Chief Vultures den. The stern looking bird is perched behind an extremely tidy desk; she takes great pride in her ability to avoid hefty piles of clutter. Her eyes are sunk behind a thick pair of spectacles and she’s packed in a tight black dress, which only adds to her intimidating presence. She’s stubs her fourth cigarette of the morning into a glass ash tray shaped like a nest.
‘Thought you quit smoking, chief?’ jests Frank, picking his seat. The frosty vulture lets the spectacles slide down her beak to reveal her beady eyes. She prods her head forward and studies the uncomfortable visitors.
‘I quit having insects for breakfast, that’s enough quitting for now. If I quit smoking, you’d probably all be dead by now,’ responds the vulture. ‘And you must be Detective Charlie Monkey. Welcome. And my sincerest apologies you’re stuck with this incompetent penguin, but there we go, that’s life, deal with it. Any questions?’
‘Actually, they call me Chico, ma’am.’ No response. Only silent eye contact.
‘No questions, ma’am,’ says Frank, butting in to save the day.
The monkey gulps, prickling with discomfort – but incessantly tapping his feet and stroking his beard seems to help with calming the nerves. ‘Err yeah, Charlie’s fine, no questions ma’am. Just keen to get started.’
The City That Barks and Roars
by J.T. Bird
Genre: Mystery Fiction
Animals rule the world
They hit cafes for breakfast then nine to five at the office, and fritter away evenings at jazz clubs.
But paradise is still a distant dream, for there are devils amongst the angels.
Lucas Panda is missing; clues on the riverbank suggest he was probably kidnapped. Enter Frank. Who else you gonna call? Hard-boiled penguin and the finest detective in town. And meet his new partner, Detective Chico Monkey – yeah, the wisecrackin’ kid with all the snappy suits. But the stakes have been raised; three more creatures are missing and the citizens of Noah’s Kingdom are faced with possible extinction. Can the grouchy bird and plucky young ape save the city from doom? Or, will evil prevail and escape the claws of justice?
‘Animal noir’ peppered with plenty of humour; this thrilling debut novel from award-winning comedian JT Bird is an intriguing blend of Jungle Book and Chinatown (Zootopia for grown-ups?! Watership Down with Fedoras!?) – perfect for fans of animal fiction, or mysteries, adventure and crime. A gripping yarn, packed with weird and wonderful creatures, for youngsters and adults alike (or anyone who’s crying out for anthropomorphic detectives!!)
Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0882HG7ZQ
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-city-that-barks-and-roars-j-t-bird/1136969996
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?pcampaignid=books_read_action&id=Cp_iDwAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/nz/en/ebook/the-city-that-barks-and-roars
J T Bird is an award-winning stand-up comedian from North London, where he lives with his wife and child. His humble abode sits neatly between the former homes of HG Wells and Robert Louis Stevenson…so there’s no pressure to write something utterly successful and wonderful.
Bird was actually ‘The Chosen One’ that prophets foresaw would rescue the world from all the powers of darkness – however, he opted for a career as a clown and author instead…
Another little known fact – his father was sent from the future to protect him from an android assassin, and his mother’s possessed by a demon – but hey, we all have family issues right?!
Author Links
Website: https://www.jtbirdauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jimmy.bird.184
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jtbirdwriter
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-t-bird
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/JT-Bird/e/B087QV98W9
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20264166.J_T_Bird
$25 Amazon ,E-book of The City That Barks And Roars
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