Ramblings and Reflections
- The Botanist’s Assistant by Peggy Townsend
- “Truth should never be sanitized no matter how uncomfortable it is.”
- Margaret Finch is a lab manager. Actually, she is a college graduate hoping to complete her doctorate. After several unfortunate incidents, she finds herself working in a college lab for Dr. Deavers, a professor in botany. When her revered professor dies suddenly, Margaret becomes suspicious.
- Though the college cop doubts her fears about a murder conspiracy, Margaret trudges forward with her own investigation, which is hampered by her lack of experience and personal idiosyncrasies.
- I adore a die-hard OCD character. Margaret takes eccentricity to another level. She is precise and unyielding in her personal schedule and attitudes until…
- Over the course of her investigation, Margaret assembles a motley crew of informants and supporting characters. Along the way, she befriends a one-eyed cat that she unoriginally names Tom, and gains self-confidence. She discovers Dr. Deavers was human, and as such, committed many sins. The struggle with this truth stifles her search for truth.
- I wavered over my opinion of this book. The author delights in a deluge of botanical facts and scientific information which, though intriguing, digresses from the central plot. As a biology major and plant lover, I appreciated the botanical tidbits, but they became trying. Fortunately, Rebecca Lowman delivered a solid performance for the audiobook. I would not have completed the physical book.
- The author plopped a ton of backstory into an early chapter. Often, key parts of the narrative were told rather than shown. For instance, the relationship between Margaret and her somewhat boyfriend, Keith. As a fiction reader, I’m prepared to suspend reality up to a point, but the lack of any substantial police involvement lacked credibility. This, however, is explained in the last chapter. I have a personal pet peeve about villains confessing all plot devices which the author employed. For those readers who love happy endings, there will be satisfaction. Overall, good.