The Botanist

By: L. K. Hill

Narrated by: Larry Oblander

Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's Summary

In the heat of the desert, Detective Cody Oliver makes an alarming and inadvertent discovery - a strange garden, adorned with various exotic flowers, is a showy cover for the scores of bodies buried below. Soon, the small town of Mt. Dessicate plunges into chaos as journalists, reporters, and cameramen from across the nation clamor to get a piece of the action.

Along with the media, a mysterious woman appears who may be the only person who has come face to face with the killer, known as the Botanist. If Detective Cody can’t piece together the crime scene, decipher how the woman’s mysterious past is connected to the killer, and bring the Botanist to justice, he may lose the people he values most.

©2017 Liesel Hill (P)2019 Liesel Hill

A scary case that grabs your attention!

This book was as great as every one I have read of this author's. Ms. Hill puts so much into her stories you almost feel like you are living it through the characters. My heart went out to different people in this book, detective Cody dealing with a father that couldn't support his son's career especially when the case he is working right now is so horrendous. Alex a young woman that is involved with the case but in many ways we don't understand. An old man that has to watch. If you enjoy a story that you don't want to put down then pick up this book or any of this author's!
I received a free code to listen to this book on Audible. This review is my own honest opinion.

A creepy, suspenseful ride

This is a good mystery/thriller that's quick to get rolling, with the heroine encountering the killer in the first chapter leaving us with a mystery - why let her go? The story is told ensemble style, switching between viewpoints to fill in the gaps. By the last third you've probably put together most of the pieces, so it's mostly a pure thriller at this point.

Side note, this does get religious at times. It's mild and mostly works as an in-character thing since the setting is Utah (source: I've lived in Utah) but part of the ending does rely on the characters understanding that everything happens for a reason. YMMV how much you agree.

Still, if you want a solid thriller with a good, creepy killer ala Silence of the Lambs, this is a fairly fun romp.

Great Read

The Botanist was a good read by L.K. Hill. Detective Cody Oliver stumbled upon a strange garden in a desert that was adorned with exotic flowers. He determines that the garden is a cover up for bodies that are buried below. Now journalists, reporters, and cameramen descend on the desert town to find out what happened. A mysterious woman comes to the town and may be the only person who's come face to face with the killer. Cody has to find out who the botanist is before he loses the people closest to him. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by the author.

Great criminal mystery

‘The Botonist’ By L.K. Hill was an excellent book. This was a great criminal mystery. I would definitely read more of this authors books.
The main male character Cody was a very likable detective. The story had many twist and turns and a mystery about the main female character Alex.
The Narrator Larry Oblander was excellent. He made the characters come to life. Definitely will listen to more of his books he narrates. You could hear the difference in characters, that is very important for me to understand the book faster.

Fantastic murder mystery

It’s been a while since I have read or listened to a good old fashioned murder mystery with out extras like major romance, paranormal or a mafia influence. I honestly forgot how much I ether! This book was fantastic! The creep factor, the twists and turns and the suspense. A small town but so twisted murder has you dying to know what happened next! The characters are so well written and you can help but be drawn in to the investigation and all the craziness. There is a hint of romance and there’s some tear jerking moments but both only add to the story helping to amp up the emotional factor and truly captivate you. The narrator was fantastic! At first I was a little skeptical because it starts out with a girl as the main character and I prefer female narrators if that’s the case. But I have to say I will be looking for more books narratored by him because he did so well. The added gasps and other sound affects he adds as he reads are icing on the cake to this story. He did well switching characters and with voices and I have no complaints!

Totally captivating story!

This is an incredibly well-written story that will capture and hold your attention from start to finish. The characters are realistic, believable and likable (except for the villain who is incredibly creepy and likely to tempt you to sleep with the lights on). The plot is compelling and full of suspense and surprises. The tension steadily escalates as the story unfolds keeping you on the very edge of your seat. The resolution is satisfying and the overall experience was awesome. I read along as I listened to the audiobook version of this story and I must comment on the outstanding performance of the narrator, Larry Oblander. He gave each character a distinctive voice and utilized appropriate pitch, cadence and tone to compliment the events as they transpired throughout the entire story. Since this is a book about a serial killer, violence is unavoidable, but the author does not revel in graphic detail or prolonged descriptions. There is no objectionable language or explicit sex scenes. Lock your doors, turn on the lights, grab a cup of you preferred beverage and prepare for an evening of top shelf (albeit creepy) entertainment.

I received a code for the audiobook version of this story from the author and I am voluntarily offering my honest and unbiased review.

Awesome Thriller!

This book was awesome! The narration was excellent and I could keep on going! It was scary, and thrilling and an overall roller coaster ride! The characters were well developed and complex. The story drew me in and keep me engrossed throughout. I can't recommend this enough for thriller fans. I can't wait for more!

I received a copy of this book from StoryOrigin and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

Woah to WOAH

This book starts off creepy, gets creepier, and turns a new level of holy crap creepy. It is not disturbing, but it sure keeps you thinking and remembering about the true nature of a human. We can be full of care or full of monstrosity. The story is great though, it really feels like a great movie playing in your head and everything is just vivid enough you can follow things and also get the details you need to create that picture. The main characters are very likable and very relatable, even if their lives are not, i.e. being a cop and a woman stalked in this way. The story moves quickly and it keeps you drawn in, despite some of the gory images and ideas it also keeps you very invested. I couldn’t recommend this enough! Read/listen do whatever you have to. Check it out!

