I could not have loved this utterly charming mystery more. It’s original, it’s well written, it’s well plotted, and it has a wonderful main character in botanist Margaret Finch. Much like her name, Margaret resembles a large bird (and she is in fact referred to as Big Bird behind her back), and she values order, cleanliness and science above all else. In her work as a research assistant in a lab, these qualities serve her well. It’s people she has trouble with, not plants.
The only person she has true respect for is her boss, Dr. Deaver. When she discovers his body in his office, details seem off to her, details the busy police officer (who is busy ignoring Margaret’s suggestions of poison) seems not to notice. When Dr. Deaver’s death is declared a heart attack, Margaret knows, in the interest of truth and science, that she must discover what really happened. In this way, Margaret is similar to all amateur sleuths of every description. She fits into a narrower category – the neuro divergent detective, someone familiar to fans of detective fiction and TV for many years, from Columbo to Monk to E.J. Copperman’s classic Asperger detective to Nita Prose’s “maid.” All share a quirkiness and while there are many differences, their similarity is the observation of all details.
Because Margaret notices details and feels compelled to share the truth and facts wherever she sees them, she is not always a popular person with her co-workers. Dr. Deaver seems to have valued her – but as you read about Margaret’s routine and attention to detail in the lab, you really cannot blame him. However, forces around Margaret are not cooperating – i.e. the human drama and undercurrents surrounding Dr. Deaver’s death. Human drama and undercurrents are things Margaret finds extremely difficult to navigate.
Along the way, Margaret finds an ally – a strangely scarred janitor who turns out to have been a journalist in a former life. He also is excellent at ferreting out truths, and together, they make a good team. As readers, we also get a glimpse into Margaret’s life. She lives in a remote cabin, very difficult to access as it sits on a winding mountain road, and it contains only the essentials. She maintains a strict cleaning schedule which is ultimately interrupted by the arrival of a cat. I will leave it to the reader to discover the pleasures of the cat.
Margaret’s appearance, behavior, and manner of dress make it easy for people to either underestimate or ignore her. This is another trait of many successful detectives, of course – they are ignored. Margaret is not always a fan of being ignored and the reader senses that despite her fierce independence, she is also lonely. What she does have are plants – in the lab, and around her home. The different qualities and attributes of various plants are sprinkled through the narrative, in a way that’s both enjoyable and informative for the reader.
While some of this description makes this book sound melancholy, it really is not. Margaret is brave and persistent and her smarts and determination allow her to find both the solution to the murder as well as a few friends. Life throws her obstacles, for sure, but she overcomes them in a pretty believable way. I loved Margaret and hope she makes a return to the page sooner rather than later. — Robin Agnew