This is a really rollicking tale of a mudlarking excursion on the bank of the Thames leading to investigation into an 18th c. apothecary to sell ladies poison to kill men with. I'm here for it! I really appreciated its brisk pace and that it wasn't too self serious. It had a very satisfying conclusion and took some real twists I enjoyed. It's to be avoided for people who are sensitive to issues of fertility/pregnancy/miscarriage, and it depicts some awful, manipulative relationships. This is one of those rare books in these pandemic times that really grabbed me, so I'm very appreciative of it!

***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.***

There probably were many apothecary shops in London during the 1790’s, but none as unique as the one run by Nella Clavinger. Her mother started it long ago when Nella was just a child and its sound reputation grew. Nella still dispensed the potions and cures women of the time needed, but after her marriage ended her clientele became exclusively women and she dispensed lethal poisons to those wanting to rid their lives of betraying men. Now the shop can only be found in its hidden spot by word-of-mouth, whispered amongst women with secret intentions. Eliza Fanning, just a twelve-year-old servant girl is waiting for Nella inside the hidden vestibule, the note from her mistress to give to Nella in her hand. Eliza knows what the note is undoubtingly requesting, she is aware of her mistress’s husband’s misdeeds.

Meanwhile, in present-day London, Caroline Parcewell has arrived alone, at the lovely hotel she and her husband were to spend their tenth anniversary, until she discovered his affair. Caroline figured why give up this trip to a city she has been wanting to visit for so long, she will discover it herself. On her first day she unexpectedly goes along on a ‘mudlarking’ tour (salvaging in the mud for treasure), along the Thames river. She finds a small vial with a tiny imprint on the bottom that eventually sends her on the best investigative trip of her life.

This incredible book of historical fiction continues, alternating between the two timelines of 1790 and present day, with three strong female characters: The Apothecary – Nella, Client – Eliza, and Modern, amateur sleuth – Caroline. Each character, each individual woman has a rich, compelling life story to reveal. Caroline will discover she has found a link to the unresolved “apothecary murders’ that haunted London two hundred years ago. What she uncovers and how she finds it all is a novel in and of itself.

Nella is a phenomenon, an industrious worker, healer, and protector of all the women betrayed, hurt physically and mentally, by the men in their lives. She carefully keeps a record of every woman she helps not to incriminate them but to memorialize them. Sarah Penner’s research into the herbs and plants that Nella uses to concoct her potions and powders is outstanding! Young Eliza becomes fascinated by Nella and her work and desires to be her assistant. Nella has always worked alone but she is getting older and could use help but would it to safe to take on another. This question and answer are important to the outcome of this book.

And what of Caroline, what will she do with the information she discovers, would current authorities even care? Would she be arrested for trespassing? Oh, this book is a must read! I cannot believe this is a debut novel.

Book Clubs will adore this book since there are so many discussions surrounding the poisoning of men for wrongs against their wives, etc. as well as Nella making the potions to sell. This intriguing, beautifully written book is a page-turner, a five plus read, do not miss it. It’s not women’s fiction, it’s historical fiction, raw, real, and deadly!

Thank you Netgalley, Park Row Books, and Harlequin/HarperCollins, and Sarah Penner

**Review to be posted on 2/27/21**

Likes:
*The story is told through three perspectives, the past with Nella and Eliza and then present time with Caroline.

*Caroline is going through some marriage trouble but I love how her curiosity to find out about an old apothecary bottle leads her to learning a lot of things about herself and the choices she made in life. I could relate to Caroline a lot.

*Nella and Eliza’s story were fascinating ~ especially because that apothecary was one used by women to do harm. Was it okay for them to do that? In those times women had no resources to help them against men causing them harm so I can see why they resorted to poison. I felt for both Nella and Eliza and what happened to them.

*The history about the apothecary is fascinating and I love how at the end of the book the author included recipes, non-harmful ones, of course!

Random notes:
*There were moments I was more interested in Caroline’s life than Nella and Eliza’s but I think there was a good balance of both.

*The twist in the end definitely tied in the women’s stories together.

