Product 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. (20060129)

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #49681 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
"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 Exiled. 'The Conjuror's Bird is a rare treat of a book; a romance, thriller and historical novel all in one - and perfectly formed' - Lucy Hale, Sales Director"

Review
'A highly readable page-turner' (Guardian 20060129)

'A pacy confection of history, mystery and romance... a most engaging and unusual novel'

(The Times 20060129)

'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 20050228)

'Ambitious and intriguing... part thriller, part love story, part quest, this is a hugely readable book.' (Spectator 20060601)

'Ideal for book clubs, ideal too for any lover of commercial literary fiction. An exciting and absorbing debut novel from Davies.'

(Publishing News )

'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 )

“[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) )

“Suspenseful, intriguing, and romantic, this is great entertainment and an excellent choice for book discussion groups; highly recommended."

(Library Journal (starred review) )

“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 )

“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 )

'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 )

'An entertaining read' (New Books Magazine )

Guardian
'[An] absorbing historical detective story ... a beautifully evoked narrative from the past'

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Customer Reviews

So good I read it twice!
I LOVED this book! Who'd have thought that a story about an extinct bird, a 18th-century naturalist's mistress and an emotionally challenged contemporary detective could be so gripping?! The narratives alternate between the different times cleverly, sucking you in, then turning to a new chapter just as you feel you're getting somewhere and understanding the mystery a little bit more.

The themes are big - we're talking about Man's destruction of the natural world, the reasons why some species survive and others don't, creation myths - but at its heart is a love story, and one that'll have you hooked from start to finish.

Like all good books, it makes you feel AND think. It's a really good yarn. All I can say is read it, enjoy it, read it again!

Excellent - Flits between to periods with ease
I was drawn away from my usual read and did what they tell you never to do...I judged this book on its beautiful cover. The pages within are not disappointing either.

Martin Davies flits between the two periods of the story with gentle ease, which keeps you waiting for the emerging stories and characters, it is almost two novels in one and the way they interweave is fascinating.

And all because of a small, brown, quite unimpressive little stuffed bird, which vanished and the race for its discovery by the wealthy and the academics.

Just read and enjoy, it is a lovely book, suitable for both male and female readers, with not too much romance but just enough to keep it interesting.

The conjuror's bird - a review
Despite the mixed reviews here i thoroughly enjoyed this book with it's interesting characters and well written storyline.The story is told as both an historical love story and modern day thriller with and the events of the older story (set in the 1700's) determining the outcome of the modern day thriller part of the novel.Where the author is clever is that as he tells both stories side by side in alternating chapters but keeps the reader one step behind in order to keep you guessing as to what happens next which in my opinion is what writing a good mystery/thriller is all about.All in all a well written and very entertaining page turner written in a simple but enjoyable style.