When Saffron Everleigh (an assistant botanist) is witness to a terrible poisoning at a dinner party, she vows to get to the bottom of the mystery in order to clear her mentor and boss of any blame. With several greenhouses full of poisonous plants, Saffron and her colleague Alexander have a lot of digging to do to get to the bottom of this gruelling mystery.

I really liked this vintage mystery - it reminded me so much of Rosemary and Thyme. I enjoy anything related to golden-age "cosy crime" so this was a great choice for me. The addition of poisonous plants was an added bonus as I do find this genuinely interesting.

Saffron's character was engaging and I also liked her housemate, Elizabeth. All the loose ends were tied up well at the end so the book had a satisfactory resolution. I am hoping that this is the start of a series as Saffron's character has a lot more to offer in the botanical world of crime and poison and I'd love to read another adventure of hers.

All in all, a fun easy read, reminiscent of the cosy crime books we all love. It is due to be published 7th June 2022.

Thank you to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Kate Khavari for allowing me to read an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review - I had a great time with it!

I imagine this will be the debut book of a cozy series. It feels that way. You have a plucky heroine with a nontraditional job/interest and the handsome but damaged love interest and it all takes place in the fun 1920s in London. Saffron Everleigh is a research assistant in botany at the University College London, but she hopes to begin graduate studies and become a female member of the faculty. The book opens when Saffron attends a party to celebrate the upcoming departure of various faculty to the Amazon. But tragedy strikes when the wife of one of the professors going on the expedition falls into a deep coma after drinking some champagne. Was she poisoned and how and by whom? At the party Saffron and the reader meets Alexander Ashton, also a scientist and definite love interest. Alexander is scarred both physically and mentally from his service in WWI. We also learn that Saffron's father, who died in the war, was a noted botanist who turned his back on his heritage (he was a viscount). Saffron gets a little irritating with her determination to unmask the poisoner and I really didn't care about the various characters. But I would probably pick up other books in the series if I needed to read a fluffy mystery that didn't require a lot of deep thinking. .

Saffron Everleigh would choose plants over her academic colleagues any day. But alas, rumors are swirling about her status as a research assistant in 1923 London, and she must be more outgoing to show her colleagues she is professional and a student pursuing graduate studies, not her MRS. Her first step to overcome the rumors is to attend the going away party for an expedition that includes members of her botany department. Unfortunately, the party she attends to quell the rumors ends up sparking even more gossip: the wife of a prominent professor is poisoned just a few feet away from Saffron.

Saffron, though intrigued by the mystery, has no intention of getting involved. Until her beloved mentor and professor is arrested for the crime. Unwilling to sit by and do nothing, Saffron launches her own investigation. But if Saffron’s mentor is innocent, the poisoner is still at large and Saffron may be next.

Kate Khavari’s historical mystery debut weaves a tangled web of suspects, motives, and opportunities. The overall tone and voice of the novel capture the historical setting well, matching the formal undertones of the era without bogging down the reader.

The lush gardens and humid greenhouses are key settings that are described in the same lush language and intricate voice as the rest of the narrative.

The characters are well developed, as the reader gets to unspool the character’s inner mysteries while also piecing together the puzzle pieces of the poisoning mystery. What happened to Saffron to be the subject of these rumors? Who is this new, handsome biologist? Could Dr. Maxwell, a renowned poison expert, have poisoned his colleague’s wife? The interpersonal relationships play a critical role in solving the overarching mystery, and will have armchair detectives entranced.

The overarching mystery is engaging and well paced, letting the reader slowly unspool the many threads to try and solve it alongside Saffron. But when the final puzzle pieces slide into place, this book is impossible to put down! Saffron’s traipsing through greenhouses and gardens, identifying plants and pondering potential suspects, keeps the reader turning the page to discover what will happen next.

The representation of positive female friendship between Saffron and her roommate is wonderful. Watching these young women make their way in male dominated industries, in the 1920s no less, was wonderful. The potential romantic relationship was a fun bonus, adding to the mystery and the character arcs.

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons is a fun cozy mystery perfect for fans of Enola Holmes.

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons will be available June 7, 2022 from Crooked Lane Books.

Thank you to author Kate Khavari, NetGalley, and Crooked Lane Books for an advanced e-galley such that I could share my honest review.

