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Birdwatcher #1
An Unkindness of Ravens
A Serial Killer from her past; an FBI Agent with a personal agenda, and an Investigative Journalist determined to get the story at any cost.
While she was out enjoying her senior prom, Sarah Brighwater's mother was murdered in their home. The serial killer was known to the police but never caught. Now, fifteen years later, Sarah is an FBI Agent in the Behavioral Science Unit tracking down killers like the one who killed her mother.
When a new string of murders begins and bodies are dumped near her old home town, Sarah wonders about the re-emergence of her lifelong tormentor. Could it be him?
Tyler Ford is a respected investigative journalist working for a less than respected Newspaper. He too sees the links to Sarah's past and wonders. He knows he has to keep close to her to find out the real story. But when the killer contacts him, Tyler finds that she needs him more than he needs her.
The pair race against time to find the killer before he disappears once more into the dark underworld that hides him so well.
Can two people with opposing goals work together well enough to bring down a serial killer? Read on to find out!
While she was out enjoying her senior prom, Sarah Brighwater's mother was murdered in their home. The serial killer was known to the police but never caught. Now, fifteen years later, Sarah is an FBI Agent in the Behavioral Science Unit tracking down killers like the one who killed her mother.
When a new string of murders begins and bodies are dumped near her old home town, Sarah wonders about the re-emergence of her lifelong tormentor. Could it be him?
Tyler Ford is a respected investigative journalist working for a less than respected Newspaper. He too sees the links to Sarah's past and wonders. He knows he has to keep close to her to find out the real story. But when the killer contacts him, Tyler finds that she needs him more than he needs her.
The pair race against time to find the killer before he disappears once more into the dark underworld that hides him so well.
Can two people with opposing goals work together well enough to bring down a serial killer? Read on to find out!
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2023
290 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
European P. Douglas
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 30, 2020
8 years ago FBI agent Sarah Brightwater’s mother was murdered by a Dwight Spalding, a serial killer who also murdered 9 other single mothers. He was never caught and every time she’s sent out, she expects that it’s him.
2 bodies are dumped a week apart in a State Forrest not far from Sara’s home town. The corpses are rigorously cleaned in every possible way and the little finger of their left hand is missing.
The same day that she’s put on the case another body is found dumped next to the road from a driving car. Here the little finger is also cut off. Despite the many differences between both cases and Sarah’s gut feeling that this is a different killer, her bosses want to treat this as done by the same killer.
Tyler Ford a newspaper reporter receives letters from the alleged killer, who’s been dubbed ‘John the Baptist’. How unlikely this may sound, he and Sarah team up to discover what really is going on.
There’s an awful lot of twists, turns and the occasional bombshell that kept me guessing. Danny Kircher, Tyler’s intern was one of my first suspects. He came to the newspaper unexpectedly and is closely involved with the investigation. That’s something we have to look out for in this kind of stories, isn’t it? But then I thought, it’s too obvious, it can’t be this easy.
I thought ‘John the Baptist’ a very unusual and original alias for the killer. It sounds a lot better than ‘the pinkie thief’.
The story is told alternatingly from the POV of Tyler and Sarah. Despite their initial distrust and different interests (Sarah wants to catch the killer, while the journalist wants him caught as well his primary goal is to score an exclusive.) I doubt that reporters and FBI agents will team up and form such close bounds in real life, but for the sake of the story, it works as they’re both singled out by the murderer.
I don’t understand why the serial killers in books always have to play games with the police. Their pay off is to get away with murder without getting caught, so why would they give extra clues to police or newspapers. I know that it does happen in real life, but certainly not as frequent as writers make us think. But it makes a far more interesting story. And this murderer plays a long game that makes everything far more complicated than necessary.
Especially towards the end, things become very complicated and it all seems a bit far-fetched. That’s a shame as up to there the story was great. I was under the impression that the author tried to cramp in too many things into those last chapters. I understand that this might be necessary to connect the next books and this first one together as to form a firm base. I look forward to reading the next stories in this series.
I received a free ARC from the author; this is my honest and unbiased review of it.
2 bodies are dumped a week apart in a State Forrest not far from Sara’s home town. The corpses are rigorously cleaned in every possible way and the little finger of their left hand is missing.
