Book Review

The Lost Apothecary
Sarah Penner
Release Date: March 2, 2021

A big thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the e-arc!

Quick Summary:
A dual timeline story. A female apothecary who dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them. In present day London, a woman spends her London anniversary getaway alone after her husband cheats on her.

My thoughts:
Making a quick summary for this story was difficult because it is waaaay more than the above summary. In my opinion The Lost Apothecary is a story about female friendships, standing up for yourself, and following your passions.

I LOVED this book. I love herbs and remedies myself so the topic was interesting to me in that sense. I loved Nella and Eliza and how their unlikely friendship grew. I loved Caroline and her desire for something more.

What I didn’t care for was the dash of magic thrown in at the end and the misunderstanding plot with Caroline and her husband. I feel that the magic element was too random and made the ending a little far fetched.

Overall a great read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love the story of The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner! I fell in love with all the female characters and was invested in them from the beginning. The premise of this novel is really intriguing! Told from three points of view and in two periods of time, you are provided with a thriller in the 1700s and a mystery in the present day.

As her debut novel, Penner really impresses! This story is fantastical yet realistic, dramatic but not absurd, touching but not sappy, and overall empowering for women past and present. The portrayal of strong women supporting other women was wonderful to read and observe. The relationships developed in this story were very special with unique dynamics you might not expect. This is really a gem of a story and I highly recommend it!

The audiobook version of this novel is phenomenally narrated by Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, and Lauren Irwin. I was provided with both the audiobook from HarperAudio and an e-galley from Harlequin for review - having two versions of this book at my disposal, I was able to enjoy it by sight and sound. Both are excellent!

Thank you, NetGalley, HarperAudio, Harlequin - Trade Publishing and Sarah Penner, for copies of this book for review!

This review will be published to my Bookstagram page www.instagram.com/journeyofthepgages one or before the publication date. A link will be added below once available.

Who wouldn't like to solve a hundred-year-old mystery and especially one that had to do with poisons that were used to kill unfaithful husbands or boyfriends.​

Caroline came to London for a tenth anniversary celebration, but found out her husband had been having an affair so she came alone.​​

She didn’t want to follow through with her itinerary she was to have had with her husband and happened upon a man who suggested she go mudlarking with a group.

Mudlarking was done in the 1800’s as a means of survival by finding things washed up on the shore, but this group did it for fun.​​

Caroline finds a vial with a bear on it. Her curiosity as a historian had her searching for what the vial may have been used for and the place where a shop probably existed in 1791 that could have created remedies.

​​While Caroline is looking for clues, we flash back to 1791 and meet Nella who made remedies, actually poisons, for women who needed to be rid of their husbands. A young girl, Eliza, who came to the shop to have Nella make a potion for her mistress, took an interest in the shop. ​​

Nella, Eliza, and Caroline collide virtually in present day through research and poisons.

​​THE LOST APOTHECARY is very clever, enjoyable, different, unique, and very well researched. ​​

I loved the information about the maps of London and finding clues to how others lived and worked in past times. ​​

History buffs, those who love solving years-old mysteries, and those who love Old London won’t want to miss this book.​​

ENJOY!! An amazing debut!! 5/5​​

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A big thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for this ARC.

Told in alternating timelines and multiple POVs, this tale is full of mystery and wonder.

The “past” timeline definitely held my attention more. I was fascinated by the idea of a female serial killer that had established a network for women to request basic medicines or poison - depending on their needs. The plot in this section spoke for itself, and I was enjoying finding out what happened next. I wished the author would have spent more time on the “past”. I would have loved for the characters to have been fleshed out more. Give me more Nella and Eliza!

The “present” felt a little more disconnected, and the book could have stood on its own without this half. While I enjoyed the mystery and curiosity this section provided, some of the plot distracted from the overall story. I wasn’t as invested in Caroline as I was Nella and Eliza.

Overall, this was a great representation of strong female characters. While I wish we could have gotten more in terms of character development, I did love Nella and Eliza’s strange friendship and story.

This book is coming out March 2, so go ahead and add it to the TBR pile.

Title: The Lost Apothecary
Author: Sarah Penner
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.

Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose—selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.

In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive.

