More twists than a pretzel!

Once again Saffron Everleigh, now a full time researcher with the University of London, is thrust into the heart of another murder inquiry. This time two men who work at a government run agricultural research facility have separately been found dead—seemingly poisoned. But what has caused it? Saffron is an expert in poisonous plants. The time is post World War II. Countries are scrambling for their place on the world stage, to feed and house their populations. After a conference in Paris she is more than ever aware of her research being a dichotomy between medical and agricultural areas, and the dangerous offshoots both are capable of.
Her more than friend Alexander Ashton asks her to intercede with Detective Green on behalf of his brother who’s been innocently caught up in the investigation. As he’s disapproved of her previous involvements in such goings on neither of them can avoid Alexander’s asking this of her as hypocritical.
As it is Detective Green gets in touch with Saffron as there are details which are close to Saffron’s area of expertise. Her inquiries lead her to some puzzling facts. She enlists the help of her close friend Dr. Michel Lee.
It seems there are deeper waters involved when her dead fiancée, and her flat mate’s brother, Nick Hale turns up. Nick works with the ‘Agricultural Ministry.’ Strange things are happening and food security is part of it, or not?
On top all this there’s the matter of Alfie Tennison, who runs an illegal gambling den. What is his role in all this?
An exciting and deadly twist to Saffron’s continuing story. If you’ve followed her journey this is of course a must read. If your new to the Everleigh Mysteries I’d recommend starting with the first in the series.

A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

In 1923 London, botanical researcher Saffron becomes entangled in a poisonous web after her love interest’s brother is accused of murdering a Russian scientist. As more researchers fall victim, Saffron courts peril when she goes undercover in a government lab to reveal the killer.

Fast-paced and fun, this novel has a varied cast of likable characters and plenty of villains to choose from. It reads more like a thriller than a mystery, with international intrigue at its core.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Content warning: murder, people being drugged, people being poisoned, kidnapping

Picking up the plot just as Saffron arrives back in London from her trip to Paris, readers are quickly swept up into Saffron's world of plants, poisons, and perhaps a few potential romantic options. Huzzah! Readers (and Saffron) are finally given more details into Alexander Ashton's history to help piece together his story a bit more. I really enjoyed Elizabeth in this one (much more than the previous books) and appreciate that she was given more time to shine in solving these mysteries.

While I enjoyed the mystery of the floral bouquets in the second book more, this case that needed to be solved was interesting and the high stakes of it is clearly setting up some major plot points for future books in this series (especially given how A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets ends). I was hoping for more of Dr. Lee though, hopefully he'll play a bigger role in the next book?

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Khavari's A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets is the third volume in the Saffron Everleigh historical mystery series, and it's every bit as good as the first two volumes. Khavari has been gradually sliding in some potential larger-scale problems to go with the specific mystery at the heart of each novel, so readers aren't just wondering whodunnit?, but are also waiting to see how the relationships among the continuing characters develop.

In one way or another, the longer-term problems probe the question of what it means to be female in England in the aftermath of WWI. Saffron, our central character, is determined to be a professor of botany as her father was, but her grandparents, who control the family's wealth, are becoming increasingly harsh in their efforts to get her out of London, into the family home, and married off to an appropriate man who can help build the family's wealth.

Saffron's childhood friend and current roommate, Elizabeth, is also seeking freedom to enjoy London life and to grasp every opportunity to enjoy herself. The one who is trying to prevent her emerging, more daring identity is her brother. And that brother has unresolved conflicts with Saffron's beau/friend Alexander (it varies regularly), who has asked Saffron to help prove his brother's innocence as he faces a murder charge...

The things I'm sharing here are set up for the novel, not revelations that come further into novel, so no worries about spoilers.

If you enjoy historical mysteries with plucky, intelligent, stubborn, female central characters, this is a series you'll want to check out. You can probably read the series (currently three volumes) in any order, but I would suggest reading them in order so you can watch the relationships between the recurring characters develop.

Kate Khavari's A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets is the third volume in the Saffron Everleigh historical mystery series, and it's every bit as good as the first two volumes. Khavari has been gradually sliding in some potential larger-scale problems to go with the specific mystery at the heart of each novel, so readers aren't just wondering whodunnit?, but are also waiting to see how the relationships among the continuing characters develop.

In one way or another, the longer-term problems probe the question of what it means to be female in England in the aftermath of WWI. Saffron, our central character, is determined to be a professor of botany as her father was, but her grandparents, who control the family's wealth, are becoming increasingly harsh in their efforts to get her out of London, into the family home, and married off to an appropriate man who can help build the family's wealth.

Saffron's childhood friend and current roommate, Elizabeth, is also seeking freedom to enjoy London life and to grasp every opportunity to enjoy herself. The one who is trying to prevent her emerging, more daring identity is her brother. And that brother has unresolved conflicts with Saffron's beau/friend Alexander (it varies regularly), who has asked Saffron to help prove his brother's innocence as he faces a murder charge...

