A Siege of Biterns by Steve Burrows

An eye catching front cover of an elegant bird was enough for 'A Siege Of Bitterns' by Steve Burrows to leap into the hand. The author with this book won Arthur Ellis Award in 2015 for best first novel. The cover tells any prospective buyer that it is 'a birder murder mystery' and whether that will turn some people away from wanting to read it is perhaps only what the sales figures could reveal. I never read what is on the outside until I have finished reading any book, but being a birder and with the obvious front cover I had to read some of it at least.

It is set on the north Norfolk coast near Cley and where there are protected salt marsh sites of considerable,importance. What is it about? Well, it is a good mixture of people and events. Locals and birders are involved and they are well fleshed out. Add into that mix the new detective wearing a halo; a high ranking ambitious and class conscience officer, an aspiring politician and one or two others that have their own agendas.

There are many references to birds and birding, but don't let that put you off for it is a serious of events well told. Dominic Jejeune the D.I. with the reputation to maintain really does it his way and shows a reluctance to share his thoughts with the murder team. I began to love the people involved and the writing shows their characteristics vividly. That's it and I am not telling you who gets killed or how or how many, for that is for you find out, when you read it.

As an afterthought I will say that there maybe more to Burrow's writing than is obvious at first. I know that there is a need to protect the planet and the species; all the inhabitants large or small, despite what we humans do. This novel seems to indicate what a good writer can achieve to help any microsystem and I will end there. There is another book to follow and it looks being another 'must read' for me.