- Paperback: 400 pages
- Publisher: Bantam Books (Transworld Publishers a division of the Random House Group); New edition edition (1 Jan 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0553812653
- ISBN-13: 978-0553812657
- Product Dimensions: 17.9 x 10.9 x 2.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 288,445 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
This crackling psychological thriller introduces police detective Jack Caffery, on the hunt for a serial killer nicknamed "The Millennium Ripper" by the British tabloids after the bodies of five prostitutes are unearthed beneath the rubble of a Greenwich landfill. All the victims were raped and their bodies horrendously mutilated--but not until after they were killed by a dose of heroin injected directly into the brain stem. What stuns Caffery even more than the post-mortem savagery is the one detail of the murders the public doesn't know; the hearts of the women were replaced with birds that were still alive when they were sewn into the victims' chests. Caffery himself is a tortured man, still burdened by guilt over the decades- old murder of his younger brother and frustrated because he cannot bring the man he knows to have been responsible to the bar of justice. When the Millennium Ripper confesses to the prostitute killings just before taking his own life, Caffery faces his own limitations and begins to make peace with his past. But then another prostitute is found dead, her body savaged in the same way, a bird where her heart was, and Caffery realises that his past may never truly be put to rest. A solid page turner, this gripping debut by a young Englishwoman introduces a complex and fascinating protagonist destined for another appearance. Meanwhile, Birdman will enthral readers who just can't get enough of Hannibal Lechter. -- Patrick O'Kelley
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Daily Mail
'Extraordinarily good'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best crime novels I have read in a long time,
By A Customer
This review is from: Birdman (Hardcover)
I could not disagree more with the reader from Leeds. I too had seen the review by Maxim Jakubowski, and had also seen it recommended by Val McDermid in The Sunday Express. There's generally been quite a lot of hype about it, and, to be honest, I expected that the book might be a disappointment, as hyped books often are. But Birdman is a fantastic piece of writing: it's gripping, fascinating, the hero is totally believable, and the story a real page turner. From the moment we meet Jack Caffrey, Hayder's DI, he is instantly attractive. Like all the best cops, he is intensely private, hard on the outside and soft on the inside, and with a wonderfully wry sense of humour. But he's not just a tired washed up cop, like so many other literary DIs; he has a life and a set of problems that a lot of people in their 30s could identify with, and as a character, you just want to know more and more about him. I've read somewhere that Hayder wrote him because she was lonely at the time and wanted someone to fancy - and I think a lot of women will be able to identify with this as he is very attractive! The story itself is anything but predictable, and the much talked-about scenes of violence and gore brilliantly done. Its darkness reminded me of the film SEVEN, and it is just as compelling. The story twists and turns, and the final scene, and the images in it, will stay with me for a long time. Basiclly, this is a supremely intelligent crime novel that would appeal to fans of crime fiction, but also to people who just enjoy good writing. I really think that she will be a major star.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Morse for the new Millennium,
By
This review is from: Birdman (Paperback)
I have never really read that much "crime fiction" aside from the odd James Patterson novel , but I enjoyed this book which is a superior example of the genre. It is a dark, brooding novel set in Greenwich with the central plot focussing on disturbing topics like paedophilia , necrophilia and sexual mutilation . The detective "hero" (antihero ?) Jack Caffrey is a credibly portrayed one , a haunted , tortured soul , emotionally scarred yet incredibly intuitive and intelligent. The other characters are equally credible and detailed and the book well written with plenty of realistic detail of police procedure and a pacy, page turning narrative. This book takes the serial killer genre into the new Millennium quite impressively, with a new level of realism and unpleasantness reached. It could be turned into a successful film similar to one from the now exhausted " Alex Cross" series from James Patterson. It's an intelligent and intense book , not for the squeamish , and I would recommend it.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding Debut - One To Watch!,
This review is from: Birdman (Hardcover)
What an outstandingly breathtaking novel this is!We meet Jack Caffrey the detective, who has a good few skeletons in the closet to keep us interested - along with a satisfyingly complicated love-life (meet the deliciously twisted Veronica!). The plot is entirely unique, and very, very grisly too. Hayder has done well to keep all this believable and tethered to reality. Set in modern London, in the shadow of the Millenium Dome, the story rockets along at an ideal pace, with twists and shocks galore! This has been one of the most gratifying reads I have had in a long while. If you enjoy Val McDermid, this is a must for you. Would also appeal to those who read: Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell, Mark Billingham or Minette Walters.
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