I really enjoyed this novel! I loved how it switched between the historical chapters and the modern-day ones seamlessly, while leaving the reader on the edge of their seat. So much character growth, too, for Caroline. While finding out her husband was cheating on her was awful, it was a catalyst for growth and finding out who she really was and what she truly wanted out of life. I also loved the hints of magic at the resolution of the historical timeline, with the girl and the apothecary. Very well done!

Sarah Penner lives in Florida. The Lost Apothecary is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)

Blog link live 2/24..

A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them—setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course

Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.

Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

What a phenomenal debut novel for Sarah Penner!! I am so honored to be one of the first to read this book!!

I had no idea what this book was about when I requested a copy! I didn’t read the blurb and never heard of the author!! What first lured me into reading this was the beautiful cover!! Having said that, I ended up listening to it on audio and I am so glad that I did. The author used three female narrators to portray the three main characters and it was a brilliant!! They really drew you into the story and made it easy to follow. I’ll be buying a physical copy, just because I’m a sucker for a beautiful book cover!!

Historical Fiction, strong female characters, dual timelines and a mysterious twist....what more could you ask for? The story takes place in two timelines, the 1790’s and present day London. The character development of Caroline, Nella and Eliza’s was so well done that I was invested in their lives from the first page! The premise of the book is about a secret network of women, an Apothecary Shoppe and a legacy of poison and revenge. I really enjoyed how each character’s story from both time periods were told, intertwined and all came together in the end.

This book is beautifully written. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Historical Fiction, Mystery, and strong female characters!

Sarah Penner's debut novel has an intriguing premise and a beautiful cover - I had to check it out! I love a dual timeline historical fiction novel, especially with a touch of mystery. Usually when I read a dual timeline I am more drawn to the past than the contemporary storyline, but I was surprised to find myself very curious about Caroline's modern day investigation into the apothecary. That isn't to say that I was not invested in the stories of Nella and Eliza in the past. Penner did a marvelous job demonstrating how challenging women's lives were in the late 18th century. I especially like the way Caroline's situation in some ways paralleled the events she was uncovering from the past. If you are a historical fiction fan this is one I would highly recommend sending to the top of your TBR pile or library holds list.
An added delight was the recipes at the end of the book!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Park Row for an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Penner weaves an intricately woven three-stranded braid of lives. The heartaches of life such as grief, betrayal, and the lure of revenge, we are reminded, are universal. In this tender blending of stories of the lives of three women that cross the boundaries of time, readers will no doubt find themselves drawn into some inner questioning of their own lives while tearing through the pages to answer their questions about the lives of Caroline, Nella, and Eliza.

Sarah Penner’s debut novel is a dual timeline story moving between 1791, with apothecary Nella dispensing cleverly disguised poisons to women desperate to stop the abusiveness of the men in their lives, and modern day, with Caroline, a woman who had dreams of becoming a historian, but who set aside her dreams so her husband could achieve his dreams. When Caroline finds out her husband is cheating on her a few days before their 10th anniversary trip to London, she decides to go to London by herself. When she finds a blue vial with an unusual etching on it, she decides to delve deeper and find out what the vial is. It is then that her life intersects with the life of the 1791 apothecary.
Penner has written an atmospheric and well-paced novel that takes her readers to 1791 where they can almost feel the despair and desperation of the people, especially women, in the back alleys of London. The characters are well drawn and likable and readers will quickly feel like they know them. As the author switches between the timelines, readers will find one timeline as engrossing as the other.

This is a story of secrets, revenge, betrayal, poisons and potions, and a network of women who are determined to control their fates. This is a fast paced debut novel rich in historical detail with unforgettable characters that will keep you turning the pages until the final chapter!

If this is your first foray into historical fiction or if you’re a long-time fan of historical fiction, put this book at the top of your to-be-read list.

I will be anxiously awaiting the next breathtaking novel written by the amazing Sarah Penner.

So many thanks to Harlequin Park Row and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my complete and unbiased review.

The Lost Apothecary is an engrossing historical fiction novel based in eighteenth century London and modern London. Sarah Penner uses dual timelines stealthily to bring the reader two different stories about women that, the reader finds through reading, relate to each other over centuries. The writer explains that the characters are completely fictional but the subject matter on poison use and dispensing of poisons during eighteenth century London are completely true.

