Based in the 1920s in London, research assistant Saffron is thrust into the middle of a poisoning investigation and she must help clear the name of her professor.

I absolutely loved this read. The characters were amazing espically Saffron. And the description of the world was captivating!
I cant wait for book two!!

A fun historical mystery with many different moving pieces. I will say the story started a bit fast for me and I felt like I was playing catch up but once I got into it it was quite enjoyable!!

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

set in the 1920s, a woman is succeeding in an all male academic arena. a victim is murdered with poison so Saffron works with a (possible romantic interest) man to solve the crime

4 Stars.

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for my own review*

This was such a twisty, poetic read. It's very Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes-esque in style and some of the descriptions. I really loved how the day to day was added to further the story rather than the description.

The mystery was not too suspenseful, more calm and creeping than thrilling. I guessed about 10 different murderers and motives but was quite happy with the reveal and how the characters emerged. The details of the plants and the school seemed realistic and easily understood for non-science folk like myself.

The stand out for me was the relationship between Saffron and Elizabeth. I love the idea of women banding together in books set back in periods of history where women weren't really allowed out on their own. I also love the romance and the easy way that the couple slid into each other's life, it didn't overpower the story but complemented it so well.

My gripe was the length - the book had a lull that I was somewhat lazy to get through. I knew it would end well and was glad I got back into the rhythm and flew through it.

I'd recommend for any fans of Sherlock/Agatha or cozy mystery as it's a serene ride. There's no noted triggers aside from the general murder ones, there is mentions of adult themes.

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari

Saffron Everleigh, an assistant to Dr. Maxwell at the London University school of botany, did not want to attend this party. She did not want to run into the men that mocked her daily and the especially not the one who did a lot more than mock.

She was right. She should have stayed home. Right in front of her a crime would take place and her beloved Dr. Maxwell would be blamed for it. But could she prove his innocence? Save him and herself.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book. The title of course had me interested because I’m fascinated by poisons. And that’s totally normal.

But then the first chapter was vanilla in many ways. I think the biggest turn off is this book is very white. There are no people of color and no obvious gender or sexuality diversity. I don’t believe in the “it was the times” agreement. Since, POC and Queer people existed and interacted with white straight people throughout history. Plus there are too many good historical fiction books that have main characters that are POC and Queer.
So, my rule is at least have some side characters who are diverse. The only exception to that is I prefer no mention of diverse people if it is only going to be insults. Sadly, this happens with Indigenous people, They are merely mentioned as one aspect of a dangerous expedition. But I kept reading because it was a nice cozy mystery.

For the most part I liked Saffron Everleigh and her love interest Alexander Aston. They had some good wholesome chemistry. I thought the books dealt well with sexism Saffron faces and PTSD Aston deals with even though it failed on racism.
My favorite character is Elizabeth, Saffron’s best friend, who is a fiery mother hen-house wife-best-friend character. She was worth reading the whole book. And I will read the next one just to get more Elizabeth.
I am going to rate this book a 3.5 stars out of five stars. I thought it needed diversity and could have been a faster paced book. But it was a solid cozy mystery and I will read the next books if this becomes a series.

At the end of the day, this truly wasn't a bad book. I just don't believe I was the right audience for it. The book was just okay in my opinion. I have only one negative critique of this book, and that is simply that it was hard to overlook the use of "University College."

This book caught my eye because of the great title and gorgeous cover art. I’m glad it did because this was a really enjoyable read!

The story revolves around a Botany Department at University College in London, 1923. A professor’s wife is poisoned at a party with an apparent plant toxin. This launches research assistant Saffron Everleigh on a hunt for the attacker through greenhouses, libraries, gardens and police stations. The author’s rich descriptions pull you right into the settings and the multi-faceted characters are believable and engaging.

