Khavari has once again written a beautiful mystery that involves a cast of intriguing characters.

Saffron Everleigh is a female botanist who desperately seeks to carve out her place in academia and in the field of botany. She and Dr. Lee are in the midst of a study of patients who have been poisoned by plants when Inspector Green asks for Everleigh to consult on a series of recent murders, all with floral bouquets left at the scene. Convinced there's more to the story that the police won't be able to access, Saffron can't help but get more deeply involved.

I loved getting to know Saffron more deeply -- and enjoyed the reappearance of beloved characters like Eliza and Alexander. I daresay, this sequel is even better than A Botanist's Guide to Parties & Poisons!

This is the second book in the Saffron Everleigh Mystery series. I really love the way that the 1920s setting is so much more apparent in this novel than the first. The love triangle in this book was unbearable, way too much time was spent on her debating between two mediocre men. The mystery was intriguing but overall I enjoyed the first book more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC!

I somehow missed that this was a second book in a series, but it was easy enough to catch up and learn where it was picking up after the first and embed myself in the unfolding narrative.

A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality is the second outing of Saffron Everleigh, botanist cum detective. The premise of the mystery is fascinating, bouquets using the Victorian art of communicating with flowers are found with murder victims. Saffron is called in to interpret and works her way into the investigation. This novel suffers with some of the issues with pacing that plagued the first book in the series. Some sections, especially conversations between characters, drag on, while the denouement crackled with energy. The mystery was clever, and the romantic triangle adds spice. A solid if somewhat uninspiring sophomore effort.

A Botanist's guide is really unique an interesting, a new twist to the typical murder mystery with a strong female lead. However I felt this leaned very heavily on the romance and I expected more of the mystery when I went into this book. Originally I did not realise this was the second in the series, although I do believe this can be read as a stand-alone with some slight confusion of the characters history, I do think to fully enjoy this you need a deeper connection to the characters I think you would get by reading the first book so you can truly enjoy the love triangle. Because of this I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would, it was very well written and the mystery was incredibly unique but I could not get into the romance part so I was left slightly bored in parts of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC!

Saffron Everleigh is back in this second novel by Kate Khavari. A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality follows Saffron on a new case with a set of unusual clues. Women turn into victims as they receive a bouquet with poisonous flowers. As always, the case is deeper than it looks, and Saffron digs deeper as she follows a group of suspects throughout 1920s London.

I really enjoyed this one. Saffron is fun to follow and I love all of the descriptions of 1920s London. Very much looking forward to the next one in the series!

Once again, Kate Khavari has delivered a turn-of-the-century romp that is full of mystery, suspense, murder, and just the right amount of romance.

We are once again charmed by the bluntness and directness of Saffron Everleigh, a Botanist, a very clever woman in a man's field of work. Following on from the first book, she is asked to consult on a case by the police and ends up right in the middle of things, but then we would expect no less. There are flowers, fights, and fatalities, all in a day of work for Saffron Everleigh though.

I do enjoy these books, even though they are out of my usual comfort zone. The historical details and accurate, and the adventure is always fun. I can not wait for the third installment.

Such nice notes of historical accuracy laid alongside a science based mystery romance. Rey much enjoyed the smart women and botanical intrigue of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Though not as strong as the first in the series, I still found this an intriguing and fun read. Saffron is such a fun character, especially for the time period she's in. In this book, Saffron has her own office and is part of the staff at the college. She also has a new colleague, Dr. Michael Lee. They're teamed up together to investigate cases of poisonings in the area due to plants to document the results and treatments. When Inspector Green comes back on the scene to ask Saffron's opinion on mysterious bouquets of flowers found at two crime scenes, she's lured back into the sordid world of murder. Will she discover who the killer is before it's too late?

Once again, I loved the mystery in the book. Saffron is nothing if not industrious, curious, and precocious. She's intelligent and stubborn, as well. I loved seeing more about plants and flowers and the history of their meanings because all of that was interesting. What felt out of step for me was the romance angle with Saffron, Lee, and Alex. For her to be in a love triangle of sorts was out of character to me. Still, I loved that it added something new to the story, and I'm committed now. I want to see if there's more to come, and what adventures Saffron will conquer next!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley!

This book isn't my normal trope or style of read, but I am glad I gave it a shot. While there were a few moments this book seemed to ... drag a little, I'm glad I stuck with it overall.
The author did an AMAZING job with world-building, specifically with the 1920s in London timeline. Saffron was an amazing main character. Very likeable. Quite a few of the side characters were just as enjoyable as well. Saffron and Eliza's friendship was also a great addition to this book.
While I am entirely ignorant to the world of flowers and the like, the author did a great job at educating the readers and keeping us informed on everything. The concept of the flowers being poisoned was an unique concept, and I really did enjoy that.

