A great follow up to book 1! Saffron's character came alive in book 2, just as much as book 1. I loved rooting for her to take her place in a society that didn't accept women in a professional role. The mystery of the story was solid, and the love triangle made things a little more interesting!



I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. The mystery was intriguing, Lee is a great addition to the cast of characters, and Saffron's development over the course of the novel builds beautifully on her growth in the first novel. Very much looking forward to the next instalment.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars
I read book 1 back in December and enjoyed it a lot, I love the setting and the element of botany, it's so unique and makes the mystery a lot more compelling.
In this one, I loved the element of floriography, and now I wish there were more books that contained it. The mystery itself was decent, but I found myself more invested in the bouquets and analyzing the flowers than I was in the solving of the case, something that was also the case for book 1.
Saffron's character is a bit... much at times, she's improved a bit since book 1, but I still struggled with her.
I'm also not generally opposed to love triangles, but I found it quite unnecessary here, especially because I wasn't a fan of Lee's character.

Overall, this was a decent continuation of the series and I will probably also read the sequel because of how much I enjoy the botanical element, but I do think there is room for improvement.

This is the first book by this author that I have read. It was an interesting read but sadly I am only halfway through it. The characters were well written and the plot enjoyable but I felt it was taking too long to get anywhere. It is a book that I read in between reading other books. I will want to finish it one day but for now, there were other books that grabbed my reading time. I received this as an ARC from Netgalley and freely give my review.

6.5/10

Saffron Everleigh is a research assistant who shares an office with the handsome Dr. Lee. He is annoying and responsible for the book's low rating, although it has a better plot and mystery than the first book.
Whatever, Inspector Green has asked Saffron to examine bouquets of flowers sent to two murdered women from high society. Despite her dislike for her grandmother's high society parties, Saffron is determined to find any clues and has found herself peeking around for suspects.

A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatalityis the second book in the Saffron Everleigh Mystery series, better in many ways and I imagine like many mystery series it could be read as a stand-alone.

book1A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons5/10

I have given my honest review thanks to Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley for ARC.

The second book in the Saffron Everleigh series brings us back to 1920's London. Saffron Everleigh is doing research about poisonous plants with Dr. Michael Lee at the University College of London when approached by Detective Inspector Green to consult on another case for the police. This time a killer is leaving poisonous bouquets at their murder sites. So Everleigh and Lee find themselves entangled in the case in order to help catch the killer.

This novel has a great cast of characters, a great historical setting, and a tightly plotted mystery that is a lot of fun to investigate along with Saffron and Lee. Saffron is an ambitious and brilliant botanist who is fighting to prove her worth in a setting that does not believe women belong. Somehow this series makes botany super exciting by bringing in crime and sleuthing of the botanic variety. This mystery will keep you guessing while still keeping its cozy feel.

I recommend this series starting with A Botanist's Guide to Poisons and Parties as well as this second installment to fans of historical novels and mysteries.

Saffron Everleigh is back, baby! I was really excited to see the second book, as it is such a unique concept for a book series (and there are two more on their way). I enjoyed the first one, but I really liked the second one more. I was immediately drawn in by the plot and the concept that someone is using the Victorian art of floriography to send bouquets with hidden meanings to their victims before their murder. I mean, come on, that is just too good!

Saffron seemed to gotten a bit more comfortable in her skin and in her abilities as a botanist in this one and it was really great to see her strengths shine. Lee was a fun addition for that love triangle, but I was really excited to see Alexander come back. I know he will be back in the third one, so I'm curious to see how their relationship plays out.

It did drag a little bit in the middle and some parts could have been tightened up (some scenes didn't really add much to the story and overall plot), but all in all it was a great read in a genre I don't typically reach for.

I'm giving this one 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 for Netgalley and Goodreads)

Saffron Everleigh is back, and with a new sidekick to boot. When women start receiving mysterious bouquets before their brutal deaths suspicions start to rise. Saffron steps out of the office and into a bustling social scene to solve this one.

