A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons, by Kate Khavari, is a quick, easy read. This historical fiction novel involves an exciting murder mystery with a small side romance. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Saffron Everleigh is doing her best to get out from under the shadow of her father’s legacy in the Botany department, but it is an uphill battle, especially since she is a woman in a man’s world. When the professor she works for is arrested for poisoning the wife of a colleague at a dinner party where Saffron was also in attendance, she decides to try and clear his name. Along the way she becomes entangled with an attractive colleague from the biology department, who becomes an unexpected ally.

I have been on the search for a new cozy mystery series and I was immediately drawn to this one for two reasons, the 1920s university setting and the name Saffron Everleigh. This story was enjoyable. I liked Saffron and her roommate, they came across as strong, competent women in a time period when women were trying to find their place in a post war world. The love interest felt right for the story as well, I liked that Saffron pushed Alexander to question his privilege and his role in society in relation to hers, especially in regards to their professional lives.

Ultimately though the mystery itself fell a little flat for me, and Saffron wasn’t a very good sleuth. I really disliked that almost every clue that was discovered was found by Saffron doing something very stupid and being rescued by Alexander, or completely by accident or coincidentally. For this reason I don’t think I will be picking up any subsequent books in the series.

If you don’t mind the bumbling sleuth and a damsel in distress I think you will enjoy this story more than me, but both of those things are pet peeves of mine and took away from my desire to continue following Saffron’s exploits.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

nice read. felt juvenile at times, but still enjoyable.

- thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an early review.

I really enjoyed this book, similar style and era to Agatha Christie and/or Sulari Gentill. The title probably builds an expectation that is not quite met, but I still found the story quite intriguing.
Saffron Everleigh is a young woman, and the only female researcher at University in London. Located in the botany department Saffron battles to get herself taken seriously and fend off the unwanted advances of her male counterparts. While attending a faculty party a guest is poisoned and Saffron is horrified to discover her mentor and support Dr Maxwell appears to be the prime suspect.
Saffron takes on the 'boys club' and the police in trying to clear Dr Maxwell's name at the same time putting her own self and career in perilous danger.
A lovely debut novel, I am looking forward to reading more by this author. Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Set in the 1920’s this book was full of historical facts mixed with a murder plot. Good writing and a great main character in Saffron, this was an engaging and enjoyable read.

Quick easy read. Fun plot that has added subplots to figure out. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie type books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Kate Khavari and Crooked Lane and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

4.5/5 stars
I really appreciated the obvious historical research the author did before writing this novel. It felt authentic. The author did a really great job of providing plenty of botany information without overwhelming the reader and making things too hard to understand or remember. I thought Saffron was charming and really enjoyed her curiosity, drive, intelligence and caring. I loved that she was a scientist but didn’t feel cold or clinical. Her interactions with her roommate and her love interest were perfectly done. Would definitely read another book by this author.

This book has a gorgeous cover and I love the concept of a woman in science in a historical setting. Saffron uses her knowledge to track a poisoner, which is interesting, but at times the flow lags and some of the characters get confusing.


I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, opinions are my own.

A strong debut and an enjoyable read. Many twists and turns (won't give much detail to avoid spoilers)
A solid mystery with a touch of romance.

Can't wait for the next book to see how the romance evolves and what is in store for Saffron

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I think I was expecting a slightly different type of book to what this one ends up being. I found it to be enjoyable if not particularly memorable. The way the first scene is written at the party I felt like we were just given loads of names of characters with not much to pick them out from one another which was confusing when it came to knowing who who later on.

The cover of this novel is lovely and drew me to it in the first place.

Perhaps not the right novel at the right time for me but not all can be new favourites.

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poison is the first mystery in the Saffron Everleigh mysteries. I thought that Saffron was a smart young woman. She is the first woman to be a research assistant for the University College of London. She also has a passion for plants. Therefore, she seems capable of being a female sleuth. I also like Alexander. He seemed very mysterious. The mystery itself is pretty predictable. There was not much going on in terms of a plot. However, it was an excellent introduction to some fun characters. Thus, this novel seems like a good start to a promising series. I recommend this for fans of Tessa Arlen, Jennifer Ashley, and Victoria Thompson!

A thrilling murder mystery set in the academic halls of University College of London, post World War 2!

