A Rant of Ravens (Birdwatcher's Mystery)

Rating:
Summary: . . . GOOD BOOK
Review: Cool book. Fun, fast. My wife brought it home, I liked the raven on the cover, so I read it. Not as dark as my usual stuff (King, Koontz, you know), but good. Liked all the smuggling and eco-terrorism details.

Rating:
Summary: An entertaining read for birders and mystery lovers
Review: Goff has a talent for creating believable characters and settings, which helped smooth over some of the less credible plot elements. The author was obviously new to birding when she wrote this debut mystery, and serious birders will roll their eyes at some of the gaffes (a rare bird alert is an informational phone message, NOT a state of emergency!). These problems were not serious enough to keep me from starting her second book immediately after I finished the first, and I look forward to seeing how Goff's birding knowledge and writing skills improve with future mysteries.

Rating:
Summary: . . . GOOD BOOK
Review: Rachel Wilder Stanhope's professional life is going great, but her personal life is in shambles ever since she caught her husband in bed with another woman. Two months after the incident, Rachel receives divorce papers. She decides she needs to recuperate at her Aunt Miriam's home, Bird Haven, a spread that adjoins Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. The place is a bird preserve that Rachel will watch over during the summer as Miriam traipses the Middle East in search of local feathered friends.

When a rare sparrow is spotted on her aunt's property, the local birdwatching group tries to find it. On the third day of the search, Rachel tumbles over the murdered body of a reporter who claimed he possessed damaging information on Miriam's late husband. The next day, Miriam vanishes along with two baby peregrines and a rare white gryfalcon. Rachel concludes the two incidents are interrelated. She begins to investigate, not yet aware that danger from an unknown two-legged omnivore threatens her life.

Though her first published novel, Christine Goff provides an interesting amateur sleuth tale. A RANT OF RAVENS contains ecoterrorists, bird-buying sheiks, and a glimpse into the bird watcher's fascinating world. The mystery unfolds at a solid, leisurely pace that allows the reader to relish the plot and ponder what will happen next. Sub-genre fans will rant evermore for Rachel to make future appearances.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Good debut mystery
Review: Rachel Wilder Stanhope's professional life is going great, but her personal life is in shambles ever since she caught her husband in bed with another woman. Two months after the incident, Rachel receives divorce papers. She decides she needs to recuperate at her Aunt Miriam's home, Bird Haven, a spread that adjoins Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park. The place is a bird preserve that Rachel will watch over during the summer as Miriam traipses the Middle East in search of local feathered friends.

When a rare sparrow is spotted on her aunt's property, the local birdwatching group tries to find it. On the third day of the search, Rachel tumbles over the murdered body of a reporter who claimed he possessed damaging information on Miriam's late husband. The next day, Miriam vanishes along with two baby peregrines and a rare white gryfalcon. Rachel concludes the two incidents are interrelated. She begins to investigate, not yet aware that danger from an unknown two-legged omnivore threatens her life.

Though her first published novel, Christine Goff provides an interesting amateur sleuth tale. A RANT OF RAVENS contains ecoterrorists, bird-buying sheiks, and a glimpse into the bird watcher's fascinating world. The mystery unfolds at a solid, leisurely pace that allows the reader to relish the plot and ponder what will happen next. Sub-genre fans will rant evermore for Rachel to make future appearances.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN!!
Review: Wow. I thought I'd skim the first few pages, then get back to my other tasks--but that never happened! Shadows lengthened, night came, and I didn't put the book down until I finished it. I love the birding references, and the information about raptors (hawks), and the mountain setting. The story is fast-paced, with great dialog, and plenty of action. I'm looking forward to the next one!