Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for a free ecopy.
This is a mystery novel set in 1920 London.
I love historical fiction and the element of mystery was great but I couldn't feel any chemistry between the couple.
Overall I enjoyed the book.

First, I'd like to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for granting me early access to an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this book 3.5 stars!

Saffron Everleigh's uncle is a botanists, so she fell in love with that path, even though she was the only woman in the field on her time. The professor she's assisting is wrongfully accused (at least she's sure he is) and she starts a race against the clock to prove his innocence with a bit of help a loads of hardship. Will she make it? Does she have investigative skills? Will she be allowed to find the truth?

I had a really good time reading this book and the rating is not bad by any means.

I felt somehow attached to the characters and felt like, even though it was plot driven, characters were properly developed and relatable on their behaviours. Loved that there was a romantic story, it never outshined the story or justified irrational behaviours. It was funny and added intrigue.

As a cosy murder mystery, this book was somehow predictable from a certain point onwards, but this is not a reason to like it less or the author's fault. It is a characteristic of the genre, so it makes this book even better.

The writing style made this a really quick read and gave enough details to keep the reader engaged.

Lastly, I'd love to emphasize the importance of a book with a female lead that represents the first woman in a scientific field, which was not simply shown, but also talked about. First women (and not only first, but many) have always been suspected to have gotten "that" far because of sexual or other type of favours done to males within the business they meant to grow in. This caused frustration in most and gave reasons to some to effectively do so to give people real reasons to talk about them. Sad, but true.

I'd recommend this historical mystery for sure.

Hope you read it, so we can chat about it and every details that's worth discussing about it.

A cosy historical mystery that taught me much about plants, their uses and, of course, their poisons.

I absolutely loved the chemistry between the two main characters, Saffron Everleigh and Alexander Ashton. While their attraction is obvious, these two researchers turn amateur detectives to clear the name of Saffron's mentor after he's accused of poisoning Mrs Henry, the wife of another professor. From breaking an entry, stealing, tailing people, and experimenting with poisonous plants, these two refuse to back down and I rutting for them the whole time.

I must say I was surprised with the resolution of the mystery. It took a turn I wasn't expecting, but I loved every minute of it.

I can't wait for the second instalment!

This book was OK. it is a pretty straight forward enlish mystery. Female lead with a bit of sciency aspect with some twists and turns that keep the mystery moving when you think you have a good idea of the murderer. Not one I would recommend to others unless they were avid mystery readers and looking for something of the beaten path.

This book was a highly enjoyable historical mystery. It reminded me of a tamer version of Stalking Jack the Ripper, which if you didn’t already know, is a series I really, really love.

I loved how immersive the world in the novel was. I could easily visualise the setting of 1920 London, the university and the greenhouses. Saffron and Alexander, the novels dynamic duo, reminded me so much of Audrey and Thomas that I could not help but to like them.

This was a brilliant fast-paced mystery that had the perfect blend of suspense and romance to keep me entertained. I highly recommend this book for fans of historical cozy mysteries.

god i wish a historical mystery with romantic elements would hit for me. i’ve tried so many, including now khavari’s, and i just don’t connect with them the way i’d like to. i’m certain someone will like this though. not for me

It's 1923 London and Saffron Everleigh is definitely a woman in a man's world. Working as a research assisstant in the botany department of the university where her late father taught is a lot to live up to even if you don't have the added irritations of being looked at as an irritant by the men of the department. However, her mentor Dr. Maxwell is one of the good ones and is less mysoginistic and more paternalistic towards Saffron, so she has one ally in the academic world. That is until a rather boring dinner party winds up with the hostess collapsing from an apparent poisoning and Dr. Maxwell is the prime suspect.

This was a decent first outing for a new character, she's a bit flighty, annoyed at the academic BS she has to deal with but is willing to charge ahead for the most part. Sometimes I thought she was a bit too flighty and wanted to shake her and ask "What are you doing!!??", but her overall earnestness and doggedness was fun. Her flirtation with Mr. Ashton and her friendship with her roommate Elizabeth was interesting and it will be nice to see if the author fleshes out these two characters a bit more. The mystery was a bit contrived with a few too many red herrings and absolute nutso conclusions on Saffron's part but that can be chalked up to inexperience. I'm curious to see how the author develops Saffron both professionally and personally.

Seeped in academia, greenhouses and 1920s London A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons is a slow burn (even though the goodreads description says it is fast-paced) detailed account of a poisoning and a young scientist who tries to solve it.
Saffron Everleigh has big shoes (her father's) to fill and a lot to prove, being an only woman in biology department. And yes, she has a poisoning to solve. A budding scientist with little fear and a lot of curiosity, Saffron is an interesting character and is placed in a very intricate and complicated settings. It would be interesting to see how she goes (there is book two I believe).
Anyhow, if you are interested in historical mysteries with a taste of academia, this book is for you. Take your time, enjoy.

