When veteran journalist Gareth Rhys first begins looking into rumours surrounding peregrine falcons around Newport docks, he expects little more than another local wildlife story. Instead, he finds himself drawn into a hidden world where rare birds are worth fortunes, old industrial sites conceal dangerous secrets, and powerful people are prepared to do almost anything to protect their interests.
Across the wetlands, abandoned warehouses and redevelopment zones of South Wales, Gareth uncovers signs that something far darker is happening beneath the surface. Peregrine falcons are disappearing. Nesting sites are being disturbed. Strange movements are taking place around derelict buildings and isolated marshland tracks. What begins as environmental reporting soon becomes a deadly investigation involving organised wildlife trafficking, private security firms, suspicious deaths and international connections reaching far beyond Wales.
As Gareth digs deeper, the lines between conservation, business and criminal enterprise begin to blur. Local developers speak passionately about environmental regeneration projects while, behind closed doors, rare birds of prey are quietly becoming luxury commodities for wealthy collectors and elite falconry circles overseas. With police officer Sara Llewellyn investigating a growing list of crimes, and Gareth’s wife Lowri trying to keep him alive long enough to finish the story, the danger steadily closes in.
Set against the atmospheric backdrop of Newport, Magor Marshes, the Gwent Levels and the industrial landscapes of South Wales, this Gareth Rhys Investigates novel combines investigative journalism, wildlife crime and modern conspiracy thriller elements with authentic Welsh settings and richly drawn local characters.
At its heart, the novel explores a world rarely seen in crime fiction: the lucrative international trade in birds of prey, where organised networks exploit protected wildlife for enormous profit while hiding behind wealth, influence and respectability. As Gareth follows the trail through wetlands, quarries, hidden surveillance routes and abandoned industrial sites, he discovers that exposing the truth can be just as dangerous as the crimes themselves.
Blending tense investigation, environmental themes and grounded realism, this is a gripping Welsh crime thriller filled with suspense, political pressure, hidden motives and the constant tension between journalism and justice.
Perfect for readers who enjoy atmospheric British crime fiction, investigative thrillers, rural noir and environmentally themed mysteries in the tradition of Ann Cleeves, Peter May and LJ Ross, but with a distinctly Welsh identity and a strong focus on wildlife crime and conservation.