The Poison Grove - by Jill Johnson (Paperback)

About the Book

"Betrayal is a bitter poison . . . After a nerve-racking investigation, Professor Eustacia Rose's life is returning to normal. She is finally back teaching at UCL and her relationship with Matilde is blossoming. But when a man is found dead with a needle in his neck, and a disturbing painting of Eustacia links her and the body, her fragile peace suddenly begins to crumble. At work, there's another threat for Eustacia to deal with. A PhD student is desperate to get access to her poisonous plant collection and begins to stalk her. When she refuses to help him, he starts buying illegal synthetic plant toxins from an unknown source then turns up dead. Once again, Eustacia is the link. With no leads and the body count rising, Eustacia, now firmly in the frame, is left with no choice but to investigate the deaths in earnest herself, however dangerous it may become"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

From the author of The Woman in the Garden, Jill Johnson is back with another gripping Professor Eustacia Rose Mystery...

Betrayal is a bitter poison . . .

After getting caught in the middle of a murder investigation involving her very own poisonous plants, Professor Eustacia Rose was sure she'd never see the inside of a classroom again. With the case now closed, she finds herself back teaching toxicology to a group of grad students, spending time with her plant collection, and even forming a blossoming relationship.

But when your work is with poisons, peace is sometimes hard to find. When a man is found dead with a needle in his neck, and a disturbing painting of Eustacia links her and the body, she suddenly finds herself thrust back into a world of crime.

And at work, there's yet another threat for Eustacia to deal with. A PhD student is desperate to get access to her poisonous plant collection, and when she refuses to help him, he starts buying illegal plant toxins from an unknown source - and soon turns up dead as well. Are the two deaths connected? And could she be the link? With no leads and the body count rising, Eustacia is left with no choice but to investigate herself, however dangerous it may become.

With a quirky protagonist, dark academia aesthetic and an array of exotic poisonous plants, this unique spin on the classic murder mystery novel will hook fans Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club.