Despite the interesting description, beautiful cover, and incredible well written storyline I found this to fall a bit short. It felt like story took to describing every nuance, small or large, in lengthy detail

This is a great debut mystery! The story is about Saffron Everleigh, a botanist in London, 1923. At this time, of course, Saffron is the only woman research assistant in her department.

Saffron is invited at the last minute to a dinner party for the University College to kick of the final preparations for an upcoming expedition. When the host's wife dies after consuming poison and Saffron's mentor Professor Maxwell is the primary suspect. Saffron is determined to clear his name.

Saffron is working closely with Alexander Ashton , a fellow researcher who will be collecting botanical samples for Professor Maxwell's proposed study. Alexander sees Saffron as an equal and treats her as such, which is a novel thing for her. Alexander gets pulled into Saffron's investigation to get to the bottom of who the real murderer is.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a historical mystery. It was fun and there were some twists that were unexpected. I look forward to more stories by this author.

My thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pacing is excellent, as is the character development. I loved the story and appreciated the historical look at science. The book does a great job of capturing the times. I couldn’t put the book down. Thank you to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advance reader copy.

This is the cover of the year, it draws you in and makes you want to pick up the book just to see what is inside. But what is inside is just okay. This is a basic murder mystery with a smart, strong willed female determined to figure out what happened. Along the way she meets a man and they team up to be detectives. This uses the botany angle to add interest to the story. It is compared to Deanna Raybourn and I definitely agree but the characters and the plot need a little more pizazz to meet that standard. I think the author is on to a good idea with interesting characters but just needs a little more plot development and pacing - I found it very difficult to keep reading.

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons is a perfect blend of historical fiction and a cosy mystery, all wrapped up in a gorgeous cover and intricate story. Kate Khavari book has interesting characters set in London in the 1920s. A huge thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC of A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons.

The characters and descriptions of the time period are brilliantly articulated. Set in London in 1923, Saffron faces a lot of sexism and quick dismissal from her colleagues, with a recent rumour has spread around the department. Saffron’s biggest tie to the University is that her father used to work there and in an effort to feel close to him, she chooses to follow in his footsteps. She’s wickedly quick, determined and straight-laced, but at times rash and quick to act, a juxtaposition of the field she works in and it gets her into trouble. Especially with fellow researcher, Alexander Ashton.

Ashton is one of the few men in the story who sees Saffron for more than she is. His annoyance at her rash decision bonds them and pushes him (although I really think he’d have jumped off a cliff for her) to help Saffron with her investigation. The two seemingly get closer and Ashton finds himself on more than one occasion, being the voice of reason. Due to the time period, their relationship is hidden behind the things they don’t do, rather than what they say. Thankfully, with the chapters switching between the two, we get an interesting insight into how the two of them feel about the other.

It wasn’t hard to get behind these two, and I fell very quickly in love with them both. Their slow-growing friendship (and hopefully more) pulls you in. But the two of them working together make an effective and complementary team. Their behaviour and conversations seemed perfect for the time period Kate Khavari has set this piece in.

The pacing of the novel began and ended brilliantly, it lost its way just a touch during the mid-part of the novel. But, it’s quickly forgiven when the pieces begin to come together and the last 150 pages had me on the edge of my seat, pulling me in, not allowing me to stop reading.

Thankfully, also, I wasn’t disappointed by the ending, having really enjoyed the ‘whodunnit’ thread throughout the book. I’d been close to being 100% right with my suspicions, but I’m excited to go back and pick up all the other breadcrumbs.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

This book takes place post WW1 and is a murder mystery. A professors wife is murdered during an event and the MC's mentor has been conveniently framed. In order to free him and bring him to justice Saffron the protagonist gets into detective mode to figure out who the real murderer is. As someone who enjoys historical fiction this book was well researched and the mentions of botany and different types of plants was interesting. I absolutely loved the Saffron's character. She was navigating herself in a world of academia surrounded by strong minded men and she was a complete badass. I loved her personality yet found the fact that she was conveniently coming across clues (and that all the characters were open to offering her snippets of information) a little unrealistic. It seemed like her quest to become a detective wasn't met with. a whole lot of setbacks. Seeing as there were many characters it stands to reason that some of them were under developed. But my main issue with the book was the actual storyline and plot. I just felt like it was underwhelming and moving at a super slow pace and it was a struggle to get myself to complete the book. The ending was however the complete opposite and moved at a fast pace and it seemed like the party in this book was in the last few chapters. Also the romance between Alexander and Saffron was also under developed and the ending doesn't make it clear whether they will pursue a relationship or not. An epilogue could tie up some loose ends that aren't properly concluded in the book.

