I have been loving this series. Alexander is back and asking for Saffrons help in clearing his brother from murder.
I really enjoyed having Elizabeth having POVs because she is just such an interesting character. I liked that we learned more about Elizabeth's brother Nick and Alexander history.
This book had all the characters showing up.
It ended feeling like a Sherlock homes book and I can't wait to see what happens next.
I enjoyed the audio book. My biggest issue comes from not always knowing whose POV we were on.

Didn't realize this was part of a series. Will update review when I get to this title in the series!
Update: finished books 1-3. Very interesting idea and I always love a strong female lead. Especially good at looking at the challenges women face in academia.
By book 3, I was a bit tired of the will they won't they trope. Otherwise, strong characters, interesting plots and kept me interested!

This is book three in this series but I haven’t read the previous books and still enjoyed this one a lot. It’s a cozy historical mystery about a female scientist - what more is there to need? Saffron is surprised when her colleague asks for her her help clearing his brother from a murder he is being suspected for. She’s shocked because he has judged her for investigating prior murders. It appears that the murder victim was poisoned in some way her expertise in plants seems convenient. It is quickly apparent that this murder is about more than appears at first glance and Saffron finds herself deeper in investigating that she expected. The romance subplot was interesting and I found myself routing for them both even if they weren’t great communicators. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and I definitely will be keeping an eye out for the next book.

A little dark and twisty but also cozy and sweet. These haven’t been my favorite books but they’re a good enough time.

A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets by Kate Khavari is third installment of the Saffron Everleigh Mystery series. I've really enjoyed this series so far and this one was no exception. Saffron is thrust into yet another murder mystery to solve in this gripping plot full of unexpected twists and danger. This is a must read if you've been following Saffron on her journey so far.

The audiobook was fantastic. The narration really brought the setting to life and immersed me in the story.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Khavari’s “A Botanist’s Guide to Society and Secrets” is the third captivating volume in the “Saffron Everleigh” mystery series. Set in 1920s London, Saffron, a brilliant botanist, is once again drawn into a dangerous world of intrigue and murder, narrate through the voice of Jodie Harris.

When Alexander Ashton, a former love interest, asks for her help to clear his brother’s name in a high-profile murder case, Saffron finds herself navigating a complex web of secrets and lies. As she delves deeper into the investigation, she uncovers a sinister plot with far-reaching consequences.

Khavari’s meticulous attention to detail brings the historical setting to life, immersing readers in the glamorous and dangerous world of 1920s London. The blend of botanical knowledge and thrilling mystery adds a unique layer to the story. Saffron, a strong and intelligent protagonist, is both relatable and inspiring.

While the romantic tension between Saffron and Alexander is a delightful addition, the real heart of the series lies in the intricate mysteries and the fascinating world of botany. This book is a must-read for fans of historical mysteries and those who appreciate a well-crafted plot with intriguing characters.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.

If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads! #ABotanistsGuideToSocietyAndSecrets #NetGalley #LifeLongLearning

Chefs kiss!

"A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets" is the next great book in the Saffron Everleigh mystery series and Kate Khavari does not disappoint.

Saffron is sucked into yet another mystery but this time it involves Alexander's brother and the request itself comes from Alexander "SHOCKER". Adrian, Alexander's brother, has been arrested due to suspicion of the death of a research scientist and Alexander needs Saffron's help. Even though he hates putting Saffron in danger, Alexander would much rather she not learn about his past.

To add to this, another family reunion is in effect. Eliza's secretive brother, Nick, has decided to make an appearance. Interestingly enough, he has also found a way to become involved in this ongoing mystery. Of course, Lee also makes his cheeky appearance.

Kate Khavari has added so much with this new installment. I do love and appreciate that her books can be standalone, but I love it more that there is another one coming!

Thank You to Kate Khavari, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the audio-digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really love this series and can't wait for the next installment! I adore that Saffron is such a force of to be reckoned with to help solve a case and for what she wants and needs. Kate Khavari is on my list of always-read authors.

#ABotanistsGuidetoSocietyandSecrets
#NetGalley

3.5⭐️ The third in the series, this has been a fun and twisty mystery! Saffron Everleigh, botanical researcher, has just returned home from Paris, and is at it again with another murder mystery. This time, the brother of her ex, is suspected of murder. Loved the audio format!

*many thanks to Dreamscape media and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

.Another enjoyable saga in the Botanist’s Guide series, written by the sensational Kate Khavari. Another home run!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the chance to listen to the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved the first book in the series, was a bit let down for the second, but liked this one much better. Some of the investigation research minutiae wasn't as interesting to me as the last story's secret-message-by-flower concept but the rest of the story was good.

It was fun to see more of Elizabeth in this installment and I hope she becomes more of a Watson to Saffron's Sherlock in future installments of the story, I'm finding the waffling between and among suitors to be a bit tiresome, but I don't mind a bit of romance thrown into the story for good measure.

I still love that this story features a strong, smart, confident woman protagonist (and with Elizabeth, that makes 2!) and although this doesn't have a place in my curriculum, I could see recommending it to the right student who likes historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Did I grab this book not realizing it was the 3rd book in the series? Yes I definitely did. Did I thoroughly enjoy this book even though I had no prior knowledge of the other books? Yes I definitely did! If you enjoy historical fiction mystery books give this series a try! (However I do recommend starting with the first book in the series.) I can't wait to go back and read the other books in this series and then reread this one!