Final Thoughts:
I found the historical aspects of this story quite fascinating since I’ve always been drawn to stories about apothecaries and healing. It’s so interesting to learn about how people survived without modern medicine but in this case, how women survived some very bad situations they were trapped in. Caroline is the modern woman trying to get out of a situation she’s found herself in and researching Nella’s apothecary helps her find the strength to do the right thing.

Reading this book made me feel like I was on gentle rollercoaster. The interest level dipped and climbed often for me and once I hit that nail-biting part near the end, I was hooked and completely invested. The alternate timelines wove a super intriguing story of the apothecary, Nella, in the 1700's and the modern-day woman, Caroline...it almost felt like a mystery, but jumping between times made it seem like the reader got the inside look at what actually happened all the while Caroline was trying to figure it out.

The characters are well thought out, the plot doesn't get lost between timelines, and the story flows really well. Going in, I thought this would be a darker, more twisty book than it was so I was a bit disappointed with that, but overall I did enjoy this witchy, mysterious, debut novel.


Thank you to HARLEQUIN/Park Row via NetGalley for the e-arc to read and review honestly.

A woman fleeing a troubled marriage arrives in London, and on a mudlarking tour, finds an old apothecary jar. She begins researching it, makes friends at the British Museum, and finds herself immersed in a 300 year old mystery involving an apothecary who helped women out of difficult situations.
The book is told in two narratives, one set in present times, and one relating events in 1790s London. I read most of the book in one sitting, because I got so caught up with the characters!

Wow! This is an excellent debut novel Sarah Penner! The story is told in two timelines, both in London: one in the 1790s and one in present day. In the 1790s, Nella is an apothecary with a hidden, secret shop where she dispenses poisons to women who are in desperate situations due to men. Nella has two rules she lives by: 1) Do no harm to women, and 2) Record the names of both the woman and the victime in her journal. A young girl comes into Nella's life, Eliza Fanning, who precipitates the risk of exposing Nella and the women she has aided.

In present day, Caroline Parcewell finds her husband has cheated and lied to her. She travels to London alone and bumps into a "mudlarking" group (never heard of mudlarking before!). While mudlarking, finds a glass vial. She makes inquiries into its history, and with help from a librarian she investigates a historical mystery.

This was a well-written, fascinating historical mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks to HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I loved this story. I expected this to be a fun historical feminist story but the story got deeper and deeper. I connected with the main character so intently and I loved the journey she took both literally, in terms of the mystery, and with her own self-growth. Highly recommend.

The Lost Apothecary is a dual timeline historical fiction / mystery story which brings you between modern times and 1790s London. When Caroline arrives in London on her first trip from the US she stumbles upon a group who are mudlarking, which is looking at tidal earth when the Thames has receded for historical artifacts. She joins and finds an unusual vial with an engraving on it. Her curiosity is heightened and she decides to investigate. What she stumbles upon is a story about an apothecary who had quite the unusual practice and group of customers.

The story expertly slips into the historical timeline and we meet the apothecary and see how her practice came to be. We see how she inherited her mother's practice and is betrayed by a man which causes her to begin supporting other women who have had similar betrayals. This leads to a slippery slope where she begins offering poisons that lead to murders. We see her ethical struggle with this evolution of the practice. As Caroline reveals the historical details in modern time, we get a glimpse of the truth behind the historical artifacts. We also see how Caroline's investigations get her in a little hot water.

This is historical fiction expertly done! Read this one if you enjoyed The Sin Eater or In the Shadow of the Sun.

NetGalley Advanced Review Copy | One of my favorite upcoming 2021 book releases, don't miss The Lost Apothecary. Find a beautifully woven tale about a female apothecary serial killer paired with a modern-day story of a woman trying to find herself in a suffocating and manipulative marriage. Librarians and historians will love this feminist historical fiction novel.

