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I am trying to remember a book with a female explorer who I think was the captain of an expedition to an alien planet. There, while exploring some alien ruins, she comes across a weird looking pitcher plant that, unbeknownst to her, emits strong sexual pheromones in order to attract prey.

Being seduced by the plant, she falls in its trap thinking she's having incredible sex. Luckily, another member of the team, who was immune for some reason (cold? allergies? mask?) rescues her just in time before she's consumed by the plant.

Despite the hentai-like scene, the rest of the story was quite serious, bordering on sombre actually. It was probably part of a longer series of books written in English from the early 2000s.

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    There are elements of your description which sound very like "Venom of Argos" by Richard Avery, pseudonym of Edmund Cooper. But they were written in the 70s and only a 4 book series. goodreads.com/book/show/13530492-the-venom-of-argus
    – lolrus
    Jan 20, 2019 at 20:48
  • Thanks, it's a good match but there are many differences as well besides the publication year (I'm sure it's after 2K): I clearly remember the captain was female and she was the one who fell in the trap. Also they were in the alien planet in some sort of scientific expedition checking the ruins, not on holidays. Again, thanks though :)
    – Hans Olo
    Jan 20, 2019 at 20:55
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    I know I've read this. Can't remember who or what. It's not Weinbaum.
    – Dosco Jones
    Jan 22, 2019 at 3:38
  • @DoscoJones No, I don't think it's Weinbaum as the book was written around early 2000s. For a while I thought it was a book by Bennett, but I checked his works and couldn't find anything. Thank for any help.
    – Hans Olo
    Jan 22, 2019 at 12:58

1 Answer 1

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Deepsix (2001), by Jack McDevitt

A team studying a doomed world becomes stranded on the surface, where they must live off of the land while planning for rescue. Priscilla "Hutch" Hutchins, the pilot, leaves her forcefield suit deactivated and becomes exposed to an airborne pheromone when she ventures into the forest alone for a bathroom break. The pheromone lures her to a large carnivorous plant. As she embraces the plant sexually, it secretes digestive chemicals that burn her skin. Hutch recovers her senses when her teammates rescue her and activate her forcefield suit to provide her with a clean air supply.

This scene occurs in chapter 17 of Deepsix (2001), the second novel in the Academy Series by Jack McDevitt. As of 2019, this series consists of eight novels and 8 short stories.

Cover of Deepsix by Jack McDevitt

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  • Yes, I think this is it, it matches the description perfectly and the name seems familiar! Thanks!
    – Hans Olo
    May 30, 2019 at 6:18

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