The cover is what hooked me to this book, but the writing and characters kept me so intrigued.

Saffron and Alexander were just the right amount of Sherlock/Romance. I loved how they used their minds to explore all the options. From the moment I read Saffrons name I knew I would love her. As well as her Best Friend Elizabeth. They were everything I wanted from women of the 1920’s.

Elizabeth was courageous, outspoken and willing to give her friend a talking to. Alexander was sweet, but had some sorrow in his backstory which I thought was well written.

Of course this book is about poison, but it also has a ton of amazing research. As well as his trivial accuracy, how Saffron was seen by her college as well as most of her male counterparts was spot on unfortunately. Also the way the author wrote about post war England, and how the world was then. How people came back from war different and how they overcame the trauma or tried to.

I also enjoyed the inspector even though he was a typical male of the time during a good portion of the book. He came around and I really loved him at the end.

The whole mystery angle was a whirlwind and I loved being swept up in it. From the botanists becoming detectives to clear someone’s name to the multiple people I thought were involved. This book kept me on my toes and I loved every minute of it.

Kate touched on a lot of sensitive subjects and did it so well. As a historical fiction this book hit all my expectations and exceeded some as well.

You know that feeling when you finish a great book, and feel almost euphoric that was me after I finished the last line.

I can not wait to see what Saffrons story has in store!

In Kate Khavari's A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons, we meet Saffron Everleigh, a young botanist who makes her way through tough university circles as a professor's assistant, suffering bullying and ridicule from some of her male colleagues.
During a party that our protagonist attends, one of the guests is poisoned, thus starting a race against time in which Saffron's curiosity leads her, as a good scientist, to try to find the truth, unmasking the culprit and freeing his beloved mentor who is the main suspect of the crime, without taking into account the dangers he could face.
A very entertaining and unusual story, which has left me wanting to read more books by Miss Khavari.

I really liked the cover and the title of this one. Was a little disappointed there was not many parties. I can only recall one.

The time period was good and I liked Saffron and Alexander and their blossoming relationship. Early on in the book I was getting confused by all the characters.

Parts of the story were a bit frustrating but overall an easy read.

Thank you to #NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all opinions expressed are my own. 3.75 stars rounded up to 4. A Botanist's Guide is the first title set in the period following WWI featuring Saffron Everleigh, an post-graduate assistant in the field of botany. Facing the discrimination common to educated women during the period, Saffron is hoping to get be able to further her studies and is attending a dinner hosted by the benefactor of an upcoming expedition to the Amazon. While there, she formally meets Alexander Ashton, a member of the faculty. The dinner party swiftly comes to the end when the wife of the head of the expedition is poisoned and near death. When Saffron's mentor and employer is arrested for the poisoning, she decides to use her knowledge of botany (and poisons derived from botanicals) to prove his innocence.

I found this title to be a nice addition to the growing historical mystery titles set in the period between world wars. Saffron is very likable and her interest in botany adds some unique elements to the story. The mystery itself was well done and had a few twists and turns.to keep me guessing. There is a hint of potential romance to be developed in future titles and I hope to learn more about Saffron's friend Elizabeth. Overall, I really enjoyed this title and hope for future books featuring Saffron and friends.

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.
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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.