This was a great piece of Victorian fiction with a paranormal twist mixed in. This book was easy to get lost in for the day. I definitely recommend this unique and beautifully written story.

After injuring herself in an accident, Tillie Pembroke awakes to find her entire life turned upside down. Her sister, Lucy, has been murdered in what appears to be a vampire attack, and Tillie begins to rely on opiates to relieve her physical and emotional pain. She resolves herself to finding her sister’s killer while battling an opiate addiction and attempting to evade the disapproving watch of her family.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this book despite not being a huge fan of the gothic genre in general. Usually gothic novels are very stiff in my opinion, and are somewhat challenging to read. Opium and Absinthe however was very fast-paced, enjoyable, and kept me turning pages until the end.

Although I was a fan of it, I feel it may not be for everyone. The murder-mystery aspect of it wasn’t the biggest draw, as I had figured out the “why” and was very close on the “who” at about 60% in. I don’t think that really hindered my enjoyment of the story though, because I was so invested in the journey and the way the novel was narrated.

I also thought that the characters were not the most lovable; the only one I really liked was Ian, and maybe the newsies, though they were not a large part of the story. Tillie was incredibly naive, almost unbearably so. I understand that as this took place in the 1890s, Tillie leads a very sheltered life as one of the elites, but it still was a bit unbelievable. I was constantly torn between feeling great pity for her because of the way her family treats her, and anger at some of her decisions. Despite that, I did greatly admire her perseverance, and desire to pursue knowledge despite her family’s views on a woman’s place in society.

In the end, I can’t quite put in to words why I enjoyed this as much as I did. Nothing about it stuck out, but the writing/story flowed in a way that was very pleasant to read. For now I am giving this a 3.5/5 rounded to 3/5, but I may round up after thinking on it a little more.

Content warnings: assault, murder, death of a loved one, mentions of rape, drug abuse
Intended audience: Adult

Opium and Absinthe was a great historical fiction crime novel. How could you not want to read it once you have seen that beautiful cover? The author's ability to to describe the setting was fabulous. It did have a slight YA vibe.

The premise of this book sparked my interest when I saw it in the line-up of Amazon First Reads. I was happy to see it pop up on Netgalley as well. Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy!

This book is about Tillie Pembroke whose sister is found dead with two puncture wounds in her neck. The book takes place in 1899, around the time Dracula by Bram Stoker is published. Needless to say, Tillie who is interested in science and research jumps on the challenge to search for her sister's murderer. She comes across mysterious figures and she has a hard time trying to figure out what's real and what is not.

I leave the fact that Tillie is addicted to opiates out of this premise, because it's something that would have stopped me from reading it. Protagonists who are addicted to any kind of drug while researching a crime is one of my major tropes. I try not to touch books that use this concept, because I think a mystery should be a strong mystery without the need for the main hero to be confused by her own thoughts.

That having been said Lydia Kang executes this concept perfectly. Tillie starts using opium to ease her pain after an incident. This is how the addiction starts, which was something that happened often back in the 19th century. Sure, she didn't always remember what happened the day before; however, we did which I think was a strong way to eliminate my trope from the plot.

This novel has strong and well-developed characters and relationships. I can identify with Tillie to a certain extent, because I loved horror stories when I was younger so my real world also started to get muddled with the fictional world. I like the way she approaches the mystery and how she tackles her research. The way this novel is built up, you get to know the side characters really well, including what motivates them which adds to the mystery.

The writing is a bit of a mix between YA and Adult. I guess it's something you should be open to if you choose to read it.

Other than that, I enjoyed this Sherlock Holmesian novel a lot. I'm eager to read more of Lydia Kang's books now as they seem to be right up my alley.

"From the bestselling author of A Beautiful Poison comes another spellbinding historical novel full of intrigue, occult mystery, and unexpected twists.

New York City, 1899. Tillie Pembroke's sister lies dead, her body drained of blood and with two puncture wounds on her neck. Bram Stoker's new novel, Dracula, has just been published, and Tillie's imagination leaps to the impossible: the murderer is a vampire. But it can't be - can it?

A ravenous reader and researcher, Tillie has something of an addiction to truth, and she won't rest until she unravels the mystery of her sister's death. Unfortunately, Tillie's addicted to more than just truth; to ease the pain from a recent injury, she's taking more and more laudanum...and some in her immediate circle are happy to keep her well supplied.

Tillie can't bring herself to believe vampires exist. But with the hysteria surrounding her sister's death, the continued vampiric slayings, and the opium swirling through her body, it's becoming increasingly difficult for a girl who relies on facts and figures to know what's real - or whether she can trust those closest to her."

Vampire mania and opium addiction? I'm in!

Lucy is the perfect daughter. Lucy is the oldest child. Lucy is dead.

Tillie, the younger sister, already feeling less than, finds it coincidental that her sister's death seems straight out of a newly released novel, "Dracula".

Rather than staying cooped up in a world of wealth and privilage, Tillie sets off to solve her sister's murder and find out what really happened. In the process, she discovers a whole world waiting for her, but one that's not always what she dreamed it might be.

