This was my introduction to Marty Wingate and The Birds
Of A Feather mystery series.
The main characters are Julia and her boyfriend Michael.
In this installment Michael's sister Pammy arrives in town and settles into Julia and Michael's lives and apartment for a few days that turns into weeks. Pammy's arrival turns everything upside down and 'crowded' in the 1 bedroom 1 apartment/cottage that Julia and Michael share.
And then mere hours after Pammy's arrival a dead body is discovered in their little village.

Leaving the reader thinking 'hmm'.

This was an interesting read for me because it takes place in an English village. Many of the residents live on land owned by the
local Lord Linus. Even Julia's cottage is part of the estate as she is the Manager of the tourist center.

Even though the story line centers around the investigation of the murder that is a lot about bird watching. Which is new to me but I was interested.

The plot seemed to run a little slow for me. There wasn't a lot
of sinister situations until almost the very end.

There are a lot of towns people involved in the story making it a bit hard to keep up with everyone.

Even though in the beginning I suspected that the 'Cuckoo' was Pammy and Julia was waiting to be rid of her they did become friends in the end. And. Pammy found work and planned to
move into her own place.

I guess we will have to wait for the next book to see how Pammy's new job and new place works out.

Farewell My Cuckoo was a good read and I would enjoy reading more in the series and getting to know some of the other characters.

I received a complimentary copy.

Weddings bring family together and make others think in terms of happily ever after.
When standing up for the happy couple, Julia's thoughts turn to when Michael is going to pop her own big question moment. She is sure he is ready. And when the moment is right... the trouble is, all the "right moments" seem to be interrupted.
The main roadblock is a sister who shows up on the doorstep, a SMALL doorstep, might I mention, and says she just needs a place for the night, or two. It seems Michael is the only friend or family who has not caught on to Pammy's ways.
Trying to stay out of the way and keep peace in her own household, Julia spends much time anywhere BUT home. She is busy at work, helps others out at work and with planning a neighborhood contest. While out and about, Julia is in the wrong place at the right time, finding herself involved in a murder.

Red herrings and misidentites keep the reader and the locals guessing about what is going on and what will happen next.

Fun series. I enjoy Mary Wingate's style and learning bits about different birds. In this story, Julia and Michael have an unexpected houseguest, Pammy, Michael's sister. So much chaos with Pammy, murder, and other intrigue. These are fun, relaxing, getaways.

This is one of the best British cozies I have read with a great cast of characters and a good mystery that quickly became a page-turner. I really liked Julia Lanchester, daughter of a celebrity ornithologist who manages the tourist information center at Fotheringham Estate in the small village of Smeaton-Under-Lyme, and her dynamic with the residents and visitors especially her boyfriend, Michael Sedgwick.

This is the first book I have read by Marty Wingate and I look forward to reading more by this talented author. This book is a must-read if you enjoy a well-crafted mystery.

I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my unbiased review. I also purchased a copy for my library.

A very enjoyable mystery with plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing. The characters and locale are wonderfully written. I look forward to reading the rest of this series.

This is another fun entry in the A Birds of a Feather Mystery series. I’ve enjoyed all of the books in this series though I thought the last entry (prior to this one) was a little off course. With “Farewell My Cuckoo”, Marty Wingate has brought out, what I feel, is the best of the series thus far.

Julia Lanchester is the manager of the TIC, Tourist Information Center, at Fotheringham Estate. She and her boyfriend Michael have just attended a dear friend’s wedding. Julia has the distinct feeling that marriage (or at least a proposal) may be in her immediate future, too. However, when she and Michael return home from the wedding, Michael’s sister Pammy has shown up to stay overnight (camped out on the sofa.) When overnight turns to two days and then a week and then Pammy starts buying groceries and doing chores around the house, Julia is concerned that Pammy has moved in for good.

Then Willow, one of Julia’s dear friends, stumbles (literally) over a corpse. Julia is determined to stay out of the investigation of the murder of That Poor Man (what she calls him as no one knows who he is) but she is pulled in almost against her will.


I have enjoyed both of Ms Wingate’s series but this one is definitely my favorite. I love the humor that the author expresses through characters and find that the mysteries are fun to solve along with Julia. There is always a bird theme involved as Julia’s father is a famous ornithologist and Julia is heavily into the hobby of bird-watching as well.

