Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced listening copy of A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge! I've come to really enjoy the historical setting of these books in the mid-20's - women are starting to gain more independence both in the domestic and academic worlds, the scientific world is ripe for new discoveries and advancements, spiritualism is at a peak, and it's a time period between WWI and WWII that is often left uncovered in historical fiction.

This is the fourth Saffron Everleigh novel, which takes us back to Saffron's family seat to meet her mother & grandparents for the first time in this series. She's joined of course by her now beau, Alexander Ashton, and her best friend, Elizabeth. Revenge & Rituals has blackmail, spiritualism, family drama & intrigue, and a touching ending. It was open ended enough that I could see Kate Khavari continuing the series if she chose to!

My only complaint about this fourth book in the series is that the overall plot didn’t capture me quite as much as the others had. I was initially eager to learn more about Saffron’s family dynamics and how she was going to bring Dr. Wyatt’s duplicity to the attention of her family, but I found myself tuning out more often, speeding up the narration to get through it, and just not as engaged as I have been previously.

The narrator, Jodie Harris, has read all 4 books on audio and does a really lovely job. Her voice is clear and easy to understand, her pacing is spot on, and her accent matches up well with the time period for these novels. I would love to hear more from her in other series!

Overall - 4 ⭐️
Plot - 3.75 ⭐️
Characters - 3.5 ⭐️
Character Development - 3.75 ⭐️
Setting - 4 ⭐️
Writing - 4 ⭐️

Saffron is a bad friend.
Alexander and Elizabeth are going through it
Like, I get that Violet was trying to protect her, but there was a lot going on and I feel like it was resolved too quickly

I have really enjoyed this series, but this book felt like a bit of a letdown. I found it to be too slow and too long even with the dual stories of the medium and the mysterious Bill. The ending left a lot to be desired. It felt incomplete unnecessarily so. I like Saffron and the cast of characters but I’m not sure I’d continue with the series if the ending is any indication of future storylines.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook! The narration was very well done.

Great voice actress, kept you engaged the entire time

Story was fun and witty. I didn’t read any others in the series and didn’t feel lost

Kate Khavari please do not ever stop writing!

No surprise I enjoyed A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge so much. In the previous books we've heard very little about Saffron's family but this time we get to be in the front row of all the family dynamics. To add, Saffron's best friend Elizabeth and her boyfriend, Alexander- both of which have questionable familial relationships join her.

The situation goes from bad to worse when Saffron found out that Bill Wyatt is now caring for her grandfather and has gained her families trust. Of course Saffron always finds a way to solve it all and going through the processes had me thoroughly entertained.

I highly recommend everyone pick this up, after you've read the first few instalments of course.

Thank you to Kate Khavari, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audio-digital ARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars

Some interesting family dynamics feature in a slower-paced story of spiritualism and fraud and poison and murder for Saffron and her cohorts.

Such a fun and fast paced adventure! I loved the main characters and twists were wonderfully written. Saffron is a great fmc with lots of spirit. Can't wait for more of her adventures!!

I listened to the audiobook of a Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge narrated exceptionally by Jodie Harris. It is the fourth installment following brilliant botanist Saffron Everleigh who is in her mid-20’s and well past the time she should be settling down and getting married. She leaves her studies to travel home after her grandfather has an heart attack. There she discovers that the doctor attending her grandfather is none other than her arch nemesis who is no doctor but rather a thief she encountered in prior stories. He is looking for her long departed father’s notes on a specific research project he was working on when he died. There is also a side story about a mystic who is working next door at her childhood friend’s house. Although I liked the two mysteries, I was frustrated with the doctor’s story because it felt unfinished especially after spending so much time on it. I do like Saffron’s beau, Alexander, who travels with her to experience her family’s dynamic. I recommend reading or listening to the series in order to understand the relationships of the main characters better.

eBook - 3 Stars
* It was lovely to be back with Saffron and Company, including some new faces [perhaps a few too many, but still nice] in this go-round. Saffron is one of my favorite FMC, with such spirit and caring, which really comes out with this visit to her family. I didn't love how much hand-wringing she did in this one, but overall, it was lovely to be with her and she love of mystery and science.

* I missed the botany. A LOT. I could have done with a lot less of the drama [which was excessive at times] and a lot more plants and flowers. I know so little about plants and the like and it was one of the things that drew me to these books and I found I really, really, did miss that aspect in this book. It is really what Saffron does best and we just don't get to see that.

* Alexander *AND* Elizabeth. It was so great to see real growth with these characters, Elizabeth especially. She too has been through so much and it was really lovely to see her face things head-on and fight for her family [her silly, vapid, family] and their lives. I love Alexander and seeing him realize he needs to love Saffron as she is if he wants to be with her has been very fun to watch.

* Unfortunately, for me, this book seemed a tad too long. Perhaps its because it was dramadramadrama from page one and you don't really get a break at all from it...I don't know. I just know that by the end [ERGH!! see below], I was rather glad it was finished [and that made me so very sad].

