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Content snapshot
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Violence
Barely any
A murder in a falconry setting; depicted without graphic violence
Language
Barely any
Mild language; period-appropriate dialogue
Sexual Content
Barely any
Mild romantic tensions among characters
Substance Use
Barely any
Social drinking; entirely background
Emotional Intensity
Barely any
Themes of obsession with birds of prey provide mild psychological texture
What this book is about
The third Palmer-Jones mystery brings birder-detective George and Molly to a rural falconry centre, where jealousy and obsession among the falconry enthusiasts explodes into murder. Cleeves draws on the evocative world of birds of prey and their passionate devotees to create a distinctive setting, and the crime's origins in obsessive passion give the mystery an emotional authenticity. An early Cleeves novel showing the careful character work and sense of place that would distinguish her later Vera and Shetland series.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
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