A Little Bird Book Review

Most of the books I have been reading lately has been set in the UK, so picking up Wendy James’ A Little Bird which is set in Australia was a refreshing change. This book is classified as general fiction, but it turned out to be a great crime mystery.

Set in a stunning small Australian town this book keeps you glued to the pages as you try to find out what happened to Jo’s mother and baby sister. A twenty-five-year-old mystery that slowly unfolds while you are drawn into the small-town community and all the secrets they are hiding. This is a fantastically crafted story that will have you reading late into the night. It’s filled with mystery that twists and turns leaving you feeling like you are part of the small-town gossip mill.

I haven’t read anything by Wendy James before and this book left me feeling like I have been missing out. She created a colourful community full of interesting characters. The story moves between 1994 and 2018 with Jo and her mother taking turns revealing their stories. As a bonus, you are given little newspaper clippings from a gossip column in between. This makes it an interesting, gripping read as the then and now stories are revealed.

Twenty-five- tears ago Merry – Miranda Sharpe – drove off with her baby daughter, Amy, in the car and she has not been seen since. Jo never understood why her mother left her behind. Now her father has taken ill and she has received a job offer that will allow her to return home to Arthurville.

After a breakup with her boyfriend and her desire to look after her father, this job turns out to be perfectly timed.

Once home, Jo reconnects with old friends and her job has her crossing paths with her uncle and grandmother on her mother’s side. People she never got to know as a child. Being back home, memories of her mother return and Jo slowly starts piecing the details about her mother’s disappearance together. Will she be able to uncover the truth among all the secrets the community members are keeping?

A Little Bird felt like a slow read. I found myself drawn into this small-town community as the various secrets were revealed. Allowing me to escape into this little town’s history. I enjoyed how it was laid back and relaxing. I finished the book in three sittings, so it wasn’t a slow read at all. The ending was brilliant and held an unexpected twist. I was completely off in my prediction, and I love that. The final surprise added to the book’s enjoyment.

Jo Sharpe is a young woman with a lot of questions and the author managed to create this character with just enough insecurity to make her realistic. I simply loved Mick – Michael Sharpe – this difficult grumpy old drunk crept into your heart and you cannot help but smile at his nasty attitude. Being a man full of regret and sadness you understand his moods.

A Little Bird is one of those unlikely choices for me that I found I simply couldn’t get enough of. While it does not fall into my usual crime thriller genre of choice this book holds enough mystery to provide an intriguing read. I was completely wrapped up in the story and looked forward to getting to the truth behind Merry’s disappearance. I loved it.

A Little Bird will appeal to women’s fiction fans as well as mystery readers. It is a touching, sad story that is full of mystery with twists and turns as you join Jo in her hunt for the truth. I loved this story and I recommend that you add it to your TBR if you are looking for something a little different to read.