* THAT. ENDING. WAS. UGH. That ending. Ergh. While the reveal [such as it is - we ALL know who the baddie is] was good and the tension amped up [and took a three star read to four stars, only to be dashed down again], the way it all ends is...
We the readers [new and ones who live for these books], and Saffron the character deserved SO. MUCH. MORE. than T H A T ending. That epilogue was complete bullsh*t and if it wasn't for the fact that ADORE Saffron and these books [overall], I'd seriously think about whether or not to continue with these book [should there be more] as I am THAT disappointed in how this book ended [as it stands now, I will read another one should there be one, but it will be with great trepidation]. While I am not completely sure that I feel THIS way, when I told my Mom about the book and why I was raging all over the house, she looked at me and said "that is just very lazy writing and a crap way to end a storyline", and I am pretty sure she is at least partly correct about it. It IS a crap way to end a book and I will be disgruntled about this for a long time.

Audiobook narration - 4 Stars
Jodie Harris, as always, was absolutely fantastic and I really enjoyed listening to her narrate this book [as well as the previous books] and I hope that should there be more books, she will continue to narrate them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Khavari, Jodie Harris - Narrator, Crooked Lane Books, and Dreamscape Media for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Khavari's storytelling is more sure-footed than ever in this 4th installment in the Saffron Everleigh series. It's a series you can easily see as a Masterpiece Mystery, partly aided by Jodie Harris narration which elevates the listening experience beyond the basic.

Khavari expands readers' view into Saffron's world, even while most of the action takes place at her family estate, with brief jaunts to London and Kew Gardens. I loved the brief cameo from a fave character and getting some pay off on the relationship between Saffron and Alexander. This is a series that's become a must read for historical mystery fans.

A BOTANIST’S GUIDE TO RITUALS AND REVENGE is the fourth book in the Saffron Everleigh Mysteries by Kate Khavari. This charming historical cozy mystery features protagonist Saffron Everleigh, her best friend, Elizabeth, and her beau, Alexander. Instead of the usual university setting, the trio head to Saffron’s family’s estate after being called home because of her grandfather’s poor health. The author paints a vivid picture of the landscape and manor, and brings each character to life from her mysteriously melancholy mother to her overbearing disapproving grandmother. When Saffron discovers that Bill Wyatt (a despicable man) has inserted himself into the household to care for her grandfather, it’s up to her and her friends to uncover and foil whatever plot he’s set up. Interspersed with the drama happening at Ellington Manor is the appearance of a spiritual medium and her assistant, who seem to prey upon families who have suffered losses. Is the medium and Bill Wyatt working together? Or have two fiends descended upon the village with separate agendas? It is apparent that Ms. Khavari has invested substantial time in researching the era and brings interesting details to the story to give it validity as she intertwines the history with the mystery. There are twists that caught me by surprise and as the story unfolded, I was kept engaged throughout.

I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook narrated by Jodie Harris. She did an excellent job in depicting each of the characters, no matter the gender or age. It added enjoyment to the story and I appreciate the advance copy from Dreamscape Media and Crooked Lane Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This fourth installment in the Saffron Everleigh Mystery series is yet another fantastic addition! The author continues to craft an intriguing and well-paced story that pulls you right back into Saffron’s world. Each book deepens the connection with the main characters and makes you want to binge the whole series just to see how everything unfolds.

The audiobook narration was thoroughly enjoyable and brought the characters to life beautifully. If you're following the series, this one won’t disappoint!

Where to even start?

My rating lost stars as I wrote the previous sentence.

I finished the book. But I didn't care. The author managed to make me not care about the wellbeing of a 3 year old child. How do you even do that?

I think the author doesn't know that when you're writing a series you need to open each book with enough background for a new reader to become immersed in the book as much as if they were starting the first. 15% in and all I knew was that there was a Saffron, her childhood best friend Elizabeth who is estranged from her family (who was obnoxious because she was depressed, apparently), and an Alexander who Saffron's family won't like. In the audiobook, that was 1 hour and 45 minutes in. I kept hearing about Bill, who was hanging around, and apparently named Bill, and the protagonists knew him, and he was named Bill and they had run into him some where or place before, and his name is Bill, but they won't tell us about their previous interactions, and look it's Bill... The fact that his name was Bill just made this weirder. We didn't even know whether the protagonists liked him, or who he was claiming to be, or how they had met him previously, until 2 hours in. And it's not actually a slow book! Lots of things were happening, things which clearly made some sort of sense to the protagonists, but the audience had to be content with the knowledge that connections were made off the page (or the recording, whatever.)

If you want the readers to give a crap, at least tell them what the protagonists are alluding to. "IT'S BILL!" is... not a form of raising the stakes. It's just not.

Thank you, NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, for this audio ARC.