While I think this book could be read standalone, I highly recommend reading the books in order. The characters and their relationships have evolved over the course of the past books.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Love is in the air in Smeaton-under-Lyme, the village attached to the Fotheringill Estate. Julia Lanchester is head of the Tourist Information Center for the estate. Vesta, Julia's assistant at the TIC, is marrying Akash, proprietor of the village store, and Julia is hoping for a proposal of her own from Michael Sedgewick, her live-in boyfriend. Instead, they arrive at their tiny shared cottage to find Michael's sister Pammy, a human "cuckoo in the nest''. Pammy is forty-two and has a long history of failed employment and relationships. The latest failed relationship has brought her to their door, along with multiple plastic shopping bags. Despite everything, they welcome her on the understanding that she will be on her way at weeks end. When Willow, village schoolmistress and Julia's friend, stumbles over the body of an unknown man, things get more complicated, and Pammy shows no sign of leaving. In fact, she seems to be making a lot of new friends in the village.Julia and Michael have a lot on their plates, both personal and job-related.

I really enjoy this series, primarily for the quirky characters, village atmosphere and situations that Julia finds herself in. There is a charming sense of community in the village and on the Estate. Julia herself is a busybody, but one with a heart of gold. She just can't seem to help managing other people's lives, but she does so with the best intentions and usually to good effect. Farewell, My Cuckoo is a near-perfect example of why traditional cozies have been so popular and remain so.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Alibi for an advance copy. The opinions are my own.

For every single relationship that has hit the rocks over a cheating spouse, an economic pitfall or irreconcilable differences, there are probably at least two that have come to a sad end because of a relative, on one side or the other, who is incapable of properly parsing the sentence, “Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?” and just won’t leave – along with the person in the relationship who seems to be incapable of making them leave long after they’ve worn out whatever reluctant welcome they had in the first place.

In the case of Farewell My Cuckoo, it’s Michael’s irresponsible sister Pammy who has become the cuckoo in Julia and Michael’s rather tiny little cottage nest in Smeaton-under-Lyme. To the point where I half-expected Pammy to become the corpse in this entry in the series, with Julia as the prime suspect. (For more background on Julia, Michael and Smeaton-under-Lyme, start with the first book in the series, The Rhyme of the Magpie)

Instead, the mystery takes a different path, as an unidentified man is found dead near a local pond. While no one knows exactly who he is, it turns out that there are plenty of people in the village who had at least a nodding acquaintance with “Bob”, even though no one seems to know any of the truly pertinent facts about the man, like his full name, or even where he was staying. If he was staying.

Julia, along with her friend Willow and more than a bit of help from a tourist visitor as well as the seemingly immovable Pammy, can’t resist looking into Bob’s identity and what brought him to live “rough” somewhere in the neighborhood.

Nor can she resist poking her nose into other local mysteries, especially the fervent pursuit of her friend Nuala by a rude and unwelcome stranger who seems to be able to turn on the charm when he needs to get his way. A stranger who seems perfectly willing to mislead Nuala about his own marital status in order to worm his way into her bakery and teashop business. And who has a surprising connection to the late, lamented Bob.

Possibly even a connection worth killing for.

Escape Rating B: For a series that centers around birds, the mysteries are salted with a surprising number of tasty red herrings. It is all too easy to understand why Julia’s amateur sleuthing so often leads her astray – because the reader is right there with her.

Not that some of those false leads don’t uncover important little mysteries of their own, even if their pursuit takes Julia away from the central problem.

As a cozy mystery, Julia’s amateur investigations often take her deep into the heart of village life, and Farewell My Cuckoo is no exception. Poor dead Bob leads not only to his killer, but also to the breakup of a marriage and a dubious business proposition, as well as to a villager who has gone off the rails and to the final, sad end of a long-lost love.

A lot happens, and it is all, in its way, fascinating. But the central problem remains throughout the story, and it isn’t poor Bob’s corpse and how it got there, although it should be. A lot of time is taken up with Pammy and her interloping. The reader will gnash their teeth at the way that both Julia and Michael switch from enabling Pammy’s behavior to her face while vocally resenting it behind her back. And this reader at least was gnashing right beside them.

Julia’s solutions to the mysteries that she comes across are generally interesting and her investigations are often quite a lot of fun. She does, unfortunately, have a penchant both for finding herself in uncomfortable personal situations and getting herself and her helpers into deadly danger, and Farewell My Cuckoo was no exception on either front.

As much as they sometimes drive me a bit crazy, I really like both of this author’s heroines, and find them easy to identify with and fun to follow. But I’ll confess that Pru Parke of the Potting Shed series is my favorite, so I’m really looking forward to the next book that series, Midsummer Mayhem, coming in November.

