A Botanists Guide to Parties and Poisons – ARC Book Review

Debut author Kate Khavari deftly entwines a pulse-pounding mystery with the struggles of a woman in a male-dominated field in 1923 London.

Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh is determined to blaze a new trail at the University College London, but with her colleagues’ beliefs about women’s academic inabilities and not so subtle hints that her deceased father’s reputation paved her way into the botany department, she feels stymied at every turn.
 
When she attends a dinner party for the school, she expects to engage in conversations about the university’s large expedition to the Amazon. What she doesn’t expect is for Mrs. Henry, one of the professors’ wives, to drop to the floor, poisoned by an unknown toxin. 

Dr. Maxwell, Saffron’s mentor, is the main suspect and evidence quickly mounts. Joined by fellow researcher–and potential romantic interest–Alexander Ashton, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany as she explores steamy greenhouses, dark gardens, and deadly poisons to clear Maxwell’s name.
 
Will she be able to uncover the truth or will her investigation land her on the murderer’s list, in this entertaining examination of society’s expectations.

This is a historical fiction with a dash of thriller in it. Set in 1920’s, Saffron Everleigh attends a party organized by the botany department at the university. While attending the party, one of the attendees, Mrs. Henry, who is the wife of a professor Dr. Henry, collapses on the floor. It was soon found out that Mrs. Henry was poisoned and that the main suspect was Dr. Maxwell who few days before the dinner party had an argument with Dr. Henry and the plant was used to poison Mrs. Henry was found in Dr. Maxwell’s department. Saffron is determined to prove that her mentor was innocent and she along with Alexander must find who the real person was before it was too late.

I think as a debut, this was good. The unique thing about the book was it was set in 1923 There were some parts which was boring but then I do like how Saffron and Alexander worked together to solve the mystery. I also like how Saffron had to struggle with being in the male dominated world which was realistic as this book was set in that era. It was not fast paced nor it had twists and turns but then it was actually enjoyable to read.

Overall, if you like a historical fiction with a thriller blend in it, then this book will be one for you. Honestly if this was a series, I cannot wait what Saffron Everleigh has in store! Worth 4 stars

Many thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.