Out of a Clear Sky [Paperback]

Sally Hinchcliffe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

After her long-term relationship ends, Manda finds solace in bird-watching—a hobby her ex introduced her to and which she has embraced for its quiet beauty. The birds provide Manda with an escape from her loneliness, especially as she seems to be losing her group of close friends along with her boyfriend. But then she falls prey to the ever more sinister attentions of another birdwatcher. As the harassment builds up, she is forced to flee; and details of her own complicated past start to emerge. Out of a Clear Sky is an unsettling psychological thriller about obsession and truth, with the edginess of Nicci French and the class of Barbara Vine, and introduces a fascinating, compelling, and freshly original voice to crime fiction.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sally Hinchcliffe is in her thirties, and having graduated from Oxford with a First in PPE, has spent the last ten years working at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew. Having completed the MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck in 2004, she has also had various short stories published. Out of a Clear Sky is her first novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan UK (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0230741878
• ISBN-13: 978-0230741874
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,877,021 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Birdwatcher being watched, July 17, 2010

By 

Sharon G. Mensing "Book Lover" (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Out of a Clear Sky (Kindle Edition)

This is a psychological mystery whose "heroine," Manda, is unclear about what happened in the past and unsure of what is happening in the present through most of the book. She is a member of a bird-watching group, and one of the members of the group is pathologically obsessed with her, just as she is destabilized by the breaking up of a long-term relationship with another member of the group. Aside from the story line, which is gripping, the descriptions of the birds and the landscape are beautifully drawn. Manda is not an innocent victim, and in the end she takes charge of her fate. This was a well written book on so many levels -- descriptions, characterization, plot. A reviewer said this was reminiscent of Barbara Vine, and I would agree -- Barbara Vine at her best.