Great read!

Kate Khavari's second book in the Saffron Everleigh mystery series is both fascinating and intriguing, with plenty of suspense to keep you turning the pages.
The concept of murder victims receiving a toxic bouquet of unusual flowers is as original as it is educational, as Saffron discovers the hidden meaning to each flower in the mysterious deliveries. The number of suspects in the murder mystery are many and varied.
Throughout the book it is gratifying to see Saffron become stronger with the help of her wonderful room mate Eliza, who defends her friend and urges her to stand up for herself.
I did find the book to drag in spots, but overall enjoyed this well-written book.
I am grateful for the ARC of #ABotanistsGuidetoFlowersandFatality provided through #NetGalley.

First of all, I want to say that I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did.
This is the second book in the Everleigh saga, A Botanist's guide....
In general, I loved the story, I loved the protagonist, I loved how the author describes the 20s and how she manages to create a whole livable atmosphere of this time.
Saffron is really a strong and easy to love protagonist, I also liked Eliza and their friendship. On the other hand, I still haven't decided whether I prefer Lee or Alexander...... I had a lot of doubts about their attitudes.
Anyway..
It's really amazing how Khavari developed the whole discovery of the assassins, from unraveling the mystery around flowers, around botanical language. For me, who have no knowledge of this, it was really fantastic and I ended up being intrigued by this new world!
btw the cover design *muah, chef's kiss*
I look forward to read more of Everleigh's adventures.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the Arc of this book ❤️

After months of waiting I was totally worth it. I clumsy wait to read more about Saffron and Alexander! And it was incredible. Months after the events of A Botanists Guide to Poisons and Parties. Saffron is working with doctor Lee to see the effects of poisons and their remedies. Alexander is at the expedition in Brazil. Saffron once again sees herself investigating a murder with bouquets as clues.
The story was again was incredible well written. The characterization was incredible. The social clases were incredible well showed. Once again the London after the war showed itself as an important peace. The effects on everyone were life changing. As dead filled the continent now party tries to make them forget. The relationships between the characters once again where on point. Helped to move the plot and were once again super fun to read. The situations Saffron got into where once again super fun to read. The mystery led her out of her comfort zone and into a world she had gotten herself out from. The plot was filled with unexpected twists and reveals. And after that ending I want even more of mysteries and the 1920s in London.

1920s London isn’t the ideal place for a brilliant woman with lofty ambitions. But research assistant Saffron Everleigh is determined to beat the odds in a male-dominated field at the University College of London. Saffron embarks on her first research study alongside the insufferably charming Dr. Michael Lee, traveling the countryside with him in response to reports of poisonings. But when Detective Inspector Green is given a case with a set of unusual clues, he asks for Saffron’s assistance.

The victims, all women, received bouquets filled with poisonous flowers. Digging deeper, Saffron discovers that the bouquets may be more than just unpleasant flowers— there may be a hidden message within them, revealed through the use of the old Victorian practice of floriography. A dire message, indeed, as each woman who received the flowers has turned up dead.

Alongside Dr. Lee and her best friend, Elizabeth, Saffron trails a group of suspects through a dark jazz club, a lavish country estate, and a glittering theatre, delving deeper into a part of society she thought she’d left behind forever.

I listened to the audiobook for the first book in this series, which I loved. Reading this one, I could still hear the narrator’s voices in my head. I would recommend
this series to patrons. It’s a nice change of pace from other mysteries that I’ve read. I also LOVE the cover art. Thank you for this advance copy!

Saffron Everleigh returns in the second novel in the series by Kate Khavari as the sleuthing botanist in 1920s London. She is encouraged by Detective Inspector Green to help investigate murders of prominent local socialites who have been left bouquets tied with a black ribbon since her current work focuses on toxins and poisons from plant sources. She works on the research project alongside Dr. Michael Lee, and he assists her with the investigation. Saffron digs into the Victorian art of floriography, or the practice of sending messages encoded by the flowers themselves, to discover who the killer is. As she does this, readers accompany her and Dr. Lee through 1920s London, a city and society entranced by the Jazz Age and all its trappings. Saffron's foray into detective work is fun, but fraught as she simultaneously tries to figure out her feelings of attraction and aggravation for Dr. Lee and pines for her beau Alexander Edwards who is away on an expedition in South America.

The glimpses into 1920s London were what I appreciated most in A Botanist's Guide to flowers and Fatality, along with the burgeoning science of the era. The jazz clubs, the liberated and liberating behavior of the previously stilted women, the use of intoxicants (alcohol and chemical) reveal a compelling picture of a society in the midst of tremendous growing pains in terms of its mores and values.

