WINNER OF THE THEAKSTON OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2023’Mesmerising, macabre and murderously funny. The Botanist is M.W. Craven at his sinister best. I couldn’t love this series more’ Chris Whitaker’Another classy thriller from the king of Cumbrian crime’ Paul Finch’I swear I’m one bad mood away from calling it black magic and going home . . .’Detective Sergeant Washington Poe can count on one hand the number of friends he has. And he’d still have his thumb left. There’s the insanely brilliant, guilelessly innocent civilian analyst, Tilly Bradshaw of course. He’s known his beleaguered boss, Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn for years as he has his nearest neighbour, full-time shepherd/part-time dog sitter, Victoria. And then there’s 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 shu