The premise of this book sounded so intriguing however I found that it fell flat in the execution. The beginning was very good and had me hooked however I found the middle part dragged on quite a bit. I expected more lavish parties and more poisoning. I did enjoy the whodunnit style to this book.

Thank you to netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Saffron Everleigh is in a race against time to free her wrongly accused professor before he goes behind bars forever. Perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Anna Lee Huber, Kate Khavari’s debut historical mystery is a fast paced, fearless adventure.

Such an intriguing title but, for me anyway, the book did not quite live up to it. There were a lot of botanists but I can only recall one party and two possible poisons.

Set in the University College of London in 1923, the main character is Saffron Everleigh. She is the first woman research assistant appointed there and she feels her position as a woman in a man's world very strongly. She becomes involved in events surrounding a poisoning at a party and works with a colleague, Alexander Ashton, to solve the mystery of 'who dunnit'.

I have always assumed that researchers dealt in proof and logic but Saffron defies that and works mostly by instinct and rash decisions. Luckily Alex is there to save her and occasionally prevent her excesses and the pair have an interesting, developing relationship.

The botany was informative and not over whelming, the characters were well done and the mystery interesting and rounded off well. A good start to a new series and I will look out for the next book.

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons, research assistant Saffron Everleigh finds herself unexpectedly at the center of a murder investigation as she struggles to exonerate her professor. Help with her private investigation comes unexpectedly from the taciturn yet alluring Alexander Ashton.

I really enjoyed Kate Khavari's debut, which has elements of historical fiction, being set against the backdrop of post WWI London, as well as mystery. There is also a bit of slow burn romance between Alexander and Saffron.

Another aspect of the story that I enjoyed was how elements of botany were skillfully intertwined into the plot. I love flowers and appreciated learning about some of the exotic plants in this story. I also thought the author did a great job of tackling difficult topics like discrimination and PTSD in her book. I could definitely, somewhat ironically, relate to Saffron’s struggles of being taken seriously in a male dominated field.

Although the mystery was wrapped up at the end, Saffron and Alexander’s story seemed unfinished so hope the author will continue with their story in subsequent books

I am a big fan of Deanna Raybourn so when I saw the description on NetGalley saying this was for fans of Deanna I thought well then I must read this! Plus have you seen the cover it is beautiful!

This was a great start in this series, and it kept me intrigued from the moment I started reading it. It has been a while since I have read a book this fast. The book flowed nicely and the pace worked well. You felt like you were working alongside Saffron and Alexander to uncover who was really the poisoner instead of the gramed Dr. Maxwell. I thought the plot was similar in the sense of the type of book, however, I think it was also unique because you have a botanist who is a female working hard to make a name for herself and is getting to use her knowledge to help solve a crime. There was humor, adventure, mystery, and some slight romance in this story, so it had a lot of everything.

The characters I thought were well done. I liked Saffron she stood up for herself and didn’t let anything keep her down. I was definitely rooting for her to succeed. I like that even though you can tell the Inspector doesn’t really believe/like her you get glimpses that she is growing on him and by the end I think he knows her value. Alexander I also thought was a good character and I liked how he played an important part from the beginning and it wasn’t just purely for romance purposes. It is good that you get some background on him and Saffron, as well as I really like Saffron’s friend and roommate Elizabeth she made me laugh with some of her interactions.

I think overall this was a really fun read and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing what mystery Saffron, Alexander, Inspector Green, and Elizabeth will be involved in. I hope Elizabeth comes along for more of the adventure just because I really liked her character. So definitely check out this new series you won’t be disappointed.

A fabulous, gripping mystery, with just the right amount of love interest without overdoing it! So well-written and had me riveted from start to finish, and I adored having the point of view of a female scholar in botany before it was widely accepted.

