The conjuror's bird

It seems a long time ago that Fitz and Gabby were together, with his work on extinct species about to make him world-famous.

Now, it's his career that is almost extinct. Suddenly, though, the beautiful Gabby reappears in his life.

She wants his help in tracing the history of the Mysterious Bird of Ulieta, a creature once owned by the great 18th Century naturalist Joseph Banks.

It soon becomes clear that Fitz is getting involved in something more complicated - and dangerous - than the search for a stuffed bird.

To solve the puzzle, he must uncover the identity of the amazing woman Banks loved - a woman who has disappeared from history as effectively as the specimen he is hunting.

A mixture of detection, romance and history, "The Conjuror's Bird" has all the makings of a word-of-mouth bestseller.