I loved the variety in the action - from quiet scenes in university libraries to intense confrontation with the suspected attackers. I would have appreciated a few more plot twists towards the end of the novel, but overall I loved the journey it took me on. I feel like these characters have many more layers to peel back and could carry on for a few more novels. I’m looking forward to the next one!

I received a copy of this book from the published via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The title of this book, #ABotanistsGuidetoPartiesandPoisons, drew me in. It is so unique and catchy, that I just had to read the book. Thanks to #NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Kate Khavari has penned a wonderful story, maintaining the uniqueness of the title within the pages as well. It is a well-written page-turner, with compelling characters, a complex mystery, and a wonderful setting in both time and place.
Saffron Everleigh's challenges as the first and only female academic in the botany department and the university as a whole are realistic for the time and yet still pertinent today. Alexander Ashton is also a sympathetic character as he deals with post-traumatic stresses in his own way. The building relationship between the two is hopeful for them both, yet doesn't overwhelm the progress of the mystery.
The mystery itself has plenty of suspects and is mired in the politics that inevitably come into academia. Saffron's determination to solve the crime doesn't come across as over-the-top as the actions of heroines in some mysteries can.
The scientific aspects of the book are not overwhelming to the layperson, and help to make the mystery authentic and fascinating.
I look forward to whatever else the botanist decides to provide a guidebook on.

Loved this book! The plot was so immersive and the relationship between the main protagonists made the story enthralling. I loved the little moments of attention to detail and historical accuracy, the cozy feel while also still having pulse pounding action, an overall fun read!

This Saffron Everleigh Mystery definitely has character. The beautiful cover immediately sets the tone and matches the overall atmosphere. It’s got an interesting and original plot set in an other era for added flair, especially given the historical context and setting. All the ingredients seemed there to cook up a riveting investigation. Unfortunately, it never really got me excited. For all the writing qualities, I never managed to feel engaged enough. But regardless, I’m sure it’ll be riveting to others.

Thank you to Crooked Lane book for this Netgalley arc in exchange for an honest review.

With the death of a botanist on days before leaving for an Amazonian expedition, we find the University research assistant turning detective - botanist.. Attempting to find out why, who and mostly how the murder was committed whiles getting herself in dangerous situation
There is poison, sexual advances, a love affair and experiments rolled into this slightly cozy mystery.
Enjoyable to the end with a lot of "Hiss" and "Boos" and Cheering for a happy ending.

First off, thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC.

This book immediately caught my attention because of the cover...and then the description. Set in the 1920, in the botany department with amazing characters, this is a story everyone will enjoy. The characters not only realistic but also very engaging. Total his my science NERD brain too! A great mystery, with suspense AND romance - a triple threat and a great ready!...and the ending - just wait for it

The setting of this book was incredible. The atmosphere was fantastic and I loved getting to read about 1920s London.

First, the cover of this book is absolutely stunning. It's what drew me to the story. I should have done a little more research though because I didn't realize this was a cozy mystery. I am not usually a fan of cozy mysteries. However, I really enjoyed getting to know Saffron and Alexander. I loved the botany theme as well. It did take me a couple chapters to really get into the story. It starts off with so many names it's hard to keep track of who is who. Additionally, there is way too much use of proper names. I know this will probably be addressed in the final editing process, but there definitely needs to be less "Miss X" over and over on the same page and more use of personal pronouns such as she, her, and they. I will definitely recommend to others!

