In the late 1700s, off a small London alleyway, there is a secret apothecary that caters to women in need of some vengeance and justice. Nella prepares well-disguised poisons to women who wish to take care of the men who have wronged them until one day, a young girl wishing to be helpful, ends up making a mistake that jeopardizes the fate of the apothecary. In present-day London, Caroline is mending a broken heart when she comes across a mysterious vial washed up along the bank of the Thames. With a keen interest in history, she immerses herself into finding out where the vial came from and uncovering the truth about the unsolved apothecary murders.

First and foremost, I am in love with the cover of this book! It’s absolutely gorgeous. The premise also had me intrigued right from the beginning. I love a good tale about women standing up for themselves and seeking justice. There’s certainly elements of this book that felt rooted in historical fact, and it gets woven into the fictional narrative in a really interesting way.

The story is told in three POVs: Nella – the apothecary owner, Eliza – the precocious young girl, and Caroline – the aspiring historian. While I found Nella and Caroline’s stories extremely compelling, I did find Eliza’s “precociousness” a bit too much at times. I suppose that is part of the character, but I felt less invested and less interested in her sections. Yes, it propels the plot’s challenges that they face but I just found her really irritating.

Without giving anything away, I must admit that I thought I knew where the plot was going after a certain point yet I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. There were definitely moments that I gasped at what situations the protagonists found themselves in. I did wish there was a bit more elaboration on the stories of the clients that Nella would have serviced at the apothecary, as I felt that their tides changed fairly quickly before getting to hear more about some of the other murdering tales.

The Lost Apothecary is a great read for fans of historical fiction that’s full of intrigue, mystery and wrongdoers getting their comeuppance.

Just imagine if a woman could go to her local pharmacist and ask for a “special” medication to give to a particular man in her life, a man who has done her wrong in some way. Then take it a step further and imagine that this woman lives in a time when there were very few protections for women who were controlled in every meaningful way by a husband, a father, a suitor, a banker, a lawyer, essentially any male figure. Such is the the premise of this wonderfully creative story and it’s made even better by having the perspective of a modern-day woman as well as those from the 18th century.

This is a tale of three women—Nella, the apothecary in 1791, the young maid, Eliza, and Caroline, a modern woman who is at an important crossroads in her life—and all three come to vivid life in the author’s talented hands. Most intriguing to me was delving into how Nella turned to the dark side of what had been a respected profession and the visibly damaging effect her actions had on her physically as well as psychologically with each succeeding client.

Mystery fans will find much to chew on here and one suspenseful thread after another certainly kept me engaged till deep in the night. Well done, Ms. Penner!

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, March 2021.

This was a very well done dual time line historical novel. I actually loved both timelines which is rare for me. I absolutely loved following Caroline while she solved the mystery of the Apothecary. I could have done without the little pregnancy storyline but that was minor so it didn't take too much away from the story line. Overall this was a really great work of historical fiction. It had a dark atmosphere that was well captured and characters you wanted to root for. I loved all the details of the poisons and how they were made. These parts really wanted to make me look further into ancient apothecaries and poisons. The narrators for the audiobook did a really great job with the characters and I really enjoyed listening to the story. I definitely recommend this one!

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner enlightens the reader about potions, tinctures, and poisons used year ago as remedies for illnesses as well as for revenge for the betrayed. Nella, Eliza, and Caroline keep the fascination and mystery alive as the plot progresses and secrets are revealed and hidden, from the past and of the present. It is a story that demands your attention to finish.

What a darling novel that mixes history and lore with modernity — I loved the theme of female friendship!

The story takes place in two completely different eras. The modern day timeline follows Caroline from the Midwest who’s visiting London as her marriage falls apart. She finds an old apothecary vial and — maybe because it distracts her from the pain her husband’s affair has caused — she’s determined to find its origin. The other timeline is in the 18th century and we have Nella — who runs a secret apothecary and makes poisons only for women who plan to use them only on men — and Eliza, her 12-year-old wannabe apprentice.

The first half of the book was all about the three character developments, but the second half is a total ride! I was on the edge of my seat!