When Julia's boyfriend's sister Pammy enters the scene she's carrying all of her baggage and bags with her. She's a disruption to the usual blissful group who happen to be mid wedding planning. Before long one of Pammy's bachelor suitors turns up dead and Pammy is the first suspect and last to see him. Fun cozy mystery, fast paced, fantastic characters!

First I would like to thank Random House and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this story.

Although this is the 4th book in a series I had no trouble falling into this book and I never felt lost or that I was missing information. I loved how the author tied the character Pammy into the characteristics of a cuckoo, and laughed out loud several times while reading this story. I had no trouble visualizing the village and the little cottage that Julia and Michael live in, I felt like I could "see" the village and surrounding area. Ms Wingate has a real gift, she made the village and the characters real to me, very quickly. I can't wait to go back!

I enjoyed this story so much that I immediately went and bought all the previous books in this series.

3.5 stars

Julia Lanchester is the daughter of a famous ornithologist. She runs the Tourist Information Center for a British estate and organizes various local community efforts and events. As the book opens, her boyfriend Michael's eccentric sister Pammy shows up uninvited and fairly unwelcome at their tiny home in the village. Michael and Julia are good people, but Pammy's general cluelessness and her inability to keep either a job or a relationship going wear thin quickly.

In the meantime, a transient is found dead in a local wildlife spot. As the police try to find out his identity, Julia is also attempting to unravel the mystery. Soon, old secrets appear -- family troubles, derailed romances, and adulterous liaisons.

Nicely written series with a unique setting and interesting characters.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

What a lovely way to spend an afternoon! It's back to the picturesque village of Smeaton-under-Lyme where Julia Lanchester is still managing the TIC, wedding bells are ringing for Akash and Vesta, Michael's sister Pammy stops in for a surprise visit along with all of her worldly possessions, and free-spirit Willow stumbles upon a dead body in the churchyard. Who is the dead man, and why did someone kill him? Will Pammy ever leave? And will Michael and Julia be next to take a trip down the aisle? Author Marty Wingate answers all of these questions (and more!!!) in this fast-paced very cozy read. I adore the Birds of a Feather series and anxiously awaited the arrival of Farewell, My Cuckoo - it did not disappoint!

What a great add to Marty Wingate’s Birds of a Feather Mystery series! This fourth in series can be read as a standalone or in order. I was captivated by the author’s descriptions of the symphony of birds, butterflies, and vegetation in England. Her love for the land is evident, enthralling the reader with the breathtaking beauty of the area around Suffolk, England. As someone who eagerly looks forward to each book in this series, I think this is the best – but don’t miss the earlier ones!
Julia is manager of the TIC, Tourist Information Center, at Fotheringham Estate in Smeaton-Under-Lyme. Linus, Lord Fotheringham, is owner of the village estate which includes his residence, ancient abbey ruins, St. Swithun’s, and many shops and farms. The estate is open to the public for hiking, bicycling, picnics, and fishing. Julia is also daughter to Rupert Lanchester, acclaimed ornithologist, best known for A Bird in the Hand, a beloved TV show.
Michael, Rupert’s personal assistant and producer, and Julia are looking forward to an evening together after attending a wedding. They headed toward the tiny abode that is part of Julia’s payment package, and saw someone at the entry surrounded by grocery bags. Pammy, Michael’s sister, has come for a short visit after leaving her boyfriend. Their lives change as she takes up residence for what seems like forever in the sitting room, kind of like a cuckoo infiltrating a nest.
Julia is at St. Swithun’s when Willow, an esteemed school teacher, races in and collapses after literally tripping over a dead man at the pond. He has no ID, just a unique collection in a small packet. Julia, who promised to not get involved in any more investigations, refers to him as That Poor Man. Based on verbal ID’s from those on the estate, he is recognized as Bob, very knowledgeable about the nature of the area and who has helped at many farms. The search is on to determine not only who he is, but to find his killer – as That Poor Man was murdered.
I really like Julia, who I can easily picture out on the estate. She is witty, intelligent, and well-liked by most. Michael is a great for her as they balance each other out even while listening to and watching birds. At least until Pammy shows up with nowhere to go. I came to like the delightful Pammy very much during her stay; the girl has a huge, kind heart. The shop owners are also very likable as they work together and respect each other. I appreciate the investigators, especially Tess, recent a friend of Julia’s.
Ms. Wingate treats us to her delightful humor, whether it be Pammy and her subjects or a comparison with the Cuckoo poem. Julia’s creativity is evident as she comes up with new events to bring in new tourists and plans updated brochures. As they learn more about That Poor Man, it is hard to believe that he had enemies. Suspects are few, including a farmers and a couple visitors. I’m not sure how I guessed who the bad guy/gal is. There was only one incident that gave me a hint until the motive came later. One suspect seems to have the most to hide until two others are revealed. I was very satisfied with the breathtaking denouement, leading to a calm, sweet finale, and highly recommend this, especially to those who love the beauty of birds, vegetation, and the English countryside.
From a grateful heart: I received an e-arc from the author and NetGalley, and this is my honest review. A review was not required.

