Alex knows one thing for sure: Something creepy happened on that abandoned stretch of desert highway. When Alex Thompson is pulled over by a squad car in the middle of nowhere, the police officer acts downright bizarre. She’s positive something’s not right about the whole situation.Years later, a mass grave is discovered in that same area, and she knows she came close to being one of the victims. … she came close to being one of the victims. So why did the killer let her go?
Cody Oliver is a small-town detective. His department can’t handle a case this huge. When a mysterious woman, Alex, appears from the past, it stirs something in him. Could a chance encounter a million years ago have been that important? Could a short, random meeting he’d dismissed as soon as it ended be the key to stopping a serial killer?
Give me a “hell yeah” and download this adventure, because if Cody and Alex can’t unravel this demented mystery, the desert will continue to fill up with bodies.
“The mystery was gruesome and chilling but so good.”—JBronder Book Reviews
“…the creepiest murderer you’ll ever know.”—www.seemlessreader.blogspot.com
“I blame L.K. Hill for my sleepless nights…I LOVED this book!”—R.K. Grow, Author
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So many twists and turns. I felt as if every sentence of this audiobook was laced with suspense and tension. I absolutely adored it.
Alex, on a personal journey down a dark road, runs across the path of a man who’s she’s sure has no business in a police car. After her close encounter, Alex reports the incident, and goes about her life…until four years later when mass graves are uncovered near the spot of her encounter. Desperate to catch a killer and unlock the truth of her personal nightmares, Alex puts herself directly in the center of a murder investigation, one she’s much more involved in than she knows.
The characters in this book, Alex and Cody, were very well written. They had such drastic personalities that they made the story as profound as it was. For all the thriller/murder mystery books that I’ve read, I’ve never come across one with such an amazingly complicated plot.
This is a must read for all fans of psychological thrillers.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
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!
A well written, captivating and nail-biting story from L. K. Hill.
Detective Cody Oliver stumbles across a burial site in the desert. From that moment the small town in which he lives descends into a mass of journalists and extra policemen as Cody and his colleagues attempt to track down the serial killer.
Having escaped the clutches of the killer previously, Alex Thompson returns to Mt. Dessicate to remind the investigators of her experience, and finds herself, once again, targeted by the murderer.
Although I guessed early on who the killer was, the twists and turns the author took me through to get there kept me turning the pages. The slow-burning romance between the two main characters was somewhat predictable but added another dimension to the story.
The book held my attention throughout. It was dark and thrilling, and with some descriptions of the brutal torture inflicted by the killer, probably not for the faint-hearted, but I will be adding more books by L.K. Hill to my to-read list.
I really love this book. Police officers are made so human and are written about so well. The serial killer is all too real and the crimes are horrific. It’s an excellent mystery (horror) thriller. There’s just the right amount of romance. The book is unputdownable, fascinating. horrifying reading. It’s an awesome reading experience.
The botanist was an amazingly engrossing story of a deranged serial killer. It’s hard to comprehend how someone could be so messed up but it sure made for interesting reading here. It is a great read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoy shows like “Criminal Minds” and “Bones”, so I figured this book would be right up my alley. Alex Thompson is stopped by a policeman along a deserted highway, then not ticketed or arrested. Something about the whole incident leaves her uneasy, so she goes to the Mt. Dessicate police station to report it. She isn’t really given any satisfaction and soon forgets the whole thing.
Fast forward 5 years and Alex sees that a mass burial site of at least 12 graves has been found in this area. She feels compelled to go back to the scene of her unease and again talk to someone about her encounter with the man she feels might be the murderer.
Detective Cody Oliver is the lead on the case and he soon finds himself attracted to Alex. But, she is determined to insert herself into the investigation and gets herself into SO much trouble! Reminded me of a horror movie character that keeps making stupid mistakes as you scream at their stupidity.
The plot unfolds and things start to fall into place, but there were some problems with the whole story IMHO. First of all, a small town police squad would not be the lead in a case involving a serial killer of this magnitude and duration. The only mention of the FBI is after the case is “solved”. Then, there are just too many weird coincidences that are never fully explained. Also, toward the end of the book, Cody encounters a mystery man named Carl who tells him exactly where to find the murderer and his captives. Then, Carl is never mentioned again. Don’t you think that the Detective would want to know who this guy was or if he was involved in the murders in some way?
It was a pretty good book, but I feel that it could have so much better if some of the items mentioned had been handled differently. The book was well written and the characters were relatable, but it could have been much improved.
The narrator did a great job and added a lot to the book. The pacing was just right and kept the story moving at a fast pace. I was given the chance to listen to this audiobook through Story Origins and chose to review it.
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.
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.
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.
