Some murder mysteries the police can't solve alone... When junior lecturer, Edward Wiley, dies an horrifically painful death and police pathology can't establish the cause, Professor Green is desperate to help solve the crime, especially as it happened in her own back garden. Professor Elizabeth Green is a lecturer of plant sciences at the University of Cambridge, specialising in poisonous flora. From time to time Cambridgeshire police, especially Inspector Abley, call on her skills to help deal with cases involving poison. And there are more cold blooded, calculated murders using poison recently in the city! Elizabeth's consultancy role, providing expertise on poisonous substances, never stops where it should, as this pushy sleuth always oversteps the mark with her meddling. In her fifties, Elizabeth Green is quintessentially english. An eccentric professor in her ivory tower, she maintains a sharp wit, yet is flawed by her inability to connect well with people, instead giving off a cold, opinionated and sometimes acerbic air. Though in her own defence, she is very kind to animals and a great gardener. In truth she keeps her friends close, and only lets a few dear people into her world. Focussing on new priorities, we pick up in this first book with Elizabeth having been on a break from solving crimes. Devastated by her husband's death just a year ago, Elizabeth hates to feel invisible or let her life pass her by. Both the bumbling and kind Inspector Abley, and her effete grandson, Godric, who is at the university and living with her at the moment, think she should steer clear of getting involved with the police for a while. But no matter how strong their protests, Elizabeth is determined to be useful again.