The Poison Grove

By Jill Johnson and Jill Johnson

Book Overview

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.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1464244243
• ISBN13: 9781464244247
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.3" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Unusual

Professor Eustacia Rose is brilliant in her field but is less than uninterested in relating to others. OK, fine. But do so many of the other relevant characters also have to be nearly antisocial? Not simply in their reactions to her, but to each other as well. The plot is sound and well-crafted with all the surprises and twists I hoped for. There is even a plant glossary at the end. I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital eGalley from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Pub Date Aug 26, 2025 **** #review #ThePoisonGrove by @jilljohnsonwrites #ProfessorEustaciaRoseBk2 @poisonedpenpress #plantglossary #botanicals #poisons #flintycharacters #England #localDCI #crimethriller #LGBT #Academia #autismspectrum #Toxicology #neurodiversity #bookbub #goodreads #librarything #storygraph #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk @indiebookstoresca