There was just wondering about this book...I couldn't put it down and read it in 2 days. The writing is soft and flowy, it made me feel like I was part of the story...no doubt, this book is going to be on a top 10 list!

When Saffron attends a party that includes the botanists from the university little did she know murder and mayhem would follow. A professor's wife collapses from an exotic poison and no one escapes questioning. An engaging mystery set in the 1920's with fantastic characters that keeps you guessing. A very entertaining read.
#ABotanist'sGuidetoPartiesandPoisons#NetGalley

3.5/5 stars.

Cozy mystery, historical thriller with a bit of romance, not my typical choice of book but I am glad I ventured beyond my comfort zone. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. The main protagonists Saffron and Alexander were likable, their reasons for working to solve the case were on the whole believable, the other characters were interesting and the story kept me intrigued. The ending left me wanting more especially with regards to Saffron’s future research.

With the backdrop of 1920s London Academia, a determined young woman is set on clearing her mentor's name. Saffron is an "aptly named" Botanist working as a research assistant for Dr. Maxwell, a friend of her late father's Saffron is struggling for recognition in a male-dominated academic world. When Maxwell is accused of attempted murder, Saffron will do anything to clear his name.
A Botanist's Guide takes you on an exciting journey as Saffron teams up with Alexander, a fellow research assistant, as they try to solve the mystery. I really enjoyed their interactions with Saffron jumping to conclusions and Alexander poking holes in her logic. I thought they were a well-balanced pair.
Things got a little slow in the middle, with the story lacking structure a bit. I wanted a little more "parties" and "botany", but I guess that since the story focuses on the mystery, those had to take a backseat.

If you're up for a cozy mystery with a dark academia historical setting, then this novel is for you!

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to review this novel.

This was a cute little dollop cozy mystery along the lines of the romance Victorian but set 5 years after WW1 of the upper class titled & not wealthy & university intrigue. A bit of botanical fluff added to boot. Enjoyed it & was a fast read. So want to add aconite is both beautiful & more deadly depending upon plant than portrayed as the family of a well thought of English gardener found out some years ago that had dealt with it for years in one of the rich gardens he was working. Just touching/brushing against the flowers. "The toxins of the plant, which is rarely identified as a cause of death despite growing wild across the country, can easily enter the blood if protective clothing is not worn when handling the flower."

Thank you to NetGalley for ARC of A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons.
Actually I give this 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the sleuthing part of Saffron, and Alexander was a mystery in himself for quite awhile. I truly could not guess who the guilty party (parties) were until it was exposed at the end. Quite a few twists and turns and I would definitely recommend this book.

I absolutely loved the cover of this when I first saw it, and that combined with the blurb drew me in straightaway. I'm a big fan of historical fiction, particularly featuring strong female protagonists, and the unusual construct of the female scholar appealed highly.

Unfortunately, nothing about this one delivered quite the way I hoped it would...

I picked it up and started reading, only to quickly lose interest. I put it down and came back to it. And back to it. No change in my interest. I waited a month. Sometimes the right book comes along at the wrong time, and the fit isn't good. Unfortunately, time did nothing for this one for me.

I simply cannot get into this book. I find the characters insufferable and while I recognize, to be fair, that many of them are supposed to be, unfortunately I include our fearless heroine and hero in that category), the plot to be plodding, and much of it to feel stilted and oddly anachronistic in attitude, dialogue, and demeanor.

This one just wasn't for me. Many other readers have thoroughly enjoyed it, so it may just be a case of the wrong book for the wrong reader...

What a debut! I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery and need more in this series immediately! It takes right into the action at the party and just pulls you in. I couldn't stop reading and just devoured it. The mystery was complex and twisty. So many red herrings! And I found the glimpse into 1920s British academia fascinating. Safffron is a wonderful sleuth measured, reasoned but also completely impetuous who does things without thinking. I love the scene where she takes the poison without telling anyone. But of course, that's a great way to pull in Alexander to help her. He thinks he needs to protect her but really he ends being her perfect partner. I was surprised how quickly the romance advanced in the first book, usually its strung out for many volumes but i enjoyed that they saw how evenly matched they were so quickly. I need a second volume in the series now - which is so frystrating because I know this book doesn't come out until 2022! This is an absolute winner and I will promote the hell out of it!

