Parties and poisons, oh, my! I had to pick up this novel, with a title like that. Something ghastly is going on in the botany department at the University College of London, and it is 1923.
The protagonist of this story is Saffron Everleigh, the only female research assistant at the college, and it goes without saying that this was a hard road in 1923. One evening, at a dinner party, a professor’s wife is poisoned, and Saffron is a witness. When her elderly boss, Dr. Maxwell, is accused of and arrested for this poisoning, Saffron is determined to find out what really happened, and to clear the name of a man who has been very dear to her.
Meanwhile, the botany department is preparing for an important expedition to the Amazon, and Saffron must assist another scientist, Alexander Ashton, in his preparations for the trip. Gradually, she finds a friend and confidant in Alexander, and persuades him to help her piece together the mystery of the poisoning of Dr. Henry’s wife.
Actually, this story is almost as much romance as it is mystery. The writing style is very charming, and the conversations seemed natural. I did find some of Saffron’s actions outrageously dangerous and not smart enough for her character. Also, the mystery itself is not all that interesting--and yet, I did enjoy reading this story. The author has done a lovely job setting the stage for this novel, making it easy for me to picture the quaint buildings and even step inside.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this pleasure!
