Description

‘Utterly fascinating and intriguing’
NEIL ANSELL, author of The Last Wilderness

‘Captivating’
LEE SCHOFIELD, author of Wild Fell

‘A joyful celebration’
LEV PARIKIAN, author of Into the Tangled Bank

‘A perfect mix of whodunnit and wonder’
JAMES ALDRED, author of Goshawk Summer

To the Victorians, the musk plant was prized for its intoxicating perfume. Yet in 1913 all the musk plants in the world suddenly stopped smelling.

Unable to resist the lure of the mystery, Bob Gilbert turns detective. From the London Underground to Scotland’s Pentland Hills, from uncovering a possible murder to confronting the unsettling silence of the yew tree, The Missing Musk mixes history, nature writing and science to uncover the truth behind six of nature’s great enigmas.

Publisher Review

A brilliantly researched investigation into some of nature’s most enduring mysteries. Never less than utterly fascinating and intriguing — Neil Ansell, author of THE LAST WILDERNESS The Missing Musk is a joyful celebration of intelligent curiosity. Absorbing, fascinating, and a positive invitation to explore the natural world around us — Lev Parikian, author of INTO THE TANGLED BANK Impeccably researched and endlessly fascinating, The Missing Musk is a captivating dive into the mysteries of nature — Lee Schofield, author of WILD FELL Meticulously researched, thought-provoking and enlightening, The Missing Musk is a perfect mix of whodunnit and wonder for the natural world. A truly unique, fun and inspirational book that dispels common myths without detracting from the wonder of its subject — James Aldred, author of GOSHAWK SUMMER The Missing Musk is not really about finding answers, but challenging the systems that govern our thinking . . . we are asked to celebrate the “confusions and contradictions” of nature, acknowledging what we cannot know while valuing all perspectives, from the metaphysical to the biological — Kate Simpson * Times Literary Supplement * Brimful of fascinating observations and beautifully written, this is a wonderfully engaging book * Simple Things Magazine *