I’m afraid I found this a 2* ok read.

I think if you approach it as a well written slow burn, more a descriptive piece of observation, then you’ll enjoy. It’s marketed as an eerie, unsettling novel, which it is. However, I also found it incredibly frustrating and sooo slow.

I believe it will find its audience, just, not one for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Oldcastle books for the opportunity to preview.

It’s rare to come across crime fiction that avoids predictable clichés and tropes, doesn’t resort to gimmicks and still manages to make an impression. Thankfully, there are still writers out there capable of taking even the most seasoned reader by surprise.

In this second psychological suspense thriller by Sophie Morton-Thomas, we meet Fran, an avid birdwatcher and trailer park owner. Fran, her husband Dom, and their ten-year-old son Bruno live a simple existence in a small Norfolk coastal village, but beneath the surface, Fran’s inner unhappiness is slowly eating away at her. Dom has been spending longer hours at his office in Norwich and when he’s home he spends his time at her sister and her partner, Ross and Ellis’s caravan. Fran is convinced he’s cheating on her, but avoids confronting him. Instead she loses herself in her only remaining source of joy—watching the migrating terns. But a series of events soon upend her tranquil rural life.

Rest of review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.com/2024/04/02/bird-spotting-in-a-small-town-sophie-morton-thomas/

This is an excellent piece of literary fiction. The author brilliantly uses the backdrop of a village on the Norfolk coast to create an unsettling story, that all comes together in the closing stages. The symbolic role birds play in the narrative also adds real value to the storytelling.

I love books like this, full of secrets which you are dying to unravel.

As a Norfolk gal, I loved the setting of the book and the descriptions within. The characters were all interesting

Fran and her family have settled on the windswept North Norfolk coast, where she spends her days looking after the caravans that make up their small holiday park. Fran loves being close to the birds on the coast, waking early every morning to take a walk on the shoreline in search of rare sightings. It seems to be the only part of her life that she has a grip on given the growing emotional distance between herself and her husband; her worries about her young son's behaviour; and the difficult relationship she has with her unstable sister, who has taken up residence at the site with her daughter and alcoholic partner.

When times in this small, isolated town become unsettled outside Fran's family too, everyone is more on edge than usual. A new teacher at the local school has provoked mixed opinions among the parents of her pupils, and residents are nervous about the Romany camp that has set up in the field beside the caravan park - particularly as the local children seem fascinated by the strangers among them. Unease turns to suspicion when the new teacher goes missing on the same night as Fran's sister's partner. Fran is suddenly forced to confront uncomfortable truths about her family when all she wants to do is lose herself in the birds.

Bird Spotting in a Small Town is a slow-burn, literary chiller that thrums with discomfiting vibes. It is equal parts beautifully written exploration of difficult family relationships twisted by the weight of things unsaid; a claustrophobic portrayal of the undercurrents at play in a tight-knit community; and an off-beat murder mystery. Told through the first person narratives of Fran and Tad, a seventy-year-old member of the Romany camp, the story unfurls over a few months between January and May as shocking events bring fragile relationships to breaking point.

Isolation, alienation, and unreliable narrators are names of the game here, and Morton-Thomas does an excellent job building tension throughout, keeping you guessing about what is really going on between the members of Fran's family, within the Romany encampment, and in the community at large. There is a lovely contrast between Fran's jagged, anxiety-ridden narrative, and the calm, almost lyrical, storytelling of Tad. Fran's part of the tale is a full-on family drama, cutting between agonising scenes of a marriage in trouble, and her obsession with the local bird-life; while Tad's voice provides an outsider's view of the relationships 'over the hedge' in the caravan park, intertwined with enigmatic hints that all is not right in his own family either - and the two halves weave together to immerse you in a novel that gradually gets under your skin.

The fear of spoilers prevents me from revealing too much about the clever twists in this, quite frankly, disturbing tale, but prepare for your perception of the characters to be challenged as Morton-Thomas drops her reveals. There are many secrets at the heart of this story, and what you think you know gets turned on its head more than once as they are uncovered, particularly as she does such a brilliant job leading you into making assumptions alongside the characters.

This is a book to sit and immerse yourself in, letting the deftly wrought threads carry you along on an eerie tide to an ending that packs a powerful punch. I swallowed it whole, impressed with how Morton-Thomas brings all the elements of this mystery together, and the way she uses location and weather to enhance the strained atmosphere. For a book that has birds as a central theme, I was struck by the way that this entire novel carries with it the feeling that everyone is walking on egg shells...