You can find the full review on The Uncorked Librarian here: https://www.theuncorkedlibrarian.com/march-2021-book-releases/

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I received an electronic ARC from HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) through NetGalley.
Told from two time periods - modern times and 1791. Readers follow three narrators on their journeys. Nella is an apothecary who learned her trade from her mother. She has added a twist as the potions she dispenses offer women escape from difficult situations. When twelve-year old Eliza is sent to request a poison for her mistress, she becomes fascinated by Nella's shop and wishes to learn more. In the present time, Caroline has come to London to think about her marriage. Rather than a 10th anniversary trip, she is there alone to decide if she wants to forgive her husband's affair and stay together.
Readers meet Nella first and get a glimpse of her world. Then Caroline arrives and finds a small blue vial that launches her research into the past. Information is revealed in both times so readers can merge the knowledge and get a clearer picture of how these women survived/survive their challenges. Penner weaves her characters together and also allows them to stand alone as women of their times. It is a quick read that pulls readers in from the first couple chapters. The characters are flawed and very human. They are doing their best to survive in the cultures they live in. I thought Caroline was the weakest at first but she does find her strength and the courage to confront her husband after his ridiculous ploy to gain her sympathy. No spoilers but this twist to connect the storylines felt a bit obvious. By the end, all three women have moved farther on their journeys of redemption and self awareness. Readers can decide for themselves how each women completed her life.

It’s fitting that I write this review today, because 230 years ago today on Feb. 10, 1791, the events that changed the lives of our three main characters: Nella, Eliza and Caroline took place.
Who are these three?

First, there’s Nella, the apothecary. Her timeline takes place in 1791. After the death of her mother 20 years prior, she’s been running her mother’s apothecary shop which has had a long history of helping women with whatever ails them. The only difference is that where her mother only sought to help women with their health afflictions, Nella, for reasons her own, also secretly dispenses poisons to women who request it to “remedy” the husbands, lovers, fathers, brothers, or whichever other male has crossed them.

Eliza, the maidservant of one of Nella’s clients, is a 12-year old girl who befriends Nella when sent to get poison at the bidding of her mistress, Mrs. Amwell. It’s lovely little Eliza who innocently sets in motion the events that change the lives of these three ladies.

Jump to the present day timeline, where we meet Caroline, a history buff, who’s gone on a trip to London that was meant as a ten-year anniversary gift for she and her husband, James, but through circumstance, now finds herself there solo. On a whim one day, she goes mudlarking (discovering buried treasures hidden in the river’s mud) at the River Thames where she discovers a mysterious blue vial that, unbeknownst to her, ties back to Nella and Eliza. In her efforts to find out more about this vial, the story of the past comes to life.

I won’t go into all the details of the story, because it’s better to let it tell itself, but this fascinating womens’/historical fiction shines a light on issues experienced by women, both past and present, as they deal with the implications of their place in society. In 1791, that means Nella, Eliza, and the other women of their day having almost no power to right the wrongs they’re experiencing - at least legally, and in the present day, it’s more about how women, like Caroline, often suppress or abandon their own goals in pursuit of keeping harmony in their homes.

Despite the themes, I don’t think the intention of the book is to hate on men or paint them in the light that they’re only capable of harming women in some way, nor is it to glorify women harming them in return. Rather, this story illuminates the path that these womens’ choices put them on and the overall effects those choices have on them.

I enjoyed both the past and present storylines. Nella and Eliza’s almost mother-daughter-like friendship is sweet, as is the friendship that develops between Caroline and Gaynor, a librarian at the British Library who helps her research the vial. It’s a journey of intrigue, mystery and discovery as the dual storylines unfold. Nella and Eliza’s story has palpable tension as the repercussions of their choices made on and around February 10 come to light, and in the present, it’s one of self-discovery for Caroline, as she uncovers, not only the past, but a clear path for her future. It’s a quieter, slower story. It didn’t grab me and scream in my face for attention - thank goodness - but it beckoned me into these ladies’ lives, nonetheless, and it was a lovely little journey that I recommend you take as well. Sarah Penner has offered a wonderful debut!

★★★★

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin - Trade Publishing and Sarah Penner for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. It will be published March 2, 2021.

"The world is not kind to us… There are few places for a woman to leave an indelible mark."