As a nurse, I enjoyed reading about the old school treatments for common ailments and the way of life lived in this time period. I enjoyed the adventure from cover to cover! Tillie was a truly remarkable character.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this and give my honest opinion.

Opium and Absinthe is a delightful piece of historical fiction with an intriguing protagonist named Tillie, who feels like a bird trapped in a gilded cage on Millionaire's Row. Set in 1899, Tillie is the second born daughter of the illustrious Pembroke family and thus often overlooked in favor of perfect elder daughter Lucy. But when Lucy turns up dead with marks on her neck that seem disturbingly similar to those described in the just-released (but already notorious) 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker (which the author weaves snippets of throughout) that's when Tillie's adventures truly begin.

As Tillie begins to investigate her sister's murder she discovers how big the world truly is outside her gilded cage, but as she spirals into addiction and begins to make choices that put her life at risk she must decide if the answers she seeks are worth it and if it's "better to be a coward than a corpse."

Kang does an excellent job with her world-building, drawing in elements like the notorious Five Pointes Gangs, the newsies strike, and Nellie Bly. I found myself completely immersed in Tillie's world. I identified with Tillie in many ways, we are both avid readers, we enjoy learning new things and asking questions and we are quiet - this quietness is often perceived as timidness, or weakness and Tillie shines through and proves that that is not always the case. I found it fascinating to learn about the medical treatments of that age, like heroin (by Bayer!) for the treatment of a cough, for example. As Tillie investigated the murders and gleaned new information on blood-drinking animals, medical treatments, and the living conditions of those outside her normal social sphere I was there learning and growing right along with her.

This was my first experience with Kang's work, and after this, all of her other books have been added to my TBR pile. If you enjoy historical fiction, amateur sleuths, mysteries in general, this would be an excellent addition to your shelf. I couldn't put it down and I was sad when it was over. I would love a sequel so that we can continue Tillie's adventures, she experiences tremendous growth and I would love to see where she goes from here.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me a free ebook of Opium and Absinthe in exchange for a free review. You can find this review published on Goodreads, Instagram, and most retailers.

Enjoyable plot and while we aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover, it's a very pretty cover! There were times though that I couldn't tolerate Tillie. Without revealing any spoilers, there are situations where she definitely puts herself in harm's way. I felt that the story dragged a bit in the middle and I would have liked it to be a bit more faster paced.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

We are introduced to the main character, Tillie, in a way that leaves us well and truly under the impression that turn-of-the-century (1899) high society in New York is not quite for her: she is not a particularly skilled horsewoman, and she finds reading and discovery a far more diverting pastime. Tragedy soon strikes, however, as there is a murder which has chilling links to a recent best-seller: Bram Stoker's vampire novel, Dracula. While trying to solve the mystery of her sister's death, she finds herself facing other battles: opiate addiction, and the pressures of being the sole heiress to a large fortune, not to mention the oppressive weight of her maternal grandmother's disapproval and control.

While Opium and Absinthe might take a little while to get going while it introduces us to Tillie, it soon picks up to become a rather compelling neo-Victorian mystery. Bram Stoker's Dracula is deftly woven in throughout the novel, with Tillie mulling over particular passages as she searches for clues, and with Kang beginning each chapter with a quote from the novel (although I should stress that reading Dracula is not a pre-requisite to enjoying this book). Alongisde Tillie, we have a number of other characters, many of whom may or may not be entirely trustwothy. Kang throws keeps us on our toes with some well-placed red herrings as we seem to get closer to finding out the truth.

My main takeaway was "Thank God we do not live an an era where doctors use dirty needles on their patients!!" I am kidding... kind of. A couple horrifying things happen in this book and medical horrors abound here. It makes for a very interesting read and I learned some history while enjoying a good story.

This book has mystery, murder, opium, villains, humor, Newsies, and a possible vampire. If you think any of these things would make for an interesting story then this one is for you. I had fun diving into this one and was equal parts horrified and fascinated throughout. This book spends a good amount of time exploring addiction that has parallels to current events. We live in a stressful time and this was a distraction that was needed at least for me.

I will say that there are some scenes and allusions to sexual assault that may be a trigger. It caught me by surprise so I wanted to get that out there.

Aside from a few select scenes, I really enjoyed reading this one. It was unique, fun, and also informative all at the same time!

Set in New York City, 1899, Kang has created a spellbinding story of addiction and intrigue. When Tillie’s sister is found drained of blood, her murder is too close in method to Bram Stoker’s recently published Dracula to be denied. Despite her eagerness to uncover the murderer, Tillie is hampered by a marriage proposal, a proud, overbearing family and an opium addiction. Unfashionably inquisitive yet succumbing to the seductive solution for her pain, Tillie struggles to make sense of the secrets she stumbles upon. The truth could be more sinister than even Stoker’s own story.

This is a well crafted and compelling story from Kang. The narrative is dark, delicious and infused with sinister undertones thanks to the insertion of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Though slow moving at times this is a very fascinating historical crime novel. There are a few curveballs thrown in there ,just for fun. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good murder mystery!

Thank you to netgalley for this copy in return for my review.

dnf :( unfortunately I couldn't get into this one. It was pretty slow and I couldn't really get into the characters. I think you'd maybe like this more if you enjoyed Stalking Jack the Ripper.

