I was really excited about this one as I do love a good mystery.

Following Saffron as she works as a research assistant in the botany department at University College in London set in the 1920s. While attempting to mingle with coworkers at a celebration party for an upcoming expedition, someone is poisoned. Saffron is thrown on the case as fingers point at her at her mentor as the culprit.

This was a cozy and light mystery. I didn't guess whodunnit, which always gets bonus points. The historical aspects felt genuine and well researched. The botany was well done and not so overly scientific that a plant dummy (i.e. me) couldn't keep up. A little slow burning romance that felt fitting of a 1920s time was just a bonus. You can see it coming, but you still want it because Alexander is just lovely.

The book started off fast and with the bang happening quickly. The middle bits did suffer a bit in the pacing department but anytime Saffron really buckled down on the investigation, the pace picked right back up. Saffron's fantastically poor decisions actually drive the story forward rather than annoy like it usually does, possibly because of Alexander's counterbalance. My biggest gripe is the names of characters became a bit confusing as many were similar.

This is one of those books that is perfect for curling up on a rainy day. It is not a heart pounding mystery but instead fluffy, cozy, and easy to read.

I freaking devoured this book! If you are in the mood for a cozy mystery with twists and turns and excitement - this is the perfect book. Khavari spins the story of Saffron, an intellectual daughter of an intellectual who finds herself caught up in a bit of a mess when her mentor is accused of poisoning a rival's wife! She intends the solve the mystery herself to save her friend and makes allies along the way that are eager to help. Add a small dash of romantic intrigue that stays politely PG and this is just cute wrapped in interesting! The writing style is easy and relaxed, which gives for a fast read. The only small critique I have is there were far too many characters, IMO. I know that adds to the intrigue, but I found myself a bit lost at times as to which man we were talking about when, especially when some of the names were quite similar. Otherwise, a perfect comfy read about characters I can't wait to visit again in the sequel!

The Botanists Guide To Parties and Poisons - Kate Khavari

London, 1923. Research assistant Saffron Everleigh attends a dinner party at University College. Expecting to discuss the Universities expedition to the amazon, she doesn't expect Mrs. Henry, one of the professors' wives to drop to the floor, poisoned.
Dr. Maxwell, Saffron's mentor, is the main suspect and as evidence mounts against him and the expedition's departure draws nearer, Saffron realises she will have to prove his innocence herself. Joined by enigmatic researcher Alexander Ashton, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany to try to uncover the truth.

This was a highly entertaining read, it took me a little while to get into it, which may in part be down to me reading it on an e-reader rather than a physical book. I took some time to establish who the different characters were in my mind but once I had fixed that I was off!
Saffron is a great character, a bit reserved initially she gets feistier as the story develops and I loved that the lead character is a woman in science. She is smart, full of gumption and charm, sleuthing her way through a really well plotted puzzle. I loved the banter with Ashton, it really made me smile and the touch of romance that we get tops off a wonderful little gem of a historical mystery!

✩✩✩✰

London University during the 1920s, where we meet Saffron (what a name!) an assistant to a university professor. Beyond the stunning cover, this novel is a lovely and cozy thriller. Saffron must work hard to save the professor she works for from accusations of murder! You’ll love these characters, especially Saffron!

I thought this was a fun read and a unique concept. Where it was lacking for me was the character development. The female protagonist kept saying she was strong, but her thoughts and actions made her seem a little flaky and indecisive. The male character also saved the day every time, but I felt like the story really wanted her to save the day. Something was just missing to really make this an amazing read. Overall, I did enjoy it and would recommend it, however it is a three star read for me.

Holy cow did I love this book! Drama, mystery, scheming, sleuthing, and so much more! It was a thrill of a ride following along on Saffron’s experiments, love interest, and detective work. Not only was I pulled into the story, but I learned a little bit about plants along the way. So good!

I felt like this was a rip-off of the Veronica Speedwell series and not nearly as well done. While I appreciate that the main character was a woman working in a man's world (a university science department), she wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

I really enjoyed this book! The 1920's setting was a lot of fun. I like how the war is touched on and the topic of ptsd and "shell shock" is talked about which is not always common. The characters were enjoyable. Alexander was my fav! I liked how he was down for anything even if Saffron had a ridiculous idea (and she had many haha). The romance plot line is cute but its really not the center of the story and I was okay with that. The actual story and mystery were really entertaining and had some good twists. Overall, it was a really fun cozy mystery with some really fun characters.

An engaging read, overall.