The Story: After discovering her husband's affair, Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone in London. During a mudlarking adventure near the River Thames, she finds an old apothecary vial. Her curiosity got the better of her and as she begins to investigate, she inadvertently unravels the story of Nella Clavinger, who ran a hidden apothecary shop at the back of a dark London alley in the 18th century.

My thoughts: I enjoy reading books about poison and The Lost Apothecary immediately grabbed my attention! Nella sells her well-disguised poisons to help women who are desperate to free themselves from abusive or unfaithful men and husbands. She reminds me of the 17th century Italian professional poisoner, Giulia Tofana, who sold poisons to women for this same purpose. So, this was really interesting!

The story is narrated in dual timeline - Caroline in present day and Nella in 18th & early 19th century - and I loved them equally which is rare! I was completely immersed in their stories. I loved that all the answers Caroline was seeking during her investigation were unraveled gradually in Nella's story. I LOVED it!

I enjoyed everything about this book - from the gorgeous cover, intriguing plot, and endearing characters, to the mystery and suspense - this book has it all! What a great debut! A MUST READ!


Pub. Date: Mar 2, 2021

***Thank you Harlequin - Trade Publishing (U.S & Canada), author Sarah Penner and NetGalley for this gifted review copy to read and review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.***

The Lost Apothecary is a tale of poison and revenge. Sarah Penner weaves together three women’s stories in two different timelines. This riveting debut will have you under its spell until the very last page. Highly recommend!

4.5 stars

The Lost Apothecary is historical fiction that follows two storylines told from three points of view. In the present day, Caroline is alone in England on what was supposed to be a trip to celebrate her tenth wedding anniversary. She’s reeling from discovering her husband’s infidelity. She’d wanted to get a degree from Cambridge as her passions are history and British literature, but she gave up on her dream when she got married and chose a safe life working the books on her family farm. Now, she makes a discovery that rekindles her interest in history, and we follow along as she tries to unravel a 200-year-old mystery.

In 1791, apothecary Nella continues to help women with legitimate balms while at the same time providing darker services that women know about only through word of mouth. When 12-year-old servant girl Eliza Fanning shows up needing help for her mistress, the woman and girl’s lives change forever.

This is well-paced and compelling—a lot of fun.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES MARCH 2,2021.

Based on the description, I think I expected more from this story. The idea of a female apothecary in the late 18th century, helping other women murder men who’ve wronged them, could have been a great story. Maybe it was the writing, but this one just didn’t work for me.

"Fancy joining us for mudlarking?" These words would soon jump start Caroline Percewell's unfulfilled dreams of pursuing a graduate degree and researching obscure documents, rare books and perhaps propel her to further exploration of past centuries. Caroline had expected to celebrate her tenth anniversary with her husband James in London. While James had been climbing the corporate ladder with the goal to become a partner in his firm, Caroline's happiness had played second fiddle. First love, then marriage, now betrayal! James's affair had Caroline reeling. Why not go mudlarking?

"The Thames runs straight through the city of London...Little remnants of history...can be found right here in the mud...countless souls scrounging about in the river for something old, something valuable...". Caroline spotted a translucent sky blue glass, "very much like an apothecary's vial...the glass...quite uneven in places...this glass object-delicate and yet still intact-somewhat like myself...the discontent within me seizing the possibility of adventure, an excursion into my long-lost enthusiasm for era's past". First stop: The British Library!

1791. Netta's story. "I was wonderfully in love. The first betrayal. The first victim. The beginning of a stained legacy. I was not just an apothecary, but a murderer. A master of disguise...". In an outer room, only an old grain barrel, a hiding place for letters with requests from women. "My shop was buried deep behind a cupboard wall at the base of a twisted alleyway in the darkest depths of London...This was my mother's shop long before it was mine. The tinctures she dispersed were meant only for good: benign herbal remedies...but beneath the ink strokes of my register hid betrayal, anguish...and dark secrets...My precious calfskin register- a record of life and death; an inventory of the many women who sought potions from here, the darkest of apothecary shops." "Betrayal was why I began to dispense poisons...to carry the secrets of these women, to record them in my register, to protect and aid them."

In present day London, Caroline searched the British Library databases for information on the vial, hand etched with a tiny bear, the vial unearthed from the muddy Thames. She hoped to time date this item which perhaps was centuries old.

