Review: A new master/mistress of mystery thrillers
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 1, 2014
Though there is not a trace of information about author Amanda Darcy it would seem this might be her debut novel, and if that is the case we are in the presence of a uniquely gifted new writer. She understands the secrets of building a mystery, cloaks them with seemingly short opening chapters that separate facts, gradually introduces characters other than her main actor, and never for a page lets up on the tension that builds to an unexpected ending. Her writing style (use of words, slang, grammar, local references, etc) suggests that she is from the UK, perhaps Scotland, but for some reason her identity has yet to surface. With the success of this book we no doubt will here about her soon.THE CURIOUS PROPHECYOF BIRDS is a fine mixture of myth and crime and science and superstition, all made credible by the very human characters who populate this bizarre mystery. At books beginning we meet Kate Simmonds and her climbing partner Robbie Macgregor as Robbie slips and falls to the sea below the cliff they have been climbing: Kate makes her way down to where Robbie's dead boy lies and with cut ropes attempts to drag his body back to civilization - unsuccessfully. Alert #1. We gradually discover that Kate is an attractive ornithologist and climber who has a rather severe drinking problem. The death of Robbie on the island of Faull gathers attention from the media, especially with the arrival of a strange, huge flock of birds who seem to have off course settled on the island. Kate returns to the island with her driver Greg who has a near death accident in his Land Rover, and to Kate's assistance enters Nick; `Nick Johnson. Biosemiotician." "I'm Mary, I'm visiting my father." They spoke almost together so Kate wasn't quite sure she had heard what Nick said. "What does a biosem-thingy do?" she asked. Nick laughed, a deep, gentle laugh, worlds away from the haughty guffaws of Greg, their driver. Kate's reaction had been typical as not even many scientists were familiar with his field of study. "A biosem-thingy studies signs and symbols in the natural world. How animals and natural systems communicate, and the use of symbols in that process. That's more or less what I do anyway. We prefer to call ourselves Biosemioticians. As in biology andsemiotics." His smile was beguiling. Kate knew she would like him.`This brief sample of Darcy's writing gives evidence of the compelling drama that will unfold, a tale of investigating the strange new birds who apparently are the carriers of the souls of people who have been wrongly killed and cannot yet leave the earth. Darcy allows us entry into the lives of Kate, Nick, and the Faull island, all enhanced by the superstitions of the inhabitants of Faull and the twists and turns of the interactions among Kate, Nick and the Faullians that advance into dangerous physical and psychological terror. The story comes round at the end - a play on the beginning that is a captivating surprise.Terror, mystery, intrigue, and prophecies foiled (or are they?) unfold on every page. This is a very exciting, uniquely compelling debut novel. Grady Harp, May 14