The same day that she’s put on the case another body is found dumped next to the road from a driving car. Here the little finger is also cut off. Despite the many differences between both cases and Sarah’s gut feeling that this is a different killer, her bosses want to treat this as done by the same killer.
Tyler Ford a newspaper reporter receives letters from the alleged killer, who’s been dubbed ‘John the Baptist’. How unlikely this may sound, he and Sarah team up to discover what really is going on.
There’s an awful lot of twists, turns and the occasional bombshell that kept me guessing. Danny Kircher, Tyler’s intern was one of my first suspects. He came to the newspaper unexpectedly and is closely involved with the investigation. That’s something we have to look out for in this kind of stories, isn’t it? But then I thought, it’s too obvious, it can’t be this easy.
I thought ‘John the Baptist’ a very unusual and original alias for the killer. It sounds a lot better than ‘the pinkie thief’.
The story is told alternatingly from the POV of Tyler and Sarah. Despite their initial distrust and different interests (Sarah wants to catch the killer, while the journalist wants him caught as well his primary goal is to score an exclusive.) I doubt that reporters and FBI agents will team up and form such close bounds in real life, but for the sake of the story, it works as they’re both singled out by the murderer.
I don’t understand why the serial killers in books always have to play games with the police. Their pay off is to get away with murder without getting caught, so why would they give extra clues to police or newspapers. I know that it does happen in real life, but certainly not as frequent as writers make us think. But it makes a far more interesting story. And this murderer plays a long game that makes everything far more complicated than necessary.
Especially towards the end, things become very complicated and it all seems a bit far-fetched. That’s a shame as up to there the story was great. I was under the impression that the author tried to cramp in too many things into those last chapters. I understand that this might be necessary to connect the next books and this first one together as to form a firm base. I look forward to reading the next stories in this series.
I received a free ARC from the author; this is my honest and unbiased review of it.
December 25, 2020
This was a pretty good mystery story involving FBI agent Sarah and journalist Tyler. It involved a serial killer who murdered Sarah's mom 15 years earlier and is killing again. Sarah is determined to find and stop the killer. I didn't quite buy an FBI agent working so closely with a journalist, even if the killer was contacting the journalist. I didn't like the male voices narrator Jodi Gaylord provided, especially the voice of Davis. Those male voices were often distracting from the story. Otherwise, not a bad story.
December 17, 2021
A fun, fast-paced serial killer / mystery where a law-enforcement officer and a reporter join forces. Intriguing, mysterious, and there were a few little twists. It’s witty … it’s got that cop-thriller vibe I so enjoy.
Based on this, I’d read more from this author.
Great audio performance as well.
4 stars all around.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Based on this, I’d read more from this author.
Great audio performance as well.
4 stars all around.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
December 21, 2020
A well-plotted mystery and a very good writing made this story a very entertaining read.
I enjoyed Sarah Brighwater's storyline, the way in which her past intrudes into her present and her determination to find her mother's killer. Tyler Ford is also an interesting character, whose actions and motivation are easily understood and very fitting to his personality.
But I felt that the interactions between these two characters are the less achieved part of the book and the nuances of such a fraught relationship were lost in favour of presenting a possible attraction to develop in the future.
These didn't stop me from enjoying the story, though.
The narrator, Jodi Gaylord, has a clean and easy to understand style and good emotional grasp during the whole story but her male's voices are... lacking. Particularly Ford's editor voice, which annoyed me so much that it became quite distracting.
I enjoyed Sarah Brighwater's storyline, the way in which her past intrudes into her present and her determination to find her mother's killer. Tyler Ford is also an interesting character, whose actions and motivation are easily understood and very fitting to his personality.
But I felt that the interactions between these two characters are the less achieved part of the book and the nuances of such a fraught relationship were lost in favour of presenting a possible attraction to develop in the future.
These didn't stop me from enjoying the story, though.
The narrator, Jodi Gaylord, has a clean and easy to understand style and good emotional grasp during the whole story but her male's voices are... lacking. Particularly Ford's editor voice, which annoyed me so much that it became quite distracting.
December 17, 2021
A fun, fast-paced serial killer / mystery where a law-enforcement officer and a reporter join forces. Intriguing, mysterious, and there were a few little twists. It’s witty … it’s got that cop-thriller vibe I so enjoy.
Based on this, I’d read more from this author.
Great audio performance as well.
