This is the second book in the Botanist’s Guide series but you do not need to have read the first book to enjoy this book.

I love that we were able to experience several more settings. While Saffron really does flourish at the university, we were able to see her skills at work at the theatre, in the country, and even in jazz clubs. It also allows us insights into her past that we wouldn’t have otherwise had.

Dr. Lee is an excellent addition to this world- he’s a great foil to Saffron. I will admit, sometimes I wanted to strangle him, but that is part of what makes an excellent foil.

My favourite element of these books is the plants themselves, though. Khavari has clearly done more than enough research and it is more than apparent in the story. If you are like me and find yourself googling the various poisons and plants, you will find that everything is blooming when it should be and has the properties that are portrayed.

Jodie Harris’ narration of the audiobook is sublime. She has one of those voices that works so well for historical books, and I wish she would tackle more in the genre!

The mystery was intriguing.

My biggest problem was the romance. This book introduces a never-needed love triangle with Saffron, the new guy Michael and traveling Alexander. Then Saffron ended up cheating on Alexander with Michael. Her friend gives her an out that absolves Saffron of cheating. When Michael finds out and acts upset, he has to apologize in the end. Honestly, if Michael had sex with another woman while traveling, I doubt Saffron would be so accepting of the ‘we weren’t official’ excuse.

And this made me lose any interest in this series.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

This historical novel with a botanical twist started strong but lost steam towards the later parts. It seemed like the story was getting bogged down in too many details and I had a difficult time pushing through to the end

This book was good! I liked the characters and the setting. The author writes good too!!
I hope to read more by this author in the future! Looking forward to it!

I really enjoyed this book and went on the read the next one. It grabbed my attention right away. The characters were fantastic and ground breaking.

I am loving this series. It's like Agatha Christie, but fancy. It's a historical mystery but with acknowledgment of the problematic treatment of women back in an idolized historical period.

Excellent audio narration.

Set in 1920's London, this follow-up novel to A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisions, sees Saffron team up with a Dr. Lee to conduct a research study that finds them traveling the countryside in response to reported poisonings. When Dr. Green is given a case involving murdered women who were each sent a bouquet of poisonous flowers. Saffron and Dr. Lee decide to help with the case, and she finds herself giving a fake name in a dark jazz club in hopes of getting closer to the suspects. As to be expected Saffron gets into all kinds of mischief.
I listened to the audiobook version and really enjoyed it. I can't wait for the next novel in the series!

A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality is the second mystery by Kate Khavari featuring botanist research assistant Saffron Everleigh. Released 6th June 2023 by Crooked Lane Books, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out from the same publisher in second quarter 2024. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats; super useful for checking things easily in the text.

This book (and series) incorporates so many favorite cozy tropes: intelligent female protagonist, an academic setting, with all the jealousy and subterfuge that entails, historical setting (1920s London), some danger and intrigue and "fair play" well constructed mystery plot.

Saffron Everleigh is a botanist and research assistant, with all the misogyny and difficulty that entails at the time at a large research university. Honestly, it's *still* not a walk in the park for female academics in the sciences. She's a legacy in academia, her late father was also an academic.

It's a character driven mystery, and the author is quite talented at descriptive prose without descending into overwrought passages or overly contrived dialogue. The author does nod to period formality without decreasing readability at all.

The mystery and resolution are self contained in this book, so it works well enough as a standalone. There are references to the first book, so readers who choose to read them out of order should expect some spoilers.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 11 hours 19 minutes and is expertly read by Jodie Harris. She has a well modulated classically trained voice and does a great job with a number of disparate regional accents, and a range of character ages of both sexes and various socioeconomic strata.