Having read the description....”female apothecary creates poisons to liberate women from the men who wronged them” I knew I had to read this book! We have three different main characters throughout time and how their choices have changed their lives. It was an interesting mystery and I enjoyed exploring Nella, Eliza, and Caroline’s lives.

"And while my story is terrible, every woman has faced a man's wickedness to some degree. Even you."

There is nothing terrible about this novel. I just HAD to know what happened to the characters before I fell asleep. I desperately want to go mudlarking (Yeah, I didn't know what it was either, look it up! It sounds fun!) and down a research rabbit hole now with Sarah Penner. When's the next book coming out? I'm THAT reader now!

This book is a mix of historical fiction, murder mystery, and a badass women's revenge story. Penner is a fabulous story teller and I totally got some witchy vibes here. Set when women were expected to simply obey men- Nella has a different idea. So what if she was an accomplice to murder(s)? She was likable. She was fighting for women who could not fight for themselves. Told through dual timelines, I liked the flashes between the past and present. You learn about Nella's heartbreaking history, her unique friendship with Eliza, and her need for vengeance. In the present we learn about Caroline's taste for mystery and her need for vengeance (against her cheating husband). I commend Caroline for going on a single girl adventure in London fresh off of heartbreak. Her trip quickly turns her into an amateur detective. I just loved how both stories seamlessly connected, even centuries later. We see ht struggles of women during both time periods. The book was fast paced jumping into each storyline quickly which got us hooked but we still wanted more. Some parts felt overly descriptive, while some of the ending felt rushed. We love a book of strong female protagonists and clearly just wanted more of them (a true compliment).

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin-Trade Publishing & Park Row for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Happy release day to #thelostapothecary! I can’t begin to tell you how much I loved this book. Each chapter left me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I seriously cannot remember the last time I stayed up reading until my eyes were drooping because it was so late at night.

The Lost Apothecary features two timelines - one set in the 1790s and the other set in the present from the point from three separate women. Each story was equally captivating and I loved how each story wove together. Nella was an apothecary that specialized in remedies to heal women - as well as provide poisons that would help women kill the bad men in their life. Caroline just happens to find one of Nella’s viles while mudlarking in the Thames in the present day. As Caroline works to unveil the mystery surrounding the vile and pieces together Nella and 12 year old Eliza’s story, the reader is taken on an unbelievable ride.

While this book has been categorized as fantasy, I would argue it’s more historical fiction. I got major Addie LaRue vibes while reading The Lost Apothecary, but the story moved a lot quicker.

I am so thankful this was my first @netgalley novel because it did not disappoint. I will be recommending this book for a long time.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is a novel about Nella, an Apothecary, who helps women kill the men who have harmed them in the 1900s. Nella is drawn to this work after her negative experiences with men and enjoys her work until she starts to question things after a teenage girl asks for poison for her mistress that has long-lasting consequences. In a second timeline, Caroline is trying to escape her life from her cheating husband by traveling to London. During her trip, Caroline discovers a bottle connected to a killer from the apothecary that untangles a web of hidden secrets.

This book was so much fun with lovely characters and their strong female friendships. I loved the way that Nella took care of Eliza and looked out for her like an older sister or parent. It was amazing to see how the women in this story learned from each other even when so different. I also found the mystery so interesting and wanted to keep learning more and enjoyed jumping between the dual-timelines as each chapter ended on a cliffhanger. The tone of this is vibrant which is surprising as I thought it might be darker given the dark topic. Overall this was a great debut I would recommend and I am looking forward to what comes next for this author!

Many thanks to the publisher Harlequin - Park Row and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This book is also a Book of the Month Club option for March and I am sure many will be drawn in by its absolutely stunning cover! And this is a great debut novel. It clearly follows two timelines - a present story of Caroline, who is on her 10th wedding anniversary trip to London alone. Needing space from her husband, Caroline finds herself recapturing her own passion for history as a chance encounter leads her down a rabbit hole into researching the type of daily life she always found so fascinating as a history major. The discovery of an apothecary vial connects her to the 1791 London storyline with two narrators - Nella and Eliza. Nella's apothecary as a reputation and secrecy to it with a long history of serving only women - and in some cases aiding them with more than healing potions, but poisonous ones, too.

