Bayla Jacobson asked Kate Khavari:

This is more of a praise I really enjoyed the first book in your series, well written and researched and "meatier" than many mysteries I have read lately. Maybe it is that the topic and time are not as familiar to me. It helps that the main character is a woman in academia as that is instantly appealing. How did you choose the topic matter and time period? Thank you and keep writing quality works!

Kate Khavari Thank you so much for these kind words! I chose botany because I knew I wanted an Agatha Christie-esque small, close-knit cast of characters, which an environment like a university provided, but that meant that my sleuth needed a discipline to study. I'd always loved gardening and keeping houseplants, and luckily I found (through hours and hours of research) that I love botany, too. The time period was also born out of my love for Christie's Poirot, which takes place in the 20's and 30's. I love the aesthetics of it, but, as I learned more about the time, I realized how juicy the 20's were, beyond what I imagine most people immediately think of: flappers and booze and Bright Young Things. It was a time of tremendous upheavals, loud and quiet, big and small. Science and technology made huge strides during the war, and it wasn't limited to tanks and grenades, and I found that intriguing from a scientist's perspective. I also was drawn to the intricacies of the unintended consequences of the Great War, like shell-shock and injuries and the strange combination of patriotism and hatred for war. The 20's are absolutely fascinating!

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