. I really related to the main character in so many ways. I'm not sure the story itself is for everyone, but everyone should listen for the narration.

Melancholy

Quite a somber little story, with an air of melancholy and also a bit creepy. Beautiful narration.

Thrilling book with wonderful narration

Great book to give you a thrill. Narration engulfs in in the story!
Tokyo is an interesting choice for a background.