181: Be afraid of the plants around us - with Jill Johnson

The Hobcast Book Show

Who knew that the innocent looking Foxglove at the bottom of the garden could kill you? Or could your Peace Lily be trying to poison you? Our guest this week, author Jill Johnson, has drawn on her knowledge from her degree in Ornamental Horticulture and wider passion for plants to create her Eustacia Rose mystery series. Eustacia is the putative professor of Botanical Toxicology at University College London, and her expertise in the poisonous qualities of various plants draws her into becoming an amateur sleuth. Jill's first novel, Devil's Breath was featured on BBC2's Between the Covers review show, and her second book in the series, Hell's Bells is published on 11th July 2024. But Jill's literary roots, (awful pun, we know) are deep - she opened London's leading comic-book store Gosh! comics shortly after arriving in the UK. This is a fascinating interview in which Jill reveals although she writes crime novels, she's not read many other books in the genre. Does that hold her back?

Also this week, what will the UK general election result mean for publishing? And how are UK book festivals doing to bridge the funding gap caused by the withdrawal of support by controversial investment management firm, Baillie Gifford?

Jill Johnson – Author of Devil's Breath & The Time Before The Time To Come (jilljohnsonwrites.com)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CJ2YHCXQ

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CC4YW9M9

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