I enjoyed this sequel to A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons. I feel like Saffron got a lot more character development in this one and she really got to stand on her own. The addition of a new male lead was welcome and their working relationship was one of equals. The cast of characters was interesting and engaging with twists and turns as the reader tries to figure out who the killer is. The only thing I didn't really enjoy about this book was when Ashton came back onto the scene. I did not like his character in this book at all.

I was surprised and delighted by the first book in this series, last year’s A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons. I really didn’t expect to love Saffron Everleigh and this type of cozy mystery as much as I ended up doing and I was so happy to get a chance to read this second installment.

I’m in no way surprised that I was just as delighted by this book as I was the first, even with all the growing pains this book had to overcome being the sophomore novel in the series and with the presence of Saffron’s love interest from the first book, Alexander, away on an expedition in the Amazon during the vast majority of this book. In his place is the insufferably flirtatious, persistent, and impetuous Dr. Michael Lee, who has been paired with Saffron to complete a research study and also ends up assisting her with trying to help the police solve the central mystery in this book: the murders of three women, each done in a different manner, but each preceded with the delivery or drop-off of a bouquet filled with poisonous, toxic, and/or dangerous flowers. In an inspired move (which I honestly would’ve thought of myself, even in this day and age because I’m a fan of messages within messages), Saffron decides to decode the underlying meaning of each bouquet using the Victorian art of floriography, in which people conveyed messages not polite to speak aloud using different flowers bundled into bouquets, sachets, or boutonnieres. Not only are the physical parts of the bouquets poisonous, but the messages are just as dark and toxic. Intrigued by the mystery of it all and needing a distraction from all the drama going on at the university in the wake of the scandal that made up the story from the first book in the series, Saffron goes to the police and offers her services as a consultant on the case. Surprisingly, they take her up on the offer, since the bouquets had totally stymied them.

I both love and empathize with Saffron. She’s full of genius, as many women who tried to make it in the academic world post-WWI were, but with it being such a boy’s club she has to work twice as hard for half as much while dealing with racism, sexual harassment, outright sexual perusal, verbal accusations of sleeping with everyone from the new department chair to her research partner, and accusations of her family money buying her admittance to the university. Academia is a world of publish or perish: Always had been and always will be. Saffron works constantly and diligently to try and pursue her Master’s degree, but obstacles are thrown in her way constantly. It’s no wonder she feels more freedom, respect, and fulfillment using her botanical knowledge helping the police solve crimes.

Saffron’s best friend, Eliza, continues to be an absolute hoot of a supporting character, providing Saffron with a foil to her straight man when the scenes are just the two of them. Eliza is somehow a best friend, a sister, a therapist, a partner-in-crime, and a comic foil all in one. She’s whatever Saffron needs her to be, like only the best foils can be. Dr. Mike Lee may be a good man at heart, but he’s short-sighted in more ways than one and too impulsive by half. I hope to see more of him after this book, but as of the end of this book he’s too impulsive by far to be much good for Saffron.

The Saffron Everleigh books are my idea of the perfect type of cozy mystery: the pacing is steady but not too quick, the story is interesting and has plenty of twists and turns, there’s a varied cast of characters that keep you guessing at who might be involved in the central mystery, there’s a light sprinkle of romance, there’s an air of society scandal, and the last turn is a genuine surprise. Most of all, this being a series, it leaves off on a small outcropping leading to the next installment. Not quite a cliffhanger, but not a story resolved by far.

I’m going to tell you to read this book as well as the first book in the series. They’re both a great read for late summer evenings.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Cozy Mystery/Historical Fiction/Historical Mystery/Historical Romance/Mystery

This was such a fun read. The 20's London setting was a perfect choice for the story, and the mystery plot line really worked for me. This was the first book I've read in the series, but I'll definitely be going back and reading the first, as I really love the perspective of a botanist solving a mystery,

----4/5

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

So excited to be back in the world of Saffron! Our mystery this go around revolves around drugs rather than plants which I didn't love - I love seeing Saffron dazzle with her brilliance (there was some flower symbolism but she had to look that up, so it wasn't her strength). The drama was high, the romance was tense, and Saffron continues to develop as a person in her own right. However, this story fell a little flat for me as, again, it centered on a mystery that wasn't related to botany. I was thrilled when we started with a medical mystery that required fast action to find a poisonous plant, but then we dove into a high society drug scandal? I would have loved a book of Saffron working to solve poisoning mysteries around the UK! Desperation and scandal is all well and good, but it wasn't nearly as interesting as it tried to be. I still adore Khavari's writing and finished this in one sitting, so I can't rate it lower than a 3, but it doesn't hold a candle to the first book in the series.

**Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books eARC**

A Botanist's Guide To Flowers and Fatality is the second book with botany researcher Saffron Everleigh.  If you haven’t read the first book, A Botanist's Guide To Parties and Poisons, I strongly recommend that you read it first for two reasons: a)the first book is really good and b) you’ll enjoy the excellent sequel more if you’re aware of Saffron’s situation. 

It’s definitely worth it.

In Flowers and Fatality, Saffron is working on a research study with Dr. Michael Lee to identify dangerous plants and how to treat those exposed to the toxins. One day, Inspector Green walks into her office to ask for her input about a flower bouquet found near a woman murdered. Since Saffron had consulted on a previous investigation, he wondered if there was any significance to the flowers that were included. Saffron agreed, and when another bouquet was found near a dead woman, Saffron learned an important lesson…

Recent murder scenes are messy and can make you puke.

Khavari brought back all of the ingredients that made us Saffron fans in the first place - a smart, sassy lead; a dashing man investigating at her side; and an enjoyable mystery. I did figure out who done it, since I couldn’t stop thinking about the book when I (briefly) put it down. 

Mysteries can be formulaic, with a plug-in investigator. Seriously, how many former cop/agent haunted by a fatal mistake redemption stories do we need? Saffron Everleigh is unique whose botanical expertise makes her the right person at the right time a toxic case comes up. Pun intended.       

Do you like an intelligent investigator who is their own worst enemy? Do you enjoy being swept to a different place and time, such as early 20th century London?  

I also love the Khavari’s epilogue. Yes, A Botanist's Guide To Flowers and Fatality is wonderful. Kate Khavari topped off an enjoyable mystery by teasing a great premise for the next book. I want to read it - hurry up!

i don't quite know how i feel about this yet. while i liked the first half well enough, the second felt just a little rushed and.. underwhelming ? it just felt like it ended on a really weird note to me. (though i do know there's a third book coming, it still feels like the ending could have been a little more solid ? or final ? i truly dont have the words it just felt rushed and abruptly ended.)

i'm also upset that alexander is so different here. i love it when we see a series flesh out their characters and give them more than one attitude, but this felt like a HUGE shift in personality. it felt completely out of character.

seeing as how this sequel leaves off, i'm hoping we get redemptions for everyone in the next book. there is just so much is in the air at the moment lol.

2.5 stars
One Liner: Shows promise, doesn't deliver much

1920s London
Research assistant Saffron is determined to prove her worth in the male-dominated field. Life at the University of London is not easy, especially after exposing the culprits at the top. However, she is busy working on a project with Mr. Michael Lee, reporting cases of poisonings in the countryside.
Detective Inspector Green approaches Saffron to help him with a case. Women seem to be getting murdered after receiving a bouquet of flowers with a black ribbon. Saffron delves into floriography and gets involved in the cases with Dr. Lee at her side. However, the risk is high, and Saffron has to be sure she doesn’t get her own batch of fatal flowers.
The story comes in the limited third-person POV of Saffron and Dr. Lee.

What I Like:
The cover design is so clever! It is not only attractive but hints at the case and is perfect for the book.
The mystery deals with floriography. It’s interesting to learn the meaning of different flowers (apart from the regular ones). As someone who likes such stuff, the scenes decoding the bouquets are my favorite.
The first half of the book is quite good. We see Saffron in her new position at the university and her determination to prove her worth in a male-dominated field.
Elizabeth is right in her element and easily gets more points than all other characters in the book (including Saffron).
The mystery starts strong and has several elements that could have made it a great case. However…

