When a kestrel scours the ground, it flaps its wings so vigorously its tail remains still in one spot, hovering mid-air above prey, waiting for the right moment to attack. Matthew Brown, AKA Augustus De Marco Cervantes, the protagonist of A Kestrel Circles, just like the most ruthless kestrel, intently searching his mind until he sees it… But his prey is information—seemingly trivial hints lost under the rubble of everyday chores; innuendos hidden in plain sight; and essential memories that long to be re-discovered.
In the thrilling mystery released in December 2023, G. Michael Smith takes the reader on a thrilling journey starting inside Cervantes’ brain, tracing his thoughts as he solves one mystery after another. This unique detective turned his oddness into power, choosing a career that allowed him to embrace his quirks and amaze the whole world with his skill—as he claims, he can find anything in the world or identify the item’s previous location if it no longer exists.
His canvas, at first explored only for entertainment, is filled with sensory delights and secrets that help Cervantes excel as a detective, allowing him to peek underneath the surface and discover the unseen truth. This distinctive ability transformed Cervantes from a confused adult dealing with the complexities of being on the autistic spectrum into the world’s most wanted investigator.
When a mysterious woman asks the protagonist to help her find a pocket watch that belonged to her grandfather – who was a spy in the II World War – he gets himself tangled in “The Mystery of the Lost Pocket Watch,” a case that doesn’t end when the lost heirloom is found. With the watch being a clue to a much bigger secret, Cervantes finds himself in a murder- and mayhem-filled enigmatic race, where the final prize is a life-changing cache of diamonds.
As readers get immersed deeper into the story, they unravel new layers of cryptic information that spark as many questions as they do answers, experiencing the thrilling adventure where the outcome, for the first time, is unknown even to the great detective himself.
What inspired Smith to create this flamboyant, relatable character was a holiday some years ago, when he and his wife were indulging in the spicy cuisine and zesty cocktails signature of the Mexican Gulf. Despite his wife’s wishes, Smith would always allocate his mornings to writing, letting creativity fill the pages as he relaxed. That summer, their middle daughter had just had a daughter who, soon after birth, was diagnosed as someone on the autism spectrum.
Through watching his grandchild grow, Smith witnessed a powerful blossoming from a small girl who struggled to fit in into a talented 7-year-old who discovered her superpower. “At first, she would cry hysterically whenever anyone was singing Happy Birthday, other songs, or made seemingly normal sounds,” he adds. “Then, we found out that what she had was a perfect pitch, and our melodic skills simply weren’t enough! Now, she can play Beethoven on the piano, create harmonic tunes on the guitar, and dance ballet. It is quite astonishing how much someone can flourish if they embrace their oddness.”
Drawing inspiration from his granddaughter, he created Cervantes. Both as an homage to the girl and an encouraging gesture to all readers grappling with the feeling of being the odd one out, Smith wrote a gripping story that touches with its narrative and hidden meaning. “When you get a character that’s a bit odd, it depends on you to carry that oddness forward,” Smith shares. “I took some liberties and created a universe where music, numbers, colors, and sounds all intertwine, soothing his mind when the real world makes it spin. I hope we can all find the kestrel within, learning how to float amidst the storm.”
Published by: Nelly Chavez
