Title: The curse of the giant hogweed
First published: 1985
Description: A mystery novel of sorts. Book 5 in the Peter Shandy series.

The investigation of an agricultural disaster in the making turns into a bizarre fantasy.

> Professors Peter Shandy and Timothy Ames, propagators of the world's most renowned rutabaga, are on a foreign mission, lending their expertise to the dilemma of the pestiferous Giant Hogweed which threatens to take over the lovely hedgerows of Britain. With them is Professor Daniel Stott, head of animal husbandry at Balaclava Agricultural Col lege. But is Dan secretly on the side of the hogweed? And whose side is the hogweed on? Is it possible for even a plant fifteen feet tall to behave with such calculated malignity?

>Fleeing the groves of academe for a spot of fieldwork, the three cross the border into Wales, forgetting this is the land of Merlin, where enchantments run rife and every rabbit hole has a white rabbit in it. They'd gladly have settled for just a rabbit. What they get is a loudly disenchanted giant searching for the King's pet griffin under pain of eternal banishment from the arms of his often-betrothed. Before they can explain they haven't time to hunt griffins, Peter, Tim, and Dan are trapped by the hogweed and forced into an adventure that's pretty bizarre even by the standards to which Peter Shandy has become accustomed.

>Aided by Dan Stott's knowledge of *The Chronicles of Narnia* and Miss Hilda Horsefall's recipe for homemade lye soap, however, the Hercule Poirot of the turnip fields triumphs again.
Subjects: Fiction, Peter Shandy (Fictitious character), College teachers
LC classification: PS3563.A31865 C8 1985