There are a few too many anachronisms and over-use of Americanisms - a common fault among US-author-written books set in the UK (note to US authors: do your research - and get a good copy-editor); such as, 'hiking through the hills and fields of Bedford' (a large town, unless the author means the Borough of Bedford which wasn't created until 1974; or, Bedfordshire?); the main protagonists ordering pasta in an ordinary restaurant (not unheard of, but unlikely, in the 1920, even in London); 'checkbook'; 'paying them no mind'; 'favors'; 'center'; 'ice box; etc.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I really love plants and cozy mysteries, so I was very excited to read "A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons" by Kate Khavari. I thoroughly enjoyed heroine Saffron, a spunky research assistant in a University's Botany department. I read a LOT of mysteries, and I know that many of them slow down a bit in the middle, but I did struggle a little with this one, in that I enjoy seeing the potential villain's character developed as much as the hero/heroines.
It does seem as though this story has the potential to continue in other books, and I would definitely like to see what the author does with Saffron next!

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons, centres around a Botanist society in a university; on the evening of a party someone has been near fatally poisoned. Not only Saffron's job is jeopardy but her mentor is a prime suspect, so she begins sleuthing... Was Mrs. Henry really the target? Is the expedition planned worth killing to be a part of? Or is there something else going on?

Im so glad this book was enjoyable and didn't bore me with its botanical stuff... Because I'm not really into that, but this book managed incorporate both the plants and the mystery very well. The only downside would be how some important topics were handled like ptsd, I get that the story takes place in the 1920s, so I believe management was limited. Moreover, people mention. He can have unpredictable temper but I haven't seen it (unless you count in the cold shoulder).
We have quite a list of characters, given its a mystery, but I'd say Elizabeth is hands the best, she was the most fleshed out and believable character,. Unlike Alexander, whom I felt was lacking some substance to be honest.
Our MC herself was a tad bit annoying, she's too headstrong and suddenly impulsive it seemed a Lil out of character, However her role as an aspiring scientist /Botanist plus temporary sleuth is well down,

All in all,
A really enjoyable read, you don't only get a mystery but you get dive into the 1920s botany world.

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons
by Kate Khavari
Pub Date: June 7, 2022
Crooked Lane Books
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
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.
Cozy mystery meets historical thriller with romantic vibes and a stunning artsy cover is a dreamy package for my suspense cravings!
I enjoyed this book. It was fun to time travel and read an intriguing suspense story from the early 20th century of London which earned four stars.
4 stars

This was an enjoyable cozy mystery, one of my favorite genres of books. The story was fun and kept me turning the pages. I enjoyed the way the author setup the world and found a fondness for the characters. Would recommend.

A Botanist's Guide is set in 1923, in the years following WWI when there was a great deal of scientific exploration happening. The main protagonist, Saffron, is an intelligent young woman who wishes to follow in her father's scientific footprint and is working hard to gain respect and a position in the botany department, despite the many obstacles she comes across for being a women in a man's world.

While at a department party, there is a shocking incident where one of the guests is poisoned, and Saffron begins an investigation to find out who the poisoner is, making new friends and enemies along the way.

The storyline is well researched and interesting, and the writing is engaging and easy to read. There is just the right amount of peril and romance to keep the reader interesting, and the mystery element keeps you guessing.

I liked the strong female character and really enjoyed the ending, feeling satisfied that she kept her identity right to the end, and feeling that she would continue to be successful in her own right. The author touches sensitively on the last impacts of the war on the men who went to fight, and I felt that this is reflected well in the character of Alexander, without being overplayed.

I really enjoyed both the plot and the characters and would recommend this book for an engaging easy read.

I am definitely the wrong person to review this book! (Which is why I won't be posting this review anywhere else.)

I originally requested this eARC from Netgalley because someone said it was AMAZING and was raving about how great it was. I didn't realize it was a historical fiction/cozy mystery, both of which are genres I don't particularly enjoy. I ended up DNF'ing at 8%.

My only real comments are the word "botany" is used far too much in the first chapter, and the first chapter is too long, it should have been split into 2 chapters. The second chapter is a bit long also. If I hadn't read the synopsis I would never have known that the book is supposed to be set in 1920, I would have just assumed it was a hoity-toity dinner party in London.

This one just isn't for me.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books, Netgalley and the author for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical mystery set in London after World War One.

Saffron Everleigh is a botanist working with her mentor, Professor Maxwell, and is invited to a party with renowned scientists who are about to embark on an expedition to Brazil. At the party, one of the guests is poisoned, and the local authorities think Professor Maxwell has something to do with it, given his knowledge of poisonous plants. Saffron sets out to prove him innocent and, with the help of the attractive and intelligent Alexander Ashton, she gets herself (and him) into a number of scrapes and adventures.