The novel's present day narrator is Caroline. Caroline is stuck in a rut in her current life. She is at an unsatifying job, her marriage is falling to pieces and she is undecided as to whether she wants to make a drastic change in her career or just settle for comfort. Caroline was a histories major but gave up her dream of pursuing a masters in hopes of a happy marriage and buidling a family, with these hopes now shattered along with her happy marriage she decides to make an already scheduled trip to London for some intense soul searching. What she finds in her first few days in London completely engrosses and nurtures her wounded soul and helps her make strides into chasing after her dreams again.

Nella and Eliza are The Lost Apothecary's eighteenth century narrators. These two build the story that keeps Caroline in research mode for days, helping her to forget her modern day troubles and remember her forgotten dreams. Nella owns the apothecary that young Eliza finds herself in trying to secure a poison for her mistress. From the moment these two meet an apprentice/master, daughter/mother type bond form. The mystery of the lives of these two keeps Caroline's mind engaged while her soul has time to heal from her modern day problems.

I was engrossed from the first chapter of The Lost Apothecary, the mystery of what exactly was meant by the title. How could an apothecary be "lost" but still have a customer base. I came to realize towards the middle of the novel that the author wasn't necessarily meaning that the apothecary itself was lost but that the characters within had become lost along their personal lives. Nella became "lost" after the death of a loved one, Eliza became "lost" after the death of her master, and Caroline "lost" herself in her marriage. The simplicity of the characters finding themselves shows the true genius in Sarah Penner's writing. Small seemingly insignificant moments within the story were the life changing sparks that her characters needed to remember who they are and to be true to themselves. Something as small as an unidentified apothecary vial helped Caroline remember who she was and what her dreams were and to pursue them both.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harleqin Publishing for the advanced copy for an honest review.

“I have protected their secrets. I have borne the brunt of their burdens.”

The Lost Apothecary is a dark, gothic tale of secrets, lies, betrayal, power and revenge....a brilliant debut novel by Sarah Penner. In a nutshell, the book is about a “female apothecary serial killer who secretly supplies a network of women with poisons to kill men who have wronged them.” I was totally sold by the premise!

Narrated by 3 points of view across 2 different timelines (modern day and late 18th century), the book is about women, their role in society, and how they are viewed and abused by the men in their lives. While I found I was not as interested in the modern timeline, it did demonstrate how many of the challenges faced by women in the past are sadly relevant today. Hope and female power comes across in women’s relationships with each other and the lengths they go to to support, to give strength and to love. The primary relationship of Eliza and the apothecary demonstrated this especially.

One of the most powerful symbols in the book, the apothecary’s register, really resonated with me and was almost like a main character to me. It carried value far beyond that of its surface intention of recording the business transactions of the female customers and the poisons selected for revenge. The “precious register was a record of life and death”. “For many of these women...this may be the only place their names are recorded. The only place they will be remembered....this register preserves them — their names, their memories, their worth.” So while the register is damning and damaging if uncovered by the wrong hands, it values the women listed by recognizing their mark, their very existence. The register is hidden and haunting....a sharp voice of quiet significance.

I loved the story, and found it impossible to put down by the second half. Ooh, and the recipes at the end were a great touch!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

There was just something about this story that made me want to read it instantly, and then I'm not just talking about that gorgeous cover. I think it was the promise of a historical setting as well as the whole concept of an apothecary as an accessory in murders that convinced me as soon as I read the blurb... And I most definitely wasn't disappointed by what I found. The Lost Apothecary turned out to be such a captivating and intriguing read!

This story uses a dual timeline structure, where part is set in 1791 London and part in present London. A dual timeline can go both ways for me, as I tend to prefer the historical timeline 9 out of the 10 times I read historical fcition with this structure... And unfortunately it was exactly what happened in The Lost Apothecary as well. I found the part set in 1791 to be considerably stronger and way more interesting compared to the present events, and especially in the first half of the story. That said, the present timeline did improve in the second half. The story itself uses a multiple POV structure, where the past provides us with two different POVs (Nella and Eliza) and the present with one POV (Caroline).

