A who-done-it that successfully surprises readers, and encyclopedic knowledge of poisonous plants, I was enthralled!

The 👍:

-doesn’t harp on the details you may (but let’s be real probably didn’t) forget from book 1
-beautiful representation of Autism
-sapphic
-fast paced
-I care about the characters
-cozy

The 👎(not for me):

-some may find the excessive plant information taxing, but they probably wouldn’t have picked up this sequel if so. I, personally, loved it! We need more poisonous plant books.

TW: violence, murder, some plants are injured, childhood abandonment

You know you’re in for a good time when your main character is a middle-aged toxicology professor who names people after poisonous plants and would rather talk about lethal alkaloids than make eye contact. Welcome to “The Poison Grove,” where murder is messy, academia is petty, and nobody is safe from Eustacia Rose’s withering glare or her encyclopedic knowledge of plant-based murder.

Eustacia, bless her very literal heart, is back teaching after a murder-adjacent sabbatical (you know, normal academic burnout things), just trying to live her best hermit life with her poison garden and reluctant girlfriend, Mathilde. But peace? Ha. Peace left the building when a man shows up dead with a needle in his neck and a painting of Eustacia nearby like some sort of "CSI: Goth Botanist" edition. Oh, and there’s a PhD student, dubbed Giant Hogweed, obviously, who’s harassing her for access to banned toxins like it’s a Black Friday sale at the Poison Depot. Naturally, he ends up dead too, because of course he does. These plants have range.

This is the second book in the "Professor Eustacia Rose Mystery" series, and look, I absolutely should’ve read “The Woman in the Garden” first, but did I? No. Did that stop me from following the murdery breadcrumbs while cackling like a gremlin in a greenhouse? Also no. Jill Johnson does an impressive job making this story stand on its own, even if I could feel there were inside jokes I wasn’t cool enough to fully appreciate yet. Guess who’s grabbing book one now like an obsessed grad student on the edge? Hi, it’s me.

Let’s talk about Eustacia. She’s autistic-coded, emotionally blunt, allergic to small talk, and so laser-focused that I felt personally called out. She’s also hilarious, not in a stand-up way, but in that hyper-literal, painfully specific, “you cannot possibly be serious right now but you are” kind of way. Her narration is both wildly endearing and frustrating as hell, like watching someone try to solve a jigsaw puzzle without realizing the box lid has a picture. I adored her. I also wanted to shake her like a snow globe.

The murder mystery itself? Juicy. Not twisty in the “whiplash every five pages” way, but more like a slow, creeping vine of dread. It’s got that cozy-yet-unnerving thing down to a science. Every character feels like a suspect, every interaction is tinged with tension, and even the red herrings feel suspiciously well-watered. It’s a little "Clue," a little “Miss Marple with a PhD and zero chill,” and a lot of neurodivergent excellence.

Now, I’ll be real, the romance is very much in the “please do not disturb the plants” zone. Mathilde exists mostly to remind us Eustacia is technically in a relationship, but if you came here looking for pining and passion, you’re gonna be thirstier than a withered fern in summer. Still, there’s something weirdly sweet about the way Eustacia tries (and mostly fails) to prioritize emotional connection. She’s learning, slowly, and I love a non-linear arc where growth looks like “didn’t yell at someone this time.”

Also? The nicknaming system deserves its own award. “Giant Hogweed” for the obnoxious PhD student is iconic, and I now live in fear that Eustacia would take one look at me and label me something like “Floppy-Eared Fungi” or “Overeager Foxglove.”

It’s not a perfect book, the pacing drags in spots and some twists feel like they wandered in from another story, but it’s such a vibe. Think dark academia meets cozy whodunit with just enough weird to make it unforgettable. If you want a murder mystery that’s equal parts deadly and delightfully awkward, this one’s worth digging into. Giving this a strong 4 stars and awarding it the....

Whodunity Award: For Turning Plant-Based Into a Threat, Not a Diet

Huge thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC. I was absolutely not prepared to develop this many opinions about plant-based murder, but here we are. You fed my dark academia obsession and now I need to lie down in a Victorian greenhouse and overthink everything.