Four stars for both print and audio versions. It would make a nice short binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Four stars. Delightfully engaging. I look forward to the next installment.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I missed the boat a bit here, not realising that this is book 2 in a series. Having said that, the story stands on its own and I enjoyed it wothout having read book 1. Saffron is an engaging character, perfect for heading up this kind of semi cosy historical mystery. The setting was accurate and enjoyable and the trials Saffron faces as a woman feel period specific (rather than preachy and ripped off tiktok.) Overall this was great fun.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great addition to the 1st in series, with a new romance budding between our MC and her college as they are on the case to find the murderer in this audiobook.
It was a fast listen that kept me listening and following along easily. The narrator did a good job in pulling us into the story and feeling like one of the characters. A new age Agatha Christie with a multitude of suspects and red herrings to throw us off track. A good audio to listen to more than once.

This was an enjoyable audiobook. I liked the narrator and it kept me entertained.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for allowing me to enjoy this audiobook.

All thoughts expressed are my own.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. this was fantastic, just what i have come to expect from this author and look forward to carrying in my book store.

I liked this installment much more than the first book. Saffron seemed to have learned and grown from her impulsiveness (she makes a couple of comments about how silly poisoning herself was which I got a chuckle out of), and I appreciated watching her navigate her position as a woman in STEM in the 1920s.

The mystery here was interesting and I liked the way Khavari pulled in Victorian language of flowers. I think the plot was tight and ultimately enjoyed the way the mystery developed and was solved. I was initially skeptical when Andrew, her sleuthing partner and love interest from the first book, was missing, but I liked that we got to see more of her best friend, Eliza, and I grew to like her coworker (and other love interest) Michael Lee. I also loved the way Khavari handled the love triangle element in this so much, and that’s not something I typically say about love triangles.

Overall, I think this is a fun historical mystery series, especially on audio. Jodie Harris is such an expressive narrator! I am I quite interested to presumably see more of Alexander’s backstory in the next book after that epilogue.

This is another wonderful listen. It seems this was the second book in the series but I was able to follow without reading the first. I loved following Saffron Everleigh through her adventures. Set in the early 1900s, this has everything to keep you hooked. I definitely recommend it.

Over all the Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality is a decently paced enjoyable read. It is the second book in the series and I highly recommend picking up the first. While I was able to follow along without listening to the first it would have made it a much more enjoyable. I really enjoyed the timber and expressions in the narrators voice. I would definitely be willing to listen to more.

I received a free arc of the audio book and am leaving a review of my own volition.

Poisons flowers, a strong female scientist and a mystery that needs to be solved.... sign me up!

I have to start by saying I absolutely LOVE this series so much! Kate Khavari does a magnificent job writing and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.

A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality is the second book in the series where the protagonist Saffron Everleigh has to use her knowledge, persistences and bravery to help the authorities figure out who is responsible for sending out these beautifully murderous flowers. In the first book, Lee was right by Saffrons side, however this time around it is Dr. Michael Lee who has unexpectedly found himself being Saffrons sidekick and potential love interest. Kate really does know how to write strong women and I love that about her. She also knows how to keep me guessing and repeatedly updating my suspect list. I did not see the end coming but wow was it good. Cannot wait to see what happens next.

I highly recommend everyone pick this one up!

Thank You to Kate Khavari and Dreamscape Media, for the audio-digital ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

- book 2 in series
- Good storyline
- didn’t see ending coming; came out of nowhere
- sets up next book in series
-slow burn read until end; picks up fast
-some descriptions not clear; felt I missed half the story
-Audiobook ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- great voice inflection and used a different voice for each character

A fantastic second book in the series that keeps everything fresh for the reader and the protagonist. I am loving Saffron's character evolution.

Dear A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality,
You are a lark of a series. Somehow, while dealing with murder in the victorian era in England, you manage to have a whole lot of fun. Saffron is just a beautiful character, with wit and charm and so much to adore about her. She always manages to get the best of the men that flock to her as well. I loved the twists that you had at the end; I 100% did not figure it all out until all was revealed. I am going to continue with this whole series as they come out, because they are just so enjoyable.

This book was such slow going. I loved book one but this one was just not for me.
I tried really hard but it was not for me.