What Could Have Been Better for Me:
First, the mystery, though solved successfully, doesn’t end up as the main part of the book. Apart from a couple of loose ends (possibly kept as recurring characters for the coming books), the actual case somehow manages to be less appealing than it should be.
Second, I don’t like it when one character’s arc is sacrificed to suit another character’s actions. This happens quite often in retellings. Here, Ashton’s character is sacrificed to create the love triangle and make Saffron appear blameless. Not only does he come in the last quarter of the book, but also acts differently from book one.
Third, I’m not a fan of love triangles. In most cases, we don’t even need them. It’s the same here. Saffron and Lee could have been frenemies, and the plot would have been smoother and sustained its focus on strengthening the mystery. Two people working together don’t always have to be attracted to each other.
Fourth, Saffron says she has changed (says it more than once). Unfortunately, I can’t really see it. She’s just as impulsive and jumping into dangerous situations because she wants to. Feminism and all that is of no use if she gets killed because of her recklessness and disregard for her safety.
Fifth, the plot would appeal differently to readers who read book one and those who didn’t. I don’t think that’s how we make readers root of either love interest. If the ending is any indication, I don’t really see the need for all that triangle. Let’s be honest. Saffron really needs to grow up and be sensible.
Sixth, the two scenes with misogyny feel like mandatory insertions rather than necessity. This was very well handled in book one. In fact, despite a few issues, book one was a lot better than book two.

To summarize, A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality could have been a great entertainer but ended up pretty mediocre for trying to include unwanted elements. I’ll read book three (I really want to) as it hints at Ashton’s life and could be his chance to start healing from the PTSD of war.
Thank you, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
****
Given the low rating, I will not be posting the review on Amazon.

Looks can be deceiving.

Especially when a fatal ending is wrapped in a lovely bouquet of posies.

Kate Khavari gives center stage to science here. Truth be told, I have not read the first installment in this series. You need not as well since this one reads perfectly as a standalone with the backstories and character fill-ins done well.

Saffron Everleigh is a twenty-three year old research assistant. She works alongside the handsome Dr. Michael Lee of the University College of London. Khavari starts this one with a bolt of energy as Saffron and Dr. Lee race to the aid of a young boy in the countryside who appears to be experiencing seizures from an unknown source. Saffron scours the area and will come up with the cause. Without question, she's an asset to Dr. Lee.

But now the stakes are getting higher as certain women have been receiving those aforementioned bouquets with a serious aftermath. Saffron and Dr. Lee believe that they contain botanical toxins. But who is behind all this and what is the actual reason for these heinous actions? The chase will take us through the 1920's darkened jazz clubs and suspicious drug scenes in the making. Will this observant couple be able to thwart any future crimes in the making? Stay tuned........

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Crooked Lane Publishers and to Kate Khavari for the opportunity.

Another brilliant book by Kate Khavari. This is the fifth book I’ve read by this author, and I am looking forward to reading many, many more. Her books constantly inspire me to read outside my genre norm, which I love.

I was on the fence about Michael Lee initially, seeing as I was rather attached to Ashton Alexander after the first book, but boy, did Lee grow on me! After he grew on me, I was wholeheartedly prepared for a love triangle, but Saffron (per usual!) had ideas of her own. Elizabeth was as sassy and wonderful as ever. I simply adore her.

I love these characters and this series. The mystery and romance are so delicately and beautifully intertwined. The Epilogue has me READY for the third installment, which I am eagerly (and impatiently) awaiting.

Thank you to NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Kate Khavari for an ARC of this book.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. A Botanist's Guide to Flowers and Fatality is the second title set in the post-WWI era featuring Saffron Everleigh. The story picks up several months after the events of the first book. Saffron is working with Dr. Lee on a project to research potential sources of poison when they get reports of an interesting study. Saffron and Lee are dispatched to the scene as soon as possible. Dr. Lee enjoys teasing Saffron who is focused on trying to prove herself to the university faculty in a male dominated field. Saffron soon finds herself drawn into a new investigation when several women are murder after receiving a bouquet prior to their deaths. Using the language of flowers, she convinces the police that the deaths maybe the work of one killer. She ends up going undercover to attempt to infiltrate the social circle of several of the victims and Dr. Lee reluctantly comes along with her.

