This was such a great book. I loved saffron. For a story taking place in 1923, she was a very strong smart woman. You usually don't read about women who are academic, especially in the 1920s. Trying to uncover the mystery and who was what, was fun. It wasn't predictable from the beginning like most mystery novels. I loved her and Alexander's relationship/parternership. He really listened to her and didn't just dismiss her.
It dragged a little after halfway, but picked up and was interesting. I look forward to the next instalment.

I absolutely loved this book, and am so excited to have been approved for its sequel. A detective novel at its heart, Saffron Everleigh finds herself investigating an attempted murder by poisoning. She is a botanist in 1920s England, which gives this story the perfect setting. IU loved that the plot could only proceed at the pace the time period would allow. There are so many murder mysteries and thrillers these days that rely on technology and cell phones and cameras to solve the crimes, but this story ran on good old fashioned instinct, questionable suspects, and down and dirty sneaking around. I recommend this one to anyone who is in the mood for a great, Sherlock Holmes style case.

some kindle books i read in a day or two, and some just become my backup book for when i’m stuck in lines or while waiting on my kid to finish their bath. this was one of those. i got this ARC from @netgalley and, while it sounded intriguing, ended up being a nancy drew-ish cozy mystery that was, in the end, quick to read when it could hold my attention. Saffron Everleigh is the main character, a female botanist trying to get ahead in a male-centric, 1920s London. long story short, someone gets poisoned and she is trying to solve the mystery/crime parallel to the cops. it was cute but somewhat superficial, and i didn’t love any of the characters. i was really excited to finish the book just to be done with it. maybe if this type of story is more your speed, you will enjoy?

This was fun to read and had some cool suspense, but the weird pacing issues kept me from feeling completely immersed in it. I also didn't really love the characters much and this prevented me from caring about what was happening to them.

I had high hopes heading into this read that weren't met. I wasn't gripped by the characters and found the pacing to be a bit too slow for what I need in this genre. Good writing, but not enough to carry this for me.

A slight complicated cozy mystery, A Botanists Guide to Parties and Poisons, kept me guessing right up to the end. The story has a slow building the first few chapters but picks up the pace about a third of the way through. Chapter one contains an awful lot of information, as characters and motives are simultaneously introduced. I found it overwhelming, as there are a number of terms related to botany, and not common knowledge. The story is solid and worth sticking out, containing the right amount of tension, romance, and mystery.

I received a copy of this book through Net Galley and have written an objective review.

I found this to be such a fun and charming read. "A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons" takes you back to the 1920s (one of my favorite time periods to read about) and is set in a college. Our protagonist, Saffron Everleigh, is intelligent and deserves to be there, but as you know, there aren't many female academics during that time period. When her beloved mentor is accused of murdering by poison another professor's wife, Saffron is determined to step in and prove his innocence. The author has created characters that are excellent and engaging, and the plot is well devised, non-stop action with Saffron plowing ahead to prove that her books didn't go it. I enjoyed reading this book so much and look forward to the next book in the series.

I so wanted to love this one more but unfortunately if just wasn't for me.

It felt too much like a cozy mystery read to me and unfortunately it's not really a genre I enjoy, I always find I get bored really quickly. Unfortunately that's what happened here, there just wasn't enough substance to hold my attention.

Don't let my thoughts put you off though, there's lots of wonderful reviews for this book.

Our protagonist, Saffron Everlight is a botanical assistant at the University of London in 1923. At a college party between professors, researchers and people involved in the upcoming trip to the Amazon, she witnesses a poisoning and the prime suspect is the his mentor, Dr. Maxwell. Saffron will work together with Alex Ashton to clear her friend and find the real culprit.

Very frankly, I was expecting something different… something more compelling and with more botany. Instead the culprit is quite deductible and the information on botany, biology and chemistry is evidently written by someone who is informed, but does not work in that field. (Example: the protagonists are both botanists, at some point they are faced with a problem that can be solved with chemistry, quite simple (from what I remember) and both found themselves in difficulty because "They are not good with chemistry", matter which is theoretically included in the course of study)

Also, from how it was described, I was expecting less romance and more mystery, or at least more logic given that the two protagonists go on in luck.

But it must be said that the protagonist, Saffron, and her best friend are not as bad as characters, they know what they want and are able to assert themselves. Additionally, the book explores issues such as being a woman in a male-dominated workplace and workplace harassment.

In conclusion it has some flaws and the way in which the plot was handled is not in my taste. (But I have to admit that the cover is beautiful!)

