If you are a fan of the Saffron Everleigh books, I need not try to sell this to you; you will want to grab and devour it as I did. If you have not read the series, I shake my head in shame at you.

Saffron has had to go home, not to her London flat, but to her Grandparents' estate, the last place she wants to be. But after the surprise visit from Bill, the man who dressed as a policeman and entered her flat, she found out that he is at her grandparents' estate, posing as a Doctor who is looking after her Grandfather, who has been having some health problems. He wants something from her, something her Father had been working on, and he is holding her family's safety over her.

Eliza and Alexander had come with her for support, but Eliza's family are hosting a Medium who claims to be channelling the spirit of Eliza's dead Brother (who was also Saffron's beau) and they want to expose her for being the fraud she is.

This was another wonderful story, full of twists and turns that leave you guessing as to what Bill wants, and what lengths Saffron will go to to keep her family safe and make sure Bill will not hurt them again. Not only do you love the characters, the complexity of who they are and their traumas, but I always learn something new from the botanical aspect. Plus, they visited Kew Gardens, which is one of my favourite places on earth. A total must-read.

I was hooked from the cover and description so I was glad it was so well written. This was a really well done fourth entry in the Saffron Everleigh Mystery series, it had that charm that I was looking for in this series and continued the story perfectly. The historical mystery element worked well and had that concept and that character development. Kate Khavari wrote this perfectly and was glad I was able to read this.

A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge by Kate Khavari is the fourth book in the Saffron Everleigh series. Saffron travels back to her family home with her friend, Eliza and beau, Alexander. She discovers that Bill Wyatt is impersonating as a physician to her grandfather. Mortal peril, disordered family dynamics, and a spiritual medium performing seances make coming home difficult.

I recommend this book for mystery and thriller readers. I have enjoyed the series and the characters have evolved over the last books. The beginning of the book had Jane Austen vibes for me, the pacing was slow but we discover more about Saffron’s family and her home. The last part of the book was action packed with Saffron solving the case

Saffron Everleigh has been summoned home, her elderly grandfather is unwell and the family estate needs attention. Upon her arrival, she discovers that the questions about her father’s mysterious research are still very present and that a spiritual medium has been causing turmoil in the community. This along with Alexander’s introduction to her family and Elizabeth’s concurrent return home, cause some Saffron style chaos and mystery. Will she put the pieces together before it is too late?

This fourth novel of the series is another enjoyable read. The mystery does have a different vibe to it as it ties up loose ends and focuses more heavily on Saffron’s relationship with her family and friends. With that, it’s definitely lighter on the botany and explores more of the romance that has been growing throughout the novels. It also sets the reader up for future adventures. 4 stars.

Based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you!

Saffrib Everleigh is back in the fourth installment of the series. Saffron has been summoned back to her childhood home Ellington Manor, when her grandfather's health has turned to the worse. Saffron along with Alexander Ashton and her bestfriend Eliza Hale to give her the support she needs. Eliza has also been estrainged from her parents and instead of staying with them she chooses to stay at Ellington Manor. Bill Wyatt is also at Ellington Manor acting as Lord Easting's doctor. When the Hales's invite them for dinner they are surprise to see that Madame Martin is there and will be hosting a seance. Just like with all the other Saffron Everleigh books , she finds herself in deeper trouble than she realized and uncovers secerets while she is investigating Dr. Wyatt. I quite enjoy this series and was excited to get my hands on this book. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for letting me read an advanced copy of this novel.

I ended my last review of book 3 in this series with the wish that I would love to have a book 4 - and here we are! I am excited and happy to have received it as an eARC even. The read was really good and I still love the characters a lot. It makes for an 4.5 stars in total! Especially Saffron keeps growing as a character and that not often is the case in longer series. She knows what she wants and stands up for it. This time it’s for example her relationship to Alexander and her career. Alexander becomes more and more a main character. He acts in Saffron’s best interest and always has her back. That I appreciated about him. Elizabeth is Saffron’s roommate and friend and again takes an active part in the plot and I am here for it. She is a strong character and a perfect addition to Saffron.
I liked that this time the mystery was of a different nature than in the past books. Very often in a mystery series one gets one murder after the other and with the Saffron Everleigh mysteries that’s not the case. I find that refreshing. The only point to make is maybe that there were a few too many possible mysteries in the beginning of the plot, but that was minor in my view. All in all I very much enjoyed the book and let’s give it a try: I hope there will be a book 5!

Welcome back, Saffron Everleigh!

I continue to be thoroughly charmed by this historical mystery series. In this addition to the ongoing story, we get to see more of Saffron's family, and along with that, it's interesting to see her (and Alexander & Elizabeth) in a different milieu. The mystery is just a little bit of a letdown compared to the previous books; I like the subplot involving a medium conducting fraudulent seances, which felt very much in keeping with the kind of detecting work Saffron has proven herself best at before, but I don't find the primary antagonist as interesting as I could wish, and consequently the middle section does drag just a bit for me. Still, it's a strong series and I look forward to it continuing, hopefully for many books to come!

