I typically struggle with historical fiction but I liked this more than expected.

Saffron Everleigh is an imaginative and creative thinker, a scientist who seems to know an awful lot about poisons. This comes in handy as she is thrown in the middle of an attempted murder plot which her advisor and mentor is accused of. Saffron teams up with veteran Alexander Ashton and sparks fly.

The pacing lagged a bit in the middle and the suspense that was so ramped up in the beginning lost some steam. Some components require more suspension of disbelief than I was willing to give but overall, I enjoyed this.

I might read the next in the series, which I rarely say about historical fiction novels.

Did not get to finish, an interesting take on historical mysteries mixed with STEM and a heaping does of the lady deserves better!

Welcome to 1920s London in this quasi-cosy mystery. Saffron is a smart, ambitious woman living in the man's world of Science (1920s, remember). She makes for an engaging main character; intelligent but a bit impetuous. The story kicks off with a party. When Saffron's teacher is accused of poisoning a guest, she gets to work finding the real perpetrator. Along the way, she partners with Alexander Ashton (the charming love interest).

There is so much to like about this book! The story did drag a bit in the middle and (to be honest) the actual perpetrator seemed a bit unlikely to me. That is all that kept this charming tale from being a 5 star read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for sharing this ARC with me.

What a cozy murder mystery! The characters were really lovable and it was just comfortable and entertaining. It wasn't super original and the plot twists were not surprising at all, but I did enjoy it and will read the next books, if the author decides to write more. I would have liked to see more of botany and even microbiology, those were the things that I was most interested in when I picked up the book. But still, it's a light read, good for when you just need to sit down and relax with a book.

In this mostly cozy mystery set in 1920s London, we meet Saffron Everleigh, a young botanist working as assistant to a kindly, fatherly older botanist (her biological father, also a botanist, died in the First World War, as did her first amour). Unfortunately, most of the other scientists in their group are thoroughly sexist, which makes things very difficult when the wife of one is poisoned at a party and Saffron's mentor is hauled off to jail. Luckily for Saffron, her best friend and roommate is supportive, and even more luckily, she's able to team up with a handsome bacteriologist to help her figure out what's going on.

This was a fun read and pleasantly unlike the other books I've been reading just lately. I did feel that the role of Elizabeth, Saffron's best friend, was a little too small here, and that Saffron's friendship with the bacteriologist Alexander Ashton developed perhaps a little too quickly. Saffron also sometimes shows poorer sense than one might expect from a scientist. However, this should be the start to an enjoyable series that many readers will enjoy.

Painful style. Stilted and overwrought. REALLY needed a beta reader to catch awkward sentences and oddities. At first we have no idea when the story is set. Saffron's father's science study would probably be normal for his era, not an oddity. Should have been set at Wye College, Univ of London, not UCL.

Really loved this completely new and out of the box storyline! The characters truly jumped off the page and kept me wanting more and more. Additionally, the aspect of a woman playing front and center in such a male dominated field and time was great as well!

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons is a great cozy mystery that will give you all the dark academia vibes. When I first saw this book pop up on NetGalley, I had visions of it being the next The Lost Apothecary (one of my favorite books of 2021). While I enjoyed the book and it kept me guessing, I also found it a bit too slow for my taste.

I loved the historical aspect of it and all the descriptions surrounding the plants and the university location (I literally was picturing a Harry Potteresque school - anyone else?!). The action started right from the start, but then the middle of the section slowed a bit before it really picked up at the end. I really liked Saffron's character, and I certainly hope there will be another book featuring her; the ending certainly left it open.

3.5/5 stars from me, simply because it moved a little slower than I normally would like, but overall a good read.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Historical mistery with a side of romantic tension, in the style of Deanna Rayburn books

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Both the characters and the mistery were very compelling and the tension was very well built. The historical details and botanical curiosities were nice touches that brought the book to life. I hope to read more in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons introduces us to Saffron Everleigh, a research assistant in the botany department of a London university. Saffron is at a party for the university staff where she witnesses a poisoning. *Gasp!* When her mentor at the university, Dr. Maxwell, is arrested and blamed for the incident, Saffron goes to great lengths to find out if he is truly responsible - or if he's being framed. She's joined in her efforts - usually reluctantly - by fellow researcher Alexander Ashton. Can the unlikely duo use their knowledge of science to uncover the truth?