This book sounded really interesting to me because I enjoy murder mysteries and historical fiction. It takes place in the 1920’s in London, where our protagonist Saffron Everleigh attends a dinner party that ends in murder. The main suspect is her dear mentor, so she conducts her own amateur investigation to clear his name. It’s a common plot but still should have been an entertaining read. The problem is that it wasn’t. It took me so long to get through it because I just found it all to be rather plodding and dull. I wasn’t invested in the characters, the romance was very forced and lackluster, and the ending was not surprising. It’s not terrible, just not my cup of tea. The cover is gorgeous though.

I found this book tedious. The first chapter was a confusing jumble that did a poor work introducing the characters and the situation. Just because a book should start where the action does, doesn't mean a reader should be left behind. After that, I managed to read a few chapters during several months, until I finally admitted that the book isn't for me and gave up.

This was a really quick, fun read. I practically zoomed through it -- the mystery was engaging, the characters were funny ... I wanted to know whodunnit and why and couldn't wait to get to the next chapter each time I stopped.

I love seeing strong female friendships in books, smart and capable female leads, references to mental health and wellness and I have to mention botany! Always a cool topic to read about.

One of the main male characters has PTSD after wartime and utilizes breathing techniques to help them stay calm. I thought that was neat.

And expected publication 2023 for A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality, the second book in the set? Can't wait!

A fast read of mystery. Definitely a pick for Halloween season!

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me the opportunity to read this!

This is such a fun mystery! "A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons" takes you back to the 1920s in an academic setting that isn't often portrayed from a woman's perspective. Saffron Everleigh is the heroine, and she's whip smart. When her mentor is accused of murdering another professor's wife, she springs into action to prove his innocence. The characters are memorable and engaging, and the story is non-stop. Reading this book is time very well spent.

This book, though enjoyable, failed to hold my attention. It took me quite some time to get through as I wasn't needing to return to it.

Love the cover, and the blurb caught my attention. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite for me.

I enjoyed this one, didn’t love it.
It had historical mystery vibes with some romance sprinkled in!
This book follows Saffron as she works with a colleague, Alexander Ashton to find out who could of poisoned Dr. Henry’s wife. She uses her knowledge in botany to try and uncover the truth and clear her mentors name.
Saffron and Alexander share in some fun banter as their attraction grows!
I did like the Agatha Christie feels, and thought the historical thriller/mystery was put together well!

What I Loved:

The Setting. Ala mid-Agatha Christie era, 1920s England is bustling and full of change. Saffron is one of the only female botanists at the college and has to claw her way into her position, the women’s rights movement is boiling in the background, post-World War I technology and society is booming, and the UK is at its most glamourous. I love watching Saffron navigating her world, her interactions with Alex and Dr. Maxwell, and how it is all coloured by the time. I also loved the place – the house parties, beautiful college halls and dusty labs.

The Characters. Kate Khavari writes a great, complex character. Saffron is spunky but quiet, stubborn but meek, and impetuous but viewed as too careful. Alex is broody and dreamy but with demons, Dr. Maxwell is a man worthy of inspiring the utmost loyalty, and even the “bumbling policemen” and richly imagined. It is easy to like (and at times dislike) each character and understand their complexities.

The Mystery. Without getting into spoiler territory, the mystery was the perfect blend of hard to solve but also solvable if you pay attention. Very Christie.

What Didn’t Work as Well:

The Amount of Characters. While each character worked in their own right, there was simply too many to keep up with, especially in a “closed door” mystery. The director, the wife, the mistress, professors and assistants, and various other suspects / stakeholders, it was a bit much to keep track of and made the mystery more convoluted than necessary.

The Pace. While Botanist’s Guide was generally engaging and exciting, the middle dragged while Saffron and Alex were investigating and going through a series of misunderstandings between them. I get frustrated with the miscommunication trope, and the contributed to the slow pace

I want to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for granting me access to this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I gave this book 3 1/2 stars because the idea and the story were good, but there was something that made me read really slowly.

It was a fascinating book because of the plot but I couldn't connect with the characters as I would've wanted to.
I liked the way it deals with serious stuff like sexual harassment and PTSD, but definitely check the TW before reading!

*4 Stars*

ARC kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was an interesting read with good characters, and I liked the ending.

How could anyone fail to be intrigued by a book called 'A Botanists Guide to Parties and Poisons'? Sadly, I found the book didn't quit live up to the great title. Slow paced, and yet still somehow a little chaotic. I didn't really connect to any of the characters and found their suspicion jumped from one character to the next too often, it was so hard to keep up with. I also found it all a bit too twee, there didn't feel like there was any really danger or suspense.

The best part of this book was the protagonist Saffron- a great, strong female lead who kept the men folk on their toes. The side plot romance was also lovely and probably the thing that kept me reading.

If you love historical fiction and a cosy mystery, this one could be a winner for you.