Written in such intricate and well-researched plot, The Botanist combining medical related theme with murder mysteries of two locked-room cases involving Poe’s fav pathologist, Estelle Doyle and a serial crime with sardonic killer who sends out pressed flowers and poems to his targeted victims. Quite nerve-racking and intense yet exhilarated much for me as I think the idea was ingenious to entwine a wicked-psycho killer with poison as his murder tool in a mysterious howdunnit backdrop that even Poe gets perplexed on how the killer could plotted those murders through sealed walls and tight security.

Fast-paced and quite tautly plotted, the execution was compelling with tension and suspense especially when Doyle’s case gets tangled within the serial crime plot. Fancy the teamwork and how Doyle became a part of the investigation team later on; dealing and planning together through her medical and anatomy knowledge— love that scene of how she explained about the poison pills. The friendship part was still admirable; Poe’s witty remarks and his bickerings with Tilly always amused me, and good to see you again DI Flynn!

Think the characterization was the major element in making the plot more engrossing to me— apart of both Poe and Doyle’s chemistry and their great dynamics, the killer’s backstory and exposition were engagingly structured and the motive too was thrilling much. So cunning to only targeting unlikable and unsympathetic victims that the evil me somehow rooting for his action. His character did not disappoint me even until the end; the unforeseen last chapter quite mischievous I was baffled.

Enthralling and twisty, might be my best read for the series I think— from the setting to the characters, the way Poe and the team plotted a scheme to end the chase, those bits of social commentary that quite thought-provoking, the unexpected truth and how far a person would go just to maintain their image and status. An absolute 5 excellent stars to this!

Thank you Pansing Distribution for sending me a copy to review!