Bird Brained (Rachel Porter Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Jessica Speart (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rachel Porter Mysteries | Publication Date: April 1, 1999

Tangling with animal smugglers in southern Florida-from the Customs counter at Miami Airport to the lush estates of the rich and corrupt-is all part of the job for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agent Rachel Porter.

Working on a hot tip, she investigates the compound of an alleged smuggler of exotic cackatoos and parrots. But once inside, Rachel finds her prey laying in a pool of his own blood-and all of his winged bounty has flown the coop. Though her ornery Cuban boss tells her that birds are her business, not killers, the indomitable Rachel sets out to find both. With a list of suspects that includes a sleazy snake dealer, Cuban cigar smugglers, airboat cowboys, and exiled anti-Castro terrorists, Rachel finds the field spread as wide as a peacock's tail-and just as colorful. And if this dedicated wildlife chick isn't careful...she might end up a sitting duck.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rachel Porter is a good mix of New York streetwise and guts." --" Randezvous--" Randezvous-- Ken Goddard, director of a federal wildlife crime lab and "New York Timesbestselling author of "Balefire

About the Author

Jessica Speart has been published in The New York Times Magazine, Omni, Travel & Leisure, Audubon, National Wildlife, Mother Jones, Wildlife Conservation, Earth Journal and any other publications. She lives in Easton, Conneticut.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Avon (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0380792907
• ISBN-13: 978-0380792900
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,404,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I began as an investigative journalist with a focus on wildlife law enforcement, endangered species issues, and the environment. I created my sleuth, U.S. Fish and Wildlife agent Rachel Porter, after years of investigating wildlife and drug trafficking crimes for publications such as The New York Sunday Times Magazine, National Wildlife, Travel & Leisure, Mother Jones, Audubon, Wildllife Conservation, Animals, and E Magazine.

Then something strange happened. I discovered that truth really IS stranger than fiction. I learned about a 3 year undercover operation that resulted in the arrest of the world's most notorious butterfly smuggler. The story was so dark and twisted that I was fascinated by it. But I didn't stop there. I decided I had to meet the smuggler, himself. That's when my book, WINGED OBSESSION, took on a totally unexpected element.

Prior to writing, I worked as an actress on everything from off-Broadway to commercials, industrials, and soap operas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some of the most memorable characters around!, April 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bird Brained (Rachel Porter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Rachel Porter once again finds herself up to her ears in contraband wildlife of all sorts. Constantly trying to deal with two-legged, four-legged and no legged animals, she searches for the source of a bird smuggling ring. Her search leads her into the worlds of reptile smugglers (with enough creeping snakes to make my skin crawl for days), cigar rolling, wild cat collectors, and strange photographers.

Speart creates some of the most memorable and colorful characters around. Even with the changing settings of her series, likeable and entertaining characters abound at each stop. I miss the old ones, and love the new ones. In Bird Brained, some of the characters from Gator Aide have returned and added more dimension to Rachel Porter's life. Getting to the end of the story isn't half as much fun as the trip you take to get there. Speart can create some very memorable scenes.

There are very few authors whose books make it to my "gotta have it the first day of release" list. Speart's books are on that list.

You won't think about cigar smoking the same way after reading Bird Brained. And you might want to rush out and take Lambada lessons! <G> The only downside to reading this book is the long wait for the next one.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Go GIRL!, January 28, 2000

By 

Peter Marshall "Arctic Pilot" (North Pole Alaska) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bird Brained (Rachel Porter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Fish and Wildlife Agent Rachel Porter is a fabulous and very believable character. Placed in a job mainly considered by her various superiors (all male) to be a "man's" job she fights the bad guys and the social stigma (that in reality is ALL too common even in the year 2000) to show that women CAN do anything they put their minds to. Jessica Speart does wonderful research on the locations and geography of the locations Rachel is assigned to and enlightens readers on issues of endangered species and lands, poaching, legal issues in prosecuting violators etc. all the while keeping us alternately laughing out loud and sitting on the edge of our seats. You can't help but be touched by the diverse, hysterical and lovable recurring friends whose personalities and quirks make them more memorable with each new novel. Get to work Jessica - we're waiting!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Colorful birds of a feather., August 31, 2000

By 

John Kleber (Louisville, KY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bird Brained (Rachel Porter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Jessica Speart is not as well known as some mystery writers, and hence her books are afordable. Still I hope it happens because she is a wonderful writer. Her character of Rachel Porter is completely believable with a sense of humor I would kill for. Probably not a word I should use here since that is what her co-characters are always doing in the most interesting places. This book combines the excitement of South Florida with the thrill of the hunt--this time for endangered beautiful birds. Her books have multi-dimensional characters, and I never tire of them. Indeed, I am ready to turn to her latest set in Texas. Maybe Jessica will consider the Bluegrass for a setting since our catfish are some of the best, to say nothing of the endangered bats of the Mammoth Cave. But wherever Jessica spins her tale, I'll be there to pick it up and read. Join me?