The true story of the world's first forensic ornithologist, Roxie Laybourne, who solved murders and investigated deadly airplane crashes with nothing more than a microscope and a few fragments of feathers.
Sweeney’s simple, elegant writing makes the technicalities of Laybourne’s work easy to understand and the sexism she dealt with infuriating ... It also captures what a vivid, contradictory character she was ... Sweeney gives us just enough information about the Smithsonian and the long, troubled history of the study of birds...to put Laybourne in context, but he never overwhelms her compelling story.
Mr. Sweeney expertly weaves in the stories of Laybourne’s mentees...to create a biography that reads like a novel ... The book moves at a brisk and enjoyable clip, with smart writing and an affectionate, warts-and-all view of a gifted scientist and sometimes struggling human being ... Lively.
Relying on court documents and many archival interviews with Laybourne, Sweeney brings this feisty pioneer to life, steering through her lively career with gusto to deliver an unforgettable portrait of a true game changer. After reading The Feather Detective, readers will feel privileged to know Roxie Laybourne through this vividly told biography.
