The cover is gorgeous. I couldn’t get into the audiobook due to the narrator. I would try reading this physically, I think I’d like it more.

I really enjoyed this book and the journey it took me on as its reader. Saffron as a protagonist was someone who I loved when she was first introduced, but also loved being able to see her journey on furthering to develop and grow. The pacing of this book was a little slower, but I think that makes sense when you consider this is the first installment in a series rather than a standalone that might need to be faster to fit everything in. Overall, I just really enjoyed this read. I think it really transports you thought its descriptive words to a place that is filled with mystery, suspense and cut throat academia and from start to finish I was curious.

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!

I DNF'd this one. I sadly couldn't get into the audiobook and am not sure it was the reading of the text or just not in the right mood to enjoy it. I have had friends recently listen and had a different take. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

*London, 1923. Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh is the first woman to hold the position at University College of London. When she attends a dinner party for the school, she expects to engage in conversations about the university's large expedition to the Amazon. What she doesn’t expect is for Mrs. Henry, one of the professors’ wives, to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin.*
The time frame and setting pulled me in. The mystery kept me guessing. I listened to the audio and thoroughly enjoyed the narration.

🌺In A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons, Saffron and Alexander spend a lot of their time together breaking and entering in the name of sleuthing.

This debut historical mystery set between the wars features a determined female scientist making her way in the male dominated world of science and academia. Throw in all kinds of plants (some poisonous), a fabulous best friend, a few police that don't seem to have it in for the sleuth, a very swoony romance, some very thrilling close calls, and I am already looking forward to book 2. The audio performance only increased my enjoyment of the book.

this one was way better than I thought it would be. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it exceeded all of the expectations. it was suspenseful and interesting I couldn't put it down I highly recommend. its hard for me to talk about the parts I liked because I feel like it will give it away.

This is a fun historical fiction mystery where the heroine attempts to solve a murder and gain recognition in academia. I love the book cover, which I think influenced me into imagining lush backdrops for the book. Audio narration was really great.

Hitching a ride on the bandwagon of regency romance, this book is a victorian era murder mystery. We follow a female scientist, certainly a rarity during the time period, as she attempts to prove that her beloved professor and mentor didn't put a woman in a coma with a botanical poison. I did enjoy listening to this one, but there were a few times when I felt it was a little thin. I kept thinking to myself that it could have been a bit shorter, and it was already quite short. I ended up needing to "rewind" the audiobook a few times because everything had sounded so much the same that I kinda tuned it out. There were some exciting moments, but they were few and far between. I recognize that the even tone of the narrator was an attempt to mimic the austere victorian nature of the theme of the book, but it ended up giving things a monotone sound.
All in all, if you like Bridgerton, but don't like all the spice thrown in and would like to replace it with a little murder and poison, you should check this one out!

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari
Narrated by Jodie Harris
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers
Published: June 7, 2022

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons is the first book in the Saffron Everleigh series by Kate Khavari. This was such an enjoyable book to read! I loved the characters and the story was fascinating!

The narration by Jodie Harris was wonderful! I loved how she brought the characters to life!

I highly recommend reading this book! I can't wait for the next book to be released!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Saffron, a research assistant at University College of London, attend a party where someone gets poisoned.

One of the suspects is her mentor, who she knows is innocent and therefore embarks on a quest to clear his name and find the true murderer.

While the premise was good, I really did think that with the title there would be more parties and more poisons. It seems that this is book 1 of a starting series, so I assume more parties and poisons will be in other books.

It was interesting to know the author has a fascination with botany and did a lot of research on it and the university when writing this book.

The idea of a student helping their professor seems a bit unreal so I had a hard time believing the story. Yet, I will probably read book 2.

This book was a mix of stuff for me of things that I love. It was like a cozy mystery and romantic historical fiction. I was hooked from the very first chapter. I went right along with Saffron trying to solve the case. She is smart and driven. I loved her. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and found the main characters to be very likeable. The budding romance between the characters was a nice touch to the story, but what I liked most about this book was that it was fast paced and held my attention throughout. I also think the narrator did a great job bringing this story to life. I can't wait to read more by this author and hopefully in this series.

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari is a delightful tale about exactly what the title says: parties and poisons. Saffron Everleigh is a research assistant at university. When her beloved mentor and family friend is accused of poisoning a colleague's wife, Saffron decides to prove his innocence. Helped along by Alexander, also from the university, the two dig into financial records, sordid love affairs, and more to find the truth. Will that truth lead them to the hands of a killer? It was quite a fun listen and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to read more, as this was the first in a series. The narrator also did a great job! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.
All opinions are my own.

Audiobook review
I enjoyed this book. I was excited by the blurb and cover as I thought it may help to scratch the itch of The Lost Apothecary- I've not felt a historical mystery consume me like that since I read it!
This started well, I liked the start and the narrator kept me engaged, listening around the house. I liked the characters, although some weren't likeable, that just made it enjoyable because I disliked them. Characters don't have to be likeable, I just want them to make me react and feel strong emotions!
The pacing then slowed by rather a lot and I found myself not as excited to listen much.
I enjoyed the ending too, but I was left feeling somewhat underwhelmed because of the middle.

3/3.5 stars!

I really enjoyed this historical cozy mystery, and the 1920s London setting.

A BOTANIST’S GUIDE TO PARTIES AND POISONS
tells the story of Saffron Everleigh, the first woman research assistant at University College of London. She loves botany and the science behind it, and tries to help her beloved mentor who is accused of poisoning a fellow professor’s wife.

It was a fun whodunnit, and I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jodie Harris.

*many thanks to Crooked Lane and Dreamscape Media/Netgalley for the gifted Audiobook ALC copy for review

Set in 1920s London, Saffron, a famous scientist's scientific daughter, is working in the botany department and is schmoozing with other members of the science department at a dinner party to celebrate the impending voyage to the Amazon. During the dinner party a fellow professor's wife falls into a coma, having been poisoned by a rare plant, and now Saffron's mentor, Dr. Maxwell, is being accused of the poisoning!
Saffron is determined to clear her mentor's name, even if that means investigating and poisoning herself to prove him innocent. Along the way she teams up with fellow scientist Alexander and gets accused of the poisoning herself and using this new "friendship" as a cover. There were some twists and turns, but it didn't feel that exciting to me, and the ending was played out in twenty minutes with everything neatly wrapped in a bow.
I enjoyed the narrator and the characters, I just didn't think the plot was that exciting. I wouldn't mind seeing more of these characters though.

This book was just okay for me. I like historical fiction, but it's not always a favorite of mine. That said I think the historical fiction part was done well. The story was engaging, but a little slow. I liked that there was some romantic tension, but it wasn't the story's focus. My main criticism was that it was difficult to tell the male characters apart in name and the narrator's character voices. Sometimes I would get lost when the perspective switched from Saffron's pov to another character. I would still recommend this book. It was a good story especially if you like historical fiction and/or plants.

I can never get enough of mysteries set in historical England, and Kate Khavari delivered on all my expectations of what this novel would be. A young scientist working with plants, and working to solve a murder, with all the twists and turns and dashes of romance that you would look forward to in a story like this. I hope we get more in this series. Jodie Harris gives an excellent performance, and I think her voice captures the personality of Saffron and does a good job giving distinct voices to the many male characters.