The things I'm sharing here are set up for the novel, not revelations that come further into novel, so no worries about spoilers.

If you enjoy historical mysteries with plucky, intelligent, stubborn, female central characters, this is a series you'll want to check out. You can probably read the series (currently three volumes) in any order, but I would suggest reading them in order so you can watch the relationships between the recurring characters develop.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

As with the first two books of the series, this third book is blossoming with intrigue, murder, mayhem, and a bit of romance. It is set in 1920s London with a rich narrative of period detail. It quickly sucks you into a time when respect was almost impossible for working females to win – especially female scholars.

Saffron Everleigh is a brilliant botanist who has had to fight and claw to claim a place as a researcher at the University – and she has to fight against prejudices, jealousies, and resentment every day to keep that position. In the previous two books, Saffron has willingly become entangled in murder investigations involving poisonous plants. Those investigations jeopardized her job and personal relationships, and she is glad to have left that behind her. With things settling down – her research project underway – and things getting back to an even keel with her work colleague (and romantic interest), microbiologist Alexander Ashton, she is looking forward to her next steps. Until . . .

Alexander has spent a lot of time over the last two books admonishing Saffron for her involvement in murder investigations – though he still helped her. Now, imagine his chagrin when he must ask for her help – with a murder investigation. As part of his job as an engineer, Adrian, Alexander’s brother had traveled by train to pick up a set of plans. He didn’t pay a lot of attention to the only other passenger in his car – until the man died. Since the man was poisoned, Adrian was the prime suspect.

Saffron agrees to do what she can to help, but – this time – Inspector Green isn’t inviting her into the investigation. While she can work around him, his cooperation would be much more helpful. This intricately woven mystery takes Saffron from the university, through secretive government labs, and on to government organizations who all want the biggest, best, most effective weapons.

The mystery is engaging, the prose educational, and the story easily translatable into today’s world. I particularly enjoyed the growth of Saffron’s relationship with Alexander and hope that continues to be the case. Yet another interesting part of the story is Nick, Saffron’s best friend’s brother. Is he a good guy or a bad guy? He certainly gave no indications of any soft good-guy edges to him, so I have to wonder if we won’t see more of him because he wants Saffron to work at one of his secret government labs.

This is a well-crafted story that I can recommend if you enjoy a thrilling, thought-provoking read. When I mentioned above that it was educational, I was truthful, as it is filled with a plethora of information on plants, poisons, microbes, methodologies, etc. For me personally, I could do with less of that, but it doesn’t detract from the story in the least – and it might even raise my IQ a bit.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Saffron Everleigh came from wealth but is making her own way in academia as a botanist like her father in an era when women were still to stay home having babies, cooking, and cleaning. She is an inspirational character with her intelligence and grit.

Elizabeth Hale is her best friend and room mate who works as a secretary for a government official. Elizabeth's brother, Nick Hale, makes a surprise visit only to try and recruit Saffron to aid the government in investigating the scientist's murder. Alexander Ashton, a fellow academia at the same university, is crazy about Saffron but had caused a rift between them insisting that she not assist the police with investigations, only to need her help now to clear his brother of killing the same scientist's murder. Then there is Dr. Michael Lee who has grown very fond of Saffron and keeps helping her out on investigations. I particularly like Dr. Lee.

The plot continues to get more involved as the story develops. The pacing maintains a steady trot between everyone involved and the individual undercurrents. The setting is London to begin, then transitions to the Path Lab in the small town of Harpenden. The Path Lab makes a frightful setting with all the experiments and secrets.

Elizabeth takes part in the exciting climax and brings some humor to the story. I enjoyed her greater involvement in this book. The climax and killer reveal was tense with quite a twist and was one of those just when you thought everything was done, ooops there's more surprise danger.

This third book introduces a criminal mastermind and arch-enemy for Saffron. This ups the ante significantly in these books. The ending promises another match against this arch-villain.

Ms. Khavari's writing style makes each book more impressive than the last. Excellent and a must read series.

Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

Kate Khavari has done it again with her third book, A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets It is a wonderfully written historical fiction about botanist, Saffron Everly. Saffron is back from Paris and once again pulled in to solving murder, this time going under cover in a government lab. I was delighted to read this book and enjoyed the banter between Saffron and her friends. I was happy to see Lee back in this book and as always I adored her roommate Elizabeth. I always learn something new when I read one of Kate's books, her own knowledge of botany makes for an immersive story and experience. The ending definitely leaves an opening for book four and I can not wait. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for my digital ARC copy.

"Brilliant botanist Saffron Everleigh is ready for her next thrilling adventure in the newest installment of Kate Khavari's mesmerizing historical mystery series.