Saffron Everleigh, a recent botany graduate and now research assistant to her mentor Dr. Maxwell, attends a dinner party focused on the University College of London's upcoming expedition to the Amazon. She hears things she shouldn't and is then a witness to the expedition leader's wife's poisoning. Saffron and her colleague, bacteriologist Dr. Ashton, then team up in a race against time and a murderer to prove Dr. Maxwell's innocence through scientific research and criminal investigation.
It took me a little bit to get my bearings in this book--both the time period and the various characters seemed a bit muddled for a while. I appreciated very much how the details and character development happened organically, rather than being laid out all at once, but even so it seemed that there were missing details that were alluded to later. But once it got going I appreciated how it highlighted the realities experienced by women at the time, especially women working professionally.
The two perspectives through which we see the story are those of Saffron Everleigh and Dr. Alexander Ashton. Saffron is intelligent and accomplished, but inexperienced. She is impulsive and passionate and works very hard to move forward in a male-dominated field. The second perspective is that of Alexander Ashton. He is more methodical and experienced, but he struggles with an anxiety disorder which is related to, if not caused by, his service in World War I.
I found the writing to be excellent, even if the plot was at times slow and repetitive. I appreciated that the heroine and hero were both relatable--in different ways--and it turned out to be an enjoyable "whodunit." I would definitely be interested in reading more by Kate Khavari when the time comes, and I recommend this as a fresh voice and plotline in a popular genre (and even time period).I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I just reviewed A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari.#ABotanistsGuidetoPartiesandPoisons #NetGalley
This review is also posted on Instagram and BN.com as of today.

Such a great book! I'm making all of my friends go pick it up! I really loved the main character and it also gave me a hp kind of vibe. I give this one about a 4.5 stars!

Yes, please! I loved everything about this book: the time period, the dual narrative, the friendship blooming between Saffron and Alexander, and the potential for what mysteries our duo can solve next (well, at least after six months).

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

It was nice to step out of my comfort zone with this book. It was a poison mystery (like a murder mystery but different).

The main character Saffron is in a man’s world in Academia. She’s a botanist/research assistant in a purely male dominated department. Throughout the book, she works hard to prove herself as an asset to the department by trying to solve the fishy poisoning of Dr. Henry’s wife.

There were times where she made stupid decisions to help the case and at those times, I disliked Saffron a lot. She was headstrong and stubborn. But her heart was in the right place.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this!

I really enjoyed reading this book and while I enjoy historical fiction, this one was a little different from what I normally read. It was a bit more academic, as it focused a lot on botany and research into various poisonous plants, but I found it to be very interesting and informative.

Of course when you throw a little mystery and romance into the mix, it proves to be a more well-rounded tale. I loved Saffron (especially her name) and thought she was a perfect lead for this story. Her camaraderie with Alexander and the slow burn of their budding relationship was a welcome addition to break up their not so pleasant task of uncovering who poisoned Mrs. Henry.

Overall, I thought it was a wonderful mystery set during a time when women were just beginning to get recognition in a male-dominated academic world. I found the suspense to be a little slow-paced at times, but when the truth came out regarding Mrs. Henry’s poisoning, I was a bit surprised.

I would recommend this to anyone who loves mysteries intertwined with an academic and historical setting.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4756791783

A historical cozy mystery set in 1923 London where Saffron Everleigh is a research assistant at University College of London. She attends a dinner party with faculty and one of the professor’s wives, Mrs. Henry drops to the floor, having been poisoned by a mysterious toxin. Her mentor, Dr. Maxwell is the chief suspect.

Saffron decides to clear Dr. Maxwell’s name and take matters into her own hands. Along with the help of her fellow colleague Alexander Ashton, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany to investigate the murder. Will she find the killer or become a suspect herself?

My thoughts:
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (rounded dup to 4 on Goodreads)

This was an interesting story and really started out strong. I love stories set in academia and the details about the world of botany were fascinating.

What I enjoyed was Saffron’s character. She was a strong female trying to make her way in a male dominated field. The reason for my 3.5 stars was the slow, slow burn romance and plot. There were parts that were just too long and tedious. However, the writing was well done and I would definitely check out the next book in the series.

With a fantastic cover and premise, this book promised so much in terms of being a detective-ish story. I must admit that the author has a flair for research and she has used it to brilliant purposes in here, with everything botanical going over my head but looking as if it belongs there. It reminded me of Agatha Christie's works where she uses poison as the main weapon of murder.
I really enjoyed how the 1920's feel was throughout the book, and given Saffron is a woman in academia during a time when patriarchy was even more rampant than it is today, I felt the way she strived and struggled to make a name for herself. She is spunky and wants to do the right thing by the people she loves. Also, Alexander is a sweetheart. I mean, having crushes on fictional characters is nothing new, but to have one from a historical fiction - also nothing new XD
But despite all this, I felt there was something missing. A spark, that missing ingredient. It all felt monotonous to the very end. Even though I jump at the minutest unexpected events, I wanted them to be there in this book. But somehow it felt bland. It's not bad, though. It's a fast-paced read from which you will learn a lot about botany. But somehow.... Somehow...
I'll give this a 3.5 stars, rounding off upwards.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this opportunity to review “A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons.” All opinions and comments are my own.