Saffron Everleigh is the daughter of a renowned botanist Thomas Everleigh who had been engaged in the enthralling (to her) pursuit of the pigmentation of different kinds of tropical plants.. A research assistant in a male dominated landscape she’s no stranger to the sexual harassment, the discounting and bullying that pervades her chosen discipline.
When a professor’s wife is poisoned at a cocktail party and her kindly mentor is accused of attempted murder it’s Saffron who desires to prove the Doctor could not have been the instigator.
Her knowledge of plants and toxins prove invaluable. She is assisted by another department member, the very interesting Alexander Ashton. The interactions of the staff, the politics, the dismissal of Saffron as a serious scientist with a focused intelligent mind, her pursuit of the truth about the poisonings add tension that engage. A solid read, I’m looking forward to reading future works featuring Saffron!

A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

The cover is alluring and the title enchanting. The summary suggests a uniquely laid out plot filled with mystery and intrigue. Khavari gives readers a fast paced story right from page one. While the opening scene laid the much needed groundwork, it introduced way too many characters at once. Although all of the characters have distinctly different traits readers may have a hard time keeping them separate throughout the rest of the book. Something about the main character Saffron doesn't seem to have been fully explored/developed and therefore she seems a bit unmoored at times. What is unveiled about Saffron explains plenty about her determination level. Her inquisitiveness, curiosity, and dedication to unveiling the truth make for questionable decisions that ultimately make matters worse. Alexander Ashton makes a charming accomplice who balances out Saffron's compulsive side remarkable well. A mystery with plenty of twists and turns with a spark of romance on the side. A strong debut.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons is a historical mystery that is plenty entertaining. It’s 1923, and Saffron Everleigh is a botany assistant at the University College of London. At a dinner party to celebrate the college’s upcoming expedition to Brazil, a dinner guest falls into a coma under mysterious circumstances. When Saffron’s department advisor is under suspicion, she must race against the clock to clear his name before the expedition begins and the poisoner gets away scot-free.

This book was enjoyable, though not perfect. There are things Khavari does very well in this story, and things that are a bit lackluster. For one, Khavari does an excellent job of making the reader care about the characters. Saffron, Alexander, and Elizabeth all felt very real to me (if at times they weren’t the brightest). The main characters all felt like their own people, with their own motivations and quirks. I could see why they cared for each other, and that’s important to me as a reader. That said, some of the main characters did some pretty impulsive and even pretty stupid things. One of the most idiotic things Saffron does seems like a complete throwaway decision until it later comes into play, which makes it feel a bit predictable. Though the author did a fine job setting up this piece of plot so at least it made sense in the grand scheme of things.

Furthermore, some of the side characters felt a bit “mustache-twirly,” though all in good fun. In my opinion, this is more of a light-hearted mystery than Sherlock Holmes level sleuthing. Therefore, the stakes are moderate and everything Saffron unravels is believable. It’s less “unmatched genius” and more like stubborn-expert-in-the-discipline-who-sees-things-the-cops-don’t-know-that-they-don’t-know. What I’m getting at is that Saffron is clearly an expert in her field, but she wouldn’t do much good in an investigation that didn’t involve botany or her workplace. (Though she does certainly Nancy Drew her way into situations, so maybe she could.)

The characters also do a few very dumb things, and that could be a bit annoying.

Another thing Khavari does well is anchoring the reader in time. I’ve read books that are SUPPOSED to be set in the 1920s (*cough* These Violent Delights) that are indistinguishable from any other time or place. While reading this book, I felt as though we were firmly in the 20s.

Overall, this was a perfectly good time for me, but nothing revolutionary. If you like fairly uncomplicated/light historical mysteries with just a touch of romance, you’d probably have a good time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Crooked Lane Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons’ by Kate Khavari in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first title in Khavari’s Saffron Everleigh Mystery series set in 1920s Britain. The title and striking cover art highlights its botanical theme.
.
London, 1923. Saffron Everleigh has recently begun working at the University College of London as a botanical research assistant. She attends a dinner party where she expects to engage in conversations about the university's upcoming expedition to the Amazon. Then one of the guests drops to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin. The main suspect is Saffron’s mentor.

As evidence mounts Saffron decides that in order to clear her mentor’s name she’ll have to do it herself. She is joined by dishy fellow researcher, Alexander Ashton. Saffron uses her knowledge of botany to uncover the truth.

As with many amateur sleuths before her, Saffron’s efforts are not welcomed by the police detective leading the official investigation and she is repeatedly warned off.