I really loved these two scientists nerding out over science and falling in love with each other's massive intellect. The time in which this is set (post WWI) mean that certain proprieties still have to observed between males and females, so there's a delicious restraint going on in their interaction, that adds tension to the plot.

The fact that Alexander has returned from the trenches and openly speaks with Violet about his experiences and post-traumatic stress is sensitively woven into the storyline, as is Saffron's challenges of being a woman in male-dominated Academia. They both have their quirks which add to their depth of character, and make them compelling to read about.

The cover is beautiful as well - which despite the old adage - was a perfect representation of the quality of the story.

I cannot wait to read more about Saffron and Alexander and what trouble they get themselves into next.

3.5 Stars - This is a good mystery novel with a plausible storyline and a truly suspenseful climax.

Lovers of plants and all things botanical will either love this or hate it, depending on how accurate it is. I'm neither a botanist nor particularly knowledgeable about plants, so I didn't notice anything amiss with the botanical references, of which there are many.

I am, however, a lover of historical fiction and found a few aspects of this novel wanting. Firstly, it took quite a good deal of time to establish when the novel was set. It was about a quarter of the way through before a mention was made of the war being 5 years earlier. I was then able to establish that it was set in the early 1920s. Further references to historical events helped to narrow the date down, but it was never firmly established that the novel is set in 1923. I found this out in the Author's note at the end. Letting the date be know, at least in a round-about fashion, is important for establishing context and helping the reader to form pictures in their mind as they read the words.

Secondly the language and behaviour of the young female protagonist, Saffron, is entirely inappropriate for the timeline and setting. A young British woman in 1920s London would not have spoken the way Saffron Everleigh does. The author has written this novel for a modern American audience, using American English, and attitudes and social mores that just didn't exist when the book is set. It may be at the insistence of her American publishers, who so often seem to think their readership is incapable of understanding a world different from their own or using Google to clarify things they don't understand. But the language and characters used didn't fit the setting and I found this very disappointing. Rewriting history to suit a storyline just doesn't work for me. I like my characters and language to be relatively authentic.

The novel ends at the perfect point to lead into another instalment in a series, so I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't last we've heard of Saffron Everleigh. Unfortunately Book 2 won't be for me, though.

This story had me hooked from the beginning. Maybe because I love academia in books, maybe because UCL has always drawn me, maybe, and I suspect this is the case, Khavari is an excellent storyteller.
Following Saffron and Alexander in their investigation was an adventure I didn't know I needed. Part tea cosy mystery/whodunnit, part dark academia, The Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons gave me everything I wanted. Saffron was a lovable, brilliant protagonist, never making feel like she was going to do something truly stupid (because she was already ten steps ahead of us). Alexander was the perfect balance of approachable and swoony. It's a word. Move along.
I'm hoping we see more of Saffron and her excellent poison detecting skills in later books.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. My options are my own. I gush to my own drum.

I've waited two days since finishing the book to write my review here--not intentional, life got busy--but I find that over those two days, I keep returning to the book and wishing it wasn't over!

So you could say I liked it.

In seriousness, A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons is a smart academic mystery set in 1920s England. Saffron Everleigh is a research assistant at University College in London, supporting the men who do the work she wishes she could: botanical research. When an expedition to the Amazon is funded, there's a party to celebrate, and at the end of the evening, during a champagne toast, the head researcher's wife takes a sip of her drink and falls down into a coma. Thus begins a week and a half of questions, intrigue, amateur sleuthing, playing with plants and poisons, and finally a showdown with the villains.

Saffron is a heroine I was happy to root for--she's smart, energetic, focused, and loyal. She's also a victim of the time she lives in. Her accomplishments and abilities are diminished in her department in favor of the men around her, with the exception of Alexander Ashton, a total snack from the biology department who helps Saffron solve the mystery.

The plot isn't splashy. Events in the book happen like a plant germinating: waiting, tending, and then quite suddenly, everything is happening at once. And that pacing worked for me as it gave me time to get to know Saffron and Ashton.

There are a couple content warnings I'd want readers to know about. The first is sexual assault/harassment directed at Saffron, both physical and verbal. The second is mentions of PTSD with Alexander, a former soldier in World War I.

I can't wait to read the sequel!

Reminiscent of Agatha Christie and Sir Conan Doyle mysteries, 'A Botanist's Guide' brought me back to why I love the historical mystery genre so much. Fans of 'The Lost Apothecary' will undoubtedly want to grab this novel as well and I love that we're already set up for more Saffron Everleigh mysteries and I hope that we learn more about her late father in coming novels.