Washington Poe Series 2 Books Collection Set By M. W. Craven (The Puppet Show, Black Summer)

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A well-known and outspoken misogynist dies during an interview on television. He seems to have been poisoned. In the investigation following his death, a pressed flower and an odd poem are found among his belongings as well as the envelope in which they were sent to him. Very few mourned his death but Poe is a cop and it is his job to solve mysteries such as this one. In terms of “heat” level, these books are definitely NOT cozies. Some murders are described in-depth, and there are cases that involve things like rape and child molestation (in a historic sense, not a play-by-play). These parts are mostly pretty contained and easy to skip/skim if you're inclined to do so. M.W. Craven is an accomplished author of fiction. He is an English writer known for his crime fiction novels. Could you ever see the series as films (and if so, do you have anyone in mind for the parts of Tilly and Poe)? The Botanist is a fun book that I very much enjoyed reading. I'm not certain whether four or five stars are appropriate so I'll base my rating on the degree to which I enjoyed it. If you like cop investigations with a bit of mirth, I would strongly recommend this book BUT, as always, I suggest that you start with the first book in the series.

Plausibility ⭐⭐⭐ The one rub I had with ‘The Botanist’ was the plausibility. Individually all the killings were believable but when you combine and look at the total picture, they start to feel inconceivable. Yes, someone might have a secret room that a killer could hide in. Yes, it might be possible to change someone’s prescription to administer poison but combine all the plot elements and it starts to feel this book was right on the edge of being a bit too far-fetched. In contrast however, the investigative work was convincing. You could imagine these highs and lows in any police investigation, and the way Poe and Tilly unravelled the plot also felt authentic. So mixed. After two minutes Bradshaw stood up and said, ‘I have two favourite dogs now, Poe. Do you think we could train Edgar to sniff out guns?’ How could Poe have gotten it so wrong? Did he put away an innocent man – and worse yet, did his actions lead to years of misery for the young woman? Before he can get to the bottom of it, she goes missing again.

While the series has been optioned for television, we've yet to see any casting notices, production updates, or air dates. Sadly, options are just that – they give a producer the OPTION to produce a show or renew the contract within a given timeline. They don't always turn into finished productions. Someone is torturing and burning wealthy old men alive, then leaving their remains in stone circles around Cumbria. With virtually no evidence to go on, disgraced detective Washington Poe and talented young data analyst Tilly Bradshaw will have to unravel the mystery and stop the killer. Personal friend of the gritty detective Washington Poe is charged with murder. With all the evidence pointing to Estelle Doyle’s guilt, this amounts to the perfect set-up or the truth that Estelle did in fact murder her father. While he works very hard, Detective Sergeant Washington Poe has few friends on which he can rely. His civilian analyst at work, Tilly Bradshaw, would surely be on top of his friends list. This is why it seems so odd when he receives a call from Estelle Doyle, the long-time pathologist. Estelle’s father has been shot twice in the head and she has gunshot residue on her hands. The authorities see this as an open and shut case, though Estelle espouses her innocence and hopes Poe can prove it. They have loads left to do I suspect. The end of The Curator will leave everyone reeling and things won’t be the same for a while. That said, Dead Ground, Poe 4, is written and ready to go next June, Poe 5, The Botanist, is almost done and Poe 6, The Third Light, is fully plotted. Cut Short, a linked trio of short stories, including the recent freebie, ‘Why Don’t Sheep Shrink?’ is out in September. I have another short out in an upcoming anthology and another one out at Christmas.

He is a member of both the Crime Writers’ Association and the International Thriller Writers’ Association.And finally there’s Detective Inspector Stephanie Flynn. Poe used to be her boss, she’s now his. She heads up the National Crime Agency’s Serious Crime Analysis Section – the unit charged with apprehending serial killers and solving apparently motiveless murders. It’s the country’s last line of defence and although Flynn knows managing Poe and Tilly will be like herding cats, she also knows she’s the only one who can do it . . . A notorious misogynist, Kane Hunt, reveals a death threat, a pressed dried flower and appalling poetry, prior to dying on a live TV talk show, he is found to have been poisoned. This is followed by the shamelessly corrupt and disgraced Tory MP for Sheffield East receiving the same type of threat, and despite being closely guarded, found dead in his bath. A far right social media commentator, monetising racism, claiming truth and facts are 'fake news', is isolated and closely monitored in hospital by both medical staff and the police, yet once again The Botanist manages to slip through the net. DI Stephanie Flynn, Poe and even Tilly struggle to find any leads, how is the botanist getting away with his crimes, he has surfaced out of the blue, how did he get to be so good? Surely he must have committed similar crimes before? In a twisted narrative a popular killer develops a cult following and Doyle is charged with murder, the pressure is on to solve 2 impossible time sensitive cases. We feel that's worth pointing out only because it bothers some people to see shows and books using “coded neurodivergence” as a plot device without fully committing to the label and an accurate portrayal of the advantages, disadvantages, and traits that go along with it. Others are happy enough to see any part of themselves or their loved ones in books that they don't mind overlooking that. Gritty? Cozy? Where do the Washington Poe Books Fall? In this book, Poe's friend Estelle Doyle appears to be guilty of her father's murder. All signs point to her guilt, but she's said just three words since her arrest: “Tell Washington Poe.” Poe is a Detective Sargeant in the hinterlands of northern England. He, his everpresent brilliant digital genius and their boss, DCI Stephanie Flynn (who once worked for Poe, prior to his suspension for behavior inappropriate to his job. Now he works for her and everyone seems to find that very workable although there is a lot of kvetching. But that is largely because Poe is intolerant of many things, like those people who do not agree with him and he clearly does not suffer fools gladly so he frequently pisses off others.

As the series begins, DI Walsh has just been saved from a permanent suspension thanks to a transfer to the “Last Chance Saloon” crime unit. His first case involves a letter sent by a woman who was murdered 20 years prior. That letter brings new suspects into the picture, and DI Walsh and his colleagues will have to try to make sense of the very cold case if they're to bring the real culprit to justice. I would like to thank Mr Craven for taking the time to answer these questions. The Curator (Washington Poe #3) is published 4 June 2020.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 shut case. Estelle has firearms discharge residue on her hands, and, in a house surrounded by fresh snow, hers are the only footprints going in. Since her arrest she’s only said three words: ‘Tell Washington Poe.’ Meanwhile a deadly serial poisoner has started targeting vile high profile celebrities with ‘warning’ poems and pressed flowers. The Botanist is born and it seems like he can get to his victims without even entering the room they are in… Nothing you’ve ever read will prepare you for the utterly unique Washington Poe.” – Keith Nixon, author of Dig Two Graves I absolutely love to read the dynamics between Poe and Tilly and the fact my girl Tilly has so many roles in here and she grew so much from the previous books in the standalone series made my heart swell. Its not often that Crime Thrillers can make you so very attached to the characters lives (Poe, Tilly, Estelle and Flynn), and also invested with the main plot of the story which in solving the crimes at hand. The case in here is so unique, and so well-done, it almost seemed like a perfect crime. By far, this is one of the most smartest, classiest and deadliest cases I've read and the ending had a bit of twist that concluded the whole book perfectly. Craven has a way with grand endings and this book definitely has a good twist that will make you go.... bloody hell. You get humour - omg this one had me laughing out loud and giggling hours later when I thought about some of the things that happened to Poe because of course it was going to happen to Poe. Tilly’s innocence and never ending loyalty are beautiful and filled with laughs. Poe as always is his dry and grumpy self which just never gets old. He adores his friend Tilly and will always defend her - never end this friendship it is truly delightful. 🤣