This was an interesting mystery especially given the botanical aspects, which is a subject close to the author’s heart. While it might seem a cosy, some of its themes were outside of cosy territory.

While I enjoyed the central mystery and felt Saffron was a promising new character, I didn’t feel that the historical period was particularly well realised. The date was only mentioned in the publishers’ summary and while there were references to the aftermath of the Great War, there seemed little else to portray London in the early 1920s.

Still, this might be due to caution on Kate Khavari’s part. In her Author’s Note she indicates that she was striving for historical accuracy and gives thanks to the University College London library services for providing resources that allowed her to portray it as it was in 1923. She may have wanted to keep a tight focus to avoid potential missteps that might of occurred if she’d looked to depict the broader society of the day.

Overall, I found ‘A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons’ an engaging historical mystery and a promising start. I look forward to more adventures for Saffron Everleigh.

London, 1923. Saffron Everleigh works as a research assistant for the biology department of University College of London. She is the only female currently employed by the department, and as a result, a subject of jokes between some of its male employees.

The academics from the University are preparing for a six month expedition to the Amazon led by Dr Henry. During a dinner party for the University, champagne flows in abundance until Dr Henry’s wife suddenly drops to the ground, unconscious. The woman falls into a coma and soon Saffron discovers that the woman had been poisoned by an unknown substance.

The police are quick to arrest Dr Maxwell (Saffron works for him) and as he is like a father figure to Saffron, she is adamant to prove his innocence. Another academic, handsome Alexander Ashton offers his assistance, but can Saffron trust him?

I really enjoyed this book. Saffron is a character ahead of her time, she wanted to prove her worth as a botanist, and to leave a mark in the academic world. She experienced sexual harassment and sneer comments from her co-workers, but she persevered and carried on regardless. I despised Dr Berking, he was a truly despicable character and his treatment of Saffron was appalling.

Saffron took some extremely dangerous risks – I don’t think I would have had the courage to poison myself in order to prove someone’s innocence!

This book leads us into a world of poisons, hybrid plants, embezzlement, and how far some people will go to achieve their aims.

I loved the amateur detective duo of Saffron and Alexander. I am secretly hoping there will be another book in the series. The two characters are certainly worth developing further.

Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, for approving my NetGalley request to read and review this title.

A new mystery set in the 1920s at a university. When a woman ends up poisoned, Saffron and Alexander get drawn into a dangerous investigation into botany professors who are up to no good.

Set in London, 1923, as a group of botanists are planning a trip to South America to "discover" new species of plants, a party goer is murdered and Saffron Everleigh's mentor is the prime suspect. This is a bit of a period piece, a bit of a parlor murder mystery and there's a hint of romance throughout. I'm not a regular reader of this genre, but this was a great change of pace for me. The characters are wonderfully developed, author Kate Khavari does not rely on any tropes or stereotypes. I liked the characters, I enjoyed the plot and I really enjoyed the setting of a science department. Highly recommended and I thank Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute little cozy historical mystery! It looks like the first in a series of mysteries about Saffron, a botanist researcher's assistant who happens to be around when a colleague's wife is poisoned. This, and a tumble of other events, lead to her investigating the poisoning to clear her boss's name, and then to solving the case.

Parts of this felt laggy to me, but overall, I'd say this was a fun read, especially the second half when things really started rolling.

If you're into plants, like low-stakes but high-risk mysteries, and enjoy historical fiction, then this might be the book for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the e-ARC!

When I saw this gorgeous cover and intriguing title I just knew I had to read this book so many thanks to the publishers for an advanced peek at this new release.

It’s 1923 and Saffron Everleigh is one of the few female botanists and research assistants at University College of London. When one of the professor’s wives is poisoned at a faculty dinner party and Saffron’s mentor is accused of the crime, she becomes to determined to find the real culprit.

I love a transporting historical mystery from time to time and this one was good fun. Saffron is an entertaining protagonist (if maddeningly impulsive at times) and I appreciated getting a look into the wild world of botany though her eyes. I also enjoyed her fellow sleuth Alexander Ashton and their budding partnership.

For those of you looking for a cozy mystery I must warn you that Saffron is the target of sexual harassment from one of her professors and is threatened with sexual violence several times. The mystery itself also left a little to be desired. It was solid but lacked a certain panache while our sleuths remained rather passive in the final reveal.

Nevertheless, I liked this book and I think I’ll stick around for the sequel to see what Saffron gets up to next…