Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!

I adored Kate’s first novel in the Saffron Everleigh series, and this one was just as good! Some great banter, epic plot twists and turns and some romantic rivalry make for a fun and exciting read! I found the ending a tiny bit unsatisfying, but at the same time I love the MCs strength. A great read, highly recommend!

A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality by Kate Khavari is the second instalment in what promises to be an ongoing murder mystery series. It follows Saffron Everleigh as she attempts to track down a murderer who leaves bouquets of flowers as a warning before striking, using the language of flowers in choosing each bloom.

I enjoyed the first book, and when I saw the second, I leapt on it. I really love the characters; even when adding in new ones, like Dr. Lee (Saffron’s research partner), they instantly become likeable, or, rather, I wanted to get to know them on a deeper level, like with the circle of associates who may have had something to do with the murders.

The last quarter or so of the book really gallops along, and becomes quite the page turner; I couldn’t help but stay up until dawn was breaking at my window because I HAD to see it all come to a conclusion. Truly, a satisfying book!

I suppose my one quibble is that the wrap-up with regards to one character (no spoilers!!) seemed way more abrupt than that of another, which was clearly brewing for quite awhile.

Still, I will definitely keep an eye out for the next one and be happy to point any friends looking for murder mysteries (doubly so if they enjoy period pieces as I do!) in the direction of this series.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In many ways I found this book more enjoyable than the original - the mystery was compelling, the locales intriguing, and a handful of characters all served as interesting suspects. I liked that the theme of plant-based murder veered off in a completely different direction, showing off the wide range of toxic plants and poisons that our protagonist can apply to her detective work.

While overall it felt more cohesive than the first Saffron Everleigh Mystery, it still ended up with a couple of the same problems. From the climax onwards it begins to feel rushed, especially in the explanation of how all the evidence they amassed ultimately points to the culprit. Sometimes the book struggles to find the balance between over- and under-explaining; while the intricacies of the case could use more detail, especially towards the end, the characters' emotions did not need to be as spelled out as they were.

I liked how this book didn't attempt to resolve the conflict between Saffron's two love interests and that, as well as the epilogue, promises another installment. This book definitely satisfied my need for a cozy mystery.

This is my second read by Kate Khavari. "A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality" is set in 1920s London and once again Saffron is being asked to assist the police ....this time with multiple murders. Each victim has received a bouquet, and every flower in it has a hidden meaning. Fascinating.....such an old idea and hardly known these days.
We meet Saffron's colleague Dr Michael Lee. In the first book of Saffron's adventures, we were introduced to a love interest Alexander Ashton...who is now in the Amazon. Will we see more romance? Personally it is the mystery and the twists and turns that keep me interested.
We meet a cast of victims, friends, suspects, future victims and we are kept on our toes learning more about each one....their habits, connections and weaknesses. All set against the background of Saffron's 1920s university life, contrasting with seedy jazz clubs, cocaine habits and country houses.
An exciting follow-up to "A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons". But could be read as a stand-alone book. I wondered about some of the language used....did they say necking for kissing back then?
Overall I enjoyed and was intrigued by the unfolding mystery. I am not sure if a third book of the same bent would keep me as interested though. Love the cover!
Thanks to NetGalley, Kat Khavari and Crooked Lane Books for my copy.

AAAAAAAAA i read the first book earlier this year and loved the mystery and poisons so when i saw this on netgalley i immediately requested it and was so happy i got it. Saffron IS SO SMART yo. She's what i imagine i am on a good day. This was even better than the first one to be honest. more engaging. And we got more of Alex. My baby. Light of my life. The slow burn is slow burning.
And THE EPILOGUE OMG I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEWEST when it drops

This is my second adventure with the erudite, but adventuresome academic botanist as protagonist, and I enjoyed it even more than my first experience with one of Ms. Khavari’s historical mysteries.

Her protagonist is a strong-willed woman fighting for respect in a University enclave of stuffy men circa 1920. Although her exploits are unlikely, they are interesting and entertaining. The faint aura of romance is fun, but the social mileu our characters populate is fascinating and the period details are interesting. We dabble in both horticulture, the Language of Flowers, drugs and the jazz clubs of cafe society.

I loved every minute I spent with this book.

Netgalley provided me a complimentary copy in return for a candid review.

I love Saffron and the second title is just as good as the first. I love the characters and I always learn something new. I can't wait to see where this series goes!

The 1920s always seemed like a fun decade, at least for fashion. Saffron is a botanist working as an assistant to a professor on campus. When a woman is murdered (poisoned) she steps in to help save her professor from being accused. Interesting story, and one I enjoyed. Would recommend.

