Rating: 
Summary: I finally took a breath....
Review: I realized that I had not taken a breath through the last 10 chapters. This book gives new meaning to "I just couldn't put it down!" This book is fantastic and ranks right up there as one of my all-time favorites, and I have read every one from Cornwell, Deaver, Patterson and Palmer. Mo Hayder is to be commended for her first effort. She expertly developed the characters, and created moments in time and people that wove together, building to the shattering and unforgettable climax. It is graphic but not grauitous, convoluted but not confusing. I did find the British police terminology and slang a bit hard to get through, but I could truly feel the pain of the horrific torture until I was released through the turn of the last page. The images from this book will stay with me for a long time. Now we need to see Caffrey and Rebecca work on the next case together.
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Summary: Signpost to brilliance
Review: Mo Hayder's stunning talent is firmly signposted here, in what is definitely the best debut novel i have ever read. Her writing is sharp, her descriptions gritty and harsh. Jack Caffery is an intensely likeable character, yet so flawed (especially as is revealed upon the shocking ending) that some more morally firm readers will detest him. The plot is great, and the writing very assured. "Forty Words For Sorrow", Giles Blunt's debut (even though it was his second) novel, somewhat reminded me of this book. It somewhat grates on me that all debut novels nowadays seem to cry out for two killers. It smacks of a desperate desire to be original, and people do not realise that it is actually not all that original a thing to do. People have been writing books in which there are two killers for ages. It makes this book seem as if it's straining to be original. Mind you, this is still the strongest, most thickly plotted, most assured, and most gut churning novel i have come across in many a moon. The killer is chilling, and at times makes Lecter look like a barbie doll. At times, this book is disgusting. Which only adds to the immense emotional power of the book as a whole. You need a very strong stomch for it, i suspect. Mind you, if you intend to read her next novel "The Treatment" then your stomach will need to be even stronger...(The Treatment is even better, and one of the best books around.) The climax is great. Long live Mo Hayder. You're brilliant.
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Summary: What a thrill ride! A Must Read Book!
Review: I have read both books by Mo Hayder. Birdman should be read first, then The Treatment, although you could read the second one first since the first half of the book is more of a review of the people in it. Both are MUST reads. Both are very detailed and will bring all your emotions to the surface. Birdman is a book you won't be able to put down. The Treatment is slow through the first half but the second half by far makes up for it. What a thrill ride. I hope Mo hayder writes a third book soon. I love Mo Hayder. Her website MoHayder.net is in the making. I hope it's got a message board so she can see how much she is loved by her fans!
5 Stars!
Rating: 
Summary: Not for the faint of heart
Review: As other reviewers have stated, if you are at all squeamish you would be wise to give this book a pass. The descriptions of murder and mutilation are graphic and disturbing to say the least. That said, this is a well written page turner that had me guessing all the way through. We meet Detective Jack Caffrey, young, handsome, clever and tormented. He appears to have met his match with a serial killer whose sheer brutality and perversion are almost unthinkable. I especially liked the side story pertaining to the disappearance of Jack's brother, and how it relates to his creepy neighbor. Jack's relationship with his girlfriend Veronica gives new meaning to the word dysfunctional! So if you think you've got the stomach for it, by all means go ahead with Birdman, you won't be disappointed.
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Summary: Very disturbing, but a good mystery!
Review: I wouldn't go near this book if you don't have a very strong stomach...but if you can handle guts and gore, it's a very good read. I really like the lead character, Jack Caffrey, although he's obviously a very troubled soul. I've just ordered Mo Hayder's second novel, which the reviews indicate maybe even better than the first. So we'll see what happens to Jack this time. Hopefully my stomach can handle it!