The two timelines blend together quite well - and the ending "extras" of more details into the poisons and recipes adds to the fun. The pacing is quick and the transitions are smooth between the three narrators, making it easy to keep turning the pages. The characters - for the most part - come fully to life and I am sure that this will lead to lively discussions amongst its readers. I wish that Caroline's husband was a little more deeply developed - his contradictory behavior sometimes defies belief.

I did see a fair amount of pre-publication comments calling this a fantasy - and while it is tinged a bit with "magick" this is historical fiction with a contemporary fiction half. It's a good book, and while I didn't love it as much as I expected to, I am not really sure why... I guess, despite sharing an undergraduate major with Caroline, I had a harder time connecting with her. And a lot of the plot is a bit implausible, relying heavily on coincidence. The format didn't feel terribly fresh to me - though it is well done, and I guess some aspects of Caroline's investigation into the past and her choices really didn't sit right with me. It is a quick read, though, and I have a feeling this will be a popular one!

This is the story of an apothecary in the late 1700’s who provides poison to women who wish to kill men. An intriguing premise, told by narrators Nella (the apothecary) and Eliza (her young apprentice, aged 12). This is a dual timeline narrative and also features chapters that take place in present day from the perspective of Caroline, an unfulfilled woman dealing with the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. Caroline goes on their anniversary trip alone and make a discovery connecting her to Nella and Eliza. Caroline’s chapters were significantly less interesting than the others. Caroline has a whole chapter that describes research methods in depth and at length (I found myself skimming through this). Before she starts researching the mystery of the apothecary, Caroline goes mudlarking (artifact exploring in the mud) and sulks around a hotel room. If the entire story took place in the past, it would have been more interesting. Nella’s backstory is interesting and the idea of a feminist “serial killer” is a fun one that could have been explored more. I didn’t like the ending and felt that certain things wrapped up a little too conveniently. Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner goes between two time periods and three characters. I love the characters and the challenges they face. To some extent, the characters represent the stages of a woman's life and leave a lot to think about. What also really makes this book stand out is the fact that the stories in both time periods go in a direction I completely do not expect. A wonderful debut and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/03/the-lost-apothecary.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and and the Winter 2021 historical fiction blog tour from Harlequin Trade Publishing.

The Lost Apothecary is a work of dark feminist historical fiction told with a split timeline (which I love.)  In present day London, Caroline Parcewell was meant to be visiting the city from Ohio on a 10th anniversary holiday.    When she discovered her husband had been cheating on her, she went on trip  without him and planned to use the time to think and reflect.  That was, until she finds an old apothecary vial in the muddy tideway of the River Thames.  It piques her interest and rekindles the passion she had for history as a student.  When she looks into the vial's origins, she realizes that she may have found a link to the unsolved "apothecary murders" that remain unsolved from two centuries before.  The other timeline is 1791 and is narrated by Nella, the apothecary and Eliza Fanning, a precocious twelve year old customer of the apothecary's wares.  Along with more common herbal cures and treatments,  Nella has secretly been dispensing poison for years, within the confines of 2 rules.  Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman. (It is only used to free women from the men who have betrayed them, or who are doing them harm.) Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.
Nella carefully records the name of the murderer and her victim in the apothecary's register book without fail.  Eliza purchases a poison from Nella on behalf of her employer and strikes up an unexpected friendship with Nella.  The friendship strengthens as events develop that threaten to expose Nella's actions and the many women whose names populate her register, the women that Nella has helped to free over the years. In unraveling the mystery of the lost apothecary, Caroline works toward finding a more satisfying and meaningful path for her own life.
 
