The Botanist

Washington Poe, Book 5

By: M. W. Craven

Narrated by: John Banks

WINNER OF THE THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2023

'The most joyously exciting novel I've read in years . . . [The] sense of fun and adventure . . . allied to a remarkable lightness of touch over nightmarish subject matter, makes for the kind of novel that inspired me to write fiction in the first place.' Chris Brookmyre

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'I swear I'm one bad mood away from calling it black magic and going home . . .'

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he'd still have his thumb left. There's the insanely brilliant, guilelessly innocent civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw of course. He's known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for years as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog sitter, Victoria.

And then there's Estelle Doyle. It's true the caustic pathologist has never walked down the sunny side of the street but this time has she gone too far? Shot twice in the head, her father's murder appears to be an open and shut case. Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints going in. Since her arrest she's only said three words: 'Tell Washington Poe.'

Meanwhile, a poisoner the press have dubbed the Botanist is sending high profile celebrities poems and pressed flowers. The killer seems to be able to walk through walls and, despite the advance notice he gives his victims, and regardless of the security measures the police take, he seems to be able to kill with impunity.

For a man who hates locked room mysteries, this is going to be the longest week of Washington Poe's life . . .

'A sinful treat' Vaseem Khan

'Fast, furious, and utterly enjoyable.' Keith Nixon

Praise for M W Craven:

'Heart-pounding, hilarious, sharp and shocking, Dead Ground is further proof that M.W. Craven never disappoints. Miss this series at your peril.' Chris Whitaker

'Dark and entertaining, this is top rank crime fiction.' Vaseem Khan

'M. W. Craven is one of the best crime writers working today. Dead Ground is a cracking puzzle, beautifully written, with characters you'll be behind every step of the way. It's his best yet.' Stuart Turton

'Fantastic' Martina Cole

'Dark, sharp and compelling' Peter James

'I've been following M.W. Craven's Poe/Tilly series from the very beginning, and it just gets better and better. Dead Ground is a fast-paced crime novel with as many twists and turns as a country lane. I can't wait for the next one.' Peter Robinson

'Dead Ground is both entertaining and engaging with great characters and storyline. I loved this first dip into the world of Tilly and Poe!' BA Paris

'A brutal and thrilling page turner' Natasha Harding, The Sun

'A thrilling curtain raiser for what looks set to be a great new series' Mick Herron

'A powerful thriller from an explosive new talent. Tightly plotted, and not for the faint hearted!'
David Mark

'A gripping start to a much anticipated new series' Vaseem Khan

'Satisfyingly twisty and clever and the flashes of humour work well to offer the reader respite from the thrill of the read.' Michael J. Malone

'Nothing you've ever read will prepare you for the utterly unique Washington Poe' Keith Nixon

©2022 M. W. Craven (P)2022 Hachette Audio UK

Critic reviews

"Mesmerising, macabre and murderously funny. The Botanist is M.W. Craven at his sinister best. I couldn't love this series more." (Chris Whitaker)

"Another classy thriller from the king of Cumbrian crime." (Paul Finch)

"Unputdownable, gripping, clever and with a rich seam of trademark Craven humour running through it." (Imran Mahmood)

Smart and Twisty!

Another great Poe and Bradshaw mystery! It was very suspenseful and interesting with a satisfying ending! There is a lot of character growth for Poe in this one as well.

Amazing Twisted Storylines

I stumbled across these books for the Author with the same initials as you prompt in the 2023 Popsugar challenge and so glad I did! Great characters that keep you entertained and involved. The storylines always keep you guessing. As a High School forensics teacher I find myself talking about these books in class. Real true crime with proper science. I just love them. Even got my husband hooked on them. Can’t wait for the new Washington Poe book in June!

Another winner!

I have decided that I seriously like this author.

Seriously.

The combination of the two main characters - Tilly and Poe - are one of the best working partner combinations around anywhere. They feed off of each other so well and they have such diametrically polar opposite personalities that it just.....works.

This is the latest book in the series. I think if I remember correctly, I flew through the first three books in this series, then I couldn't find the next ones on Audible and for whatever reason, I forgot about it. Then, the other day, I was awarded an ARC for his latest new series (which is FANTASTIC BTW) and it reminded me that I still had books to find. Luckily, all of the rest of the series is out on audio ...so here we are.

This book has Poe and Tilly working to find a serial killer who is not only extremely intelligent, but one who is warning both the victim and the public BEFORE they are killed. He is picking people who are truly the dregs of society - well, narcissistic and awful - so he is actually coming out okay with the public. Somehow, even with the advanced notice and police protection, he is still somehow getting the job done.

We also get a little bit more of Poe's private life with a certain doctor colleague who is also in a bit of trouble herself. These two have kind of danced around each other in the past and it is honestly cute how awkward Poe is when it comes to knowing what to do.

The narration of John Banks was good. I did enjoy it but I felt like he sometimes hit a couple of the older character inflections a little hard - almost to the point of caricature. But for the most part - he did a great job.

As usual, this was a very fast paced book that had a couple of twists and turns - and one that came out of left field for me - which is always a great thing in my book. I enjoyed it immensely and absolutely LOVED Tilly's character development. She is a complete delight with her innocent brilliance. The case was interesting and I'm glad we got a little bit of Flynn back.

So, now I'm going to be excitedly waiting for either the next book in this series, or book 2 in his newer Ben Koenig series.

Craven is an amazing story teller

This reminded me of pulp fiction and black mirror. Another banger by Craven. Can’t wait for the next one.

Absolutely exceptional

These Tilly and Poe books with their engaging characters and intricate plot lines have made me less interested in simpler mysteries. The narrator is excellent. He can distinguish between make and female voices without using stereotypical overdramatizations. New favourite series. Used up four credits because I wanted to continue with the characters.

Deceptively Deadly

A brilliant story. Clever, devious & extremely deadly. It twists & turns & makes you laugh. Well written & superbly told.