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge by Kate Khavari is the fourth book in the Saffron Everleigh series. Saffron travels back to her family home with her friend, Eliza and beau, Alexander. She discovers that Bill Wyatt is impersonating as a physician to her grandfather. Mortal peril, disordered family dynamics, and a spiritual medium performing seances make coming home difficult.

I recommend this book for mystery and thriller readers. I have enjoyed the series and the characters have evolved over the last books. The beginning of the book had Jane Austen vibes for me, the pacing was slow but we discover more about Saffron’s family and her home. The last part of the book was action packed with Saffron solving the case.

Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Saffron Everleigh and Alexander Asher have my heart! Every book in this series has them on a new adventure, but also reveals just a little bit more about them. It's hard to believe we are still learning about them four books in, but here we are. This was yet another fantastic installment in a series that has quickly become one of my favorites.

While I reread the third book in the series before diving into this one, that's not necessary to understand what is happening. There are enough reminders and explanations that a new reader would be able to follow along. Having recently revisited the story before, though, made me loathe Bill even more. I fear that he'll become a bit of a Moriarty character for our beloved main characters.

Saffron has been motivated to understand her father's research from the beginning of the series and this book serves as a conclusion to that part of the story. She has returned to her family home, where she has access to her father's greenhouse and her mother. That being said, there's a lot of sleuthing and some back-and-forth trips to London as she figures out what her father was working on before he died.

There's a secondary plot involving Saffron's roommate, Elizabeth, and her family. Her mother has two spiritualists staying with her. It wouldn't be a post-war story without a seance or two! That storyline intersects with the main one nicely.

The romantic subplot that's been simmering from the beginning of this series has some wonderful development here. There's also a hint at a secondary romantic plot with Saffron's roommate, Elizabeth. Elizabeth moved into main character territory in the last book and she continues to be a prominent part of the story. I love that we also got to see secondary characters from previous books in this installment.

I enjoyed reading this so much that I'll be reading again when my preorder shows up!

<i>I was given early access to this by the publisher, but the opinions in this review are my own.</i>

Every time I read a Saffron installment, I think, "oooh, this is my favorite." So, in keeping with tradition... Ooooh this is my favorite. But I think it is. Because beyond the Stem and the fierceness of Saffron (and Eliza!) and the continuously budding romance with Alexander, the setting of ABGTRAR had that lovely gothic edge that speaks to my emo soul. I don't think the poor characters had a clear day. They were always bogged down by rain and fog and I LOVED IT. Khavari has this unparalleled knack for the slow burn between Saffron and Alexander all while making the reader fall in love with Lee at the same time. Okay, I may have cheered when he came on the page. All in all, another five star read for me and like I always say, I cannot wait for the next book and anything else Khavari writes.

I love historical mystery and this entire series is a hit! I felt like I was in the 20’s! Saffron is such a likable character! The romance is slow but I like a slow burn! I love the botany, the more interaction between the characters and the new setting, her home!! Really enjoyed this book! Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I was given an ARC by Netgalley for a review.

Review of A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge by Kate Khavari – ★★★★☆ (3.75/5)

This sequel to A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons (and the following 2 novels) it is another fun 1920s mystery, though the first book in my opinion is still the stand out of the series.

Agsin we follow along as Botanist Saffron Everleigh investigates a suspicious death at a wedding, mixing science, danger, and romance.

What’s Good:

Great 1920s Vibes – The setting feels real and interesting.
Smart, Strong Heroine – Saffron is clever and determined.
Cool Plant Science – The mystery ties in with botany in fun ways.
Romance Adds to the Story – Slow but sweet.
Some Slow Parts – The pacing drags at times.
Not as exciting as book one, but still a solid historical mystery!

England, 1920s: Botanist Saffron Everleigh has been summoned to the one place where she’d prefer to avoid: home. She had left several years earlier to study botany in the footsteps of her father against the wishes of her grandparents, Lord and Lady Easting, but after Lord Easting suffers a heart attack and is being attended by ‘Dr. Bill Wyatt,’ the villain of the previous book, she feel she must comply. When she arrives, Wyatt demands she give him what her late father was researching (a potential botanical poison that be used as a weapon) or members of her family will be harmed.
As if that wasn’t enough, there’s additional background tension. Accompanying Saffron is her best friend Elizabeth Hale, and Saffron’s beau Alexander Ashton. Elizabeth grew up next door to Saffron, running away to London when her parents tried to force her to marry a much older neighbor. She hasn’t been back since. And Alexander is probably not on the top 1000 list of people her grandmother would want Saffron dating. Further complicating things, there’s a medium who’s enticed Elizabeth’s parents to multiple seances and now appears to be after Saffron’s mother. They know that she’s a fake, but why do they feel drugged after attending one of the medium’s performances?
First: as with all the books in the series, the cover is gorgeous! I’ve read other books in the series and have enjoyed them. I love how Ms. Khavari weaves historical pieces – especially those concerning the challenges of being an educated woman in the 1920s – without going overboard and distracting from the story – we hear about getting married, changing one’s name, and then having to face challenge of building one’s reputation again under the new name, but we don’t hear the challenges of opening a bank account under that new name; as a friend said, it’s not so full of gender and other issues that there’s no room for a story.
I also enjoyed the side plots - the medium, Saffron’s mother, Elizabeth’s backstory and dealing with her parents - all helped round out the story. And unlike others in the series, this was less of a whodunnit type mystery and more of digging into the past to find clues to Saffron’s father’s research.
Highly recommended. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.Com which I voluntarily reviewed.

