BIRD SPOTTING IN A SMALL TOWN by Sophie Morton-Thomas

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PRINT
Publication Date: 29 February 2024
Format: Paperback
Extent: 256 pp
Our Price: 9.99
ISBN: 9780857308535

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Publication Date:8 February 2024
Format: ebook(ePub)
Our Price: 6.99
ISBN: 9780857308542

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BIRD SPOTTING IN A SMALL TOWN

Sophie Morton-Thomas

In an isolated town on the North Norfolk coast, Fran's life is unravelling. Her one source of solace is slipping out to the beach early in the morning, to watch the birds.

Small-town tensions simmer when a new teacher starts at the local school and a Romany community settle in the field adjoining Fran's caravan park. Then the schoolteacher and Fran's brother-in-law both go missing on the same night and accusations fly. Yet all Fran can seem to care about is the birds.

Eerie and unsettling, Bird Spotting in a Small Town is a psychological suspense featuring unreliable narrators and the perfect balance of mystery, tension and family drama.

READER REVIEWS FOR BIRD SPOTTING IN A SMALL TOWN

'The sense of place is so well evoked'

4 star reader review, Jo L,

'A subtle yet disquieting domestic noir'

4 star reader review, Lydia O,

'The book is mysterious and suspenseful… the ending was so unpredictable and unsettling'

5 star reader review, Rudra M,

'This book has been better than well written, I believe it has been crafted and honed to almost perfection'

4 star reader review, Philip A,

'I loved this book. The claustrophobia that Fran felt built up throughout the story… Quite an intense read, I would definitely recommend it'

5 star reader review, Sue F,

And More Reader Reviews >

Wonderful characters and great twists and turns… Highly recommended

4 star reader review, Lucy K,

The entire time I was reading Bird Spotting in a Small Town, I seemed to be holding my breath. It’s hard to explain the pervasive fear that emanates, the chill (not unlike that of the wind that rages throughout the book) that seeps from every line … A slow burner, but all the better for it and very much recommended

4 star reader review, Ella P,

What an absolute beauty of a book. I felt Fran’s claustrophobia (and) honestly did not see any of the twists coming … Five stars all around

5 star reader review, Laura B,

Sinister and atmospheric … Complicated family relationships, a crime and a nest make for a compelling read

4 star reader review, Chiara C,

A dark and sinister feel about the story with the atmospheric Norfolk coast making the perfect backdrop… Strained relationships, crime, infidelity and childhood lies and secrets lead to a surprising but satisfying conclusion. A definite winner

4 star reader review, Maureen E,

A gripping psychological suspense novel that had me hooked from the very beginning. … Morton-Thomas masterfully constructs a small-town atmosphere filled with tension and secrets… a dark and haunting novel that goes beyond being just a crime story. It explores the intricate lives and relationships of a complex family and a set of individuals, creating an intensely atmospheric read. Sophie Morton-Thomas has crafted a truly compelling tale that will keep readers hooked until the very last page

4 star reader review, Mana M,

An unusual and original story very cleverly told

4 star reader review, Janice H,

This character driven novel is tense, claustrophobic, and dark… If you are looking for a dark, literary work of fiction with some mystery thrown in then this is the book for you

4 star reader review, Callum A,

A dark, haunting book… hugely atmospheric and really compelling

5 star reader review, Jennie G,

What a corker of a … There are lots of early morning pacings, furtive meetings and red herrings. Just when I thought I had a grip on who had done what, there was another nugget of information which cast everything in a different light. A very good read

5 star reader review, Sarah T,

Unsettling, unease, dread, obsession... these really are key words that make me want to read a story, and this one is a cracker. Glad I picked it up

4 star reader review, Louisa T,

PRESS REVIEWS FOR Bird Spotting in a Small Town

'A haunting, disquieting novel, exquisitely written. The detail throughout is like acupuncture and the whole thing is difficult to pull away from. I read it in short bursts because each sitting left me with something new to think about'
- Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants

'Morton-Thomas challenges assumptions about class in this atmospheric piece of rural noir'
- Sunday Times

'A remarkable feat of storytelling rich with a literary feel ... The setting, atmosphere, characters who see the world through a mirky window pane, strained relationships, deeply troubling events... it's slow burn psychological crime which warns that buried secrets will come back to hurt you'
- Crime Fiction Lover

'A slow, dark, slippery tale set on the Norfolk coast... Disquieting and atmospheric, this is a book which lingers in the mind'
- Sussex Life 'Book of the Month'

And More Reviews >

'The kind of book that gets under your skin, hugely atmospheric and dark in the best possible way'
- Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

'A compelling and mysterious story of lives lived on the margins'
- William Shaw, author of the DS Alexandra Cupidi series

'Quietly creepy with a literary touch'
- Crime Fiction Lover (The Most Wanted Crime Novels of 2024)

[read the full review]