The three narrators of this book are all strong, smart and caring women.  They each face struggles and do the best that they can under difficult circumstances. They were all so brave, taking risks to help others and to find their true paths. I loved them all.  The chapters alternate between the timelines, which really serves to propel the plot forward. The story was beautifully written, with the strand of each of their three lives skillfully intertwined and all the pieces coming together in the end.  I thought this was an amazing and thoroughly enjoyable read, particularly for a debut novel. If you're pondering what to choose for your Book of the Month Pick, I think this is a great choice. Thank you to Netgalley and Park Row Books for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion

There is so much to enjoy in this book.
The story of a female apothecary in late 18th century London who was driven by life to become a dealer of death crosses into the modern-day heartbreak and pressures of a woman whose life is slowly unraveling to create a story that is timeless in its universality. Adding in the story of a young girl just starting to learn what it means to be a woman, and Penner created the perfect trifecta for a plot that explores the tough choices women are forced to make.
It's a slow reveal for the characters and the difficult events awaiting them, but it unravels at a perfect pace that feels like experiencing the story as if in a dream. Some things are sharp and exciting, some feel a little blunt at the edges, everything combines into an expertly told tale.
It's obvious why people have been eagerly awaiting this book.

A captivating story of two women separated by 200 years, both overcoming deceitful relationships and loneliness. When a glass bottle with a scratched symbol of a bear is found discovered by modern-day Caroline, she begins to uncover a story from the late 18th Century about an apothecary serial killer. Nella is that apothecary, hidden away in a shop that caters to women in need of remedies, some of which include poison for unfaithful or abusive men in their lives. When a 12-year-old girl walks into Nella's shop with an order for her mistress, Nella senses that her life is about to change dramatically.

I was completely absorbed in the 18th-Century women's lives and the idea of women helping other women out of terrible situations when doctors and police and lawyers were focused on a man's needs. Nella and her young friend, Eliza, are enjoyable narrators. They struggle with their own demons while forging a bond neither expects but will define their lives henceforth. The idea of the apothecary book recording the names of women who would otherwise be forgotten is a lovely detail that drives Nella.

Caroline's personal storyline is slightly predictable. However, her investigation into the 'serial killer apothecary' is quite entertaining. Themes such as the lies we tell ourselves and others and how damaging those lies are is a constant undercurrent in the narrative. As with many of these multi-period narratives, I find the historical plot much richer than the present. However, I very much enjoyed this book. For those wanting to explore untold stories of women and their journey taking charge of their lives, this book is recommended.

Not all dual narrative stories work as well as this one did! I loved the way the author connected the stories of a woman who has arrived in London reeling from the discovery of her husband's infidelity and that of an apothecary centuries earlier who has a word of mouth reputation for being able to provide some less reputable concoctions. I was fully invested in both stories, and this was a remarkably quick moving story with a very satisfying conclusion.

Two timelines: one in present day London where Caroline is trying to deal with the revelation that her husband is cheating on her. One in the late 1700's where Nell is using herbs to help women be healthy and also to help them kill their abusers. Historical fiction and murder! I enjoyed how Ms. Penner presented each timeline. Normally I find one more engaging than the other, but didn't while reading this book. That in itself is quite an achievement! I loved following both timelines as the women fought to protect themselves. I do wish there had been more character development for Nell and Eliza. I feel like they were kept a bit in the dark compared to Caroline. But overall it was an enjoyable read.

The unique premise of this novel is what drew me in and of course being historical fiction it was a go. Penner's debut is easy to read, entertaining, and delightful. I loved following the stories of the women in two different time periods and the mystery of what actually happened to Nella and Eliza kept me turning pages as fast as I could. A great weekend read.

I really enjoyed half of The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner, but found myself skimming a lot of the modern day story. I did think the concept of the two timelines was interesting, and I can even overlook how far-fetched it was that Caroline solved the old mystery, what I didn’t enjoy was the repetition of Caroline’s questioning of the last 20 years of how she lived her life. It felt like this story belonged in another book, perhaps a romance or women’s fiction.

Being an herbalist, the tinctures and recipes that were included were very realistic as to how they can help or harm one’s life. The feminist aspect of The Lost Apothecary was very well written too. And the relationship between Nella and Eliza was a wonderful and touching part of the book.

Although I did find myself skimming large chunks, I would still recommend The Lost Apothecary since others may enjoy those sections more than I did, and I am looking forward to seeing if this turns into a series. I would read another book by Penner (especially if The Lost Apothecary becomes a series) to read more about Caroline’s research escapades and to see how her relationship with the librarian progresses… plus if it includes more about herbs, I’m all in!