4 stars all around.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Based on this, I’d read more from this author.
Great audio performance as well.
4 stars all around.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
March 9, 2021
Signature of a Serial Killer
FBI Agent Sarah Brightman hunts serial killers, but her ultimate goal is to bring down the serial killer who murdered her mother. Tyler Ford is the lead reporter for the Baltimore Echo. When a serial killer, dubbed John the Baptist, strikes close to home, Tyler is assigned the story. Will Sarah and Tyler join forces to bring down a killer?
FBI Agent Sarah Brightman hunts serial killers, but her ultimate goal is to bring down the serial killer who murdered her mother. Tyler Ford is the lead reporter for the Baltimore Echo. When a serial killer, dubbed John the Baptist, strikes close to home, Tyler is assigned the story. Will Sarah and Tyler join forces to bring down a killer?
December 27, 2020
I received a discount on the price of this electronic FBI casebook from Aubrey Walker Publishing. The first of a new series (The Birdwatcher, #1) by European P. Douglas, this was an interesting, compelling read with a strong female protagonist in the person of FBI agent Sarah Brightwater, and sited in the tri-state area addressed by the crew at Quantico, with added sidekick reporter Tyler Ford of the Baltimore Echo. Odd bedfellows perhaps, but between them, they seem to get the job done.
pub date Sept 1, 2020
received December 16, 2020
Aubrey Walker Publishing - ghost creative
Reviewed on December 27, 2020, at Goodreads, AmazonSmile, and BookBub. Not available for review on Barnes&Noble, Kobo, or GooglePlay.
pub date Sept 1, 2020
received December 16, 2020
Aubrey Walker Publishing - ghost creative
Reviewed on December 27, 2020, at Goodreads, AmazonSmile, and BookBub. Not available for review on Barnes&Noble, Kobo, or GooglePlay.
September 28, 2020
First time in reading this author, awesome book. Enjoying the characters and plot. Looking forward to part two. The mixture of the story line was great 👍🤗
September 17, 2020
Oh this was phenomenal! Thrilling. Edge of your seat suspenseful. Sarah and Tyler make an awesome team and I hope they get to work together again! I really loved reading this book and am very disappointed that it is over. It was awesome!
September 6, 2020
This was a great story with wonderful characters. You get to know Sarah more as the story goes along although not in-depth. You don’t know a lot about Tyler, the reporter, but what you do know he sounds great. Trying to find a serial killer who she thinks is the one who killed her mom 15 years ago and he’s out for a huge story. Will she catch her killer ? Will it be who she thinks it is ? Will he get his story ? I’ve got to say the last 1/4 of the book was suspenseful and had you wondering if what you thought was going on really was. I can’t wait for the next book....gonna be good that’s for sure.
I received this as an ARC and this is my honest and voluntary review.
I received this as an ARC and this is my honest and voluntary review.
August 27, 2020
Sarah's mother was murdered by a serial killer, and now grown up she works for the FBI, hoping one day to catch the killer. This is a gripping story from page one with plenty of twists and turns. Very hard to put down!Great pacy story-line that keeps you reading just one page more. I loved the characters of Sarah and Tyler in this book, hope they have more adventures!
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
July 18, 2020
Mr. Douglas has developed two savvy, captivating characters written in a haunting, twisted and heart-breaking novel. A real page-turner - one you will not soon forget. Highly Recommended.
Given ans a Beta rad, this is my freely given, honest review.
Given ans a Beta rad, this is my freely given, honest review.
July 28, 2020
This book is a different read from his other books, it took me I while to figure out the story but once in I was hooked I like the way it went from the FBI investigating to the journalist. The plots were well written and the characters were good all in all a really good read.
July 25, 2020
Always love my own books!!!!
February 3, 2022
I received a copy of this audiobook from StoryOrigins. I had read another book by this author that I didn't care for but this one sounded good enough to give it a try. An FBI agent whose mother was a victim 15 years earlier is working with a young reporter to try to solve similar killings in her hometown. Is the killer back or is it a copycat? There were lots of twists and red herrings and a conclusion I didn't see coming. The narration was good but the narrator sounded a little young to be an established FBI agent. The characters were pretty well developed and the plot was well thought out. I enjoyed this book so this author is 1 and 1. I will have to try the next book in this series to break the tie.
