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There are currently 29 member reviews
for The Botanist's Assistant
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Margaret S. (Lincoln, NE)
Great Characters
Lab assistant, Margaret; janitor/journalist, Joe; and grad student/lab assistant, Calvin; are terrific characters. Watching Margaret the loner develop close relationships while solving a murder makes this book interesting and entertaining. The book has many repetitive descriptions and phrases that bogged me down. Otherwise it is an entertaining read.
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Holly B. (Phoenix, AZ)
Murder By Plant
Margaret Finch, dubbed "Big Bird" by her fellow lab workers because of her large stature, is having a rough 54th birthday. Her schedule is off by 300 seconds, she oversees a lab with two messy colleagues, there is no cake, and her beloved leader, Dr. Deaver, is found dead in his office. Everyone else seems to think the cause of his death is a heart condition, but Margaret knows it was a poisoning. In fact, it was a poison from of a very specific plant that only a dedicated botanist would recognize. With the help of an unlikely partner, she is determined to find out who poisoned him.
This cozy who-done-it with a neurodivergent protagonist is an enjoyable read and includes some interesting facts from the plant world. Despite some abrupt transitions and unanswered questions about the deceased professor (did he really steal his research ideas?) I found this book to be well-written and paced. For fans of Lessons in Chemistry and the Findlay Donovan series
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Jill L. (Mendon, IL)
The Botanist's Assistant
The fact that this murder mystery centers around a larger-bodied women who is painfully independent and is set in an all-too realistic academic background had me interested from the beginning. As the book unfolds, the reader is introduced to the murder victim (and his many sides) and the supporting cast of characters as Margaret Finch tries to figure out whodunit. There are satisfying twist and turns along the way, specifically for the grieving widow of the murder victim, and I did not feel I had the murderer figured out until the very end. Each of the supporting characters is well developed and have real-life faults that make them quite relatable.
This is a fun and easy read, a great palate cleanser between heavy reads or long series. I loved how easy it was to drop into the world of Margaret Finch, stay a while and then leave without being left hanging on edge or wondering what comes next. It was interesting enough, though, that if readers were given the opportunity to revisit Margaret in the future, one could easily drop back by.
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Wendy A. (Naperville, IL)
Plucky Heroine
Thank you to BookBrowse/NetGalley for this book! Margaret is a large boned, late middle-age woman who sticks to the rules and routine. Her boss is murdered but the university where she works believes that he died of natural causes. Margaret cannot led this be so she investigates the circumstances and picks up interesting characters along the way.
The book started out a little slow for me but picked up pace where I didn't want to put it down!
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Dianne Y. (Stuart, FL)
A page turner
The Botanist's Assistant by Peggy Townsend is a page turning mystery with lots of twists and turns. The author gives a very descriptive portrayal of the characters and captures how they think, especially the main character. The author also provides strong imagery describing observations made by various characters.
Townsend uses short chapters that keep the plot moving, and each chapter has a very clever title that draws in the reader. The story also has many subplots that help flesh out the main characters. The book does have a few weaknesses: some of the scenes seem a bit contrived; the plot tends to meander a bit; and parts of the story seem to be more of a distraction than carrying the plot forward.
However, I do think the book would appeal to mystery buffs, as it keeps you guessing until the end. Also, those interested in Botany may find it very enjoyable, as there are many references and details related to plants interwoven throughout the story. I belong to two book clubs. I don't think I would recommend it to my book clubs, as we don't normally select mystery books. However, I think it could be a good choice for a mystery book club.
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Gina D. (Chicago, IL)
For Fans of Eleanor Oliphant
The Botanist's Assistant is a satisfying cozy mystery that checks all the boxes -- it has a distinctive voice, a unique amateur sleuth, and quirky characters that all seem to have a motive for committing murder. The protagonist, Margaret Finch, works at Roosevelt University as the manager of a lab under the supervision of the esteemed Dr. Deavers. Margaret, known to her coworkers as "Big Bird," is very particular about following rules and remaining faithful to her daily schedule, planning her day down to the minute. When Dr. Deavers is found dead in his office, no one but Margaret seems to believe that the professor's demise is the result of foul play and she begins sleuthing, using her deep knowledge of biological science to guide her detective work. A fun read.
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Susan L. (Alexandria, VA)
Botanist's Quest
The Botanist's Assistant takes you on a fact-based exploration of a death most dismiss as accidental or suicide. But Margaret Finch disagrees. She's quirky, intelligent, and ordered. She approaches the event as a scientific exploration, using the scientific method to guide her investigation aided by a former journalist. This was a fun procedural-style mystery set in a university. The plot unfolds like one of the flowers Margaret grows in her massive garden and studies in her lab. Each petal taking us closer to the resolution. It was a satisfying mystery that gives as many facts about botany as it does about the murder. I recommend for those who like their mysteries to follow logic and a methodical approach aided by distinct characters who make the journey enjoyable.
