Author: Martin Davies
First Published: 2005

Enjoyed this book thoroughly, started to read it during a weekend break at the Hunter Valley whilst waiting for the spa treatment to finish at Endota.

An upbeat, engaging novel, a story within a story. the historical figure Joseph Banks and the unknown woman in his life. This is intertwined with the present day lives of estranged couple Gabby and Fitz. Fitz is a university professor faced with an interesting proposition to find the remains of the extinct bird Uleita for a substantial fee backed by Gabby and her new partner an anthropology enthusiast and ”a man famous for being rich” Ted Staest.

On the hunt for the lost bird, Fitz  assisted by Katia (his student and new tennant) stumble across the existence of Mary Burnett. Mary proves to be an unknown link and her identity as elusive as the lost bird. A two-fold mystery and romance unfolds switching back and forth between the 18th and 21st centuries all crammed within 309 pages.

This is a fictional account but must read the historical note at the end of the book, which makes the existence of Mary more plausible.

This cover reminds you of a well thumbed, often read book, and found it to be just that, one that can be read several times.