This book was a delight. I love Saffron and her chemistry with Alexander. I thought the setting and situation were unique and overall the story was enjoyable. I was satisfied with who the villain ended up to be and I am excited to see what mystery Saffron (and hopefully with the help of Alexander) solves next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc. All views expressed are my own.

I enjoyed reading this book though it was a bit of a slow starter for me. Our protagonist being a strong female in the 1920’s, some times came off a little bit guarded, justifiably. Most of the male characters aren’t really likable. The mystery is well written and keeps you guess whodunnit.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I have not been by anyone.

3.75
This was such a fun mystery! I loved the historical setting. It felt more unique than other mysteries on the market. A mix between a cozy mystery and a historical thriller. Can’t wait to read more from this author!

A well-researched and cozy little mystery. I enjoyed the writing style, and honestly wanted more out of the story. I'm eagerly awaiting book 2.

While at times maybe a teensy bit too convenient, I still enjoyed the twists and turns of the mystery. I also liked Saffron as a main character, but again, I wish I had gotten a little bit more of a handle on her as a person. The love interest and his banter with Saffron was also fun and lovely. The historical context and science were all fairly well done. And I loved Saffron's best friend.

3.5 stars rounding up.

This book had a lot to live up to with that great title and that beautiful cover and it just didn't quite do it.

I enjoyed the characters but felt they could have been a little more developed. I needed more of Saffron's inner monologue to really root for her. She came off a little careless and a lot self-absorbed. She needed some more humanization. Other than that, I felt the characters and the setting were the real strong points of this novel.

I also felt the pacing was just a bit off. There were parts that dragged on and others that seemed rushed.

I really enjoyed that this novel combined two of my favorite genres - mystery and historical fiction. I did feel the mystery could have been more fleshed out though.

All in all, I would recommend this book. It was a pretty quick, enjoyable read.

This cozy mystery is set in 1920s London after WWI. The main character, Saffron Everleigh, is the only female botanist at the University College of London. I loved this time period and setting. Written in a classic 'whodunnit' style, the story moves along at a slow and draggy pace in places, but has interesting and quirky cast of characters. Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 Stars

This was a fun time travel and an intriguing suspense story from early 20th century of London which was smart, moving and definitely engrossing.

The story started out very strong but in the middle of the book, the pacing got a little slower and the identity of perpetrator was a little far fetched but it was still enjoyable, interesting, riveting cozy murder mystery. The scientist, quirky heroine development and romance parts are well executed.

I was intrigued before I even read the first chapter of this cozy mystery set in 1920’s London. (Which is without a doubt my favorite time period in history!) Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

This is lighthearted, fun historical mystery novel about a female botanist Saffron Everleigh, who is both trying to navigate a delicate work field for females in the science (the novel is set in post WWI - time period in London) and trying to help her mentor who is accused of poisoning.
While this is in no way a ground-breaking new kind of story, it still is a fun, quick and pleasant read accompanied with a kiss or two between our heroine and many fellow researcher Alexander Ashton. There is also a potential for a backstory regarding Saffron's late father and I am interested in this, so I will read the next installment in the series (out in summer 2023).

I found this book to be very hard to get into. There were some interesting themes of female pioneers in STEM fields as well as a sub theme of vindicating a father’s reputation, but the writing on this book fell flat for me. It was a DNF for me.

First and foremost, what a fabulous cover and an intriguing title! Then the fascinating plot featuring a brilliant heroine and a shell shocked hero in academia setting discussing poisons and plants, solving mysteries and falling in love.

I love historical mysteries, so I was excited for this book. It begins with Saffron attending a party at which Ellen, the wife of Mr.Henry is poisoned and the suspicions fall on Maxwell, Saffron's boss and well wisher. With the help of Alexander Ashton, a fellow scientist, Saffron finds the true perpetrators of the crime. The growing love interest between Saffron and Alexander was charming to read.

The author's love for plants and her extensive knowledge of it is evident in the detailed description of all things pertaining to Botany. The plot is riveting with amusing characters like Elizabeth, Saffron's friend, the heiress and more. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, cozy historical mystery set in an academia setting with loads of plants and a cute love story.

The gorgeous cover had me pick this up.

Saffron Everleigh is first woman to have a position at University of London. She is assistant to Dr. Maxwell and loves botany. She can't just sit and wait when he is suspected of poisoning Mrs. Henry, a colleague's wife.

On her amateur investigation to prove Dr. Maxwell innocent she is joined by Alexander Ashton who is a fellow researcher.

She is smart, honest, observant and determined. I like her and how the author characterised her. She was relatable.

The witty conversations, joking and flirty attitude between them made this detective work more interesting. They did things which is not acceptable under law.

The author has written a detailed plot that will keep you interested. She talked about deep topics like the war and it's effect on people.

This cozy historical mystery with a beautiful cover was fun to read. It was a tad bit slow for my liking in the middle but the end picked up well. I recommend this book.