"A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets" is the next great installment in the Saffron Everleigh mystery series.

When Saffron returns from a botanical conference in Paris, Alexander enlists her help to remove his brother Adrian from suspicion in the death of a research scientist. He knows this runs contrary to his frequent admonishments for her not to meddle in official police business, but it's his brother...

The more she digs into Adrian's case, though, the more she learns of the secrets Alexander has been keeping from her.

And it doesn't help that Eliza's secretive brother, Nick, has entered the mix as well. The more involved he becomes, the messier (and more dangerous) Saffron's whole investigation becomes. And this, time, Inspector Green won't be able to save her...

While this story could work as a standalone, for those who have been reading along with the series, it's great to see all our old favorite characters. But there are some intriguing new ones who are introduced in this one that are sure to pop up again in Book 4, which is perfectly set up to pick up where this one leaves off.

This has to be one of my favorite series I'm reading these days... So much so that when my advance review copy got eaten by a crashed app, I went out and bought a copy just so I could leave this review.

Thank you to Kate Khavari, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for an advance review copy. Keep 'em coming! I can't wait for Book 4.

This is such a solid historical mystery series in my opinion. In this third installment, Khavari pulls in more political implications of London 1923 to make the book almost spy thriller adjacent. Saffron is pulled into a murder investigation where Ashton's brother is under suspicion for the murder of a scientist that worked in a government lab.

The mystery was interesting, but as is typical for me in longer historical mystery series, I am more interested in the character interactions. I love the tension between Saffron and Alexander and I liked seeing more of Elizabeth and her family.

Overall I found this to be a compelling story and as usual, I adore Jodie Harris's narration. I am also intrigued by the way this ended and where the story might be going in installment #4.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC!

I've been following along with this series from the very beginning and have really enjoyed it so far. I liked this book better than the last.

The mystery in this one was good and I loved the fact that Green was asking for Saffron's help. It was great to see more of Elizabeth and I really enjoyed her and Saffron's interactions and friendship. I hope we see even more of her in the next book.

I'm not going to lie, I loved Alexander in the first book and I was rooting for him and Saffron to get together. But then, when Lee came along, well, I was swayed. And I'm still a Lee fan. I'll be honest, I felt the chemistry between Saffron and Alexander was lacking in this book.

Jodie Harris did a wonderful job narrating and I look forward to listening to her again!

Such a delightful story. I really enjoyed this book. I am excited to read more from this author. This is a must read!

This book was overall well written but it was not what I expected and not my cup of tea. I found the main character hard to like because she seemed to look down on others. I liked the setting of the story and the involvement of plants was a cool spin.

A Botanist's Guide to Society and Secrets is a well written and engaging historical cozy mystery by Kate Khavari and the third outing for amateur sleuth Saffron Everleigh. Released 4th June 2024 by Crooked Lane, it's 332 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback format due out second quarter 2025 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This book incorporates so many of my favorite cozy tropes: intelligent female protagonist, an academic setting, with all the jealousy and subterfuge that entails, historical setting (1920s London), some danger and intrigue and "fair play" well constructed mystery plot.

Saffron Everleigh is a research botanist, with all the misogyny and difficulty that entails at the time at a large research university of the era. She's a legacy in academia, her late father was also an academic. On her return from a trip to Paris, she's drawn into investigating another unexpected death, for which a former love interest's brother is being investigated.

The pacing, plotting, and characterizations are very well done and Ms. Khavari is adept at her craft. The main characters here are academics, and there are a number of academic in-jokes and humorous bits of dialogue which will either require readers to skim over or look up themselves. For readers who aren't bio-nerds, it could be a little tiresome, personally I found it enhanced the read.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 12 hours 6 minutes and is beautifully narrated by series narrator Jodie Harris. She has a well modulated classically trained voice and does a great job with a number of disparate regional accents, and a range of character ages of both sexes and various socioeconomic strata. Sound and production quality are high throughout the read.

Four stars. Delightfully engaging. With three books extant, it would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, or a long weekend binge or buddy read. The mystery and denouement are self contained in this volume, so it works well enough as a standalone. Some minor spoilers for earlier volumes should be expected if read out of order, however.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Saffron Everleigh is back and embroiled in another murky tale of botany and crime. When a prominent researcher is found dead and her colleague Alexander's brother is framed for it, Saffron leaps into the fray, determined to prove his innocence.

Meanwhile an old family friend of Saffron's has turned up, all mysterious and important, claiming to be working in agriculture, but has all the wrong connections for ~plants~ . And when another researcher turns up dead, and Saffron is thrown into the fray to seek information under cover, the situation gets even muddier and more dangerous.

Once again mixing plants with danger and crime and conspiracies, Saffron is a plucky heroine who proves she can stand on her own feet and not necessarily need rescuing.

I enjoyed this book immensely - I do like the Saffron Everleigh series - but compared to the previous two books in the series, this one felt a little disjointed, ad I would have liked some of the other plot points wrapped up, but perhaps they're coming in later books. There was a lot more focus on the romance between Saffron and Alexander in this book, too. It was still a really good read, and I loved Saffron's roommate, Elizabeth, getting a more prominent role in the book (she's a great character!).

As always the audiobook of this was narrated by Jodie Harris, who is an excellent narrator.

~Many thanks for NetGalley for an audio copy of this book. I purchased the ebook version of this through Kindle~

Delightful and quirky. I fell for the characters and look forward to reading more works by this author