September 14, 2023
i read the kindle version but this is the cover i saw ...so i prefer to review the one i had on my kindle front cover. i found this from Bookbub they were saying it was free. not sure if that still the case or not? but always check them for FREE books. or cheaper books that is.
on KU if you have service. i do not. don't miss it at all. book 1 from "The Birdwatcher series". from September 1, 2020. Police Procedurals (kindle store and books). Women Sleuths. what an authors' name ...will sure not forget that one ...i don't believe i have from this author before ...so i will say a newbie author to me ...will check to be so sure in a moment. enjoyable read. had me curious.
on KU if you have service. i do not. don't miss it at all. book 1 from "The Birdwatcher series". from September 1, 2020. Police Procedurals (kindle store and books). Women Sleuths. what an authors' name ...will sure not forget that one ...i don't believe i have from this author before ...so i will say a newbie author to me ...will check to be so sure in a moment. enjoyable read. had me curious.
December 31, 2020
I have come to expect nothing less than total entertainment from European Douglas’s writing, and An Unkindness of Ravens did not let me down, in this case Jodi Gaylord’s narration took an engrossing tale and elevated it to something that felt like I was inside of a movie. When you add an active serial killer(s) with an FBI agent – Sarah Bridgewater – who has some, personal issues around a particular serial killer you come up with a very compelling story. Without going into any detail that could lead to spoilers – this is a book for anyone who loves a good thriller.
December 23, 2021
A very entertaining mystery. A serial killer suspense that I couldn't put down. A great, exciting ending that I did not see coming. Sarah, a FBI agent and Tyler, a journalist get together and solve this mystery. An odd couple and they don't really trust each other. Interesting characters. Very good storyline. Not a cliffhanger, but there is still another killer out there. On to the next book.
I was gifted an Audible version of this book from Story Origin. The narration could have been better. I didn't care for the male voices coming from this female narrator!
I was gifted an Audible version of this book from Story Origin. The narration could have been better. I didn't care for the male voices coming from this female narrator!
June 11, 2022
The Birdwatcher Series
This is the first in a series of books that promises to be as good as early James Patterson with interlinked themes, the main ones being FBI agent’s Sarah Brightman search for her mother’s killer, a serial killer who managed to escape from custody years earlier. It posits a connection between various serial killers over the years, one that may be ongoing. Together with Tyler Ford an investigative reporter she deals with current cases all the while trying not to be distracted by her crusade to catch “The Monster”.
This is the first in a series of books that promises to be as good as early James Patterson with interlinked themes, the main ones being FBI agent’s Sarah Brightman search for her mother’s killer, a serial killer who managed to escape from custody years earlier. It posits a connection between various serial killers over the years, one that may be ongoing. Together with Tyler Ford an investigative reporter she deals with current cases all the while trying not to be distracted by her crusade to catch “The Monster”.
August 10, 2025
I really enjoyed this story. European P. Douglas has a way of pulling you in and keeping you hooked until the very end. I listened to the audio version, and the narrator did a fantastic job, kept the tension high and the pacing smooth.
As a romantic at heart, I did wish the relationship between Sarah and Tyler had developed a bit more, but I understand why the focus stayed on the suspense. The mix of a determined FBI Agent with a tragic past, a driven investigative journalist, and the looming shadow of a serial killer made for an intense, twist-filled plot.
It’s a gripping story with strong characters, high stakes, and just enough emotional depth to keep you invested. If you love crime thrillers with a personal edge, this one’s worth the listen.
As a romantic at heart, I did wish the relationship between Sarah and Tyler had developed a bit more, but I understand why the focus stayed on the suspense. The mix of a determined FBI Agent with a tragic past, a driven investigative journalist, and the looming shadow of a serial killer made for an intense, twist-filled plot.
It’s a gripping story with strong characters, high stakes, and just enough emotional depth to keep you invested. If you love crime thrillers with a personal edge, this one’s worth the listen.
December 21, 2020
An Unkindness of Ravens (The Birdwatcher, #1), my first read from author European P. Douglas. This seems to be my month for new authors. An outstanding read, captivating in its detail. I was gifted a free copy and I'm voluntarily reviewing it because every good books need reviews. I look forward to more from this author and I'm sure there will be more in what looks to be an excellent series. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
September 13, 2023
If exclamation points! every fourth sentence! make you crazy!, don't pick up this book!