Best book in the series but it's perfectly fine as a standalone. Wingate has a nice way with words and she's created some delightful characters- even when, like Pammy, they can be sort of a pain. This tie around, Julia finds herself investigating a murder just when she wants to be celebrating and relaxing with Michael. Never mind that she's also got Michael's lovelorn sister living with them. This takes full advantage of its village setting, with all the entertaining people who live there. It's not graphic, it's not too complicated, and it's never twee. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC- this is a good read perfect for those who like British cozys.

“Farewell, my Cuckoo” earns 5+/5 Chirps, Squawks, Peeps…Murderously Fun!

I became a fan of Marty Wingate after reading books in her very popular Potting Shed Mystery series, so it was easy to become a fan of her Birds of a Feather series trading flora for feathers and gardens for the tops of trees. Starting with book four “Farewell my Cuckoo” was great for this newbie since she revisited background and character connections without any spoilers of the three previous murder mysteries. She penned a clever mystery starting by keeping the identity of the victim hidden and building the suspense with all the possible deserving characters. We start with an unidentified dead body with a suspicious head wound and authorities looking at several uninvited visitors popping into the quaint English hamlet. Micheal Sedgwick’s sister Pammy interrupted Julia Lancaster’s expectation that he might propose, and the “just tonight” turns into “end of the week,” maybe. Also arriving in town we have the “Man-Who-Could-Not-Be-Pleased” Tony Brightbill, a former one-night stand/self-taught ornithologist Gavin Lecky, and, of course, several tourists pop in and out enjoying the farmers’ market, festivals, fishing, and historical landmarks. All of this made the subsequent investigation by the amateurs and professionals intriguing with more than a few nail-biting predicaments. Marty’s description brought to life the flora, the fauna, the feathered creatures along with the village and all of its shops, cottages, and ruins. But, she didn't rely on just the narrative, she provided engaging dialogue to illustrate the emotions and personalities of a rich group of characters. Julia Lancaster is a delight—strong and more capable than she believes, and the supporting cast of fathers, boyfriends, BFFs, and a few quirky visitors adds humor and a few incidents of “they need a bite from Karma.” I highly recommend this newest release…

Julia Lanchester and her boyfriend Michael Sedgwick return home from a wedding to find Michael’s sister on their doorstep fresh from a breakup. Their cozy little cottage life is thrown into chaos as is the Fotheringill Estate when a body is found.

With visitors in town and one at home, Julia has her hands full…as does the local DI who is investigating the murder. Who is the mysterious murdered man, who killed him, and why? The lives of Julia, the residents of Fotheringill Estate and the visitors intersect and intertwine as the mystery is solved.

This is a well written and captivating book. The clues are there earlier on and as they all fall into place you’ll find this to have been a great and satisfying read.

A potential marriage proposal is interrupted by the arrival of Michael's sister who comes to stay with Julia and Michael. In addition to this huge inconvenience, Julia is a participant in the solving of the murder of a stranger in the village. This is an enjoyable cozy with interesting twists and turns.

So glad I stumbled onto this British cozy mystery series! Engaging writing & was enjoying the "whodunit" pondering all the way till the end! Thanks to Netgalley & Alibi Publishers for the opportunity to peruse.

Farewell, My Cuckoo is the fourth installment in the Birds of a Feather Mystery series set in Britain and featuring Julia Lancaster, manager of the Tourist Information Center for the Fotheringill Estate. Julia and live in boyfriend Michael Sedgwick have just attended the wedding of her co-worker Vesta, and she has a sneaking suspicion that Michael is about to propose. Unfortunately, her hopes are quickly dashed when they arrive home to find Michael's sister, Pammy waiting on their doorstep.

Pammy has suffered another devastating breakup, this time from a married man, and having burned her bridges with all of her other siblings has no where else to go. Promising to stay for only a day or two it quickly becomes apparent that the plastic bag toting sister is going to be residing in the tiny flat for quite some time.

When a body is discovered on the Estate grounds with no identification, Julia decides to investigate. Hoping to not only reveal the man's identity but that of his killer, she quickly finds herself in danger.