If you haven't read this series, do yourself a favour and start IMMEDIATELY. I have fallen in love with the dark & cosy atmosphere these little mysteries give. Jodie Harris continutes to serve as a narrator, her voice gives these characters so much life!
Now, I will admit this isnt my favourite out of the 4 books so far, this last one felt a bit like a filler but I get the impression something big is coming in the next one. In saying that, I did genuinly enjoy listening to this book, it answered a lot of questions and filled in some key relationship information.
Awaiting the next book with bated breath

Thank you Netgalley, Dreamscape Media and Kate Khavari for the audio Arc of A Botanists Guide to Rituals and Revenge.
Narrated by Jodie Harris

A Botanist's Guide to Rituals and Revenge is the 4 book in Saffron Everleigh Mysteries and do need to be read in order as Saffron which is our wonderful MC does have a strong second undercurrent story to her mysteries. This book picks up where the last book finishes as Saffron returns home to Ellington Manor after hears about her Grandfathers heart attack. While she is there, we come across tense family relationship as a family Doctor has secrets of his own. Mix in neighbours who introduce a medium and Saffron soon starts investigating and uncovering everyone's secrets.

Saffron is such a wonderful character, well rounded and real with gradual character building after a good base made in book 1. There seems to be a great balance of other characters in this book which adds to the variety, even a few unlikable ones! As with the others, it's a medium paced narrative which gathers a little more pace as everything starts to unravel.

Jodie Harris brings this book fully to life with her voice.

4 stars

Saffron is back and better than ever! A Botanist’s Guide to Rituals and Revenge picks up where the previous story ended. Saffron has been summoned home and takes Alexander with her to meet her family and some time with them. She knows her grandfather is ill and she knows family tensions are high, but she does not know Bill will be there to further complicate and strain things. Not to mention the additional layer of a medium that she and Elizabeth have encountered before. I love that they set out to debunk her using science and botany! I did enjoy getting to know some of the characters a little more and thought it was a really creative cozy mystery. Some parts felt drawn out, but for those who like a lot of details, this is a bonus. The work that Bill demands had Saffron searching far and wide and, in the process, learned a lot about herself and her family. Saffron and Alexander are great together and I am looking forward to their next adventure.
The narrator did a great job capturing the various voices and pacing out the story. Nuances, accents, and emotions were done well and added to story’s ebb and flows.
I received a complimentary audiobook version from the publisher via NetGalley, and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

𝑨 𝑩𝑶𝑻𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑺𝑻'𝑺 𝑮𝑼𝑰𝑫𝑬 𝑻𝑶 𝑹𝑰𝑻𝑼𝑨𝑳𝑺 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑹𝑬𝑽𝑬𝑵𝑮𝑬 𝒃𝒚 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑲𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒊, generously shared with me from @crookedlanebooks & @dreamscape_media via @netgalley.

This is the fourth installment of Botanist/Amateur Sleuth Saffron Everleigh, and this tale takes her back home after her grandfather's health scare. She must battle family expectations and a friend's quest to unmask a fraudulent medium all while balancing a con man's very close threats for her late father's botanical research.

I have enjoyed this series, though I am wondering if I am falling prey to my typical "3 and done" series fatigue. This is a clever cozy mystery series with a strong female MC, a great friendship, a bit of romance, and intriguing mysteries. I found myself feeling like this one was an effort to more fully develop the characters, and for me, the plot pacing suffered a bit. I also found myself not remembering all the backstories, though it did give bits of it, which helped. It all picked up quite speedily towards the end with resolutions I thought were very creative (in a good way) and some loose threads, paving the way for future adventures.

I did listen to most of this book, which did have great narration by Jodie Harris. I was instantly transported back into Saffron's world and highly recommend the audio.

Even though this was not my favorite of this series, I still recommend this as a great one for cozy mystery fans. This could be read as a stand alone, but it would be best to start at the beginning and get into Ms. Everleigh's world!

Again, another stunning cover!

"I'm not looking for anything in particular. I was just...curious."

And there it is! In the fourth, and possibly my favorite, Saffron Everleigh Mystery, A Botanist's Guide To Rituals and Revenge, by the ever precise and keen historical fiction author Kate Khavari, once again, Saffron's curiosity leads to trouble. This time it's kidnapping, attempted murder, ghosts sightings, hallucinations and a dubious medium.

For the first time in the series, Saffron leaves 1924 London to head home to her family manor to see her grandfather who has suffered a heart attack. With her long time suitor Alexander, and best friend Elizabeth, she finds her widow mother and grandparents under the thumb of the deviously mysterious Bill Wyatt, claiming to be a doctor caring for her grandfather. But Saffron knows Bill and knows he's a liar. She just has to prove it.

The prolific voice actress Jodie Harris
is her usual "can do any accent and any emotion brilliant self." It's probably why this haunting often intense mystery is her 100th audiobook! Congratulations Jodie!

I adore this cozy historical fiction mystery series. It can be a standalone but trust me, reading the series, listening to Saffron and Alexander's relationship grow through all the dangerous, yet exciting crime solving through botany and science, is a ritual I hope never ends.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Another fun and exciting adventure form Saffron and team! I adore saffron, Elizabeth and alexander & their adventures! Already ready for the next one!!

This was not a book that I normally listen to. It was okay but I had a hard time following it. Plus I had not listed to the previous books.