I was drawn to this book because it combines my love for historical fiction and mystery. To quote my coworker - who often tells me - "You do love a good murder." I sure do... I was not disappointed. The story was thoroughly engrossing and I finished the whole book in less than a day. The plot was thick and tense and laden with plenty of juicy morsels to keep a reader on their toes and guessing what will happen next - all hallmarks of a wonderful mystery. I enjoyed the creative inclusion of science and the puns and creative plays on words that were spotted through the book. The story was action-packed and full of the twists and turns that make for a future classic and I sincerely hope I get to devour more of Saffron's exploits in the future.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of the book to review. The opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of the author or publisher.

It was extremely difficult to get through the initial chapters. I believe the author assumed we are familiar with all the characters already and didn't spend much time in introducing them.
Every now and then a new name pops up and leaves you ever more confused.
Not the best kind of mystery.

Quite a quarky "whodunnit" story line reminiscent of Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, and Clue combined. The main character Saffron is a botanist research assistant. At a party, a guest is poisoned. Saffron shares her whit and cleverness to help solve the crime.

Overall, well written with a backdrop of the post-WWI England, and all it comes with it, with some science, humor and romance for good taste. It is filed as "Historical Fiction", which I suppose is accurate, though really it's a work of fiction in a historic time, without significant ties to any events in particular.

The author does well describing the characters, building the plot and tension. I only wish to have seen more closure at the end, though of course, that is my personal preference.

The comments above are mine without influence.

Original Review on Goodreads

We began in the year 1923 with research assistant, Saffron Everleigh, doing work for the botany department at the University College of London. While attending a dinner party for the university, there is a murder, her mentor is wrongly accused and thrown in jail, it’s up to Saffron, her botany knowledge and fellow reseacher Alexander Ashton to find the truth. With such a riveting story and crazy adventure, this story takes out of the real world and into one of murder mystery and intrigue. When I first read the books’ blurb I knew I was in for a day of devouring each page and all the adventure. I loved every character and the storyline so much! A love of good mash up of genres from murder mystery to historical fiction to slow burn romance! I think a lot of readers would enjoy this book as much as I did! I need so much more of Saffron and Alexander!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was thrilled to discover this book. It's well researched and contains a wealth of information about plant based poisons. Definitely some surprises in this fast-paced plot. Smart,, clever dialogue in this delightful mystery set in the 1920's. Saffron is an engaging character and if you enjoyed Miss. Fisher's mysteries, who will enjoy this delightful debut.

A Botanists Guide to Parties and Poisons

9781639100071

304 Pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Release Date: June 7, 2022

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

It is 1923 and Saffron Everleigh is a research assistant to Dr. Maxwell studying plants, especially poisonous ones. She is invited to a dinner party with the professors at the college. Dr. Henry, a colleague is also attending with his wife when she is falls ill. The doctors determine she was poisoned by an unknown toxin and since that is Dr. Maxwell’s specialty, he is the main suspect. Saffron knows that he is innocent and sets about trying to find evidence to clear his name.

The book has a steady pace, the characters are fully developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. The story is well written, and I hope to read more books by this author in the future. If you love a good cozy mystery, you should give this one a try.

Not a bad read, but not a great one. A light, cozy mystery. Character development wad weak and leaned little too much toward romance genre for me.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons drew me in right off the bat. The cover is gorgeous, the setting and time period is right up my alley and the plot is intriguing. This was a cozy historical mystery thriller. The characters were well thought out and the book had a slightly whimsical feel to it. I enjoyed this one.

4.25/5 stars
This was such a fun read! I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out “whodunnit” the entire time. The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars was because of the ending (it wasn’t bad, I just needed one of the loose ends tied up better). The characters are fun to get to know and the author does a great job of giving them depth and a life of their own. The pacing of the book is spot-on, not too fast and not too slow. I highly recommend this book!

I am intrigued! If this is just the beginning, wow, oh, wow, I can't wait for the other books to come out. I found out about this book on Instagram and knew I had to request an ARC based on the title, the premise, and because I've been wanting to read more historical mysteries. I was not disappointed. I love a good historical mystery, and this fit the bill (especially since it was also science related)! I loved Kate's end notes about her love of plants and how it influenced her to research and write this book; you can feel it in the world she created. And, Saffron! I loved her, hands down. This book reminded me a little bit of Jess Kidd's "Things in Jars," which I absolutely adored!

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book!

I think that fans of Anatomy: A Love Story will like A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Potions as it shares many similarities such as women attempting to live in a man's world, and "star-crossed lovers"!