Life has a dark heart

Black Bird Fly is an atmospheric wandering through the small town of Alexander - and it did make me wonder why anyone would stay there? Whilst obviously a beautiful place, the overall impression of the inhabitants was one of disassociation and sadness, a black pall, and violence, hanging just out of sight over everyone.
Starting with a funeral, we are introduced to the main protagonists, slowly, skillfully, one by one. A rock star who escaped the town years before, now grieving the death of his singer, brings love to one of the inhabitants. Much is as it always has been. Then little Sassy goes missing.

This is a low key mystery story, not all of which is entirely resolved. The characterisations are excellent, almost a verbal snapshot of the town. However, the slowly ongoing story is further delayed by purple passages intermittently scattered throughout the text which, whilst adding a certain overall atmosphere, did not relate to the story itself in any obvious way.

A strange book which this reader found, equally, strangely appealing. And narrator Rhett Samuel Price's performance added to this almost dreamlike quality of sometimes squalid normalcy, his slow paced reading moving through the text almost like one of the black birds observing from above. His voicings of the characters was good and all was nicely, gently intonated and read with an understanding and compassion.

I was freely gifted a complimentary copy of Black Bird Fly, at my request, by the rights holder, via Audiobook Boom. My thanks for it. As I mentioned previously, I found it strangely compelling and, as such, would recommend it as a tiny peek into the life of a small town and the secrets the occupants carry. But not for those looking for a straightforward mystery thriller.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!