London, 1923. Returning from Paris, botanical researcher Saffron Everleigh finds that her former love interest Alexander Ashton's brother, Adrian, is being investigated for murder. A Russian scientist working for the English government has been poisoned, and expired in Adrian's train compartment. Alexander asks Saffron to put in a good word for Adrian with Inspector Green. Despite her unresolved feelings for Alexander, Saffron begins to unravel mysteries surrounding the dead scientist.

As if a murder case weren't enough, her best friend Elizabeth's war-hero brother, Nick, arrives in town and takes an immediate interest in Saffron. Saffron learns Alexander has been keeping secrets from her, including a connection to Nick, who Saffron and Elizabeth begin to suspect is more than he seems.

When another scientist is found dead, Saffron agrees to go undercover at the government laboratory. Risking her career and her safety, she learns there are many more interested parties and dangerous secrets to uncover than she'd realized. But some secrets, Saffron will find, are better left undiscovered."

Lots of familial connection causing chaos!

Loved the 1st book, thought the second was fine, I just cannot get into this one. There's a lot going on, and nothing's holding me

The third Saffron Everleigh historical mystery has the botanist looking into a lab which may by turning biologicals into weapons of mass destruction.

Alexander Ashton, former love interest who might become a love interest again, comes to Saffron to urge her to convince the police that his brother Adrian had nothing to do with the death of a man sharing his train compartment. The man was an emigre and scientist at a government sponsored research laboratory.

Meanwhile, Saffron's roommate Elizabeth's brother Nick has come to call. This older brother has been scarce for years. He is supposedly former military and now working for the agriculture department. He makes a fuss over both is sister and Saffron. It doesn't take the young women long to become suspicious of Nick since evidence seems to indicate that he's a spy.

Nick recruits Saffron to work in the suspicious lab playing on her patriotism, her curiosity, and her desire to make sure science isn't used for immoral purposes after a second suspicious death connected to the lab. Her involvement attracts the attention of other ruthless characters.

This was an enjoyable historical mystery set in the years following World War I. I like Saffron both for her intelligence and for idealism.

London, 1923: Saffron Everleigh has just returned from a conference in France when she gets dragged into another murder case. This time it’s her friend (and sort of / former love interest) Alexander Ashton’s brother, Adrian. While she’s willing to do what she can to help, she’s also angry with Alexander; at the end of the last book their romantic relationship fizzled when he demanded she stay away from the dangerous investigations.

At the same time, her roommate Elizabeth’s brother shows up. Nick and Elizabeth haven’t seen each other in several years, so there’s a lot of tension there, but he also wants Saffron to help with a case.

While I still enjoyed the book, I felt like it dragged in places. I do like how the characters continue to develop and how we get a glimpse of what it was like being a female in a male dominated profession back in the 1920’s without feeling too forced or Saffron acting too modern. And I loved the epilogue that sets up the next book beautifully.

Recommended!