A toxicology professor has returned to the classroom after the previous year of investigations surrounding her toxic plant collection has ended. A man is found dead with a needle in his neck, and a painting of Eustacia connects her to the incident. Not only is she gathering information about the murder, a PhD student is very insistent on being granted access to the professor’s toxic plant collection. A botanical murder mystery!

The main character, Eustacia, is very autistic coded. I’m autistic myself and this was refreshing, but also frustrating, to read. Some autistic traits were spot on and others I felt were slightly exaggerated. Eustacia being a toxicologist was really interesting to me as someone who loves botany and forensic science. I understand that the audience for this book isn’t plant obsessed botanists, but I would have loved it if the plants and science were talked about more. Nearly all of the plants mentioned in the book are plants that a beginning gardener/botanist would know. That’s not a bad thing, however it makes it hard to sell to me that the professor is a middle aged toxicologist that maintains a rare plant collection.

I was expecting a little bit more romance between the professor and her partner. The relationship with Chambers would have been nice to see develop into a friendship or something similar. It felt out of character for Chambers to just dip after Eustacia rejected her since she seemed invested in overhauling her section of the police department.

The murder mystery kept me wondering and engaged in the story. JIll Johnson did a great job of making all characters seem like they could have been the murderer. Overall, I had a great reading experience and would recommend this to someone that likes murder mysteries and botany.

Thank you to Jill Johnson and Poisoned Pen Press for providing the ARC ebook copy through NetGalley for this review.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this eARC!

The vibes and concept of this book are immaculate, a botany professor expert in poisonous plants aiding detectives to solve a murder surrounding a poisoning. Cozy, slow, mysterious, with an entire cast of characters. However, the execution and character development fell flat for me. I prefer a show me don’t tell me narrative and this book was all telling. About 30% of fluff narration and dialogue could have been cut without any of the story being lost. The main character is a 45 year old professor at an elite academic institution but doesn’t know how to turn on a computer? I understand she is neurospicy but we aren’t computer illiterate. The romance did not hit either, because there wasn’t any. Matilde was a hopelessly neglected barely mentioned character and somehow they’re in an active relationship? No.

Susan’s character was randomly plopped in and I didn’t really need the interactions.

I loved learning about poisonous plants but sometimes felt like overkill, however I did appreciate the reality of neurospicy hyperfixation and wanting to share everything you know about your topic with someone but as a reader it wasn’t endearing me to the character but creating distance. I also want to say that I did not read the first installment but I feel like (maybe except some context regarding her strange relationship with her father and wearing his suit everyday) I didn’t miss anything and everything that was important to know was explained in the first couple chapters.

If you love a cozy, low stakes mystery, quirky protagonist, with minimal romance themes, want to learn about poisonous plants I think you’ll enjoy this!

The Poisoned Grove follows the botanical adventures of Professor Eustacia Rose. It’s a cozy mystery that is a fun and easy read. Botanical super facts are sprinkled through out with my favourite being the botanical nick names Prof. Rose gives everyone. Matching personality to plant as a way to remember who’s who. It’s also a creative way to allow the reader to have greater insight into the characters. Eustacia as the FMC is quirky and you can’t help but want to cheer her on as she navigates academia, societal expectations and personal relationships. One of my favourite dynamics was Eustacia’s ongoing friendship with DCI Roberts. The juxtaposition of their personalities and the resulting impact they have on one another is heart warming to read. The other books in this series are definetly on my TBR list for when I’m in the mood for a cozy mystery. Thank you Poison Pen Press for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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

I genuinely adore this book. I couldn’t stop reading, so I didn’t, and finished it in less than a day (and I’m a very slow reader).

First off, I love the autism representation. Our main character is autistic, and it truly adds so much to the story. This book would’ve felt completely different with a different protagonist. Honestly, one of the things that makes it so incredible is her inner monologues and the way she interacts with the world around her.

I was also impressed with the side characters and how three-dimensional they feel. That said, they’re not the main focus, and you can definitely sense that throughout. The spotlight stays on our main character, and for this story, that really works.