Captivated right from the beginning

Captivating! The Botanist starts off strong and continues holding readers until the end. It's thrilling, suspenseful and will keep you guessing! I enjoyed the narrator's smooth voice and the way he was able to portray each character enhancing the story. I enjoyed the different POVs and the storyline is unique and very different from what I was expecting! Will we get more from Cody and Alex?? Great read for any mystery, thriller reader!

This story surpassed my expectations!!!

The author is new to me and I started with another genre she writes in. So I didn't know what to expect when I started to listen.

This story could totally be a movie and that's what I felt like I was listening to. If my TV is on, I am usually listening and not watching. And I felt like I was right there in the middle of everything.

The story is mystery and suspense with some thriller yukko killer that likes to make pretty flowers!

I received the audiobook from StoryOrigin in exchange for my honest review.

Awesome

I absolutely loved this book, amazing characters and brilliant storyline. I highly recommend. The narrator brought the characters and story to life . I hope there will be more.
❤️😻🤩🥳😹

"Sometimes there are no answers."

Although there is little violence actually written into this story, it is still a very dark and horrifying read. Driving in the dark late at night through the middle of nowhere, Alex is pulled over by a police car which had seemed to come out of nowhere. The single uniformed officer who came to speak with her was tall and she felt unreasonably afraid. 'Looking for two men' he told her and, after looking at her papers and the bracelet she wore, let her go. But Alex was sufficiently unsettled To report it To the police in the next town and drove into. Several years later, in an isolated spot in the desert, the same policeman she'd spoken within the station found twelve beautiful tulips in two rows of six, each on top of it's own small mound. Below each was a body. So the hunt for a killer begins.

The story is very well written, creepy and suspensefu!. The main protagonists are well developed as characters, the action later in the book is disturbing. There is a small hint of psychic connection, not enough To overly intrude but does add To the tension and, although not dwelling on the violence which must have occured, the reader's imagination can fill in the gals. One of two aspects remain unresolved at the end but the power of the writing, and the narration by Larry Oblander, carry the story well.

I was most fortunate in being freely gifted with a complimentary copy of The Botanist, at my request, by the rights holder via Story Origin. Thank you so much. This is a book for all who enjoy tingle thrills and action without too much gore. But it is a book of nightmares, so beware.

Fantastic read

Fantastic police thriller.
Fast paced and gripping from start to finish .
Must read more from this author.

really enjoyed it

i was not straight away convinced about this book, but decided to give it a go, and must admit i enjoyed it more than i thought i would. i noticed some glitches in the story here and there that did not add up. and also every now and then it felt like way of recording the audio changed because there was a difference in voice but it might be just me with my sensitive hearing. overall i would definitely recommend this one. it was bit predictable but i didnt mind. loved the detective's 🕵️‍♂️ banter.

A gripping very well written thriller,

This review is based on an audiobook.
Brilliant read, keeps you guessing all the way through. It’s got everything, fun, laughter, emotion, love and murder. A very talented writer.
The narrator does an exceptional job, I like his easily recognisable character voice changes. He has a nice clear voice and adds life to the story.
This is a must read/listen to book.
Thank you StoryOrigin for this copy.

Poor use of Deus ex Machina spoiled the book

Let me say to begin that on the whole I really enjoyed this story, lots of mystery, intrigue, twists and clever, complicated plot. The characters were, for the most part, believable and well written and the narration was excellent. In fact for most of the book I would easily give 5 stars without question.

So, what let it down?

Well, for me, the unexplained coincidence of the tyre blowout at a very particular place for no apparent reason. I mean really, what was the chance of that happening at that time, in that place, for no reason. Rather unbelievable coincidence.

There's the loose ends with Resputa, a character who provides a small amount of information relating to the case but nothing else. His storyline is left dangling, unfinished near the end of the book with no resolution, as though the author intended to write a sequel though 5 years later there's no indication that this is ever going to happen.

But for me, the biggest failure of this book is the blatant use of the "Deus ex Machina" plot device at around 80% through where a mystery character, Karl, suddenly appears from nowhere, gives out critical information, then disappears and is only briefly mentioned once after that. Who is Karl? Is he the Botanist's partnet, another victim, a random stranger hanging around in a place that is all but inaccesible and unknown? And the advice he gives:

“Look,” the man said, “you need to go and get her. She’s the woman you love. You’re supposed to be with her. Go now or she’ll die!”

This man, who Cody doesn't know, apparently knows more about Cody's lovelife than Cody does even though the "relationship" has only just started developing. Really? And why does Cody make no attempt to find him later, after all, he could be another prisoner of the Botanist, or an associate, either way surely it would be vital to find and question him especially as he clearly knows all about the Botanist, the layout of the place and has never reported it. Maybe though he was just a divine apparition. At this point my belief was shattered and the whole story became unrealistic. Such a shame, it was going so well.

Overall a good story until then.

I received a free copy of this audiobook either from the author or a promotion or giveaway and am voluntarily writing an honest and unbiased review.

wow

wow what a fantastic audiobook thriller, I loved it . well written by L.K. Hill and narrated by Latry Oblander xxxxxx

Suspenseful

The Botanist is an incredibly gripping story, enveloped in intensity, suspense, and action. The plot is well-composed and wholly engaging with three-dimensional and complex characters. Larry Oblander does a brilliant job with the narration, further engrossing the listeners. The Botanist is a well-written thriller, one I highly recommend. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.