If you are a fan of an unnerving crime novel like those of Greg Buchanan then this is definitely for you. Morton-Thomas incorporates many of the same dark themes as Buchanan and, in my view, her writing certainly deserves the same accolades. Sophie Morton-Thomas is an author to watch.

A new author for me but if you don’t try something different…

Fran, her husband & their son, Bruno, live in a cottage in a small town on the Norfolk coast. She owns & runs a caravan park.
Fran’s world is falling apart. She is worried about the behaviour of her son; the strained relationship with her sister, Ros, & the increasing distance between herself & her husband, Dom. Her only solace is to go birdwatching.
Ros, her partner Ellis, & daughter, Sadie, are living in one of Fran’s vans as they are not working & needed shelter.
A new teacher starts at the school both children attend & ,initially, they both like her & appear to get on well. Simultaneously, an extended Romany family move in to the field adjacent to the caravan park. Tad, the informal head of the family, befriends both Bruno & Sadie.
Then, the teacher is found murdered.

The story is told chronologically from the viewpoint of Tad & Fran. Long held secrets are gradually revealed & I did get an inkling of who the murderer was but I was caught out by other plot twists. A solid read.

The novel is filled with compelling characters and unexpected plot twists, keeping readers guessing until the final revelation. With its cleverly crafted narrative and jaw-dropping ending, “bird spotting in a small town” is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.

A bleak, unsettling tale set on the North Norfolk coast. I could not engage with the story or the characters who for various reasons were deeply unhappy. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

In a tiny town on the North Norfolk coast, Fran's life is unraveling.
As she fills her days cleaning the caravan park she owns, she is preoccupied by worry - about the behavior of her son, the absences of her husband and her strained relationship with her sister's family. Her one source of relief: early in the mornings, before the responsibilities and uncertainties take over, she slips out to the beach to watch the birds.

This is a wonderfully written work. It feels claustrophobic all the time with the anticipation that something is going on in the background. I like its nice short chapters allowing the reader to dip in and out but the pace makes you want to read on. The descriptions are memorable and so exact they draw mental pictures. A great read and has a terrific ending.

This was an amazing rollercoaster of a read. I thought I knew where the story was going but then a twist came along and again and again. It kept me turning the pages. This is one to settle down and totally immerse yourself in. You won’t be disappointed.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to the author, Verve Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an unsettling book, full of tension, unease and with very little plot development for a very long time - but you get the feeling there are untold depths of murkiness that underlie what is on the page. However, it was not until well toward the end that I realized that each of the characters was unravelling in their own unhappiness, and suddenly everything seems to happen at once. I am hesitant to post a review, because I did not enjoy this read, but I am sure that many will.

Fran finds solace in walking along the shore, where she loses herself in watching birds, often neglecting her son Bruno in the process. Her distant demeanor as a mother is evident, overshadowed by her preoccupation with a nest of tern eggs, which seem to serve as a substitute for her maternal duties.

As the owner of a caravan park in North Norfolk, Fran is burdened by worries that weigh heavily on her mind—her son's troublesome behavior, her increasingly absent husband, and her strained relationship with her sister, who resides in the park.

The arrival of a Romany community nearby adds another layer of intrigue to Fran's already tumultuous life, particularly with elderly Romany, Tad, observing the caravan park's activities with keen interest.

When a new teacher and Fran's brother-in-law go missing on the same night, rumors abound, but the truth remains elusive for some time. Despite the turmoil surrounding her, Fran remains more preoccupied with her avian companions than with her familial relationships.

With the atmospheric Norfolk coast as its backdrop, the story takes on a dark and sinister tone. Uncertainty looms over the family's journey, with strained relationships, crime, infidelity, and buried childhood secrets leading to an unexpected yet satisfying conclusion. With its diverse cast of characters and multifaceted plot, the story proves to be a compelling and ultimately rewarding read.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This book was a whirlwind. There were so many plot twists that had me thinking of everyone as a suspect. The way the ending brings all of the twists in the story to a close in the end was so cleverly done. Sophie has truly written a story to make you think and have you second-guess everything. I was so shocked at the end, but I could not put this down. I really recommend this book.

A tense and atmospheric read, Bird Spotting in a Small Town tells the story from two different viewpoints. Fran, an avid bird enthusiast, manages a caravan park and is facing challenges in her relationships with her sister, niece, husband, and son. Tad, an old Romany man, and part of a group that has set up in the field next to Fran’s business. Tensions are ramped up further with the peculiar disappearance of her brother-in-law on the same night that the new teacher at the local school also disappears.