There is a certain irony that I just finished another book about poisons a few weeks before I read this one, it wasn’t planned, just lined up that way. I love that the main character here is named Saffron, a very unique name and of course a spice derived from the flower Crocus Sativus. It could be argued that Saffron was destined for the world of Botany. While it isn’t immediately disclosed, the timing of this story is obviously set in the early 1900’s, sometime after WW1. Saffron is a bit of a role breaker as one of the few female research assistants serving and learning at university. So perhaps it is fitting for her when the high profile wife of a professor appears to be poisoned at a party; Saffron decides perhaps she can be of some good in uncovering the possible suspects. Of course, every Sherlock needs an assistant, enter Alexander; a handsome, WW1 vet struggling with what we now know is PTSD. Assisted by the broody, mysterious Alexander, Saffron uses all her skill as a budding plant researcher to identify the poison. Of course, Saffron is no detective and she is prone to find herself in over her head, as her inquires draw the attentions of not just the police, but also the persons responsible for the nefarious acts at the college. While this is a mystery novel at heart, there are a lot of elements of social change and defying role expectations, as well as the obstacles women face in succeeding. As murderous mysteries go, this is fairly light hearted, with a storyline free of depraved murder. It is easy to be happy for the characters and rejoice in their successes. It is nice to read something that isn’t full of complete darkness. Overall, this is an enjoyable, light mystery perfect for a rainy Sunday. Review posted to Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, Litsy, and LibraryThing

This book was interesting, but for me it missed the point of a mystery with many twists in an actual mystery. There were many thrilling scenes but the only thing that really thrilled me and kept me reading was the romance. Although I love that the picture of woman in academics and their struggles, especially in scientific academics, is portrayed, this book was meant to be set in the 1920's and I wished for more description for this setting. Women still have strong problems in academics and except for some descriptions of clothes I didn't really feel as if I am reading a mystery set to be in another time. The war plays a big role for the different character's backgrounds but we find that in many contemporary books as well. Overall this book was easy to read but in the end it wasn't more than an average mystery to me. I'm a big mystery lover and sadly found the romance in this book more catching than the actual mystery and I missed scenes that in more detail would explain ideas and plans of the actual crime. I feel like this book could have been a bit more fleshed out. When it comes to the mystery it felt a little bit flat in my opinion. I like the plant descriptions and the idea of the book though. I loved reading about the healing effects of plants as a kid and through that also started learning about poisining ones (since they're often the same). I think I wished for a bit more explanation of the book on that side, as I feel it was strongly targeted to me this way.
Another thing I noticed that the first character switch to Alexander Ashton happened quite late and abruptly, a few chapters into the book and then in the middle of a chapter as well, which threw me off a bit. But in the end I really liked having 2 perspectives and it also helped my enjoyment of the romance.
But I would be interested to read more by this author in the future since I enjoyed her writing style.

3/5

It’d be wrong of me to say otherwise but it was this stunning cover that drew me in long before I read the blurb, and I really am not usually the kind of reader to be so persuaded. That said, I loved the combination of historical fiction and a solid mystery, and this had all that plus lots more.

Set in London in the early 1920’s, A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons has the vibe of a black-and-white movie transformed into glorious technicolour and thoroughly turned on its head. Saffron is not your typical damsel in distress, she has taken up her role as assistant to Dr Maxwell based on merit, though there are some who cast aspersions on that fact and assume it was the result of family connections. She is determined to be seen for the capable academic she is but social conduct of the day often seems to work against her.

She is thrown into the mystery when her mentor is charged with the attempted murder of Mrs Henry, one of the professors' wives at the university. The fact that Maxwell has recently been rejected by Henry for a place on the expedition is said to give him a motive. But things do not add up.

But who’s going to listen to Saffron? Not the police inspector running the case, that’s for sure. It is only with the “unexpected” help of fellow researcher, Alexander Ashton, that any credence at all is given to Saffron’s evidence. Evidence which she has acquired at great risk to herself.

In getting her evidence, the duo stumble upon yet more misdeeds that seem to point to others being responsible for the poisoning of Mrs Henry … and they – cue the dastardly villains – are not very happy that Saffron is asking questions, questions that could see their plans unravel. They have to silence her and Ashton. Can they? Will they? These last few chapters are fraught with danger for the twosome and they are seriously in need of assistance if they are to see the true culprits caught … and, more importantly, if they are to survive themselves.

