The Trail of the Wild Rose (English Garden Mystery, Book 4) [Hardcover]

Anthony Eglin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 2009

The hunt for an ancient Chinese rose turns deadly in this latest English Garden Mystery featuring Dr. Lawrence Kingston.

A plant-hunting expedition haunted by tragedy leads to a perilous trail of greed, larceny, and deceit. Has Peter Mayhew, the man who plunged to his death on a mountain in China, come back to life? Which of the expedition members is hiding an explosive secret? Why are some being targeted for murder?

Once again, Dr. Lawrence Kingston—retired professor of botany and reluctant sleuth—finds himself at the center of a baffling case like none he has ever encountered. Following an ambiguous trail with only scant clues, he must find the hidden meaning dormant in a cache of valuable Chinese antiquities, shadow a ruthless assailant through London’s teeming Underground, and travel the length and breadth of Britain, from a hospital ward in Oxford and an anonymous rendezvous in a Hampshire garden, to a remote farm in Dorset and the mystical Cornish coast—even to the mountains of Wales—in his search for the truth. Even the most likely suspects are becoming victims themselves, and the stakes rise exponentially as each lead comes to a dead end...literally.

Racing to save the lives of the remaining plant hunters and not become a victim himself, Kingston discovers the extreme lengths to which desperate men will go for riches, recognition, and the thrill of the hunt. Clever and chilling, The Trail of the Wild Rose effortlessly combines Anthony Eglin’s horticultural knowledge and literary skills to create an innovative and riveting new mystery.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A party of plant hunters who are dying off one by one is the intriguing, Agatha Christie–like scenario of Eglin's less than satisfying fourth English garden mystery (after 2007's The Water Lily Cross). A colleague dispatches retired botanist Lawrence Kingston after a member of a recent horticultural expedition to China is run off the road while on his motorcycle and lies gravely injured in an Oxford hospital. The patient's ramblings reveal that disquieting events may have occurred on the journey and raise questions about the man's identity and the group's objectives. After the patient's death, Kingston interviews other members of the party and their relatives, gradually uncovering a conspiracy of greed, blackmail, fraud and murder. In the end, the awkward introduction of plot elements, a propensity to tell instead of show, stilted and unrealistic dialogue, a title that bears only a peripheral relation to the narrative and digressions about Kingston's personal life bury a promising premise. (Apr.)
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From Booklist

Retired botany professor Lawrence Kingston (The Lost Gardens, 2006) is helping a friend restore his garden when he gets a call from his former colleague Clifford Attenborough, now curator of horticulture at Kew Gardens. It seems that a patient in critical condition at an Oxford hospital has been muttering strange things about a plant-hunting expedition. Attenborough asks Kingston to look into it, and Kingston jumps at the chance to visit Oxford. The few available clues lead to a convoluted tale about a plant-hunting expedition in China. The members of the expedition seem to be meeting untimely ends in unexplainable accidents. As Kingston continues to explore, he turns up evidence of theft and murder among the British aristocracy. The complex case full of garden lore and Asian antiquities will keep cozy aficionados turning the pages. --Barbara Bibel

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books (April 14, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312365470
• ISBN-13: 978-0312365479
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,052,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great plot, no personality, June 6, 2009

By 

A voracious reader (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trail of the Wild Rose (English Garden Mystery, Book 4) (Hardcover)

Mr. Eglin has produced another well written, extremely well plotted mystery featuring Dr. Lawrence Kingston. However, after several books, I still don't know/empathize with/like or care about Dr. Kingston. He has no personality! We learn about his habits and possessions but never find out what makes him tick. I want to like my protagonist and I'm getting a little tired of waiting for Mr. Eglin to give me a reason to keep reading this series.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I'd rather be gardening, June 28, 2009

By 

Margaret A. Mershon - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Trail of the Wild Rose (English Garden Mystery, Book 4) (Hardcover)

I agree with "A voracious reader" about the personality, or lack thereof, of the protagonist of this series. I've held on because I like the garden part, but this fourth and last book has little to do with gardening. The plots are OK but a bit dry. The characters, especially the potential victims, seem a bit dense and unconcerned about their fates. Most mystery series succeed with not only an engaging protagonist but also a likeable, reoccuring supporting cast. The good doctor in this series has only two lackluster friends, an absent daughter and no love life. He does seem to eat and drink alot -- and each meal is described in detail. He also lives quite a cushy life for a retired professor -- maybe pensions are higher in England. The second book, The Lost Garden, was the best. I probably should have stopped there.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars where is the botanical information?, January 2, 2010

By 

TJ Smithson (Falls Church, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trail of the Wild Rose (English Garden Mystery, Book 4) (Hardcover)

I am a fan of Eglin's English garden mysteries, but while this one is entertaining, it is not a page turner. What's missing is a plot that revolves around a botanical topic. The plant collecting expedition is only tangential in the book. The other three books either raised interesting scientific issues (plant hybridization and desalinization) or gardening challenges like uncovering an overgrown garden... this plot could have focused on the issues surrounding plant collecting. I agree with the other reviews that the protaganist lacks personality. If you haven't read Eglin's other books, I'd recommend them over this one.