Unfolding in a dual timeline, present day and the years between 1791-1816, the narrators Nella, Eliza, and Caroline tell their stories. Caroline tries to piece together the life of Nella, the apothecary who operated a shop in a back alley two hundred years ago. At the shop, Nella conversed with twelve year old Eliza, who expressed an interest in becoming an apothecary apprentice. Nella explained that she never rested. "Something is always steaming, brewing, stewing, soaking at all hours of the night" and that this has taken a toll on her life. Eliza, a curious, observant, wide-eyed child proved to be a challenge to Nella as apothecary, a brewer of secrets, and a friend to all women.

"The Lost Apothecary" by Sarah Penner was a fascinating melding of the secrets of a hidden apothecary shop and the reemergence of a talented researcher's quest and pursuit of higher education and her search to rediscover herself as well as hidden treasures from the past. I highly recommend this historical fiction read.

Thank you HARLEQUIN/Park Row for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Apothecary
By Sarah Penner
.
Thanks so much to:
@sarah_penner_author #thelostapothecary @parkrowbooks @harpercollins @marisolfokes
@htpbooks @harpercollinsca @harlequinbooks

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

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.

The Lost Apothecary is one page turning debut from the author, Sarah Penner.
A riveting novel with three heroines and a original tale of poisons, revenge. Sarah Penner spins a wonderful tale told in two time periods, One back in time to 1791 London. Where Nella doses out fatal poissions to woman customers who have been wronged by men. Along with her apprentice Eliza, a twelve-year-old Lady’s maid who becomes Nella’s friend and assistant. The other is 200 years later present day.

Caroline who takes her ten year anniversary trip alone after finding out about, her treacherous unfaithful husband. In a series of events Caroline finds a blue potion bottle with a bear marked on its side, which sets her on a journey to discover its history.

Told in three distinctive POV’s adding so much depth and enjoyment to the reader.
Theirs lived become intertwined in a twist of fate along with a little dash of magic. This was a captivating book with its historical fictional that delights the reader with a mystery and magical realism. I enjoyed this book from start to finish, it kept me flipping through as I was completely immersed with in its pages.

A unique piece of historical fiction based on the difficulty of determining poisons as a mode of murder in England during the eighteenth century. Alternating between Nella’s story in 1791, and Caroline’s story in the present, amplifies the suspense. Caroline came to London for a planned 10th anniversary trip which did not happen upon discovering her husband was having an affair. In London, alone, she finds a tiny blue vial with a bear etched on it, which starts her on a search for its origin. Nella is continuing her mother’s vocation as an apothecary, but instead of treating illnesses, a tragic event leads to her using the apothecary to help women rid of abusive or cheating men in their lives. Without telling any more of this intriguing story, I encourage you to read this book. I really enjoyed the very different storyline and thank NetGalley fir the ARC.

Dual timeline, mid 1700s and present day.

Caroline is running way from her problems. She wants time and space to think. Going on a solo trip to England will give her the space she needs. When invited to go mudlarking in the Thames, she find an old glass vial with a bear etched in it. Determined to figure out where it came from and who it’s owner was, she starts a series of events that changes her future.

Nella runs her mother’s apothecary, but where her mother used it to heal the women in their community, Nella does things differently. She helps the women protect, defend, and avenge themselves. Her hidden apothecary dishes up poisons to unsuspecting gentlemen. But when 12 year old Eliza shows up, this start to unravel

I was fully invested Nella & Eliza’s story. Positions, mystery, betrayal, I devoured their chapters. Caroline’s story moved slower, but you know more information than she does. You’ll be discovering the clue right along with her, but begging her to just figure it out.

Overall, I liked it and would recommend it.

"...Present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary’s in a stunning twist of fate—and not everyone will survive."

This dual timeline debut novel is historical fiction at it's best. My only complaint is that it's over so soon! My desperate hope is that this becomes the first in a series and we can follow Caroline as she delves into more historical mysteries. There is so much more we can delve into in both this story and the sagas of the women Nella documents. I look forward to more from this author.