I really enjoyed this book, it was such an easy read. Captivating and intriguing, true to the era in which it was set, and thoroughly packed with engaging characters and evil scoundrels.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for my copy of this fabulous story. I’ll be getting a hard copy as soon as it comes out to indulge further in that stunning cover.

I really liked this unusual spin on a murder mystery. 3.5* rounded up.

The novel is set in England after WWI. Our heroine, Saffron Everleigh, is thoroughly modern and definitely a feminist. This is not exactly accurate to the time frame. If that's what you're looking for, you will be disappointed or annoyed, Personally, I liked it. It's not a history textbook and the author made some small changes. Miss Everleigh is a researcher, sort of. She works as a research assistant, which is more like a glorified secretary, in an attempt to pay her dues and become a full-fledged botanist. Her mentor, Dr. Maxwell is her only champion and the only person that doesn't seem to treat her like an idiot female. The novel opens at a party where one of the guests is poisoned. Dr. Maxwell becomes the prime suspect and that endangers Miss Everleigh's blossoming career, so she investigates and makes some questionable decisions.

This was like a rom-com Lady Sherlock, if she was a research assistant trying to break through the patriarchy and have al life outside of being a wife; with bit of light romance thrown in. It was mystery light. It was fun to read. The characters were nicely drawn out. Miss Everleigh was suitably awkward. She was always polite to the men around her at the university (all Drs.) even when I wanted to mentally smack them. Given how she was treated and how easy the men had it compared to her, I'd be angry. She is a bit but she can't and doesn't really let it show. She is overlooked because of her sex and the author could have played that as more of a strength in the mystery solving. If that was the intention, I would not be surprised, but it didn't read that way to me.

The mystery of who was the poisoner was nicely drawn out and easy to follow. It was not fast-paced. It was more medium-paced; definitely not slow. I really enjoyed all the details about the plants and the research expedition being planned along with the people who were suspects. There was definite life happening in the background. The university felt very real and I felt like I got enough detail to understand but not be bored.

I'd read another Miss Everleigh mystery. There's enough of an open ending for there to be more in the series. The reading experience was a bit like an historical cozy mystery.

I was pleased to be approved for a copy of this murder mystery for a free, unbiased and honest opinion.
Saffron aspires to run her own study but this isn’t likely to happen in 1920s London, no matter how hard she tries. So when her only champion and mentor is accused of attempted murder she has no choice but to solve the crime with her knowledge of plants.

The underlying mystery is interesting with a huge range of shady suspects with complex motives that kept me guessing who the murderer was and while I did kind of guess the identity, the motive did come as a surprise.
The book is told from the third-person point of view from Saffron and Alexander as they try to solve the mystery.

Saffron is an interesting character, a woman ahead of her time with no real female role models trying to find her way in the closed world of academia- I found this thread of the story the most fascinating particularly in how despite the progress women have made but so much has still the stayed the same. Some of her actions did seem reckless but made sense given her shaky future in a department determined to see her fail. I could understand the police’s frustrations with Saffron’s well-intentioned attempts to help!

Alexander was a solid character but in the usual supportive hero with underlying issues mould but the budding romance between him and Saffron was lovely.

The book was easy to read and finished this in a couple of hours in one sitting ( I did need to find out if I was right about the culprit) and I will be adding Kate Khavari to my list of authors to read.

Content warning

Attempted sexual assault, sexual harassment

Perfect for Fans of

Historical cosy crime, from the Goodreads blurb-Deanna Raybourn and Anna Lee Huber.

I really enjoyed this little mystery and will be glad to follow Saffron into the series! I liked the determination and bits of humor from Saffron, her loyal roommate and friend, the university setting, the slow burn romance, Alexander of course and most of all the botany! I felt that the author could have even gone more into plants as someone whom is a plant lover. And all I could picture was Matthew Macfaddyen as Alexander Ashton…
Bravo to mother Khavari for writing this in a newly discovered profession and just becoming a mother. Really looking forward to the next!