This was a smart mystery and lots of fun to read. I liked that the heroine was educated and experienced and also a hoot. And her foil, Dr Lee, was also good fun. I don't know, I just loved the scientific bent to this tale. The description s of the flowers and their properties were fascinating to me. I also liked the character of Elizabeth. She was great fun and a little scathing. Perfectly entertaining.

I have yet to read the first in the series but this worked fine as a stand alone.

Thank you for this advanced reader copy.

I am always a sucker for a good A periodic mystery book. The writing was easy to follow along and the plot did not lag, which meant I did not want to put this book down. The characters did not feel flat and I did love the dynamic between Saffron and Dr. Lee.

Overall an enjoyable read.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.

A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality
by Kate Khavari
Pub Date: 06 Jun 2023

1920s London isn’t the ideal place for a brilliant woman with lofty ambitions. But research assistant Saffron Everleigh is determined to beat the odds in a male-dominated field at the University College of London. Saffron embarks on her first research study alongside the insufferably charming Dr. Michael Lee, traveling the countryside with him in response to reports of poisonings. But when Detective Inspector Green is given a case with a set of unusual clues, he asks for Saffron’s assistance.

The victims, all women, received bouquets filled with poisonous flowers. Digging deeper, Saffron discovers that the bouquets may be more than just unpleasant flowers— there may be a hidden message within them, revealed through the use of the old Victorian practice of floriography. A dire message, indeed, as each woman who received the flowers has turned up dead.

Alongside Dr. Lee and her best friend, Elizabeth, Saffron trails a group of suspects through a dark jazz club, a lavish country estate, and a glittering theatre, delving deeper into a part of society she thought she’d left behind forever.

Will Saffron be able to catch the killer before they send their next bouquet, or will she find herself with fatal flowers of her own in Kate Khavari’s second intoxicating installment.


#ABotanistsGuidetoFlowersandFatality

Thank you net galley for providing me with an arc of a botanists guide to flowers and fatality.
This much like the first book to me was decent. The writing is easy to understand and the characters likeable enough ( I do have a soft spot for the fmc as I absolutely adore intelligent women) but I was quite disappointed that the authors writing hadn't developed more since book one. I had the exact same issues with some parts of this book as I did with the previous one, such as being a tad too underwhelming to read about

I enjoyed this story more than her adventure in book 1, which surprised me. The environment seemed more pronounced and everything just had a little bit more attention to detail.

I'm a sucker for any mystery that involves floriography! This was a very enjoyable historical mystery. I'd say if you like Rhys Bowen then you will love this series. I can't wait to read more of Saffron's adventures!

I just loved the audiobook version of Saffron Everleigh’s first mystery case, and so was thrilled to,have the chance to read the second installment.

A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality is quite a worthy successor to the first book., though it’s not necessary to have read it to enjoy this volume. Saffron and a male colleague, Dr. Lee, are asked to consult on a strange series of murders, in which each victim received a strange bouquet of flowers, some with poisonous plants. How they solve the case is entertaining and well written and developed.

I like Saffron as a character. She’s much more independent in the second book, and is becoming more of a confident individual.

My thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this entertaining book.

Due for publication in 2023, the second in Kate Khavari’s Saffron Everleigh series follows Saffron as she starts her first research study at the University College London in the 1920s. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley, I received an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Of course, poison is never far from Saffron’s mind. For the study, she is joined by the charming Dr Michael Lee as they investigate and document sources of poisoning cases throughout the countryside. Their skills complement each other as they identify the origins and treat the patients.

When Detective Inspector Green calls on Saffron for assistance on a different matter - to help decipher the meanings of poisonous flowers in bouquets given to murder victims before their deaths - Saffron is intrigued. She researches the Victorian practice of floriography to help interpret the messages.

Soon, she and Dr Lee are drawn into a series of Society events in search of the killer. Can she solve the case before she receives her own bouquet of fatal flowers?

I like Saffron. She’s inquisitive, smart and determined to make her own way in the academic world. This is a worthy sequel to A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons and I look forward to the next in the series.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality releases June 6, 2023

This is the second installment to the Saffron Everleigh Mystery series.
We’re immediately thrown into witnessing Saffron and Dr. Lee travelling to aid in the care of sick individuals, and figuring out what poisonous substance they might have ingested as a part of their University research study.
Alongside these events, an inspector has tasked Saffron to help in investigating a string of murders, where there is always a carefully crafted bouquet of poisonous flowers that all have a very specific meaning.

