The Conjuror's Bird

Description

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. A mixture of detection, romance and history, "The Conjuror's Bird" has all the makings of a word-of-mouth bestseller.

Awards

Shortlisted for British Book Awards: Best Read of the Year 2006.

Reviews

'A highly readable page-turner' -- Guardian 20061007 'A pacy confection of history, mystery and romance... a most engaging and unusual novel' -- The Times 20061007 'An enjoyable tale of love, loss and taxidermy ... a cracking holiday read.' -- Observer 20060129 'Two gripping, intercut narratives... a lyricism that captures the joy of the natural world... a highly successful and informative entertainment' -- Independent 20060129 'An absorbing historical detective story ... a beautifully evoked narrative from the past' -- Guardian 20060129 'Ambitious and intriguing... part thriller, part love story, part quest, this is a hugely readable book.' -- Spectator 20060129 'Ideal for book clubs, ideal too for any lover of commercial literary fiction. An exciting and absorbing debut novel from Davies.' -- Publishing News 20060129 'Poignant and beguiling... like all the best novels, it left me with a sense of having learned something.' -- Andrew Taylor, author of The American Boy 20060129 "[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." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) 20060129 "Suspenseful, intriguing, and romantic, this is great entertainment and an excellent choice for book discussion groups; highly recommended." -- Library Journal (starred review) 20060129 "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." -- Canberra Times 20060129 "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." -- Manly Daily 20060129 '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!' -- Posie Graeme-Evans, author of THE INNOCENT and THE 20050228 'An entertaining read' -- New Books Magazine 20060601

Author description

Martin Davies grew up in North West England. He has travelled widely, including in the Middle East and India, and his plan for THE CONJUROR'S BIRD was put together on a trekking holiday in Greenland. He lives in South West London and works as a producer for an international media company.