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More copies of this ISBN:The Conjurer's Birdby Martin Davies
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:In 1774, an unusual bird was spotted on Captain Cook's second expedition to the South Seas. This single specimen was captured, preserved, and brought back to England — and no other bird of its kind was ever seen again. The bird was given to naturalist Joseph Banks, who displayed it proudly in his collection until it too disappeared. Were it not for a colored drawing created by the ship's artist, it would seem that the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta had never existed.
Two hundred years later, naturalist John Fitzgerald gets a call from an old friend asking him to join the search for the bird's remains. He traces the bird's history, uncovering surprising details about the role of a woman known only as Miss B in Joseph Banks's life and career. Could she be the key to solving the mystery — to finally finding the lost Bird of Ulieta? Seamlessly leaping between two time periods, The Conjurer's Bird is at once the story of Joseph Banks's secret life and of Fitz's thrilling and near-impossible race to find the elusive bird. Review:"An ambitious mystery...[Martin] slips in descriptions so deft, readers can smell and touch his scenes....As the novel's past and present begin to fuse amid unexpected twists — the book becomes increasingly compelling." Cleveland Plain Dealer
Review:"Cunningly spins two stories....[An] absorbing mystery....The modern story's tension and its narrator's reticence contrast perfectly with Davies's assured depiction of eighteenth-century art, science, and exploration all intersecting on the shifting terrain of emotion." Boston Globe
Review:"[An] enticing blend of fact and historical fiction....The Conjurer's Bird is in the end a perfect alternative to the plethora of routine, forgettable mystery novels." Pages
Synopsis:The Conjurer’s Bird is a beautiful story in the spirit of Possession that is as exciting as The Club Dumas, inspired by one of the great puzzles of natural history: that of the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta. Seen only once, in 1774, by Captain Cook’s second expedition to the South Seas, a single specimen was captured, preserved, and brought back to England. The bird was given to famed naturalist Joseph Banks, who displayed it proudly in his collection until its sudden, unexplained disappearance.
Two hundred years later, naturalists continue to wonder if the world will ever get another glimpse of the elusive bird. Were it not for a colored drawing done by the ship’s artist, there would be nothing to say that the bird had ever existed. The Conjurer’s Bird is a gripping literary mystery and passionate love story that tackles the intrigue surrounding the celebrated Banks, his secret affair with an enigmatic woman known only as “Miss B,” and the legendary bird that becomes a touchstone for their love. Seamlessly spanning two time periods, The Conjurer’s Bird is at once the story of this romance and of a present-day conservationist named Fitz, who is drawn into a thrilling and near-impossible race to find the elusive bird’s only known remains. An Alternate Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club and Quality Paperback Book Club From the Hardcover edition. Synopsis:At once a gripping mystery and rich love story set inn two time periods against a stunning naturalist backdrop, this novel tells the story of an 18th-century naturalist given a rare bird, and of a present-day conservationist who tries to relocate the species' only known remains. About the AuthorMartin Davies, a senior producer at BBC Television, is the author of two mysteries featuring Sherlock Holmes’s housekeeper. He lives in London. From the Hardcover edition. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!
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