Rating: 
Summary: It was OK
Review: After reading the reviews for this book, I was so excited to get my hands on a copy, as a love thriller/mystery books. Unfortunately, I really wasn't impressed at all. At times I even felt as if I were reading a different book from the one mentioned in the rave reviews. It seemed to me that the characters were not well developed, and the plot dragged at points. It picked up at the end, but there was nothing amazing about this book. I didn't find it particularly scary or intriguing. I finished it because I had started it, and while it wasn't torturous, it did not come close to being on my list of favorite books. Silence of the Lambs should not even be compared to this book - it is an insult!
Rating:
Summary: Creepy
Review: If you want a creepy read with lots of atmosphere, then this is the book. I simply couldn't put it down because I couldn't believe what I had just read. I'm a big fan of the serial killer/mystery genre and this book is at the top of the list.
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Summary: Great suspense!
Review: Written by Mo Hayder, Birdman is a book that was a sensation even prior to its publishing, back in 1999. It's a crime book, where you follow the lead character, Jack Caffery, as he investigates a series of murders, trying to find out who did it. And boy, is this book something else. It's Hayder's first foray into writing, and if this is the opening, I really want to stay for the whole show. If you liked "The Silence of the lambs" you're going to like this book. Caffery is forced to deal with a murderer that is, simply put, one of the most disturbing psychopaths that ever lived. The gore level is incredibly high, and the book is so well written and the plot is so twisted that you simply won't be able to put this book down. As the tagline says, "For some killers, murder is just the beginning", and they're not kidding. Plus, Caffery is a very well rounded up character, who has to deal with both his inner demons as well as those who haunt the streets. If you guys are interested at all in crime novels, I really recomend this one. I can't wait to get the sequel, The treatment, which promises to be as good as this one, or even better.
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Summary: Promising (to say the least!) debut
Review: Mo Hayder, Birdman (Dell, 1999) Another of the sheaf of new British mystery novelists who've been getting picked up by American presses recently, Mo Hayder offers up her debut novel, Birdman. And what a debut. Birdman gives us a serial killer with a pathology unlike any other I've ever encountered, and it's actually somewhat distressing that someone managed to come up with it in the first place. To then backtrack through the lives of the characters and make the pathology plausible hints at a deeply unstable mind. Would that we had more of them behind the world's typewriters and word processors. There is no way to give even the merest synopsis of more than the first five to ten pages of this novel without getting into spoiler territory, so I'm not going to try. Fans of the serial killer mystery as offered up by writers like P. D. James (there was more than once I was put in mind of Devices and Desires while reading this) are more than likely going to adore this book. It is, however, not for the weak of stomach. My advice to those who have a bad reaction to gore? Take a few Dramamine and pick this up anyway. ****
Rating:
Summary: A genuinely creepy novel
Review: "Birdman" by Mo Hayder is one of the rare suspense novels published today that is willing to be something more than completely formulaic. While not perfect, Hayder has created a novel that is suspenseful, disturbing, original and entertaining. Her characters are complex and interesting, and she displays a gift for setting the mood. The action takes place in London during the summer of 1999; five bodies have been discovered at a construction site, each one containing a horrifying surprise. The reader follows Detective Inspector Caffery as he struggles to catch up with the killer, even as more bodies appear. As he draws closer, a surprising plot twist with 100 pages to go only adds to the suspense. It is Caffery's character that really makes this novel. He is haunted by the disappearance of his brother when they were both children, and, as a result, he struggles with relationships and has a dark edge to his personality. As he races against the clock to find the killer, he struggles with his own inner demons, and comes across as much less squeaky clean than your typical suspense hero. Then there are the crimes themselves; in a genre that has seen just about everything, Hayder managed to stake out a truly original (and gruesome) M.O. Along those lines, if you have a weak stomach, you'll probably want to skip this novel. The violence isn't gratuitous, but it is graphic. Ultimately, this is an entertaining read, with above average writing and some genuine thrills. The fact that it takes place in England also adds a twist for American readers, as firearms are nowhere to be found. Moreover, the descriptions of police procedure are detailed enough to be interesting without being overbearing. If you're looking for a fun novel for the weekend, you would do well to pick up "Birdman". Enjoy!
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