04/25/2022
Set in 1923, Khavari’s appealing debut and series launch introduces Saffron Everleigh, University College London’s only female botanist researcher. One evening, Saffron attends a dinner party hosted by Sir Edward Leister, the donor supporting the biology department’s forthcoming Amazon expedition. At one point amid the small talk, Mrs. Henry, the wife of the expedition’s leader, collapses. When it turns out that Mrs. Henry was fatally poisoned by a rare plant-based toxin, Saffron’s mentor, Dr. Maxwell, who’s a rare supporter of women’s right to higher education, becomes the prime suspect. Saffron sets out to find the killer to save Dr. Maxwell and the Amazonian expedition, assisted by fellow botanist Alexander Ashton, a battle-fatigued WWI veteran. The duo investigate rancorous academic rivalries, libidinous faculty members, and gardens and greenhouses filled with lethal plants. Meanwhile, Saffron discovers an intriguing research paper written by her late father, a well-respected botanist, but will she survive long enough to learn more? The potpourri of fascinating botanical lore and the vivid London setting more than make up for some uneven pacing and awkward plotting. Khavari is off to a promising start. (June)
2022-03-16
A woman fights for recognition in 1923 London.
Saffron Everleigh is following in her late father’s footsteps as a botanist at University College London. Though she’s alienated her family and been sexually harassed by department head Dr. Berking, she refuses to give up her job as assistant to Dr. Maxwell, who’s supported her ambitions. At a party for faculty, wives, and donors, she meets the attractive and accomplished microbiologist Alexander Ashton. The party features all the obligatory backbiting, but Saffron hardly expects to overhear a conversation about the various affairs of Dr. Henry, one of the professors, or watch as Mrs. Henry collapses, quite possibly poisoned. When the police seize on Dr. Maxwell as the killer, Saffron begins poking around with some help from Ashton. Noticing that someone has taken a cutting from a dangerous plant Dr. Maxwell brought back from Mexico years ago that’s taken over a large part of one of the greenhouses, she does the same, drinks an infusion made from the cutting, and blacks out just as Ashton enters the office. They both watch in fascinated horror as the symptoms described in Dr. Maxwell’s journal slowly appear. Saffron refuses a doctor, even as paralyzing blue lines travel up her body, since the journal says the plant's effects will be temporary. Even more determined to prove Dr. Maxwell innocent, the two sleuths look for a motive connected to his expedition and find more than they expected.
An exciting debut with a determined protagonist whose future is sure to contain romance and mystery.
Praise for A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons:
“An exciting debut with a determined protagonist whose future is sure to contain romance and mystery.”
—Kirkus
“Khavari is off to a promising start.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Intelligent, witty, and brave . . . Khavari has created a fast-paced, interesting mystery.”
—Bookpage
“[A] delightful new novel . . . Perfect for fans of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.”
—CrimeReads
“Inherently entertaining . . . 'whodunnit' mystery that showcases the author's complete mastery of the mystery and suspense genre.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Kate Khavari creates the winning combination of an intriguing mystery and a resourceful and engaging heroine.”
—Frances Brody, author of the Kate Shackleton mysteries
“Kate Khavari has created a charming mystery, full of twists that are as intriguing and deadly as the plants her characters love. Saffron Everleigh is clever and determined, the sort of sleuth that readers will be eager to make space for on their bookshelves. I'm already looking forward to her next adventure!”
—Katharine Schellman, author of the Lily Adler Mysteries
“I love Saffron Everleigh! In A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons Kate Khavari gives us a gutsy ingenious heroine, academic intrigue, a scientifically suspenseful mystery and a Christie-like cast of characters. This is historical mystery—with a 21st century sensibility—at its best.”
—M. L. Huie, author of the Livy Nash mysteries
“A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons combines all the things I love most in a mystery: a smart and charming heroine, a cleverly-plotted puzzle, and a hint of romance. Well-researched and brimming with the dangers of scientific intrigue, it’s sure to keep readers turning pages. I hope to see a lot more of Saffron Everleigh!”
—Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames mysteries
“Delightful and twisty, A Botanist's Guide to Parties and Poisons will immerse you in 1920s academic London and have you turning pages to the end. Saffron Everleigh is a plucky heroine that readers will want to join for the next adventure. An engaging read!”
—Lydia Kang, author of Opium and Absinthe
“The 1920s university science department setting, feisty female protagonist, and believable chemistry between the main characters make this a sparkling gem of a debut, and will leave fans of historical mystery excited for the next installment.”
—Kate Belli, author of the Gilded Gotham Mystery series
“Jodie Harris’s comfortable pacing and British accent bring a strong sense of time, place, and character to this new series…Harris provides hints of anger and impatience as Saffron deals with sexism at work and condescension from the police. Subtle pacing and varied tones distinguish the other characters.”
★ 09/01/2022
Khavari's intriguing mystery promises to be the start of an engaging new series. The tale is set in 1923 London, and listeners will meet Saffron Everleigh, a charming, quick-witted academic turned sleuth, who endeavors to prove that her mentor, Dr. Maxwell, is innocent of fatally poisoning a dinner guest. What Saffron lacks in wisdom, she makes up for in determination, as she meticulously employs her science-based research skills to ferret out every clue. She is joined by her colleague, Alexander Ashton, who appears to be helpful and bright, though unsettling rumors imply that he may not be all that he seems. Narrator Jodie Harris gives Saffron an inquisitive, determined voice that exudes authority when she speaks of botany and poison, but allows the perfect amount of uncertainty to creep in when she enters unfamiliar territory. Harris's self-assured delivery inspires trust in Saffron's skills and knowledge as she delivers fascinating details about 1920s scientific research methods and knowledge. Most importantly, once the culprit is revealed, the mystery proves to be cleverly conceived and satisfying. VERDICT The mixture of niche mystery elements (cozy, historical, academic) combined with Harris's appealing narration make this debut a must-buy for audio mystery collections.—Matthew Galloway
Kate Khavari takes listeners to London 1923. Jodie Harris’s comfortable pacing and British accent bring a strong sense of time, place, and character to this new series. Botanist Saffron Everleigh has an eager tone as she embarks on her new job at University College. When the wife of a professor is poisoned at a party and Saffron’s mentor is arrested for the crime, she must use her skills to investigate. Harris provides hints of anger and impatience as Saffron deals with sexism at work and condescension from the police. Subtle pacing and varied tones distinguish the other characters. Dr. Maxwell’s respect, Dr. Berking’s arrogance, and Ashton’s support add intrigue as listeners root for Saffron to stop the murderer before she herself becomes the next victim. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Kate Khavari takes listeners to London 1923. Jodie Harris’s comfortable pacing and British accent bring a strong sense of time, place, and character to this new series. Botanist Saffron Everleigh has an eager tone as she embarks on her new job at University College. When the wife of a professor is poisoned at a party and Saffron’s mentor is arrested for the crime, she must use her skills to investigate. Harris provides hints of anger and impatience as Saffron deals with sexism at work and condescension from the police. Subtle pacing and varied tones distinguish the other characters. Dr. Maxwell’s respect, Dr. Berking’s arrogance, and Ashton’s support add intrigue as listeners root for Saffron to stop the murderer before she herself becomes the next victim. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