The story had a dark undertone, enhanced by the atmospheric coastline. The outcome of this family journey is uncertain and unsettling, as we witness diverse lifestyles among a small group of characters in the caravan park and Romany community, adding to the intrigue. The culmination of strained relationships, crime, infidelity, and childhood secrets brings about an unexpected yet fulfilling resolution. An intriguing read.

Many thanks to @sophiemoto1 @VERVE_Books & @OldcastleBooks for a spot on the tour.

The reason I ended up with giving this book only 2 stars is that the pace is very, very slow, except at the end where suddenly the surprises pop up seemingly all at once.
I could not relate to the characters because they were all very unhappy and just not communicating with each other! They talked a lot but they said nothing. Sometimes I thought they were mainly existing, not really living.
There is tension at every page and I loved the way the author described the setting, the birds and the weather.
So the story felt unbalanced and the characters too flat but it had its nice points.

Thanks to Oldcastle Books and Netgalley for this review copy.

This was a sloooow burn, as nothing particularly notable seemed to happen until about halfway through the book. However, it was intriguing and so it compelled you to carry on. From the halfway point, things started to unravel in this quiet village in Norfolk and it ultimately kept building the tension until everything came to a head at the end. This was a really clever story, it definitely lulls you in to the calmness of the setting, while you come to find out underneath it all lurks deception and pain.

The book is centred on Fran, her family, and the small caravan park she owns in a beautiful coastal Norfolk location. Much of Fran’s time and thoughts are dominated by the birds that she loves to watch.

I’m afraid I found the book disappointing.
It takes until half way through the book for anything of any interest to happen. Up to that point, it’s unsettled humans moving around each other unhappily, with nobody knowing why anyone behaves as they do. This time could have been well used by fleshing out the characters further, by helping the reader to understand their backstories, to give insight into their peculiar behaviour. Everything feels off, and disconnected.

I found myself frustrated by the slow pace of the story, and struggled with the lack of care and empathy shown by the adults, for each other, and their children.

I heard a very well known author say that you need to give the reader subtle clues, as to what has happened. Otherwise, the reader feels cheated, as they haven’t had the opportunity to try to solve the mystery themselves. After the conclusion of this book, I completely understand that sentiment. The ending came out of nowhere, despite the first 50% of the book being predominantly scene setting, somehow the ending felt rushed, and disjointed. I had hoped that the ending would redeem the book for me, instead it compounded my disappointment.

I’m afraid I wasn’t the right reader for this book, though I’m sure there will be readers who will enjoy it. Just 2⭐️⭐️ from me.

“I’ve worked it out… nobody told me, I just eventually figured it out for myself.”

This book seemed to have a very strange relationship with cause and effect. There are numerous instances where a character seems to divine information from the ether, when they had no reason to make that leap. This was exemplified in the ending. It felt like the author got to the end and realised they had no idea how the story was meant to end, so they made up some things the reader was never given the chance to figure out for themselves, and hoped nobody would look too closely or try to analyse the book holistically. As a reader, this makes it difficult to care about the clues that the book does give you, as you know it’s not going to matter anyway as you’re missing the vital pieces of the puzzle.

Aside from the plot holes and apparent powers of divination the characters had, the moment-to-moment writing was quite poor.

The choice of tense (present participle instead of simple present) was a bizarre choice, completely inappropriate for a family drama. Present participle is great in action sequences or to show heightened emotion but when coupled with the plodding pace of the book and depressive narrator, it made everything feel stilted and strange, as though at a distance. It almost makes me wonder if this was done just to help hit a word count.

The book’s length was also strange. It’s short for the genre (I expect mysteries and dramas to be around 350 pages usually) but it still felt like a story stretched out over too many words. Chapters started and ended without making any meaningful progress. A lot of this book felt like filler, rehashing how the characters felt without any change in the status quo, without any emotional weight, without moving anything forward. It could easily have been 100 pages shorter and it would probably have been a tighter, more coherent and cohesive book if it was.

I would not recommend this book to you. I didn’t believe in the characters, their motivations or their relationships. When all was revealed at the end I felt confusion, not catharsis.

I thought that I would enjoy this book more ,sadly I didn't really connect with it. I found it to be on the slow side, and it didn't hold my interest. sorry not for me.

Told through dual points of view and unreliable narrators this book was mysterious and interesting from the outset. Based in a small UK seaside town, Fran runs the caravan park, has some complex familial ties to contend with and the arrival of a Romany community and a new school teacher in quick succession add more confusion to her previously mundane life.

Disappointingly though, I ended up with whiplash with the twists at the end of the story and a very high level of conjecture is required to even have a smidge of a chance of seeing the ending out.

A common enough occurrence with thrillers and some will delight at the rollercoaster finish, but his one just wasn't for me