The Herbalist - 1-5 Box set by Leslie Leigh

Hello my friends,

I read this series 3 years ago during the summer and I Loved it, could not put it down.  I am always checking if there is more in the series.

Publication Date:  March 16, 2015 

Kindle Edition

Paperback 539 pages
Genre - Cozy Mystery

Murder & Moonflowers 
Melissa Michaels is an herbalist and nutritional healer operating a market in the sleepy town of Catalonia, Arizona. When a client dies mysteriously from something even the Medical Examiner cannot decipher, gossip runs amuck and local law enforcement officials make wild speculations.

Narcissus & Nightshade 
Contemporary artist, Jim James’s death appears to be suicide, but when Deadly Nightshade shows up in his system, herbalist Melissa Michaelson begins to question the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death.

Oblivion & Oleander 
One obvious murderer, at least three victims, too many suspects, and one falsely accused. It all adds up to a sum that’s greater than its parts. An old high-school chum of Melissa’s hires Brian as she suspects foul play in her father’s death. But because he was a hospice patient, things are handled routinely, and the body is embalmed before Brian and Melissa can get all the info they need.

Foxglove & Funerals 
Brian’s maneuvering gets Melissa a get-out-of-jail-free card, but without the evidence, what will happen next? Thanks to Melissa’s mom, Brian convinces her to take a trip to see her mother in California, but when she gets there, one of her mom’s neighbors has dropped dead. When a thirty year old poison recipe turns up out of a Book of Shadows, Melissa is on the trail of the killer.

Elegies & Elderberries 
No clues, crazy alibis, and hushed employees make solving a murder case difficult for Melissa and Cochise County’s Detective Muller. 

This was a fun enjoyable read from the first page all the way until the last, which made me immediately purchase the box set 1-5 and it wasn't money wasted.   I felt like I would enjoy this series and I was not let down.  It was entertaining and interesting,

Set in a small community where gossip flies regularly and no one's business can be kept completely private, when local artist Lauryl is found dead after only having had a cold, murder is not suspected, but what did cause her sudden demise?

To complicate the matter, Lauryl was in a May December relationship, making the other middle aged women envious.

The protagonist, the local herbalist, had been giving Lauryl some natural remedies. So it is no surprise that she is being investigated, but the sheriff's dept is going about it with an obvious and heavy hand.

Insert a private eye who is easy on the eyes, and this case starts heating up and the people Melissa knows well give up a few secrets too.

A fantastic beginning to a wonderful series with characters I look forward to getting to know the characters better I really hope Leslie Leigh decides to continue the adventures that Melissa and Brian have and we get to see more of their crime solving.

I searched Amazon for the book to find out author details, but the books are no longer on the site. the authors facebook page is deactivated and I could not find any information other than what is on Goodreads.  This is unfortunate as lots of people seemed to really enjoy this series.  Lelsie Leigh also wrote Melody the Librarian and Allie Griffin Mysteries.  Hopefully Ms. Leigh will pop back with some more books.


Please join the conversation and comment below.  Have you read… If so what did you think/like.

Hugs,