I was immediately interested in this book based on the title and cover. Mysteries are some of my favorite books, and this seemed like a different premise. I really enjoyed some aspects of the book, like the setting and the use of botany/poisons as a plot device. And there were several potentially interesting pieces to the plot. However, I felt that there were too many of those plot lines that were never developed to the point of being truly invested in them. It was a fine cozy mystery but could have used some editing in some places and more fleshing out in others.

I received a digital arc from Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books. This is an honest review, and all opinions are mine.

London University during the roaring 20s! Our heroine Saffron is an inspiring scientist: she is smart, genuine and entertaining. It was easy to fall in love with her and root for her. Alexander was also an endearing and intriguing character. Khavari did so well with the characters, their descriptions and developments. Going further than superficial descriptions, we got to learn who they were through their story, their feelings, their goals and values.

I could not get enough of the story. I took a lucky guess and figured out the guilty party but I enjoyed reading until the end and putting all the pieces together. This is just the kind of mystery I love and would recommend to anyone looking for an enjoyable and entertaining read.

I loved learning about botany and science, I might just have unlocked a new hobby. And on this note, I hope we will have a sequel for I'm hooked and craving the awesomeness that awaits with the expedition and all the possibilities *o*

A BOTANIST'S GUIDE TO PARTIES AND POISONS
BY: KATE KHAVARI

This was a very interesting historical fiction & also I would categorize it as a cozy mystery. Saffron Everleigh is attending a dinner party and she is a research assistant at the campus of the University College of London. This novel begins with her being the central character at a posh dinner party. The writing is beautiful with imagery of the atmospheric setting. For example, one of the paintings on the wall would likely cost her annual salary. I loved the descriptions of how the house of the dinner party was furnished and vivid descriptions of the women's clothing. Mrs. Henry becomes quite ill at the party. There is only one medical doctor who attends to her. There are a majority of men who also attend the same University. Saffron seems to be the only female present who attends there the rest of the women at the party are wives of the men who Saffron recognizes from the University.

When Saffron arrives early she learns from Mr. Ashton that the police are looking into what happened to Mrs. Henry at the dinner party. Saffron asks Mr. Ashton why the police would be looking into an allergic reaction. Mr. Ashton informs Saffron that Mrs. Henry is in a coma and it is said to be from poison. Next the police show up while Saffron greets Dr. Maxwell some more and they ask Saffron to step outside wanting to question her since learning that she was at the dinner party also. They finished questioning them and Saffron went to the library wondering who would want to poison Mrs. Henry and why?

Her eyes fell on the name of a plant from south-central Mexico brought back decades ago by Dr. Maxwell who had looked worried after the police had left. She reassured her Mentor. The vine was a sickly yellow color and zigzagged around trees as it grew, clinging to its host. Dr. Maxwell had named it the xolotl vine, after the Aztec god of death and lightning, since the growth pattern resembled a fork of lightning and the toxin its leaves struck as quickly. Saffron had a creeping feeling of discomfort because everyone knew that xolotl was brought to the greenhouse and Dr Maxwell was its prime director and champion of it. As Saffron thought about Mrs. Henry falling to the floor the minute after she drank from her glass, she thought that Dr. Maxwell wouldn't have any reason to poison Mrs. Henry but he certainly had reason to poison Dr. Henry.

Saffron Everleigh is a likable character and when her mentor is accused she puts herself in the position of trying to clear his name. Her father was a Professor of Botany and he died in the Great war and she always had wanted to follow in his footsteps. After she confronts the police officer asking what he is doing and telling him he can't just take Dr. Maxwell's work he tells her that he is accused of poisoning both Mr, and Mrs. Henry. Saffron looked through Dr Maxwell's office for anything about xolotl and quickly went to the police station. Can Saffron prove Dr. Maxwell didn't do it? Saffron had narrowed down her list to four suspects to poison Mr. Henry as she played investigator: Dr.. Henry, Richard Blake, Eris Ermine, and Dr. Berking.

I really enjoyed this book and found Saffron to be a likable and strong female protagonist among a society of men. It was atmospheric and the writing was rich. I am hoping there is going to be a sequel. Kate Khavari is a talented writer and this story immediately drew me in with her lush prose. The cover is Stunning and I can't wait to get myself a physical copy. Highly recommend!

Publication Date: June 7, 2022

Thank you to Net Galley, Kate Khavari and Crooked Lane Books for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#ABotanist'sGuideToPartiesAndPoisons #KateKhavari #CrookedLaneBooks #NetGalley

Let’s start by saying, wow, I don’t read mystery often but I think I may need to start. A Botanist’s Guide was intriguing from the get-go - Saffron, a professional Nerd, investigates a poisoning to acquit her professor. Who wouldn’t be drawn in?