A fast paced plot with well developed characters this latest addition to the series is a hit. The author's writing style transports the reader to the tiny village of Smeaton-Under-Lyme, and leaves you feeling as though you are walking alongside Julia on her adventures. I was disappointed that the adorable, yet mischievous rook, Alfie, was only briefly mentioned but, respected his privacy while he was in his molting stage.

I received an advanced copy of Farewell, My Cuckoo from NetGalley via Alibi, a division of Penguin Random House Publishing. While not required to write a review I am more than happy to offer my honest opinion.

When Julia Lanchester and Michael Sedgwick, her live-in boyfriend, return from a wedding of two locals, love is definitely in the air. Julia can sense that Michael is about to propose, and it seems that he very nearly does, when his sister Pammy arrives on their doorstep...with everything she owns. It appears that Pammy's latest relationship - with a married man - has broken up and she's nowhere to go. So Julia and Michael reluctantly allow her to stay for one night in their tiny cottage until she can reach her friend Amy.

But one night turns into two, then three, then...well, you get the idea. It doesn't look like Pammy is going anywhere soon, and neither is Michael's proposal. So they try to get on with their lives, with Julia running the TIC (tourist information center) at the Fotheringill estate, and Michael, who works with Julia's father Rupert, is reluctantly filming a sequence with Julia's old beau, Gavin Lecky. Michael doesn't like Gavin at all, and he likes him even less when Gavin spies Pammy and is instantly taken with her.

But Julia has another problem, too. A man's body was found by her friend Willow who works at the school and is engaged to Lord Fotheringill's son Cecil. Willow has become distraught at finding him, and no one seems to know who he is. At least Willow has the comfort of her aunt Lottie to help her when Cecil is not around.

Then Julia has an unfortunate encounter with a man at a tea shop, and is not happy when he shows up in the village at the shop of her friend Nuala. It appears he's interested in Nuala, and Julia knows Linus, Lord Fotheringill, is also interested in her so she decides to step in and take a hand.

A nice family of four has also arrived at the TIC to explore the estate and like it so well they return the next weekend. When Julia figures out that they may have encountered the dead man (before he was deceased, obviously) she decides to contact them in the hope they may have information regarding who he is. She actually becomes chummy with the mother who is a graphic designer and starts helping them design pamphlets for the TIC.

Then there's the problem of a local farmer who was certified organic but Julia discovers he has ruined his fields. He knew Bob and even employed him once in a while, and Julia begins to wonder if he didn't do the man in because he knew what was done.

But the only thing anyone truly knows is that the poor dead man was named Bob, and nothing else. Yet somehow, someone must have, because poor Bob is now dead and at the morgue. And somehow, again, these stories become interlaced and have more of a connection to Bob than anyone realizes. It is nearly too late when Julia starts putting it all together and what a tale it becomes...

This book, as all the others in the series, was a true delight to read. Julia Lanchester quietly puts up with Pammy, who's flighty and seems to have no direction in life. It is only when Gavin enters the picture does it seem that Pammy might actually want to do something worthwhile; and Julia sees it as a way to eventually get back the home that Pammy has made her own.

There's enough intrigue and mystery here to keep anyone interested, and while at first it seems there is a lot going on, it all comes together nicely at the end. Julia has more patience than I ever would given the situation at hand; but unfortunately I didn't care for Pammy very much. While she may have seemed like a nice enough person, she rather insinuated herself in Julia's home and roving about the village while insisting she'd leave soon. Nothing pointed to her leaving, and family or not, she seemed to me to be an opportunist, one of the worst type of people there are. She was also too whiny for my taste. (I'm hoping Gavin will redeem her).

Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy her part in the book; she was just as important as any of the other secondary characters, we just can't like everyone, can we? (I think a lot of it was the fact that she just moved in lock, stock and barrel without notice or even trying to go anywhere else and didn't care that she was trashing someone else's home).

But the tale was masterfully written; the writing crisp and lively, the settings descriptive and broad, and the characters animated and believable. This is a village I would definitely want to visit, and these are people I love spending time with. Julia belongs to Smeaton-under-Lyme; she truly loves the estate, Linus, her friends, family, and of course, Michael. It shows in her dedication to her job and the people around her. It shows in the fact that she doesn't want a dead man not to be mourned, and wants to find out as much about him as she can.

Julia has heart, and that's an important characteristic in any human being. She cares. And that, my friends, is what makes the Birds of a Feather mysteries so very good. This is the fourth book in the series, and I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite as they are all so well done. Highly recommended.