The premise of this story was there, but the execution fell flat for me.
Some of the issues I had with the first book in terms of pacing transferred to this one as well. It just dragged on, with only the last 20 or so percent having any sense of urgency.

There was an instance where Dr. Lee just suddenly decided he was no longer going to participate in helping with the murder investigations, and it felt so stilted and abrupt. They didn’t even have a big fight or conflict to warrant this, so it felt like some chapters with explanation were missing.

I’ll happily be the first to admit that I was not a fan of the romance in book one with Alexander, there was lack of chemistry and they were just so insufferably boring.
I found that Lee had charisma that brought this story to life.
However, what I didn’t like was all of the other man drama/cheating/love triangle… whatever you want to call this situation, it was messy and drew away from the murder mystery.
Even though I really liked the dynamics with Saffron and Lee, I didn’t think it was fair at all to Alexander who was literally on another continent, partaking in the Amazonian Expedition.

There’s this underlying theme that Saffron has “changed” but I still think she has room to grow and stand up for herself as the only woman in this predominantly male-centric world.
The romance is left a little open ended, so I’m curious who she’ll end up choosing.

This ends on a cliffhanger involving Alexander’s brother, so I’m assuming there will be a third installment. I don’t think I can mentally handle another one, but I guess we will see what happens when the time comes.

CW: kidnapping, drug use (cocaine)

5 stars for the cover alone, the designer for these really outdid themselves. I love the needle and how it makes sense with the story.

Saffron Everleigh mystery book 2

paw marks from my reading buddy: 3

keywords: mystery, historical, murder, women sleuths, armature detectives, 1900s ideals , romance, drug use.

In short: A good, interesting murder mystery full of twists and turns that will keep you up long into the night.

Full review:

Thank you netgallery for the chance to read and review this book :)

A botanists guide to flowers and fatalities is Kate Khavari second book in her debut series and it was just as good if not better then A botanists guide to parities and poisons.

Book two of Saffron Everleigh mystery is set a few weeks after the shocking case of her university bosses and her mentor nearly getting arrested for attempted murder, while going through these unexpected events Saffron learns the mysteries of the exotic vines, that despite her passion for her career she can open her heart up to love and that she might also enjoy police work. These issues intensify as once again completely unexpectedly she is swept up into another murder mystery, this one to do with a deadly set of budding flowers being left in vases with black ribbon right next to the bodies of high class women. Saffron is introduced to this case when police detective Green comes to the university for help while she is reporting and writing her first study about poisons plants within Britain, this case not only causes Saffron to increase her studies into different types of plants but ignites the fires of passion for this type of work, all the while trying to decide what her heart is saying not only about Alexander Ashton but also the infuriating but possibly kind Dr Lee, her new assistant for her poison study.

Kate Khavari creates an intoxicating mystery that I couldn’t guess the ending too, there are strong characters developments within the faces that are familiar and the new faces are just as lifelike and 3D, making this overall a very enjoyable read, Kate has also discovered her pace to this story which is just right at an easy steady gait that neither rushes to far head long but it doesn’t make you doze off with it slowness. The only small problem I had was I didn’t quite gel with the conclusions to the romance side of this story but I can see what she was going for but it did feel a little rushed and a little unrealistic of what we know about both the men's personalities.

I truly felt that Kate had definitely got into her stride and found her true character and her MC world this time around and everything came perfectly into alignment and I really look forward to book three and what mystery will Saffron solve next, this is an author and series that is definitely quickly winning my mystery loving heart.

Sorry, this book is written for a different audience. I prefer not to review it. Way, way, way too much preach, too little show, too little tell.

Unconvincing.

When starting a book, the words should make me sit straight up and kick-start my brain. In this case it never happened. The entitled protagonist is on an ego trip, trying to prove a political agenda, which is fine, if that concept rocks your boat. It's also great if you embrace the ME...ME...ME, only ME-culture.

The history is written in a 'how it is supposed to be'-way, not how it really happened. A rewrite of history to suit a totally different generation. Well, good luck with that one. We all have to grow up in the meantime and face the music when we arrive.

If you're looking for magic, mystery, atmosphere, well...try another book.

I was forced to write 100 characters. I wish it wasn't necessary.

This was an enjoyable second outting! I appreciate that Saffron, Ashton, and Lee all got to evolve throughout this book. I'm not usually a big love triangle fan, but this was done very well. I wish there was more Elizabeth, I hope she gets to develop more in the next book. I'm looking forward to #3, but I hope it's available as an ebook and not a PDF next time.