A Saffron Everleigh Mystery

Pub Date Jun 07 2022

Kate Khavar’s debut book is the first book on my netgalley backlog list I’ve read since recently starting back reviewing books. This is one of those stories I’m torn about. More of my thoughts below…

Book Description:

Saffron Everleigh is in a race against time to free her wrongly accused professor before he goes behind bars forever. Perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn and Anna Lee Huber, Kate Khavari’s debut historical mystery is a fast paced, fearless adventure. 

London, 1923. Newly minted research assistant Saffron Everleigh attends a dinner party for the University College of London. While she expects to engage in conversations about the university’s large expedition to the Amazon, she doesn’t expect 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, having had an explosive argument with Dr. Henry a few days prior. As evidence mounts against Dr. Maxwell and the expedition’s departure draws nearer, Saffron realizes if she wants her mentor’s name cleared, she’ll have to do it herself. Joined by enigmatic Alexander Ashton, a fellow researcher, Saffron uses her knowledge of botany as she explores steamy greenhouses, dark gardens, and deadly poisons. Will she be able to uncover the truth or will her investigation land her on the murderer’s list? 

My Thoughts:

I believe it is safe to say that the book cover and title caught my attention first to this story.

Saffron Everleigh is quite the character. One moment you want to shake her and the next you want to hug her. She tends to be a bit reckless and puts herself in dangerous situations without thinking it through. Eveleigh is a woman of intelligence in a male dominated field and has to work even harder to been taken seriously. You see the struggle through the story and she doesn’t give up but her reckless actions wasn’t helping much for her I kept thinking. When I thought she’s finally learned her lesson she goes and does another life altering dangerous thing and puts herself and a colleague’s life on the line. I must say I had wondered how she was going to get out of that sticky situation to say the least!

While I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between Saffron and Alexander, I did enjoy their interactions and talking through the what ifs on who is the perpetrator.

While I felt a few details and characters could have been fleshed out a little bit better and the pacing was slow at times, this was an entertaining story. As for this story being a series, I’m hoping what I felt needs to be approved upon happens in the books after this one.

I did enjoy the Botany aspects of the story very much.

Stephanie

Side Bar: I may get to the other books in this series at some point in time. I would like to keep up with Saffron and seeing what other trouble she might get into.

A big thank you to Crooked Lane books for a galley copy through Netgalley for an honest review.

Stephanie Hopkins