When a book leaves you with an euphoric, tingly feeling, it truly deserves a happy note! 💌

Historical thriller is a recent find and obsession of mine! The journey back to the past, the reimagination of erstwhile culture and society, and the linguistic peculiarities of the time is both captivating and enlightening. "A Botanist's Guide To Parties And Poisons" by Kate Khavari is a delightful new addition to this genre!

So what do you do when your beloved professor under whom you work gets falsely accused for a crime you are sure he would never commit in private, let alone at a party, under the watchful gaze of a dozen nosy guests! You risk your life to save him, ofcourse! And that's exactly what Saffron sets out to do in this brilliant whodunit that's sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. What I loved most about this novel is the portrayal and examination of a strong female protagonist in the form of Saffron, a no-nonsense, self-confident, ambitious and quick-witted botanist, a rare career choice for women in those times. Her determination to rise above the male dominated field and make a name for herself was truly inspiring. She is not without flaws, though! She can be quite stubborn and hasty as is evident in the way she put herself in danger to save the professor whom she looks upto a lot!

The read is made more absorbing with the budding romance between Saffron and the ever charming Alexander Ashton, who keeps the logic and prudence flowing through many of Saffron's crazy antics. The plot twists are amazing and well timed, and keeps you engaged in the story.

Witty, clever and suspenseful, I would recommend this novel for everyone who would enjoy a cosy historical mystery! 😃🙌🏼 Happy reading! 📖👓

A big thank you to @netgalley and @crookedlanebooks for the ARC! ❤️

Delightful. I hope this is the beginning of a series featuring our heroes Saffron and Alexander. This is a classic British murder mystery, set in a University. Saffron, an aspiring botanist and woman in a man’s world, stirs up trouble when she thinks the police aren’t doing enough to catch a would be murderer (the victim being the wife of the leader of a research expedition). There’s suspense and intrigue, but there’s an awful lot of good, solid research that has gone into this book. I like that. This new author should be commended for producing a fine mystery

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this advanced copy of A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons.

When the Professor she assists is arrested for an alleged murder attempt, Saffron takes it upon herself to prove Dr. Maxwell's innocence. Along the way she gets a fellow colleague, Alexander, entangled in her investigation to find the real perpetrator. With an entire staff who looks at her differently to begin with, Saffron faces potential career and life threatening dangers.

The story didn't end up being at all what I expected. Overall, I enjoyed how different this book was compared to most murder mysteries I have read. One of my favorite things about mystery books is trying to figure out who the bad guy is before the author reveals the character. This book had me stumped. Having the book take place on a reputable college campus in a department of the typical white male staff made it difficult to pin point who really had the guts to try and murder one of their own colleagues wives. Therefore, not only does Saffron face difficulties in the story due to her career choice in botany. She is the only woman and almost none of the men in her department take anything she says or does seriously.

Though I enjoyed the story, I was not a fan of the "secretive" investigation Saffron and Alexander took upon themselves. To not ruin the book, I'll just say that they did not seem secretive enough and I feel like certain situations could have been a bit more eventful. Not something you would expect from two people who are supposed to be extremely smart scientists. I was also slightly disappointed in their relationship by the end of the book.

If you are looking for a unique mystery read, I think you will enjoy this one!

Kate is one to watch! Her prose is lush, world-building unique, and the story is one that's unputdownable. Beautiful! Also that COVER.

(3.8 stars)

Thank you to Net Galley, Crooked Lane books and Kate Khavari for an ARC of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons takes place in the 1920s when a woman named Saffron is trying to clear her beloved professor's name after he was accused of murder at a dinner party gone completely wrong. Another professor's wife drops to the floor... poisoned.

After the party, Saffron realizes the investigators on the case aren't listening to her or taking this seriously so she steps in herself to take the investigation into her own hands. Will she be able to clear her professors name in time? What will Saffron endure to find out the real answers?

