A Rum Affair

What I loved about A Rum Affair was the integrity of Raven, the amateur botanist, who turned sleuth to prove the botanical fraud. One might have a giggle, in this cynical world of ours, about such a fuss being made over whether a particular plant grew in a particular spot, but it does matter, damn it! It mattered to Raven, who was by far the better botanist than the glory seeking professor who fudged results to pump up his reputation.

This book is a delightful tale of duplicity and defense of truth, written small. If more of us had Raven's stubborn conviction with regard to whatever it is that we value most in life, the world might become a more honorable place.

For the student of intrigue, it has all the quirks and dodges of perverse human nature to exhibit, from cover ups to consipiracies of silence, an island named Rum, a quaint and curious insider's culture and sealed papers awaiting discovery.

A treat both for students of botany and those intrigued by human nature.