Khavari paints a vivid setting from the get-go, starting at a dinner party and then taking us to the university with Saffron. We meet a myriad of characters, see the poisoning, and eavesdrop on some exciting conversations. All the ingredients to a classic murder mystery. Each interaction is carefully crafted, and it’s easy to get swept away in the plot.

Saffron, herself is fun, vivacious, and fabulously overeager. She’s a scientist. Is she in any way qualified to investigate a murder? No. Does she let that stop her? Of course not. She makes for a fantastic narrator, and I greatly enjoyed following along.

The read itself is simple and quick, with a lack of complexity that makes for a perfectly enjoyable weekend read. I recommend it to anyone who just welcomes crawling through dirt in the dark in a dress!

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons by Kate Khavari is a cozy, historical mystery featuring Saffron Everleigh, who is on a mission of clearing her mentor's name, after he becomes the main suspect in the case of poisoning of a colleague's wife at a dinner party. She is joined by Alexander Ashton, a researcher like her. There is lot of eavesdropping in dark corridors, some poisonous plant hunting expeditions to gardens in the middle of the night, secret talks in greenhouses and quite a bit of breaking into places.
It managed to capture my interest from the very beginning. There is a lot of technical talk related to botany which I liked. Guess it interests me more than I thought it did. The relationship between Saffron and Alexander developed at a comfortable pace and was fun to read about. The book was going good in the first half and kind of lost me in the second half. This one is not going to be for everyone. It isn't perfect and a lot of things could have been better. But I had a good time with it. It never feels as if the stakes are very high or there is a lot going on. It is a slow paced book and is more about comfortably enjoying the story.
If you like cozy mysteries set in a historical time period with lots of talk about plants and poisons, then this one might be a lovely companion on a lazy Sunday afternoon or a dark cold rainy winter night (as was the case with me).
3/5⭐

An Unknown Poison…?
Immersive mystery, rich in character and detail, with a likeable and endearing protagonist. Set 1923, London, research scientist Saffron is heralded as the first woman to hold such position. A dinner party brings doom when a death occurs from a seemingly unknown poison and Saffron’s mentor becomes the main suspect. Can Saffron clear his name - or will she be next on the list? A compelling historical adventure.

This book was fun. I read it in one day. It is a traditional historical mystery with a stubborn main character and a sweet love interest.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I recently read A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons, and found myself fascinated. I've always been interested in poisons, and this book certainly didn't disappoint.

Saffron Everleigh is the newest research assistant at the University College of London. She's a botanist and the only female research assistant. Saffron is attending a dinner party for university colleagues when the wife of a professor suddenly drops dead. Saffron's mentor, Dr. Maxwell, is the prime suspect as he recently argued loudly with the lady's husband. Dr. Maxwell is also extremely familiar with toxic plants.

Saffron embarks on an investigation to find the true killer and clear Dr. Maxwell's name. She's assisted in her efforts by Alexander Ashton, and extremely charming and attractive colleague.

Will Saffron, with the assistance of Mr. Ashton, be able to find the killer and clear Dr. Maxwell? And, will the attraction between Saffron and Alexander become something more.

I would highly recommend this title to all cozy mystery lovers.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this book to review.

#ABotanist'sGuideToPartiesandPoisons#NetGallry

A fabulous cover! I was really keen to start reading this book but I found the character of Saffron as a modern, independent woman and the historical setting of the 1920s jarring in some parts of the story. This story had mystery, a bit of romance and transported me to 1920s London and I enjoyed it overall. If you like Deanna Raybourn's character Veronica Speedwell, this book is worth a read. I received an advance copy from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is about a female research assistant in a male dominated field. As one might expect in a mystery, she attends a party and someone drops dead. This leads her to use her skills to investigate. Her mentor is the primary suspect, and she wants to investigate and clear his name. I wasn’t as fond of the supporting character Alexander Ashton. Together they explore the plants on the grounds and in the greenhouse, using her knowledge to find the culprit poison. As expected, she solves the case. This was an enjoyable read with a email main character in a historical time when women were meant to look pretty and have fluff in their heads. Nice to see a bright, intelligent woman on the case

I looked forward to this book. The time period, female protagonist, academic setting, peaked my interest. But the story seems closer to a cosy mystery than a real, meaty, historical mystery. The lead character is more flighty than I expected. And the plot seems all over the place. That being said, it was pleasant, well researched, and the characters have room to develop.