This book reminded me of an Agatha Christie book. I've only read ABC Murders, but I definitely got those vibes. I felt this was a semi- slow-paced read but very enjoyable. I loved the writing style and I could actually visualize a black and white film while reading the book. The cover is what drew me in, I love plants (in real life) and the colors are so bold and rich.

This isn't my usual grab of a book but I will say, I did want to figure it out along with Saffron as to who had been apart of this crime.

Thank you, NetGalley, and the author for giving me the chance to read this beauty.
For anyone looking for a good little mystery book, this one is for you. Set in 1920, at a university in England it delivers a beautiful mixture of biology, Nancy Drew, and a sprinkle of dark academia. The cover is to die for, and I would buy this book for that alone.

I'm personally not a big mystery fan, but I love anything historical and academic and found great enjoyment out of this book. Saffron is a character that you bond with quickly, which I always find to be incredibly important, but she also has an air of mystery to her as well, which helped set the plot for the entire book. Overall I really did like this book, I'm not sure if it's one I can see myself ever re-reading, but I think it was well written and beautifully done.

I really enjoyed how this was set in the early 1900s. The mystery, romance, and suspense was amazing throughout. I enjoyed the tie in to botany and biology as well, as that adds another layer to the mystery. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is even interested in mysteries .

This story was an easy read it has mystery, suspense and romance. It kept me interested and intrigued. You will not expect what happens at the end

This was a different type of mystery! It kept my interest from the minute I started to read. Absolutely fantastic!

2 stars at the absolute most.
I wanted to like this book. The cover is gorgeous and the concept is interesting. However, I did not like it at all. After the first chapter, which set the scene, it was all downhill. This could have been a good mystery. Unfortunately, this book was so full of unnecessary detail, meaningless conversation, and idiotic drivel, the mystery became lost. None of this extraneous material built suspense or atmosphere. Apparently the author was trying to fill a page quota with content that added nothing to the story. This book could have been half the length, and probably would have been better. When I reached ~40%, I knew I could not tolerate the remainder of this book. I read it on my phone, and the book totaled over 550 pages. In paper form, it is only ~300 pages. It felt much longer. I skimmed to get through it and doubt I missed much.
Early in the story, Saffron (the main character) tested the poisonous plant that was supposedly responsible for the victim's death on herself. Her fellow characters called her an idiot, so I did not feel too badly considering her an idiot myself. I had a hard time getting past the corny name, especially since Saffron's was not the only pun name in the novel. I wondered if this story was supposed to be a parody. I don't think so. Maybe it's supposed to be a cozy mystery. Whatever it was, it was not a good example of any genre.
The story takes place at a university in 1920s London. However, the author included current jargon/ corporate buzz words in the dialogue. No one in the 1920s "headed up" anything, nor did anyone talk about skills or knowledge within one's "wheelhouse". This jargon is annoying enough in 2021, I do not want to deal with it in a 1920s context. Maybe the author could have researched 1920s slang to create more authentic dialogue.
This book was just a yuck. I would not bother to read this author again.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

There are so many things I enjoyed about this book! First of all, the setting, both the time and place, are described so very well that readers feel as if they are there in the greenhouses with Saffron. The detective work Saffron engages in is quite difficult given the time period, so that made it more mysterious for me as a reader.

I enjoyed Saffron as a character. While she isn’t quite as headstrong and sassy as my other favorite heroine, Saffron is very likeable. Her almost demure personality, at first, can lull you into thinking she isn’t going to be able to follow the clues because she will cave due to pressure from men in her department and police involvement. However, her persistence is key. When Alexander wanted to discourage her, she couldn’t be convinced to put everything aside and let the police do their work.

I did enjoy the slight romance blooming between Alexander and Saffron. It did not encompass the entire book, and there was no grand build up of “will they or won’t they,” yet the relationship evolved seamlessly. I’ll be interested to see what the author does with Alexander and Saffron in subsequent books. Alexander was to head off on the expedition in place of Dr. Maxwell, who is to say he will be a featured character in future books.

I’m assuming the author plans to continue this as a series. I will look forward to reading more!

The cover of this book is GORGEOUS. I want to purchase a physical copy!!! The story is great and interesting.