The mystery was suspenseful without being over-the-top. I really wanted to know what was going on, but I was also so into the journey that I never felt tempted to skip ahead (which, I’ll admit, I sometimes do with mysteries). I loved the plot twists and trying to piece everything together.

Thank you so much to Jill Johnson, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Now this is my type of quirky humorous thriller. Eustacia had me cracking up the ENTIRE time. Her inner monologues and just her thinking was super fresh and funny. Like she was just cut and dry to the point with everyone. I still crack up thinking about how she flipped Chambers ass in that gym 😂 And I must say I actually enjoyed the academic botany aspect of this ARC and found it very interesting. 🌿 I even enjoyed all of the side characters! They fit into the story perfectly! I loved how Eustacia was just true to herself and in the end she actually cracked the code and solved the mystery. I peeped how perfectly convenient it was for Carla to be ALWAYS in the lab from the jump so I wasn’t surprised by her twist which is the only reason this didn’t get a five star rating. Other than that it was a funny quirky unique mystery thriller that I will definitely be adding to my library!!! And let’s not forget that gorgeous cover!

I will start this review with the condition that I have not yet read the first book (and I'm not sure I will now). I was a little worried about understanding by what was happening, but I was able to understand it pretty well.

Toxicology is such an interesting subject, and I really enjoyed hearing more about that. I wanted to love this book so much more than I did, but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it. The MC really annoyed me, and while I assume it's because the author was trying (a little too hard) to make her quirky and "different", it just didn't land with me.
Characters are very important in a book, and when I can't even connect with the character at the forefront of a book, that's an issue for me.

The plot was actually quite interesting though, and the writing was pretty good, so I was able to finish the book without too much difficulty.

Seven days. That's the time it took me to get through this book. It was on my mind everyday. The writing, the characters, the story. I think the connection was there because of Professor Rose's quiet and adventurous self. She reminded me a bit of myself with how passionate she can be about a specific matter. The sublteness of her character was refreshing to say the least. And that is apart from the rest of the characters.
Not only did I feel an inclination towards the prose but also the fact that it was told from Professor Rose's perspective added a distinct layer to the understanding of what was happening during the whole story. If I'm being honest I was a bit more intrigued about how she navigated her personal life and the investigation –her methods– than the reasons behind the crime itself. But i must admit that once the dots were connected it felt rewarding. As if i was there and had had an important role in it. Overall I enjoyed the characters and the way there was a code to understanding how the protagonist felt about them.
This is an enjoyable book that I totally recommend reading. In fact I'm looking forward to reading the previous two books of this series.
Last but not least thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I had won this Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) in a contest, especially since I had no idea it was a sequel. Despite my initial hesitation, I decided to dive in, and I’m so glad I did.

The story unfolded as a compelling murder mystery, skillfully weaving suspense and intrigue, with an incredibly well-developed main character who drew me in from the start. The depth of her personality and her motivations kept me engaged, and I found myself rooting for her throughout the twisting plot.

What truly fascinated me, however, was how the book sparked my curiosity about plants. The author's vivid descriptions and integration of botanical knowledge added an unexpected layer to the narrative, making me eager to learn more about the intricacies of the natural world. Overall, this book was a delightful and enriching experience that I would highly recommend!

Eustacia is a toxicologist working with the police to help solve murder by poison cases.

The description of quirky character is very accurate for this book. Eustacia borders on being a very unlikeable character but somehow this works for the story. This was interesting to follow the toxicology portion of this and it kept me interested enough to find out what was going to happen. This is book 2 in a series with this character, but you do not need to read the first book in order to follow the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC for this book.

"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."

If someone wants to buy illegal plant toxins, it's on them when they turn up dead.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC*

When I realized this was the second book in a series, I put it down for a bit to read the first book and loved it! I was a bit worried that I might not enjoy this installment as much as the first, but I liked The Poison Grove even more than the first book.

Eustacia is a complexly written character that you have to accept for who she is. She is very heavily autism coded and some behaviors she exhibits are more accurate than others. She is sometimes frustrating to read but that gives her a human quality that lacks in a cookie cutter perfect detective. There were multiple moments where I wanted to shake the professor because something was right in front of her eyes and she just was not seeing it. Her growth as a character is non-linear but she learns more about herself, her friends, her relationship, and society at large. Where she feels almost creepy in the first book, she acknowledges and learns from her actions.