I must confess that the mid section of the book dragged a bit for me with Lee's refusal to help Saffron at one point and the numerous dead ends that halted forward progress into the investigation and the advancement of the plot. However, overall, the book is fun and informative, both things I admire in this type of story.

I have recommended this book to my students, who I think will enjoy learning about 1920s London and floriography.

"A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality" is the second book in the Saffron Everleigh mysteries, When I requested this book, I did not realize this. I have not read the first novel in the series and although I enjoyed the book, I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read the first book in the series before diving into this title.

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

"A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality" was a rather good discovery! I hadn't read the first book in the series, "A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poison", (which I regret and will soon remedy!) but the second book could be read on its own too.

I enjoyed the setting of the book, in 1923 London, between the University College, jazz clubs, theatres, and typical Londoners' flats. Saffron Everleigh is a young women with ties to nobility who chose a different path for herself. Not only is she a botanist/researcher at UCL, she is also a consultant for the police on a murder case. With the newly arrived Dr. Lee, her co-researcher on a study about toxic plants, both will dive into London's jazz clubs to befriend the suspects—and therefore a murderer...

I found the mystery intriguing. I loved the bouquets of flowers and their significations, and found that to be an original element in a mystery story. Saffron wasn't always the best detective, she was naïve and sometimes made gross mistakes in front of the suspects (but often got away with it.) What I regretted was that I guessed several elements of the mystery before they were revealed. I much prefer went all the pieces of the puzzle click into place only when the hero/heroine finds out themselves. Also, some suspects just faded in the background and we never heard about them again as the real suspect was slowing revealing themselves.

I wasn't fond of the love triangle and would have wanted to see more of Alexander Ashton. He seems like such an interesting character that I regret not knowing more about him (by reading the first book) or by having his POV all along the story (not necessarily through all his explorations in the jungle, but at least of him receiving Saffron's letter). That is—I only wish for that IF the romance is going to be more developed in the next instalments.

Despite some minor faults, I found his cosy mystery enjoyable and I am looking forward to the third book in this series!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

This book was just as amazing as the first. Saffron is working on a new study with a goofy doctor who drives her crazy. But Inspector Green needs her help identifying some flowers sent murdered women who don't appear to be related. Saffron accepts, of course, and ends up dragging the doctor along. They infiltrate a small group of friends, all of which have secrets to keep. Danger, drama and a little scandal ensue and Saffron has to decide if her reputation, and possibly life, are worth finding the killer.

Saffron is an absolutely amazing and intelligent woman. 1920s London is still pretty hard on working women and Saffron has to fight for everything a man would just be given. Without spoiling anything, Saffron has to decide if a relationship is more important than her independence. I love her character for this. She doesn't need a man to save her and she definitely won't let one tell her what to do.

This book is the perfect amount of mystery and suspense for someone who isn't big on mysteries. The only thing I wish is that there was a little more botaniy and some queer rep. I know the 1920s wasn't easy for queer people but Elizabeth's ties with the poetry group was a perfect opening.

The second novel in Kate Khavari’s Saffron Everleigh Mystery series, where Saffron Everleigh slowly steps into a more independent role while defining herself in a predominantly white male space of academia. A mystery that will have readers racing across historical London, second guessing who it could possibly be as Everleigh and her new research partner dance from one glittering party to the next to figure out who is killing prominent women.

As I mentioned in my review of the first book, my hope for this series was to see Everleigh and her love interest from the first novel, Alexander Ashton, relationship grows as an equal partnership with a bit more steamy romance scenes. I was slightly disappointed in this one when it came to the romance. The POV is from Saffron’s perspective and her new research partner, Doctor Michael Lee. Both start to fall for each other and then enter Alexander Ashton back from his own research project and bit scruffy and wild around the edges. What was so confusing was Khavari drops Lee’s POV and switches to Ashton’s when he gets back. This could’ve been an easy fix by allowing for all three POV’s throughout the entire novel.

But by the end of the book Saffron takes another path all together, which was another unexpected twist to the story, but leaves us with a possibility of a third book that will feature Ashton and his family. My fingers are tightly crossed this time that we’ll explore his character and see him become more of a feminist character embracing Everleigh’s independence, allowing her, her own autonomy while loving her wealth of knowledge and unique charm.

My continued hope is that as the series progresses Khavari includes a few more women at the University that Everleigh can mentor and find kinship as well as a more diverse cast of characters.

If you love a cozy mystery, where the main character takes on the role of playing detective, and a love triangle romance, wondering which guy Saffron will choose, then A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality is one to add to your TBR.

Happy Reading ~ Cece