The flashing red and blue lights in Alex Thompson’s rear view mirror were the first indication of trouble. Hers was the only car on the highway, only to be expected in the middle of the desert night. She wasn’t speeding.
He was tall, well over six feet, and his breath stank, matter of fact, the cop smelled like he hadn’t showered all year! She began to feel anxious, something wasn’t right. He asked for her license and registration, then noticed her bracelet, began asking questions about it. “And where’s a pretty young girl like you headed this time of night?” And giving Alex her papers, he sent her on her way, calling her Cordelia.
Alex was so concerned, she stopped in the next town, Mt Dessicate, Utah, to report his strange appearance and actions to the sherif. Officer Cody Oliver took her report, but since no laws had been broken, there was nothing to be done.
Four years later, Officer Oliver was now part of a four man detective unit. During the morning meeting, his captain tossed him a file with a mutilated doll found by hikers, saying squeeze it’s hand.
“I’m a whore.” And “I like it when Daddy touches me.” When Cody went up the hikers trail to look for any further evidence, he found a mass grave, containing twelve bodies, each with a blue tulip growing in the dirt above it. Tulips don’t grow naturally in the desert, and the soil was moist.
When Alex heard the news that night, she remembered the weird cop who had stopped her on the highway, and knew she had to go to Mt Dessicate to give that information again to the police. Later, she drove out to the place where the cop had stopped her, and the lights and siren of a Squad car signaled for her to pull over. The same weird cop again, and again he took especial notice of her bracelet, and again called her Cordelia.
This time, he put her in his squad car.
This is one of the best suspense novels I’ve read in a long time. Well written, great characters. Don’t read it alone at night.
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.
A mix of silence of the lamb & kiss the girls…with her own special twist..Excellent!!!
I enjoyed this thriller so much that I listened every chance if had. While driving, cleaning house, instead of tv even a little at work… I finished it in two days!!! its not a copy cat story line it had a lot of its own spins… well written with just a little left open. hopefully for the next in a series. I will be checking tonight! Job well done… thank you!
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.
Great mystery and suspense with interesting characters. Fast paced with twists and turns which kept me hooked. Next time I see an exotic flower garden, I am sure to recall this book and wonder what’s beneath. 🙂 Recommend. Great narration.
I was given a cop f this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. This story grabs you from the beginning and shakes you up as you read it. That said, I think if I ever get pulled over on a lonely stretch of road I might just decide to speed off when the officer gets out of his vehicle, I creeped me out that bad. This book ticked all the boxes for me suspense, mystery and, where did that character development. I really think the narrator did a good job also. I recommend this story.
“The Botanist” by L.K. Hill, was captivating from the beginning. The characters were believable. The story itself was well written.
The character Detective Cody Oliver makes a discovery in the Desert, from mounds to flowers. His curiosity kept the reader enthralled. His meeting of Alex kept him on his toes trying to figure out what her relationship to the discovery of the body’s under the mounds and a bracelet she was wearing.
Emotional and some tragic moments, which made me feel the characters as they went through death and even family dysfunction.
The serial killer’s description of what he looked like was scary in itself. Action packed and with the story all coming together kept me listening.
Very well written.
This story is a well-written, creepy, suspenseful thriller by L. K. Hill. There are twists and turns throughout the book. At one point, I almost missed an appointment because something unexpected happened RIGHT when I pulled into the parking lot and I REALLY wanted to know the outcome. I thought I knew where it was going early on, and I was close, and yet so far! There is the beginning of a romance, but this is not a romantic story.
I really liked that the heroine, Alex, was strong physically and mentally. To endure what happened to her, yet have that ending, shows just how strong a person she is. Although the ending was satisfactory, I do wish we knew more about some of the other characters in the story, especially the killer, but most were very well rounded, full characters – the killer was as well, I just wanted to know more about his motivations and how he picked his “flowers”.
There were some problems with the story – I didn’t think some logical paths were checked by the police, for instance. That is back-seat driving though, and after watching real-life police stories on TV, I’ve found the police can do a lot less than I initially thought. So, I can forgive this in the story.
The narrator Larry Oblander is excellent – one of the best narrators I’ve listen to! I look forward to listening to more from both this author and this narrator.
Imagine being stalked by someone. Now imagine being stalked by a serial killer. What would you do if you were taken by a serial killer, escaped from them only to be caught again? This is what happened to Alex. She had dreams that felt so real they were more like nightmares.
I liked the strength Alex showed in this story. She wasn’t just a female that screamed every time something happened to her. She fought and thought her way out of situations. It’s human nature to want to see evil defeated and the good people win their battles against evil.
Although I would have liked more depth to the characters like the killer and some of the people in his past, the story was enjoyable.
The Botanist is an intense psychological thriller. The story is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing. You’ll never look at flowers quite the same way again. I look forward to other books by L. K. Hill.