Falconer's Lure features the Marlow family during the summer holidays at their cousin's farm, Trennels, and was published in 1957 (although set in 1948).

Falconer's Lure introduces Patrick Merrick, a key character in most of the ensuing Marlow books.

He has spent the last two years at home, recovering from serious injuries sustained by falling off a cliff in search of baby falcons.

Out collecting eggs early one morning, Nicola Marlow hears what she thinks is a cat caught in the top of a tree.

He tells her that the bird is a falcon called Jael and its thongs, or jesses, have broken loose.

Neither Captain Marlow, nor his eldest son Giles, want to leave the Navy to run the farm.

When Nicola arrives home with Patrick she is greeted by his father who has a large cheque for her from the sale of a battered sixteenth century book on hawking she bought earlier that summer at Colebridge market.

Forest never shies away from difficult themes in her books and Falconer's Lure deals sensitively and honestly with the issue of bereavement.