Note: Thank you to Netgalley & publishers for allowing me access to this arc in exchange for an honest review! 

I absolutely LOVED this book! If you adore a mystery with a slow-burn romance between an intelligent botanist and a sexy biologist, you're in the right place By the end of it, I was impressed by Saffron's intelligent investigative skills and found myself wishing for a second book! Could this be one in a series rather than a standalone? If so, I'm here for it.

The Good Things
1. The cover and title are fitting and appealing to the eye. I wouldn't mind owning a physical copy to show off on my bookshelf.
2. The book is well-researched. The time frame and university studies seem accurate and fitting o the genres advertised. I didn't come across anything that was visibly far-fetched.
3. Saffron and Elizabeth's (her roommate) relationship is wonderful and sisterly. I need an Elizabeth in my life (apologies to my younger sisters for this comment - love you).
4. Alexander is an enigma and a mystery, and I want to know more.
5. The end of Chapter 13. LOVE. I highlighted seven sentences alone just in that chapter that I adored. 


The Bad Things
1. I have a hard time finding anything bad to say about this book other than that there were minor parts that were predictable. That being said, for those of us who love mystery stories, predictable -to a certain extent- isn't always a bad thing! 


My Final Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

#abotanistsguidetopartiesandpoisons #netgalley

I loved this thrilling tale of adventure and suspense. it was a great storyline, with funny characters and lots of emotions. I am a new fan of Kate Khavari and can't wait to read more from her!

Saffron Everleigh is a young woman working in a man’s world, she’s a research assistant to a professor of botany in 1923. The professor, her mentor, is arrested for when a woman is poisoned at a university party both he and Saffron are attending, and she is determined to clear his name.
I kept changing my mind between 3 and 4 stars on this one, I liked the main character but her constant bouncing from one poorly thought out theory to another became annoying and confusing. Her partner in solving the crime poked holes in each one in a matter of seconds. And, without giving anything away, why would he possibly let her go where she did at the end of the book? It just didn’t ring true to me.
I will definitely try the second book the author hints at in the end, and thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

Great story, fabulous author with brilliant writing and plot. Highly recommend to others, and cannot wait for more by this author.

3-

I keep getting drawn in to these ARCs with beautiful covers, great titles and premises but that end up - unfortunately - being underwhelming.

I love the combo of academic and 1920s setting, and the story is promising. At a university dinner party a woman is poisoned, and research assistant Saffron Everleigh finds herself embroiled in the investigation trying to prove her beloved mentor's innocence. The stakes are heightened since many of the people involved/suspects are set to go off on a 6 month long expedition in a few weeks.

Sadly I couldn't really connect with it and the writing felt kind of flat and clunky to me. The characters never really came to life and I didn't feel like I got to know them, and the story just didn't have that drive and excitement that you'd expect from a mystery. I actually put the book down in the middle of the denouement and didn't pick it up again for a few days, which is telling.

So, good effort, but overall this was just an okay read for me.

The story follows Saffron Everleigh, a research assistant to Dr. Maxwell in University College London. One night she attends a dinner event where all the academics are gathered when suddenly one of the professor’s wives dropped to the floor. Saffron’s mentor is accused of the poisoning and she’s set on proving them wrong before he gets put in jail.

So the preface is pretty straightforward. The male lead was also introduced very early in the book. I was hoping that they’d develop a partners in crime kind of relationship more than a love interest but I’m not too bothered by it. I just feel like he could’ve been a lot more even with his reserved personality. They also don’t really have that much chemistry. But I would assume this will become a whole series and we’d see more of Saffron and Alexander later on.

Other than that, I honestly don’t really like how impulsive and kind of reckless the main character is. She’s very chaotic in contrast with the male lead. I was also hoping to see more involvement from her childhood best friend & flatmate Elizabeth. I feel like that would be more logical considering the amount of trust they obviously already have for each other, but that’s just my opinion.

Overall, this was a bit on the slow side with characters that I find rather dull. I know academicians are FAR from boring people, so I was hoping to read about a bunch of colourful characters. I feel like if we had solid core personalities of each academician, it would definitely add another star to my rating. With that said, I rate this 3/5 stars. It’s also worth noting the gorgeous cover design by Nicole Lecht. Thank you, Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for the ARC.