In general, I really enjoy the "Birdwatcher" mystery series, although I like the the two original books (this is the second book in the series) a little better than the later stories because they feature a true ameteur woman sleuth (in this case, a hotel owner) and her sometimes eccentric group of (for the most part) lady bird-watching friends. (The newer two books that I have read feature U. S. government rangers.) The prose in the older books also seem to be a little fresher and a bit better written.
All of the books weave into the plot things that might cause harn for wild Colorado birds. One species is featured per book. Not only are the birds, their habitats, and their activities part of the narrative itself, but the author adds a scientific page about the featured birds at the end of the book.
The stories are decently written, fairly fast paced, and holds my interest throughout. The characters are well-drawn, but could be deeper. The imagery is good, although at times, it can be a little cliche.
In this book, a hotel owner discovers that her trusted supplier of organic coffee (shade grown to protect the environment and native birds, including a species of warbler who lives in both South America and the Colorado Rockies) has unexpectedly and without explanation cancelled her orders indefinately.
This inconvenience leads her to discover a murder and a complex plot of deceit and conspiracy between the owners/managers her small-potatoes supplier and a multi-million-dollar coffee company. But, it is the small characters with their trials and pain that interested me the most.
So, dispite a few minor flaws, this story provided a nice, quick read. I would recommend it.