Thankyou NetGalley for providing me with a E-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh what a fun book!

Saffron was a great character. She is smart, funny, fun, curious, and courageous. Set mostly at University College London, Saffron is a woman out of place. Women are not supposed to be in the botany department, but because of her father's legacy, she has managed to become an assistant to Dr. Maxwell.

But, when Dr. Maxwell is accused of poisoning a colleague's wife, Saffron has to use all of her knowledge about plants and people to try to figure out who really did it so her professor doesn't take the blame for something he didn't do.

Filled with humor, a good mystery, well-crafted characters, and a little romance, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

I'm so thankful for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. Absolutely amazing writing! The character development is superb and the story line magnificent and intriguing. I loved the struggle of Saffron, being a woman trying to make her spot in the University with all men. The mystery surrounding the poisoning and Saffron taking it upon herself to do her own investigating was awesome! Absolutely loved the book and will be highly recommending.

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.

First, thanks for the author, Kate Khavari, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Next, I would like to comment on the cover of this book. It’s beautiful! That cover is what really made me want to read this book, and I know that statement is breaking every rule of whether or not a book should be read. But the cover is beautiful and totally appealed to me. I had to know what the contents were of this book!

This was really well written, even though there was a lot of information included about plants that I could never understand. But it was really interesting that the author did not require you to understand those details to enjoy the novel. At first, I felt that the murder occurred way too early in the book. At that point, I really didn’t understand the characters and felt confused for a few chapters. I found myself flipping back-and-forth to figure out who each character was. But it still was a fantastic read!

Once I got past the first three or four chapters, I couldn’t put the book down. And the ending left me wanting another book- a part two. I always feel that’s the best type of mystery and if there is a second novel, then I definitely want to read it. The heroine of the story is Saffron, and her personality never left me rolling my eyes or feeling that she was not intelligent, or anything like that, as you often read in stories like this. It was much better!

Bravo on this one! I almost feel that any detail about this story, other than what’s listed on the summary, is too much. I don’t want to give anything away other than this- just read it- take your time, let it settle in your mind, flip back to understand the characters, and smile. The time will be worth it.

Enjoy!

The characters and setting are all done very well, however the book seems a bit wordy, some would say slow burn. The book seems well researched though I didn’t look anything up to confirm. The story is great it just drags a little.

I took a long time to read this book because I found the writing a little too expansive, sometimes it made me tired. But the plot is interesting and the mystery at least helped me not give up on reading it!

A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons is an entertaining adventure with a bit of a twist. The main character, Saffron, is a female scientist trying to compete in the male-dominated world of post World War I England. Having a noted father in the same career is a blessing and a curse. When her mentor is accused of attempted murder, she jumps in and uses her skills, and the relationship with her new beau, to solve the case.

By and large, the book provides a wonderful glimpse in to that period and the challenges of a female scientist. The ending is a bit predictable. But the method Saffron takes is quite unique.

I would recommend this book to all readers of this genre.

Cozy mystery meets historical thriller with romantic vibes thrown in. Written in a classic whodunit style, the story has good pacing and relatable characters. I enjoyed the time period. It was an enjoyable read. I look forward to book 2.

Saffron is a research assistant in the botany department in a university in London, just after the Great War. She is reluctantly networking with colleagues at a party when a women is poisoned there. When her mentor is accused of the crime Alexander, who also works at the university, helps her delve into who is responsible for the poisoning. I never really connected with the characters, and found the plot slow moving. Despite my interest in both botany and historical fiction, I was very disappointed. I received an advance copy from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.8 Stars

