By sympathizing with the devil, Hammer is able to dig deeper into Lendrum’s psyche, proposing that the falcon thief’s motives may be more complex than mere cupidity. These arguments appear to have weight to them, but perhaps that’s merely wishful thinking on the part of the audience, wanting to believe that the antihero can turn hero.

Mr. Hammer’s story is part true crime, part nature writing. The criminals are all the more intriguing for being nonviolent, the types motivated by obsession rather than greed.

... gripping.

By exploring the outlandish story of 'the Pablo Escobar of eggs,' as media outlets dubbed Lendrum, Hammer also shines a light on the larger landscape of bird traffickers and collectors.

The pace is zippy, the narrative action-packed with lots of first-person accounts and recreated dialogue. Many chapters end on an old-fashioned cliffhanger.

Hammer finds that Lendrum is in it more for the excitement and thrill than the astronomical prices racing falcons command. Lendrum’s compulsion is nonetheless portrayed as the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Hammer’s chronicle is a captivating and surprising read with just the right touch of suspense and mystery..

Hammer has crafted a story that will fascinate readers craving a dramatic true tale of confident criminals, denizens of shadowy underworlds and the law enforcers who strive to catch and punish them.

... one thinks of Truman Capote, who elaborated on a tiny news story about the killing of a Kansas farm family, turning that grim tragedy into the seminal feat of reportage In Cold Blood...This is very much what Hammer is after in The Falcon Thief, which can sometimes read like the treatment for a James Bond movie.

... a compelling and remarkable tale, vibrant and authentic, rendered more resonant by author Joshua Hammer’s impressive research.

His writing style is gripping and fast-paced, but never short on facts and accuracy.

In his latest page-turner, Hammer...compellingly chronicles the exploits of Jeffrey Lendrum...whom he portrays as a destructive combination of knowledgeable bird-watcher and destroyer.

Hammer...delivers a vivid tale of obsession and international derring-do.