She is called to help when a man is found with a syringe full of poison in his neck. From that moment on the mystery absolutely takes off. The twists and turns in this book were well developed and I wasn't able to put it all together until near the end. A highlight of this story for me was the misunderstood clues. A handful of evidence is given impertinence because it is thought to be superfluous, but the professor assesses and reassess information in a way that keeps everything fresh. A lot of characters take on a "I need to save my own skin" attitude that also lent a human quality to the story, nobody openly admits to any wrong doings. I thoroughly enjoy that Johnson does not give us a Clue-style "this is what really happened" and instead leaves some loose ends up to reader interpretation.

In three words: botanical, layered, and enriching. I highly recommend The Poison Grove to cozy mystery readers who want to step outside of the box. I impatiently await the next book.

This book is just not my jam, unfortunately. I wanted to like it but I found the main character to be unlikable when she was clearly meant to just be quirky, and when I'm meant to like the MC and don't I just can't get into it. I can see this book really being someone else's cup of tea, but personally I found it fell a bit flat. Unfortunately I decided to DNF this book at around 30%.

thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

oh this book was so much fun.

it was so incredibly bingeable that i drank it up in massive gulps - i could've read it in one sitting under different circumstances. you're telling me, it's a dark academia detective with a lesbian autistic protagonist? sold. (okay, canonically she isn't explicitly called autistic but if you read this book and didn't immediately know she was autistic i don't know what to tell you. come on now.)

i am going to be entirely honest, i haven't read the first book but it didn't necessarily interrupt my reading flow. everything i needed to know was told me outright, and usually i wince at that, but when it comes to connected standalones it's easily forgivable. but i am considering reading the first book because this? i like this very much.

sure, there are some factors, such as sometimes the book felt a bit slow at times and i can't say the twists weren't a little bit predictable. but it's still fun, it has that campy undertone of a good murder mystery but not to the point where it's annoying or breaks immersion. and it was still deeply enjoyable and cathartic to watch it all come together.

all in all, it's a delightful discovery of a book, and i am very glad i read it!

I hadn't read the first book in this series but this book works well as a stand alone. Professor Rose is a toxicologist living and teaching in London when she gets a call from the local police that there's been an attack involving toxins and they need her help. The case leads to issues with her own life and relationship and work, but she is determined to plow ahead anyway. It was a really enjoyable read and a decent depiction of a neurodivergent MC. The plot was simple enough and not graphic in any way, and the book was an enjoyable read.

Poison Grove by Jill Johnson is the second in a series following Eustacia Rose, a botany professor and consultant to local police about plant toxins. In this adventure, Prof. Rose is helping to solve a murder by a syringe full of poison, avoiding a pushy and violent student, trying to enjoy her relationship with her Portuguese colleague, and dealing with a new assistant to her friend, DCI Roberts.

Eustacia is a very quirky character. Social interactions can exhaust her, and she doesn’t read social cues well. She is very direct and often doesn’t understand why others are reacting the way that they do. Still, her heart is in the right place, she is working on different coping mechanisms, and I found her to be charming. I enjoyed the relationship between her and DCI Roberts, mostly on the same page but a little off-kilter. Less successful was the relationship with her girlfriend, Mathilde, whom we don’t know much about. To be fair, their journey may have been chronicled in the first book.

Most puzzling, though, was the introduction of DS Helen Chambers to work with DCI Roberts. I have no idea why her storyline was included, unless it was to cause awkward situations for everyone.

The mystery itself was fine, with some obvious red herrings, and the plot progressed quickly. I was engaged in the scientific/academic setting and enjoyed learning about the various toxic plants.

Poison Grove is a fun, cozy mystery. I’ll likely look for the next in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC.

This was a very interesting short read. I loved the main character and the way her mind worked. I will have to say the main culprits were a little predictable but it was still a fun read I ended up finishing it in a day. The relationships between Eustachia and those around her were the strong points of the book definitely with Richard their relationship was my favorite.