cover:
US Fish and Wildlife Special Agent Andela Dimato responds to a report of a sick bird... and finds her partner dead. Officially, his death is ruled a suicide - a theory Angela finds suspicious. Especially when hundreds of dead and dying geese are found at Elk Lake, and guests at the Drummond Hotel fall ill from food poisoning. While investigating these "accidents", Angela soon learns that killers of a feather flock together...
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Quite a good murder mystery. A bit too much stuff about various enforcement & wildlife agencies, but otherwise enjoyable. I particularly liked the last few sentences - very evocative: ... the bird stopped struggling the moment it entered her arms.She marvelled at the creature, at its soft feathers, its gentle breathing. Then, opening her arms, Angela set the bird free.

Sent to kirjakko for the Wish List Tag Game - Parallel.

All the way from Australia in the middle of snow and sleet. Thanks, the stamps of Platypus and lobster with a Christmas hat were also appriciated - will go to stamp-collecting fellow bookcrossers.
Now that I see the cover I'd hope death would take more ganders... These white cheeked geese (Nun geese??) have infested Helsinki every summer for closer to twenty years, ever since the first group escaped from the Helsinki zoo and started nesting... There are more and more of them each year when they come back and they soil all parks with enourmous quantitites of green shit. Definately not my favourite bird.

Started reading this as next week is the Finnish BC-summer convention and myrtillus is coming. This has been on her wishlist for ages, will surprise her! 🐧🐧🐧

Have to comment as I progress:
This was published in 2004, so I guess that bird flu wasn't an issue yet, but I would imagine that a mass illness of wild birds would very much interest health officials as it could be something which can be transmitted to poultry and to humans even, so the cost of an autopsy would not fall on any individual of the public. I doubt Finland is unique and we can send dead wild animals to the state lab for an autopsy for nothing. If you do not know what illnesses lurk out there in the wildlife, you will miss things which need controlling, like rabies for instance.
Also treating over hundred birds would not be left to the goodwill of the public. Public might be called in to volunteer, but there would always be an official body in charge.
I used to know the vet technician of the Helsinki Zoo and every now and then dropped in to see her at work, so I've seen a swan with lead poisoning over twenty years ago. The bird was groggy and very disorientated and I remember that EDTA was the drug of choice already then. I found it odd, as I only knew EDTA from blood tubes, where it hindred coagulation.

Finished! Many twists and turns, was exciting until the very end.

To myrtillus at the Finnish BC-summer convention in Voipaala.

Thank you so much for the nice suprise kirjakko! :) It's true, this has been on my wishlist for ages.

I liked this mystery a lot because of its plot and characters. The main character Special Agent Angela Dimato is a stubborn, brave and independent woman who has decided to fight for wildlife against "money". The theme of environmental protection was brilliant. You rarely find this kind of theme in cozy mystery books.

I'll send the book to Annimanni.

The book arrived safely, thank you! Wow, a birdwatcher's mystery. Who would've thought? :) A good choice, though, as I like a good cozy every once in a while.