I did enjoy the mystery in this one although I was able to solve it prior to the big reveal - the author did a good job laying out the clues in a way that the culprit makes complete sense. The ending is unexpected and sets up future titles in the series very nicely. I like Saffron and find her to be very likable with a fun cast of supporting characters. I'm looking forward to future titles featuring Saffron.

I quite enjoyed A Botanist’s Guide to Flowers and Fatality, the second book of the Saffron Everleigh mystery series. Book two finds Saffron still working to establish a secure place for herself in the botany department at the University College of London and saddled with a new research partner, Dr. Michael Lee. She’s trying to distract herself from the absence of Alexander Ashton, who’s currently on an expedition to South America, with her study of poisonous plants in the British countryside. But when a series of murders comes accompanied by strange bouquets of flowers, Detective Inspector Green comes seeking Saffron’s help, and she eagerly dives into the mystery.

Likes: Saffron’s a great character – independent, strong-willed, and unwilling to take no for an answer. I love the Victorian language of flowers (which will be familiar to fans of Enola Holmes), and the bouquets give Saffron the perfect reason to insert herself into the murder investigation. The 1920s details are all spot-on, with just the right amount to ground the reader nicely in the period without being overwhelming. And as far as the mystery goes, there are plenty of red herrings, nefarious characters, and secrets to keep the reader second-guessing through the end. There’s also a love triangle, which I often find contrived, but which made sense in this case (and that’s all I’ll say to avoid spoilers).

Dislikes: I did wish we had gotten further into the mystery around Saffron’s father, but this is a very minor quibble. I recommend this to anyone who likes mysteries set in the 1920s! And I look forward to book 3.

FYI: murder, poison, references to drug use, violence.

Saffron Everleigh, a botanist trying to make her way in a man’s world, is called on by DI Green to advise on a murder case. Bouquets tied with black ribbon were found at the scene of two murders. DI Green offers photos of the bouquets hoping that Saffron can identify the flowers and their significance. Referring to the Victorian practice of floriography, assigning a meaning to different flowers, she discovers that they refer to betrayal and treachery. The bouquets also contain cuttings from toxic plants. Green thanks her for her help, but she knows that she can contribute more to the investigation. She can enter the jazz clubs and estates that may provide additional answers to the deaths of the women.

Saffron is currently working on a a project with Dr. Michael Lee, investigating poisonings across the country. They share an office and share a casual friendship. When he joins her investigation and they find themselves in a tense situation their feelings begin to change. Saffron currently corresponds with Alexander Ashton, a fellow scientist who is currently on an expedition in the Amazon. There was a kiss before his departure, but never a commitment. Life gets complicated when he unexpectedly returns. He objects to her involvement with the investigation. Saffron, however, has made a discovery that puts her in danger and the next bouquet may be sent to her.

Kate Khavari presents a complicated mystery with surprising twists and intriguing characters. Her jazz club scenes place you solidly in the 1920s. Saffron is well developed and her roommate Elizabeth has a no nonsense attitude when standing up for herself and Saffron. Khavari’s epilogue hints at another mystery to come and I can not wait. I would love ke to thank NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing this book for my review.

In the second installment of the Saffron Everleigh mysteries, our intrepid and plucky botanist has been hired to consult on a series of murders where poisonous flower bouquets are left at the scene of the crime. Her research partner, Dr. Michael Lee, also helps solve the mystery and provides more than his share of flirting and charm.

Between parties in the English countryside and jazz clubs in downtown London, the duo always seem to find themselves on the edge of danger as they try to solve the mystery. Naturally, this provides lots of tension between our characters, and when another potential love interest arrives home from a research trip, things only get more complicated! And the way the storylines all play out? Masterful!

Cozy yet glamorous, academic yet thrilling, this latest installment was excellent!

I definitely recommend if you love:
•historical mysteries, especially the cozy kind
•academically inclined characters (STEM)
•1920s glitz and glam
•botany and the language of flowers
•grumpy/sunshine duos
•fake dating
•secret identities
•multiple POVs

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane books for the advanced copy! I'm looking forward to book 3!