Talking about these characters... I found it to be considerably easy to connect to both Nella and Eliza. Especially Nella is a fascinating character, with her using the apothecary shop that was once owned by her mother and her knowledge of potions and poison a for darker purpose. I really enjoyed learning more about her character as well as the way she worked, and she was definitely part of the reason the 1791 timeline worked so well for me. It also had to do with young Eliza, which turned out to be a very interesting character as well. She is not a natural ally of Nella, but I liked how the two interacted and those final reveals definitely made me wonder about her character. That said, I was less of a fan of Caroline. It took me quite some time to warm up to her, while I felt a connection to the other two almost immediately. This was probably part of the reason the present timeline wasn't as big of a success for me.

The plot itself is fascinating, and especially the part set in 1791. The idea of an apothecary using her knowledge for other purposes than healing, and her helping other women kill men with poison is not only intriguing, but also added a level of suspense to the story. This wasn't the dark crime thriller you might suspect after reading the blurb though; the focus in The Lost Apothecary isn't really on the murders, but rather on the apothecary itself, how Nella works and her budding relationship with the young Eliza. The pace is a lot slower and there is less tension than I thought there would be, but it was still intriguing to see the events develop and escalate. Like I said before, I wasn't really a fan of the present timeline during most of the story though. This probably had to do with the whole cheating angle as well; a personal pet peeve I never enjoy in a story. I did like the mudlarking detail and Caroline's resulting investigation though.

Last but not least, I really liked the development of the historical setting. The many descriptions really made the 1791 London setting come alive for me and it was fascinating to learn more about the apothecary and ingredients used in that time. The characters and their behavior felt natural for the historical setting as well, and it really seemed like you were transported back in time to that era. I also liked how details of the past were incorporated in the present timeline through Caroline's investigation.

All in all, The Lost Apothecary turned out to be a very interesting read! If you enjoy slower paced historical fiction with a dual timeline and a hint of murder and mystery, this book is a great choice.

In this fabulous debut novel, a female apothecary took her knowledge of medicine and drugs to a new level. She has developed quite a few poisons, all effective, to dispense them to women seeking to get away from men who have harmed them in one way or another. It is in the late 18th century and divorce was not always an option. Instead, as an extreme, it soon became known that there was another alternative, albeit a permanent one.

This story tells the tale of three women, Nella, the apothecary, her newest customer's maidservant, a very young woman of twelve, named Eliza Fanning, and present-day historian Caroline Parcewell. As this book was chosen for a blog tour and thus received in Kindle format, I was eager to read it. However, it also became available in audio format via NetGalley. Having the opportunity to listen to this via reading it created great advantage, as each of the females in this story had a narrator. Having multiple narrators made this book all that more intriguing.

As Nella created her poisons, she was building a rather unusual clientele. Of course, it was top secret as to what went on in Nella's shop. She did quite well until bright, over-eager Eliza came on the scene. Nella did not know why she was drawn to Eliza, but that truly could have been her undoing, as a series of events began to happen that came with unexpected consequences.

Where does Caroline come into the story? Well, she was wandering the banks of the River Thames in London and discovered a mysterious vial. The deeper Caroline investigates, the more she learns. She discovers events of over two hundred years ago that were tied into murders from way back them.

There are rules, and if those rules are not followed, Nella will not help. When Eliza comes into the picture, Nella's carefully crafted livelihood comes into danger. When we balance Nella's and Eliza's drama along with Caroline's own drama in her personal and professional life, we are presented with an intriguing story that fills the reader with angst and nail-biting tension. The fact that this is a debut novel is fascinating to me, as well the expected upcoming translation into almost a dozen languages. I can't wait to see where this book goes and am honored to have had both the digital and audio copies available to me for review purposes.

Many thanks to Park Row and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

*I received a copy this book in exchange of an honest review.

The Lost Apothecary is engrossing! I found myself unable to stray from the storylines of three women who were drawn together by an apothecary of death. It was so amazing to me how the stories crossed paths. Although, I will say that the past storyline was a bit more fun for me to read. Eliza and Nella's stories were those of women doing what they thought best to keep themselves and others safe from men that betrayed them. I found myself drawn to Eliza's view of the world around her and how it differed from Nella, but how her view also helped Nella find peace. Caroline was not my favorite to read, but I did like the ways she tried to separate herself from her husband who had an affair. I found a lot of great things in her story, but it did not draw me in the same way as in the past.