Yes, I am a stickler for editing so that is a huge no-no for me. But, beyond that, this book is so totally unrealistic. Two FBI agents are flirting with each other in front of their supervisor with no comment about the behavior, a "cub" reporter is allowed to roam a crime scene while the police are waiting for the FBI arrival and no one seems at all concerned. Gave up after three chapters!
Yes, I am a stickler for editing so that is a huge no-no for me. But, beyond that, this book is so totally unrealistic. Two FBI agents are flirting with each other in front of their supervisor with no comment about the behavior, a "cub" reporter is allowed to roam a crime scene while the police are waiting for the FBI arrival and no one seems at all concerned. Gave up after three chapters!
September 19, 2023
The connection to the title is a bit tenuous to say the least, I think I only saw two references to birds in the whole book. That aside the story is quite good and kept me interested all the way through and John the Baptist's identity turned out a surprise and Sara looks like waiting to catch her mother's killer. A lot of the ending is a bit contrived, do people in her position really have such a bad phone regime forgetting to take it or charge it is inexcusable in her line of work.
May 17, 2024
One of the best
It has been a while since I've read a book as good as this one, especially by an author previously unknown to me.. Douglas is certainly on my lis of authors too follow. The well developed storyline was rolled.out with just enough of an occasional twist that it kept me reading into the wee hours..
I recommend that you read this book an that you keep your eye on this author.. I expect him to keep producing excellent books for us to enjoy..
It has been a while since I've read a book as good as this one, especially by an author previously unknown to me.. Douglas is certainly on my lis of authors too follow. The well developed storyline was rolled.out with just enough of an occasional twist that it kept me reading into the wee hours..
I recommend that you read this book an that you keep your eye on this author.. I expect him to keep producing excellent books for us to enjoy..
December 22, 2020
A twisted serial killer, an FBI agent who was his former victim, and an eager newspaper reporter make a good mystery and beginning for The Birdwatcher series. There are lots of twists and red herrings in the book and kept me reading till the end. Not all is revealed in this book, but the ending was great and I am sure the next book will be as well.
January 2, 2021
An intense thriller!
This story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! The author has a gift for telling a great story and this one is no exception. Superb plot and too many twists to figure out who did the horrific crimes. Fantastic read!
I received a complimentary copy from Story Origin and am leaving a voluntary honest review
This story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! The author has a gift for telling a great story and this one is no exception. Superb plot and too many twists to figure out who did the horrific crimes. Fantastic read!
I received a complimentary copy from Story Origin and am leaving a voluntary honest review
January 14, 2021
A series killer that targets single mom and a daughter going to her school prom. Returning home to the lights and police cars. Sarah now a FBI profiler and a journalist Tyler together are covering the killing that are still happening. Are they the same or aa copy cat,
Usual for the two of them, but good characters and good plot.
Usual for the two of them, but good characters and good plot.
August 23, 2022
Sarah is back in her hometown to solve a case. The same place that left her an orphan on her prom night. The night her mother was killed, and the killer never caught. Now she must push those memories back to solve this case. The killer is dubbed The Cleaner -- he leaves no evidence, but a reporter, Tyler, has been getting letters from the killer. Can these two people work together to solve it?
April 16, 2023
Good read
A good book, overall, with decent characters and a few twists and turns in the storyline. It was a little disappointing for the villains in the mystery to be telegraphed along the way, even without revealing them until necessary. It would be worth reading the next book in the series.
A good book, overall, with decent characters and a few twists and turns in the storyline. It was a little disappointing for the villains in the mystery to be telegraphed along the way, even without revealing them until necessary. It would be worth reading the next book in the series.
March 13, 2025
Weird book
The book was set in the USA but all spelling and sentence structure were completely British. It was grating to me to constantly be struck by word choices that are so obviously foreign to an American reader. Just set the book in England if you're writing using British verbage. Also, it's faux pas, not faux pa. No resolution of the identity of the killer made me crazy.
The book was set in the USA but all spelling and sentence structure were completely British. It was grating to me to constantly be struck by word choices that are so obviously foreign to an American reader. Just set the book in England if you're writing using British verbage. Also, it's faux pas, not faux pa. No resolution of the identity of the killer made me crazy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews