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Author: Johnson, Jill

Crime & mystery

Published on 11 July 2024 by Bonnier Books Ltd (Black and White Publishing) in the United Kingdom as part of ‘the A Professor Eustacia Rose Mystery’ series.

Hardback | 288 pages
163 x 244 x 34 | 564g

From the bestselling author of Devil’s Breath, Jill Johnson is back with another gripping Professor Eustacia Rose Mystery…

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.

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, Graeme Simsion’s The Rosie Project and Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club.

Praise for DEVIL’S BREATH (A BBC Between the Covers Book Club Pick) and Jill Johnson’s PROFESSOR EUSTACIA ROSE ‘A blooming good read’ – THE TIMES ‘A must for lovers of crime fiction that’s just a bit different from the norm’ – HEAT magazine ‘[This is like] Sherlock Holmes meets Gardner’s Question Time’ – NISH KUMAR on BBC2’s Between the Covers ‘I loved the toxicology and was fascinated! I started to become very plant aware, even to the extent that I started watering plants at home!’ – BEN MILLER on BBC2’s Between the Covers ‘With Eustacia Rose, Jill has created an utterly unique character and has ensured that the detective genre turns a new leaf. Mystery, murder, and mulch. What’s not to love.’ – ADIL RAY OBE ‘Professor Eustacia is a brilliant and original new heroine’ – JULIA FELLOWES, bestselling author of the Mitford Murders series ‘Professor Eustacia Rose, genius botanical toxicologist, eccentric loner, instinctive detective and all-round mystery – a splendid creation’ – ESTHER FREUD, author of I Couldn’t Love You More ‘One of the most unique characters you’ll ever meet. Jill Johnson writes masterfully, hooking you in from the beginning and taking you on a journey that feels like it’s happening next door.’ – JJ BOLA, author of The Selfless Act of Breathing

‘Jill Johnson blows literary Devil’s Breath straight into the reader’s bloodstream via the gloriously authentic and eccentric Professor Rose. I fell in love with this.’ – NIKKI BEDI, Presenter of Saturday Live, BBC Radio 4