Penner has a great storytelling writing style that I found myself pushing through the book to see what would happen next. The story was definitely fast paced and I found myself having to go back and reread because I was getting ahead of myself trying to further myself through the book. The women protecting each other and other women from men is always a storyline that will grasp me,

Anyone who loves historical women and a twisting and turning novel will love this book.

1791: After years of running her mothers apothecary, Nella is introduced to young Eliza and finders herself inexplicably drawn to her. Like many women before her, Eliza, just a girl, comes to the shop seeking deadly resolution to a problem of the male variety. Eliza never expected to take such an interest in Nella or the ways she morphed her mothers healing business into something darker.

Present day: Caroline stumbles across an old glass bottle while on vacation in London. An aspiring historian, Caroline feels compelled to learn everything she can about this unique piece, even if it leads her down a dark and potentially dangerous alley.

Books with multiple POVs are hit-or-miss with me. POVs from different time periods, on the other hand, are almost always a win. Watching the lives of these women intermix throughout time was truly fascinating. The added magic didn't hurt either. A page-turner for sure!

[Sidenote: I wish I could have reached through the screen and strangled James.]

Nella only kills men, and only because their wives or girlfriends or sisters ask her to. She knows firsthand the heartache of a betrayal that she struggles to think about or tell anyone. She turns her mother's apothecary shop in London into a place where betrayed women can go to get help. Disguised within the story is a tough feminist critique of a society where women had no options to protect themselves and curb the behavior of men, besides murder.

But trouble comes calling, and her friendship with a precocious young girl, Eliza, has the power to either end or save Nella's shop.

Meanwhile, in modern day England, Caroline is experiencing some heartache and betrayal of her own. Wandering around London, she stumbles upon a mysterious vial marked with the symbol of a bear. Mourning her choice not to pursue a career in history, Caroline takes the chance to dive head-first into the mystery, which seems to be leading her to Nella's shop. Sometimes the leaps the modern day researcher was able to make with so little information seemed a little too convenient. But the author tied it all together nicely.

It was an enjoyable historical mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book.

I was so excited to get an ARC of the Lost Apothecary after seeing so much buzz about this book. Told in two alternating timelines, the novel first takes place in London in the 1700s. Nella was taught apothecary by her deceased mother, but now has built a reputation to provide deadly combinations to scorned women to harm men that have wronged them. Present day chapters follow Caroline on her anniversary trip from the US to London. What was supposed to be a celebration, Caroline arrives in London alone, fleeing from the discovery that her husband has been unfaithful to her. Caroline stumbles on a lost apothecary jar and sets off to learn the history and uncover some of her own truths. I really enjoyed the pace of this novel. It was a quick read, but filled with excitement and wonder. The historical storyline was incredible and the writing is detailed enough to paint a clear description without losing the reader along the way. It was fascinating to see how Nella’s past determined her current profession and moral compass. I saw how Caroline was able to lose sight of her future along the way and while it was a little quick for reality, I did enjoy watching her self-discovery. I am giving the Lost Apothecary four stars!

A sincere thank you to Negalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am an unabashed fan of this debut novel. While this type of dual timeline historical fiction novel can include overused twists (like the characters in both storylines are all related by the end), I think this novel was very unique in its ideas and presentation. The historial story transported me to late 18th century London, and shared the story of a feminist (or not, as some may say) apothecary who is set on providing a way for women to exert some control over their lives. The present day story of a woman encountering some marital difficulties and finding her own way was a great complement to it, as was the hint of magical realism. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Definitely recommended for fans of Fiona Davis and Sarah Jio. Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for the advance digital copy!

3.5 stars

Somehow I expected this split voice historical novel/modern mystery to have more of a feminist slant. The protagonist, Nella, is an apothecary in late 18th century London. Nella, embittered by a tragic and illicit love affair with a scummy man, decides to devote the rest of her life to providing fatal poisons to women who wish to get rid of men who have ill-treated them. The modern story is about Caroline, who is visiting London on what should have been her 10th anniversary trip with her husband -- before she discovered he had been cheating on her. The third character is a 12 year old servant girl who, on her mistress's behalf, gets poison from Nella and cooks a fatal dish for her master.