One Liner: Promising start to a new series

London, 1923: Saffron Everleigh is a botanist and the only female assistant on the campus and works with Professor Dr. Maxwell. The man is her mentor, guide, and murder suspect. He has been arrested on the suspicion of murdering Mrs. Cynthia Henry, the wife of Dr. Henry. Dr. Maxwell had a row with Dr. Henry a few days ago bout a Brazilian expedition.
The toxin that killed Mrs. Henry is unknown, and the case is getting stronger against Dr. Maxwell. Saffron knows that he would never be capable of such a crime, and it’s up to her to prove his innocence.
Dr. Alexander Ashton, a fellow researcher, reluctantly helps her uncover the truth and get to the bottom of the matter. Dr. Ashton has demons of his own but cannot resist helping Saffron. Can the duo use their expertise in botany to identify the killer before it’s too late? Given the secrets surrounding them, can they come out alive?
The requested the book for three reasons:
 The title
 The cover
 The alliteration in the author’s name
My Observations:
• The narration is slow almost throughout the book. The saving grace is that the story kept me hooked enough to read more. The book is the first in the series, which explains the ‘slowness’.
• There are no cliffhangers (the case is solved) though there is enough to start the next in the series. The mix of mystery, suspense, romance, and light action works well for the plot.
• The characters are well-etched, though I’m in half a mind to knock sense into Saffron. Alexander has lots of promise and is an intriguing character. Inspector Green and Elizabeth are promising.
• Saffron is fiery and has a tendency to act first and think later, which doesn’t do well to keep her out of trouble. She’s strong, kind, funny, and talented in her field (and yet to attain that level of expertise in investigating crimes).
• The book is well-researched and yet doesn’t feel heavy or dense. We can follow the investigation even if we aren’t botanists and scientists. Still, I wished there were a couple of illustrations of the plants.
• The book shows how women had to deal with assumptions and indecent proposals to make a career in the field. Sadly, things haven’t changed a lot in this aspect. Women still need to prove their worth time and again.
• Some of it seems a little too farfetched towards the end, but then it’s a work of fiction. I can let it go (and roll my eyes, of course).
• Quite a lot of adverbs to read, and I tried my best to ignore them. :/

To sum up, A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons is a promising first book in the series. It’s a decent historical cozy mystery and keeps you interested most of the time. It’s a tad predictable, but that’s fine too. I’m looking forward to the next book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This cover is a work of art. Stunning. I fell in love the minute I saw this. It´s magnetic and very promising.
Unfortunately, my disappointment just grew and grew further into the story I got.
The story is set sometime after First World War and on the university premises, which is nicely portraited in the language used. But as the story was progressing I just felt tired of this manner. The behavior of the main character and the criminal plot was just bleak. I couldn´t connect with both the story and the characters. To be honest, this book felt more like a careful novel for the young adult audience, rather than the general adult audience. By ¨careful¨ I mean very strict parental guidance.

The last 20% of the book is the culmination of action and closure, the criminal investigation is being solved. This was the worst part of the book, really. Badly written in terms of creating the scary climate. The behavior of the characters suddenly changed but in a way, it´s not realistic at all. The whole thing is just not believable.
I really wanted to like this book. At least there is the cover.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58202849-a-botanist-s-guide-to-parties-and-poisons" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1630338042l/58202849._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58202849-a-botanist-s-guide-to-parties-and-poisons">A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21461707.Kate_Khavari">Kate Khavari</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4352072564">2 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This cover is a work of art. Stunning. I fell in love the minute I saw this. It´s magnetic and very promising.<br />Unfortunately, my disappointment just grew and grew further into the story I got.<br />The story is set sometime after First World War and on the university premises, which is nicely portraited in the language used. But as the story was progressing I just felt tired of this manner. The behavior of the main character and the criminal plot was just bleak. I couldn´t connect with both the story and the characters. To be honest, this book felt more like a careful novel for the young adult audience, rather than the general adult audience. By ¨careful¨ I mean very strict parental guidance. <br /><br />The last 20% of the book is the culmination of action and closure, the criminal investigation is being solved. This was the worst part of the book, really. Badly written in terms of creating the scary climate. The behavior of the characters suddenly changed but in a way, it´s not realistic at all. The whole thing is just not believable. <br /> I really wanted to like this book. At least there is the cover
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4352072564

I lovely book to take your mind off your troubles and escape to a more pleasant time. It has a lovely storyline that keeps you interested enough to continue to the end.

The title give everything your hoping for. The beautiful book cover entices you to go along Shaffron's journey in uncover the poisoner of the party.

Sharffron is witty when she need to be an cunning at her finest. Alexander is sharp picking up the smallest of clues and has the perfect amount of stubborn to go head to toe with Sharffon.

The plot kept twisting and turning so that not even I knew what the ending out be. The romance and scandal were perfect amounts.

Here is me crossing fingers to a continuance of our bontaist heroine

Thank you Netgalley for early access to this title in exchange for an honest review.
Set in 1920's London this historical mystery has a little bit everything - suspense, humor, romance, & lovable characters. Our main character Saffron is a smart strong willed women who digs in her heels when she feels compelled to prove that her mentor isn't the poisoner the police are looking for. A fantastic read for anyone who loves strong female leads set in time periods where women were not expected to be more then decoration.
However I had a few minor issues, while the story was great every now and again a modern phrase would show up and completely pull me out of the world. I was also able to figure out the who if not the why very early on in the story.