Saffron, Alexander, and Elizabeth are back!!

I enjoyed this mystery, even without a mu*der to solve the gang has a lot on their plates during this book. A number of ongoing plot lines see progress in this book and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Saffron Everleigh returns home to protect her grandfather and search for clues about her father's research. Wonderful to see her in a new setting as she explores her past and considers her future. Great fun to read!

The fourth installment in the Saffron Everleigh series was an action packed, mystery filled read. In Rituals and Revenge we leave the more academic setting of London and the University for Saffron’s family estate where she, Alexander, and Elizabeth find a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a charlatan, and a ghastly apparition. In order to secure her family’s safety, Saffron must once more dig into her father’s past to solve a mystery.

This is such a fun series and while I sometimes struggled to keep everyone straight, I enjoyed seeing Saffron in a different setting.

This book gives you about the same vibes as Knives Out, but without the murder (still a lot of mysteries though) and set in 1924 instead of today. It makes for an interesting and entertaining story. The rituals and revenge taking place in Ellington manor offer a nice change of scenery.

If you liked the previous books, you’ll like this one as well. With the focus on Saffron, Alexander and Elisabeth, you get more meaningful interactions and moments with them in the spotlight (which is something I missed a little bit in the other books). Their actions felt more in-character for them as well. Some minor plot holes and an abundance of descriptions keep me from giving this book 4 stars, going for 3.5 instead.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this eARC.

4.5 stars

A good story but I think I missed out as I haven't read book 3 because of this I didn't know who Bill was and how he impacted Saffron.
Saffron's and Alex's romance is continuing which is great and though I found the story very convoluted I enjoy the writng. At the end I usually learn something new and I found it fascinating the author's link to Petrov's illness and BEN, As the AI tells me: "Ben disease" likely refers to Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN), a kidney disease linked to the consumption of contaminated wheat flour containing seeds from the plant Aconitum clematitis. These seeds contain toxic compounds that can damage the kidneys.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Saffron is up to another mystery; and this time, it's happening inside her house.

Her original plans to return to her childhood home for a visit by the urging of her family turns out to be very interesting. Her nemesis has infiltrated her home and disguises himself as her grandfather’s doctor. Their family relations are already difficult, as no one really understands the rest. And the cherry on top? There is a new guest at their neighbours: a mysterious woman that poses as a spiritual medium, and who shows an odd interest to Saffron's mother.

Will she, her best friend and her beau manage to uncover the secrets before it's too late?

Set in the 1920s, this (delightful) book is the fourth in a series starring Saffron Everleigh, a woman of academia with a propensity to adventure, and it will be published at June 10th. I haven't read the first three, but it was easy to follow through the events and the people in this one. However, I will definitely seek the others as well, because I enjoyed it too much and will be happy to read more Saffron Everleigh adventures!

My thanks to Kate Khavari, Crooked Line Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange to my honest review.

When I saw this book was available to review on NetGalley, I immediately jumped at the chance. I was so excited to be approved! I read the previous three books last year. Of which, I had pre-ordered the third book and eagerly awaited its release. I have this book, the fourth one, pre-ordered for its June release. I think this series is absolutely fabulous.

Of the series, A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge has to be my favorite so far! I adore the setting of Ellington and finally stepping out of the U. It was interesting to see Saffron operate on terms that were not quite her own. It was nice being able to meet all of these people who made Saffron who she is as a character. It also feels like we returned to Saffron's character from the first book. In the second, and especially the third book, Saffron was angry most of the time and felt like we'd stepped away from her root. Rituals and Revenge feels like we get go along with the Saffron we met in the first book. Not to mention seeing how her relationship with Alexander has bloomed and her family's reactions to it. This installment is definitely the best of the series so far, each one keeps getting better!

Hopefully, there will be more Saffron Everleigh mysteries in the future - I can't wait to read them all !

I plan on posting my full review of it on my blog next week - https://whisperingspineslit.wordpress.com .