Opium and Absinthe provided the perfect combination of romance and historical fiction. I found both the plot and characters incredibly engaging, and truly appreciated the way Kang was able to create such wonderful imagery of this time period!

I enjoyed Opium and Absinthe from start to finish! I thought Tillie was a dynamic character, because even though she was an addict I still rooted for her. Lydia Kang did a fantastic job with all the characters in this novel. I was invested in everyone from Tillie to Ada. She handled Tillie’s addiction with precision. It didn’t happen instantly. And ultimately, Tillie was the only one who could overcome it. I think so often in novels the addict overcomes because of their love interest, and while that’s sweet, it’s also an unhealthy idea. I appreciated that Tillie got clean for her own reasons that didn’t have much to do with romance.

The way she incorporated Dracula into this story was so fun! And tagging along with Tillie and Ian on their investigation gave off these cool vintage true crime vibes. I loved it! I also found myself looking up some of the treatments mentioned in this book just to see if they really happened. Bayer Heroin?! Opium injections with dirty needles?! Cooking blood to ingest it?! I think Kang’s experience in the medical field is what gave this story an extra shine.

My only complaint was the ending. I could tell it was going to be a quick wrap up before I even got to the end. And it wasn’t a bad ending by any means, I only wish there had been more. And is that really a bad problem to have at the end of a good book? Overall I think Opium and Absinthe can be a hit for lovers of mystery and historical fiction.

This was the first book I have read by this author but will not be the last. I really enjoyed the story and had to keep reminding myself of the time period the book is set in and that this explains away the reasoning and rationale of the constant drug abusive the book concerns as at that point in History this was the norm. The storyline is well written and the characters well thought out and considered. I would heartily recommend this book to all who enjoy a good read.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. The world building of Ms. Kang was extremely well done. I was pleased with the level of effort put into making this realistic. While I did certainly enjoy Tilly, I always love the scrappy heroine who knows too much, I just had a difficult time getting into this book. For me, there were the beginning to something great here, but it was almost as though the author Was rolling a d20 to see just how much adversity she could throw at the main character. Just how impossible she could make it for her. There is a suspension of disbelief to a point with any book like this but for me I couldn’t get past it all.
The world building as I said was lovely, some of the characters were truly excellent. This just wasn’t the book for me.

What a bizarre novel. It's taken me some real reflection to decide what I thought of it and I've settled on a 3 out of 5 - not bad by any means, but I have too many issues with it to give it a higher rating.

This was the first book I requested after joining NetGalley and, on reading the first chapter, I felt I'd made a mistake: I had thought I was reading a historical mystery novel, but this was clearly Victorian-set chick-lit, with a light tone and a heroine whose clumsiness and social ineptitude gets her into all manner of humorous scrapes. The tone of the first chapter is so at odds with the rest of the book that I wouldn't blame a reader who gave up after reading it. As the story continues, it becomes more what I expected: a murder mystery set against a backdrop of turn-of-the-century New York society, as Bram Stoker's Dracula helps fan vampire fever amongst the general population. The plot follows our heroine Tillie - at times an amusing and relatable character, though at others she leans too far into the 'not like other girls' trope, with the author making it overly obvious that she is the only quirky and inquisitive young woman amid vapid fashion-obsessed friends - and her friend Ian, a newsie who helps her to investigate the apparently vampiric murder of her sister. It's well-plotted, with a denouement that is unpredictable but makes sense with everything that has led up to it.

The writing itself struck me as another oddity of this novel. I read a lot of historical fiction, including historical crime, and the tone of the writing is generally mature. Especially with the vampire element, I expected a dark and adult tone - this felt at times like YA writing. Tillie is slightly older than the average YA protagonist, but her somewhat sheltered upbringing means she comes across as young - I would have guessed around sixteen. As well as dealing with her investigation, she also faces multiple suitors and considers whether she ought to go to college in the future - plot points I'd expect from YA. I teach teenagers, and despite the book featuring violence of many kinds, it is sufficiently non-explicit that there is nothing in this that would make me think it was inappropriate if a thirteen-year-old produced this as their reading book.

The setting was evocative - I'm a Brit who has never set foot in the USA, so I can't comment on the accuracy of the descriptions of New York, but I found it easy to envisage the environments in which Tillie found herself.

Despite my issues with it, it was a very easy read - I finished it in three sittings, and it kept me invested enough that there was no question of me giving up on it without finding out the killer's identity and motives. Three stars - slightly above average - seems a fair rating to me for a book which held my interest but failed to deliver on the tone and characterisation that I - and, I suspect, most readers of historical crime fiction - would expect from the genre.

Tilly is a young and interesting woman from 19. century era, and when her perfect sister Lucy is found dead, she immediately thinks that the murderers were vampires. She also battles her own demones, addiction to opiates due to her recent accident.

For me it was description and cover love for the first sight. As a fan of Bram Stoker and Ann Rice and all other vampire themed literature I've enjoyed the book even it was a little slow for me and I recommend it.

Thrillingly told, with snippets from the original 'Dracula', Opium and Absinthe is not to be missed.