Even if there had been no murder, the last trip of a small band of dedicated bird-watchers aboard the Jessie Ellen would still have been news. For George Palmer-Jones and the other avid crew members achieve every bird-watcher's dream when they sight a sea bird which has never before been recorded. In the subsequent excitement, however, no one notices the sudden absence of the most fanatical birder of them all . . . Later, Greg Franks' corpse, the head bludgeoned, is found floating in the sea. Had it not been for Greg Franks, amateur detective George Palmer-Jones would not have been on the...

West Country Wildlife's birdwatching package to America has presented tour guide Rob Earle with the perfect opportunity for a reunion with his old college friends Mick Brownscombe, now working in Texas as an environmental consultant, and Oliver Adamson. It is the first time in twenty years the three have been together - since the fateful holiday to America during which they met the enigmatic Laurie . . . Rob's tour party is hoping for spectacular sights at High Island on the Upper Texas coast. For here - as the spring storms begin - swarms of migrating birds fall from the sky seeking shelter....

Meg Morrissey will not believe that her husband James committed suicide. A famous naturalist and founder of Green Scenes, a pioneering magazine about environmental issues, James was in high spirits because he'd finally completed his long awaited autobiography. He didn't leave a suicide note. But even more suspiciously the record of his life's achievement, his magnum opus, has gone missing. Troubled, Meg calls in amateur sleuths George and Molly Palmer-Jones to investigate. George and Molly's interviews soon reveal that the life of the Morrissey family in their beautiful converted mill is not...

Ever since the death of her husband, Ursula Ottway has lived alone in Back Rigg Cottage, high up on the fells overlooking the beautiful Crow Water reservoir. She has always been popular in the local community, but Ursula's life is far from secure. Her landlord, the ambitious politician Marcus Grenville, wants his property back, as the cottage would provide a perfect holiday residence for the tourists who come up to shoot on the estate. After months of petty harassment, Ursula discovers that the illegal use of poisoned bait on Grenville's land has killed not only a rare bird of prey but her...

Ann Cleeves Classic Crime - engaging mysteries to savour, beloved characters to meet again. Come Death and High Water is the second mystery novel featuring George and Molly Palmer-Jones by Ann Cleeves, author of the Shetland and Vera Stanhope crime series. The picturesque privately owned island of Gillibry off the North Devon coast turns out to be the perfect site for a murder . . . A routine weekend visit by the Gillibry Bird Observatory Trust is made memorable by the owner’s announcement that he is going to sell the island. A sale would mean the end of the Observatory, which for some...