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

My review might contain a few minor spoilers. No big revelations or such, but some character dynamics and trends throughout the story are described in order to support my opinion and arguments.

~~~~~~~~~

The cover, the blurb and the ending of the second book convinced me to give the third book a try as well.

Sadly, I had to push myself through the first 200 pages. Only then the characters and plot managed to draw me in again. It's only from there on that the story starts showing the distinctive elements I recalled enjoying in books 1 and 2. In this book, a lot of new characters are being introduced and the storyline is also a lot more complex. It might be that this causes the slower pacing.

The investigative aspect of the storyline wasn’t how I expected it to be. Only halfway through, the characters finally start making progress in their search. Before that, there were things happening but it felt more like these were irrelevant little things instead of main story elements. The things they did discover throughout the book often felt like random stuff they suddenly stumbled upon as well. The general credibility of the story just didn’t sit right with me.

I did like the way Alexander and Saffron finally opened up some more to each other and tried to overcome their differences. Even though I didn’t feel the chemistry, I was happy they finally started to behave like responsible and understanding adults in their relationship. Saffron and Lee on the other hand, it felt like she was just using him when she needed his help, instead of trying to sustain a friendly relationship with him.

My favourite character was, without doubt, Elizabeth. I love how she got her own POV in a few chapters and played a more prominent role in this book. I feel like I also really got to know her better. Her character also had at least some depth. Saffron on the other hand had barely any character growth.

The last 70 pages are suddenly high paced and make you want to keep on reading. There is action and tension, there are new revelations and twists, secrets get exposed, … everything you were waiting for. But this does not outweigh how the first half of the story kind of disappointed me.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets is the 3rd installment of the Saffron Everleigh mystery series. While having read the previous 2 books is not absolutely necessary for enjoying this one, I do recommend them, as it provides a lot of background and development of the characters, particularly the FMC, Saffron Everleigh. To simplify things, she is a botanist and expert in poisonous plants, who has helped law enforcement as a consultant in several murder cases.

Set in 1923, Saffron Everleigh is back to help solve another murder case, this time: two scientists who have been fatally poisoned. They had been doing work for the government, and it may be just that work that have gotten them killed.

Adrian, the brother of Saffron's former love interest (Alexander), is being suspected of the murder of a Russian scientist. Alexander wants Saffron to put in a good word for Adrian with Inspector Green but Saffron is battling her unresolved feelings while trying to unravel the details and mysteries of the case. On top of that, Nick, brother of Saffron's BFF Elizabeth, arrives in town and takes a romantic interest in Saffron.

But everyone has secrets, and Alexander is hiding a very specific secret involving a connection to Nick. Apparently, Nick isn't who he seems. And when another scientist is found dead, Saffron must risk her career and safety to go undercover at the government laboratory. There she finds even more suspicious people and dangerous secrets. This may be one instance where it may have been better to leave well enough alone.

"Society and Secrets" is a very clever and well-plotted mystery, full of romance and poisonous plants. Plant-lovers and fans of puzzles and mystery/thrillers will love this installment of the series. I will definitely be recommending this series to my bookish friends.

I loved all of the character advancement in this book. I feel like we learned quite a bit about Saffron’s core group, especially Alexander. I do feel that the author left a significant plot point unsatisfactorily unresolved (Adrian?), but the introduction to the new Big Bad makes up for it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the ARC!
I LOVED the previous Saffron Everleigh books and this one is no different. While they're all structured similarly plot-wise, each book has given something different and exciting in the wide world of botany.
I felt that introducing Elizabeth's POV added more depth to world and it was interesting to see their relationships with Saffron in more detail, we got to see more of their almost sister like dynamic where previously I saw them as just close flatmates. Same with Alexander getting more detail on his background and what goes on in his mind helped understand his actions and thought processes.
It was a little slow to start but once you get going it really kicks off and ended on a great set up for book 4, I can't wait to continue solving crimes with this trio!

Thank you to NetGalley for receiving this ARC. I have been lucky to review all 3 of this series.

I enjoy the different characters. They are well written. It was fun to catch up with Saffron and Elizabeth. I really enjoyed seeing more Alexander. I missed Dr Lee.

One negative thing I would have to say is the pacing was a little off. It took me way too long to get hooked in. The different POV kinda threw me in the beginning. But I’m glad I kept going, as the murder mystery was interesting and fun to figure out.

I am looking forward to book 4.

I have received an advanced reader copy of this book for my honest review for the publisher in NetGalley, so let’s jump into it.

I did enjoy this book more than the second book. I really enjoyed the mystery and I did like the addition of some new characters. I will say that I wish Alexander’s brother had to do more with the plot. I really feel like he was just there, so that was saffron Alexander we get closer which like that’s fine but I didn’t do as much as I wanted. I did enjoy Elizabeth’s brother. He was an interesting character and then I also love that we got to see Lee in this book. Honestly, I am shipping Lee and Elizabeth. I really think they should get together. The freaking end of this book made it so good. I am so excited for the fourth book to come out and to read it because I just wanna know what happens next.

Saffron Everleigh and Alexander Ashton are back and knee-deep in a murder that involve fungi this time. I enjoyed the first two installments of this series. This one starts slowly as it builds up the action and character development so that the end is a page turner! Saffron is back from her Paris adventure and Alex involves her in trying to help his brother, Adrian, who is under investigation for murder. Saffron's roommate, Elizabeth's brother, Nick, shows up and Saffron is not happy that Alex and Nick seem to know each other but she's not sure how. Nick works for the government and working on an investigation that may connect to the murder. They are all involved in visiting underground casinos, breaking into labs and homes to find clues and evidence, and finding their way out of the clutches of the thugs causing havoc.
Saffron has grown as a character and she feels more comfortable in her own shoes. She has found out more about who she is and what she wants. I like that the characters are not perfect, as Alex has physical imperfections from his time in the war and Saffron makes mistakes and errors in judgments. Elizabeth loves and hates her brother at the same time which I think many can relate to. I could picture the house/apartment, lab, the fungi samples, and earwigs in the vivarium as the characters move through the settings set in 1923.
I'll be looking forward to the next installment and how Saffron has to deal with her family developments. If you are looking for a fun and engaging historical mystery, I recommend this third installment (especially if you read the first two).

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
#ABotanitsGuidetoSocietyandSecrets #NetGalley

I enjoyed this historical magic realism installment of the Saffron Everligh series.

I loved getting all 3 POVs of the sisters. I really liked that Elizabeth had a stronger role in this one. I was disappointed that Saffron’s character fell a bit flat for me and did not experience much growth.

I enjoyed that the plot started rolling fairly quickly and moved at a good pace throughout and that character backstories were further expanded on.

The winning trio of murder/mystery, romance and female companionship made this an excellent read!