I wanted to like this more than I did. It's not the author's fault I am weary of multiple POV novels. But Nella, instead of coming across as a strong and vibrant dispenser of justice, is really someone who helps people commit murder. I didn't find the modern story as compelling and the last bits of the novel which are meant to bind centuries of women's suffering and existence together, fell flat for me.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be published 3/1/21 at https://chaptersandcharms.com/2021/03/01/book-review-the-lost-apothecary-by-sarah-penner/

Two timelines, three very different women, one story of murder, intrigue, and self-fulfillment. Poisoning the men in your life who did you wrong might not be the best way to solve your problems, but it was certainly a popular one for a certain herbalist in 18th century London. Her deadly doses brought release to many, including a young serving girl who might carry on her legacy, and a modern day betrayed wife looking for distraction and purpose in historical research.

I received an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Lost Apothecary comes out tomorrow, March 2, 2021. See my affiliate link at the end to get yourself a copy from an independent bookstore.

Genre: Historical fiction; mystery; thriller
Who should read it: Librarians (there’s a character in there for you); crime show fans; anyone looking to feel empowered after life didn’t turn out quite like you expected
You may like it if you like: The Poisoner’s Handbook by Deborah Blum; People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks; My Favorite Murder podcast

Characters

Caroline - Once upon a time, Caroline was fascinated by literature and history studies and almost pursued graduate school at Cambridge in England. But then she fell in love, got married, and started planning to raise a family, and all of that fell by the wayside. Now, with the life she gave it all up for crashing down around her, perhaps it is time to dig up old dreams.

Nella - The daughter of an herbalist who used her craft to help women with their ailments, Nella helps women in a different way. She helps them escape the control of the men in their lives, by fighting back with the “women’s weapon”---poison. But will these tisanes and tinctures ever bring her the satisfaction she craves after her own betrayal? Or will the deaths she’s caused merely take their toll on her body and soul?

Eliza - A twelve-year old serving girl who is sent to Nella’s shop by her mistress to purchase some poison for her mistress’ lecherous husband. Unlike Nella’s other customers, Eliza keeps coming back long after her task is fulfilled. She has a curiosity for herbs and is hoping Nella can help her with another problem, more supernatural in nature.

Plot

Devastated by the revelation of her husband-of-ten-years’ infidelity, Caroline goes on their anniversary trip to London solo to get some space. While there, she finds an antique glass vial that sends her on a research quest to find its story and distract herself from her own. But when her husband shows up unexpectedly and ends up hospitalized for ingesting a toxic substance, a notebook full of poison research sure looks incriminating for Caroline.

Centuries earlier, the day Eliza shows up at Nella’s shop catalyzes a series of events that will lead both to the end of Nella’s days as a poisoner, and to their story surviving through history to reach Caroline, unlike those of so many women of their era. After successfully killing her pervy master at her mistress’s behest, Eliza is convinced that his ghost is haunting her and that Nella can get rid of his incorporeal nuisance as neatly as she did his physical one. Meanwhile, Nella is really not looking to drag a young innocent soul into her sinful line of work, but she has to admit that her body isn’t as nimble and strong as it used to be, and she could use a young pair of hands around, even if she isn’t ready to let anyone new into her heart.

But when a noblewoman visits her shop, usually frequented by commoners, Nella’s ability to keep a low profile is at stake. Even worse, the noblewoman wants to poison another woman rather than her cheating husband, which crosses even Nella’s dubious moral code. Her brews are meant for the powerless to seek recourse against the powerful, not against each other, and to perpetually replay her own revenge on the man who made her lose her baby. But dare she refuse?

My Thoughts

I was amazed when I got three quarters of the way through the book and realized the plot so far had all taken place over only a few days on each timeline. Penner fit so much action in a short timeline while still keeping the pacing extremely smooth. I was also impressed by a number of plot twists that I didn’t see coming at all and yet make perfect sense within the story.

Although it is difficult to describe this book excitedly to your friends without sounding like a potential serial killer yourself, its overall message was actually one of self-empowerment and hope. Caroline has resources and rights her earlier counterparts didn’t have access to, but all three women learn to define themselves in a man’s world. Caroline rekindles old dreams she had pushed aside for married life. Eliza opens Nella’s eyes to magic. By the end of the book, you as the reader will be motivated to go chase your own goals and cast your own spells.