Saffron Everleigh is a Research Assistant to Dr. Maxwell at University College, London, Biology Department. She’s gossiped about, of course, as the only female in the department. Our book starts with Saffron attending a dinner honoring an expedition that’s heading for Brazil in search of more specimens. Suddenly, one of the wives collapses. At first, an allergic reaction is suspected; but then -- poison. And we’re off, in “A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons,” a new book by Kate Khavari.

Her mentor and friend is suspected and taken away. Well, this can’t be allowed to stand, so of course Saffron must do something, and with the help of a sympathetic (male) colleague, she does. There’s a poisonous plant she knows about -- and does an experiment with it that is quite astonishing. Her friend Elizabeth tells her how stupid she is, by the way; us readers would have told her the same thing.

There are bits of a possible romance here, with Mr. Ashton. But they do make a good pair for a partnership. Besides, he’s on the expedition heading for Brazil, so, there is that.

In “A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons” you’ll get quite a bit of a botany lesson along the way. And a study about what not to do in trying to find out murderers, I should think. There’s also rather a gruesome scene at the end, when our heroine (and hero) are threatened. One not usually found in a cozy mystery, in my opinion. Just, be advised.

The mystery of what really happened is solved with the help of our duo. At least all’s well in the botany world. Saffron gets to continue her research studies, including her research into poisonous plants, because she’s proven she’s really good at it.

An author’s note details the real and fictional world of plants the author chose to write in. And pinpoints our timeframe, 1923.

“A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons” has a satisfactory mystery storyline. I’d like to see a little more character development with Saffron; there was nothing really unique about her, except her propensity for doing rather stupid things. Perhaps, if there’s a second book, she’ll have gotten over her habit of doing that.

I really enjoyed reading this story. It flowed beautifully,never becoming slow. My interest never waned.
Saffron Everleigh is a woman in a man's world, fighting for her place in it. She works in a university as a research assistant and she loves her job. She has ambitions so works thoroughly in the hope of recognition.
One evening at a university dinner, the professors gather and discuss their separate department's projects and Saffron is mainly overlooked. That evening a wife of one of the professor's collapses and the police arrive to interview everyone.. Saffron's mentor becomes the main suspect and this shocks Saffron . She decides to do her own investigation and the story spirals from there!!
#Netgalley, #crookedlanebooks, #authorkkhavari.

Will they stop the culprits before they made it on their list…

Finally I am able to read this book, just in time while it has been seating on my shelves for a few months. I’m a bit ashamed to have waited so long before opening it.
This era is not one I read a lot about, outside Agatha Christie, my reading are mostly set earlier in time, so it was fun to read about blood samples, microscope and fingerprints.

I confess I was quite surprised (with glee) when I discovered the story is narrated with two voices (principally), in my short experience with historical museriez, I was expecting that when a character is behind the name of a series, it would be the sole voice recounting the events.
And while it is mostly Saffron’s point of view we get, it is from time to time interspaced by Alexander own perspective of the narrative and inquiries about their investigation.
I do not recall reading about their age, yet as Alexander engaged during the first WW, it is to be expected they are both in their middle to late twenties. Saffron left her position in the peerage when she decided to follow in her father’s footsteps, but even in 1923, it is not easy to be a scientific woman, has she learned to her expense. But when it is her mentor who is threatened, one of the sole person who truly believes in her abilities, she can’t let it pass.
Surprisingly she finds an ally in a colleague she meet at the party that led to the murder’s suspicions.
Alexander, I immediately loved him, he did not leave his circumstances impede his career, he has drawn from within himself the will and strength to do better, to seek help and create his own path.
In all, I much liked this story, it is an awesome premise for what I hope will be a great series.
I was just a bit disappointed by the heroine when she let her pride get over her reason instead of analyzing every clues she had and running straight into the trap set for her.

