Reluctantly partnered with the brilliant, but socially awkward, civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw, the mismatched pair uncover a trail that only he is meant to see. The elusive killer has a plan and for some reason Poe is part of it. If you like this series, you'll be pleased to know there are 18 books in the series as of June 2022.

M.W. Craven is an accomplished author of fiction. He is an English writer known for his crime fiction novels.How could Poe have gotten it so wrong? Did he put away an innocent man – and worse yet, did his actions lead to years of misery for the young woman? Before he can get to the bottom of it, she goes missing again. The Botanist (2022) – Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. One of them is 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. You get a serial killer of course and mystery - all the bells and whistles of a real mind bender. As I said you really don���t know how this is going to tie together… but it does beautifully. It is not handed to you on a silver platter either you are taken there on a journey. ☠️ Once again, the team's investigative abilities are tested, this time by a crazed killer who seems to be able to poison his victims, even though they are under protection. The killer, named 'The Botanist' by the media, gains somewhat of a public following as the victims he is targeting initially are people with extreme views or who have taken morally-reprehensible actions.

While he works very hard, Detective Sergeant Washington Poe has few friends on which he can rely. His civilian analyst at work, Tilly Bradshaw, would surely be on top of his friends list. This is why it seems so odd when he receives a call from Estelle Doyle, the long-time pathologist. Estelle’s father has been shot twice in the head and she has gunshot residue on her hands. The authorities see this as an open and shut case, though Estelle espouses her innocence and hopes Poe can prove it. The Botanist is a fun book that I very much enjoyed reading. I'm not certain whether four or five stars are appropriate so I'll base my rating on the degree to which I enjoyed it. If you like cop investigations with a bit of mirth, I would strongly recommend this book BUT, as always, I suggest that you start with the first book in the series. Another disgusting person, a racist podcaster, receives the next envelope. Because all of the Botanist's victims are nauseating people, the public loves him/her. T-shirts are sold, clubs are formed, speculation is rampant.Every time I see a new M.W Craven - Washington Poe novel is released I start to wonder is this the one that isn’t so good… Well rest assured this isn’t that novel and I am starting to think I could read about Poe and Tilly forever and just live happily until the end of time. 🤗 At the same time, Washington Poe is trying to help his friend and colleague, pathologist Estelle Doyle, who has been charged with the murder of her father at his family home. Whilst totally believing in her innocence, all the evidence points only to her as the perpetrator - gunshot residue on her hands and a house surrounded by snow where the only footprints leading to or from the house are hers. The writer was born in 1968 in Carlisle. He grew up in Newcastle but decided to run away at the age of sixteen so that he could join the army. He spent a decade serving and travelling all around the world enjoying himself. He would leave ten years after joining up to pursue a social work degree specializing in criminology and substance misuse in 1995. A notorious misogynist, Kane Hunt, reveals a death threat, a pressed dried flower and appalling poetry, prior to dying on a live TV talk show, he is found to have been poisoned. This is followed by the shamelessly corrupt and disgraced Tory MP for Sheffield East receiving the same type of threat, and despite being closely guarded, found dead in his bath. A far right social media commentator, monetising racism, claiming truth and facts are 'fake news', is isolated and closely monitored in hospital by both medical staff and the police, yet once again The Botanist manages to slip through the net. DI Stephanie Flynn, Poe and even Tilly struggle to find any leads, how is the botanist getting away with his crimes, he has surfaced out of the blue, how did he get to be so good? Surely he must have committed similar crimes before? In a twisted narrative a popular killer develops a cult following and Doyle is charged with murder, the pressure is on to solve 2 impossible time sensitive cases. And finally there’s Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn. Poe used to be her boss, she’s now his. She heads up the National Crime Agency’s Serious Crime Analysis Section – the unit charged with apprehending serial killers and solving apparently motiveless murders. It’s the country’s last line of defence and although Flynn knows managing Poe and Tilly will be like herding cats, she also knows she’s the only one who can do it . . .

A serial killer is burning people alive in the Lake District’s prehistoric stone circles. He leaves no clues and the police are helpless. At the same time, a poisoner known only as The Botanist is sending poems and pressed flowers to celebrities. Even though his targets get advance warning of his attentions, he or she seems to be able to kill with impunity. In terms of “heat” level, these books are definitely NOT cozies. Some murders are described in-depth, and there are cases that involve things like rape and child molestation (in a historic sense, not a play-by-play). These parts are mostly pretty contained and easy to skip/skim if you're inclined to do so. After The Curator, we have three short stories out in September, where Poe and Tilly are dealing with social distancing and self-isolation because of the coronavirus, and a new novel next year, when they go up against a man called the Botanist. He’s a sneaky so-and-so . . . After two minutes Bradshaw stood up and said, ‘I have two favourite dogs now, Poe. Do you think we could train Edgar to sniff out guns?’And now meet civilian analyst Tilly Bradshaw. Brilliant, adorably awkward, a social hand grenade; she lives at home with her parents and isn’t allowed out on her own. She has three PhDs but doesn’t know how to boil an egg. Meeting Poe will be her first step into the non-academic world. The world might not yet be ready for her . . .

Dead Man's Fingers– During a picnic at a nature reserve, Poe's dog Edgar chases a rabbit. Chasing after him, they stumble on a decades-old unsolved mystery.

As for how far the characters can go? That’s a good question. Poe has a personal arc he will have to solve at some point and Tilly will continue to grow, but not too much. In The Botanist, Poe might actually get to have a semblance of a love life, although as you might expect, it won’t be straightforward . . . And don’t worry, it will not, and never will, be with Tilly. They are extremely close but neither thinks of the other that way. What makes this series worth of your attention is the group of people who surround Logan. He has a dedicated team full of interesting characters who all have their own challenges and issues – including his hilarious, incredibly foul-mouthed colleague Bob Hoon (who proves so fascinating that he gets his own spin-off series).