The investigation was fun and while the culprits were quickly pinpointed, the reasoning behind their deeds was much more complex.
4.5 stars

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 kiss

TW : sexual harassment and aborted sexual assault

I have been granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

An historical mystery with a good premise but disappointing execution. Pacing is sleepy, narration is tepid, and the characters fail to demonstrate any true talent for investigating and frequently act as if their brains were on vacation. Additionally, the author failed to spend sufficient time world-building the historical setting.

While I did struggle to get through this one due to the writing style, I found the story and mystery both engaging and interesting.

First, the struggles. The beginning felt a lot like an information dump and it was a bit hard to keep track of all the characters. I was also struggling to figure out who was talking on more than one occasion. While I hoped this would improve over time, it really didn’t and the story ended up feeling stiff to me.

Now, the positives. The story itself, and the mystery, was interesting! While parts of it felt rushed, I was definitely engaged and wanted to know what would happen. I also ended up liking the main characters, Saffron and Alexander. Their dynamic was fun, for sure. It might have started slow, but it picked up quickly.

Suspension of belief is certainly necessary (more than one event raises a few questions), but I liked this one overall. Once I adjusted to the writing style, it was a quick, diverting read.

Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an arc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Saffron is the assistant to Professor Maxwell, and a keen botanist following in the footsteps of her father, a successful academic. Maxwell and the rest of the department are busy preparing for an expedition to Brazil with Saffron’s assistance, and during this she is invited to a party with other members of the department. There she meets Alexander, who as well as being a fellow academic, is a young, handsome man. Unfortunately the party comes to an abrupt end following the sudden collapse of the host’s wife after a toast - and the next day, rumours are swirling that the host’s wife was actually poisoned. Suspicion immediately falls on Saffron’s mentor Maxwell, and she sets out with Alexander’s assistance to clear his name.

This was an interesting book. There’s a fairly solid mystery at the heart of this book, with twists and turns and some decent, interesting ideas. I will say that I found the romantic subplot slightly more interesting - it was very sweet at points and I thought Alexander and Saffron had a nice, easy chemistry. I found myself wishing they were back on-page together when I was reading parts where they were separated, as I really enjoyed their dynamic.

However, I felt the characterisation had been a little stronger. Alexander worked better for me as a character: he felt more fleshed-out and well-rounded, and I think he benefited from being given a proper backstory. In contrast Saffron felt a little bland at points. Aside from her academic ambitions and references to her father, I didn’t finish the book feeling like I got a good sense of who she was as a character. I just found her a little bit vague. I also thought the writing was a little clipped at points in a way that was distracting, although overall I thought the writing was very strong.

It is a decent book, though. It had all the familiar hallmarks of this kind of mystery and if you like historical mysteries with a side of romance, this could work very well for you. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Attempted murder, poison, vomiting, sexual harassment (off-page), threat of sexual violence / threat of rape, attempted rape (on-page), violence, blackmail, PTSD, descriptions of war and wartime injuries.

I generally enjoy historical mysteries so I was delighted to get a chance to review this title, which has been compared to Anna Lee Huber (whose series I loved). This one is set in the 1920s. The main character is a young woman working as an assistant to a botany professor, continuing the work and study her father started as a botanist at the same university before his untimely death in WWI.

I enjoyed the character of Saffron and the love interest/fellow scientist, Alexander, and their growing relationship. Anyone who has tried to get projects approved in higher levels of academia will also recognize many of the professors' types Saffron comes into contact with, and even more of "old boy network" behavior since this is early 20th century when most women didn't work in a professional capacity in STEM. The tie-ins and references to botanical specimens were interesting - that's a particular area of personal interest - and I almost wish there had been a bit more of that included.

While an entertaining read, the writing fell a bit flat for me. The conversations were a bit stilted and flat, and I had a hard time engaging with Saffron as the main character. One of the main plot points (which I won't spoil here) that is critical to solving the mystery seemed really unlikely to me and I had a hard accepting that, especially since it was such an integral part of the story. This one overall felt like a first book to me (it is) and I'm hopeful the author will settle into her story-telling and character development for book 2 as this is the type of series I tend to enjoy, despite this one not quite coming up to the mark for me.

Rating it 3-1/2 stars out of 5.