This is an interesting story, and you’ll like it if you’re looking for a very light read with a little mystery thrown in.

Fun, fast-paced, and interesting this thriller about a woman in the present discovering the tracks of an apothecary from the late 18th century is sure to keep you turning pages.

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 love historical fiction but rarely read ones in the 18th century, but the description of this one intrigued me. When I saw it on NetGalley, I requested it and want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and enjoy this book.

Wow!!!! Incredible debut novel by Sarah Penner.

The story grabbed me right from the beggining and kept me guessing till the end.

Dual timeline book told from the point of views of 3 female characters...Caroline(present day) and Nella and Eliza in 1791.

This is a story of friendship, betrayal, following your dreams and do much more.

Thank you very much for an early copy. Loved the book!!

There is a whole lot to like in this book. I find the topic of poisoning people to be supremely fascinating, and having one of the main characters to be an apothecary who specializes in helping wronged women, well, sign me up to read it! It's a quick read and I read it quickly.

A few things bothered me. The graphic descriptions of menstruation are pointless. Like I sincerely don't get that, and it kind of turned my stomach if I'm being honest. (Was that the point? Because if it was, then bravo!) I also felt like the book could have been better if it were longer. There were a lot of parts that seemed really abrupt and while that's fine, I guess, I actually would have liked more explanations.

And the ending. Well, it was murky and rushed. That's fine, again, I guess, if that was the point. But I sincerely felt like it could have been handled better, you know?

Anyway, overall, I enjoyed this one. I'd read more novels by this author. Great debut!

Tucked into an alley, working in a hidden room, Nella sells poisons to women in abusive situations. When a twelve year old comes into her shop seeking a potion for her mistress, a small mistake puts Nella in serious danger. In present-day, after finding out that her husband is cheating, Caroline travels to London alone. After finding an apothecary bottle in the mud along the river, she begins to track down the bottle and unravel Nella's story.

I'm not sure what to say about this one. Nella's story was interesting, and I wish the book had focused entirely on her. Caroline's story was unnecessary and dramatically slowed the plot down. I thought Caroline's research attempts were highly unlikely to yield any results and was just not believable. However, because I enjoyed the apothecary's story, 3 out of 5 stars.

This was a great historical mystery set in eighteenth century and present day London. Perfect mystery for a cozy fall day.

I requested this book on a whim after I received an email promoting it. It ended up being quite a good read, albeit a fast one. It is split between the late 18th century and the current day and alternates between the two female protagonists, Nella and Caroline. While there was enough detail to set up and continue the story, I think it could have been longer and more fleshed out. However, it was a good read and an enjoyable one and I will recommend it to my patrons.

This was a fascinating read!
Nella is an apothecary in 18th century London who has a very special business. Caroline is a 21st century woman doing some soul-searching on what should have been her 10th wedding anniversary vacation. One spur-of-the-moment excursion propels Caroline into a surprising project, and helps her decide who she wants to be.
The two storylines progress alongside each other. We learn about Nella as she faces her worst nightmare, while following Caroline's research (which leads to an interesting twist after her husband joins her in London).
The subject matter, the pacing, and the history made this a difficult book to put down. I found myself wanting more details about Nella's potions, the history behind them, and whether there were others like her in that time period. Loved the ending, too!
This would be a great book club read-so many things to talk about! The role and practice of the apothecary, women's issues, relationships, and murder all come into play in this wonderful book.

I liked the history, and the dual timeline, and the women who make their our fates. Could have been a bit livelier and way faster.

This was a fun book! I loved the two timeline aspect and to see how the stories become interwoven. However, some parts of the story did seem to drag a bit and move slowly. Caroline was a character I had a hard time connecting with. That being said I really loved the setting and plot of the story.

I really loved the concept of this book and I enjoyed reading it. It lost one star for me though because Caroline is just not a very convincing character. Her investigative and research abilities are not really all that amazing, and I just did not feel a strong connection between her and the mystery she was chasing down. This book could’ve had a little less Caroline and more and Ella and Eliza and I think it would’ve been five stars.

Thanks to netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rarely does a book with two timelines feel as seemless as this one. Not only did I enjoy both timelines, I wanted to read each one just as much, and loved the way they mirrored each other at times. This is a book about women and the ways they support, heal, and harm each other. I read this whole thing in one sitting, and although a few parts dragged for me, I loved following Caroline as she discovered the world of 18th century London. 4.5/5 stars and a highly recommended read!

Arriving in London for what was supposed to be an anniversary trip, Caroline finds herself instead on an unusual journey of self discovery. On her first mudlarking (That’s right, mudlarking; another reason I love the adventure of reading) she discovers a mysterious apothecary vial. The tour guide indicates that finding something on the river was surely fate. Little does Caroline know that the vial’s history will mark the end of one story and the beginning of another, the intersection of pain, secrets and loss amongst three women, and the discovery of magic! The Lost Apothecary’s words flowed magically across the page and allowed me to escape into the lives of strong and resilient women from two time periods. Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Apothecary was a quick read that kept me engrossed. While I liked it, I found myself more immersed in the 18th century chapters, while the present day chapters felt like a slog. While Caroline's storyline is meant to enhance the story, I didn't feel that it added much.

I won’t outline the plot again as you can see that in the description, however I just have to describe my elation with this beautifully written book! As a new author, Sarah Penner engrossed me within this story from the very beginning as she wove the tale of an apothecary in London in the early 1700’s. I was delighted with the research and development of the story that you can certainly tell that Sarah painstakingly attempted to do right with the potions and tinctures named throughout the book. The character development alone ensnared my heart from the very first meeting of each character. My heart broke and swelled with a smile on numerous occasions as heart-wrenching details or accomplishments were uncovered through the lives of the women in the book, Eliza, Nella, and Caroline. It was a delightful mixture of my favorite themes within books and contained strong female characters, magic and herb knowledge, and librarians and research. I also felt a kinship with women in the book and loved the ending as I felt I had gone on the same journey with them as one blue vial from an apothecary’s shop, changed the fate of many. “For both of us, the vial marked the end of one quest and the beginning of another; it represented a crossroads, the abandonment of secrets and pain in favor of embracing the truth - in favor of embracing magic. Magic, with its enchanting, irresistible appeal, just like a fairy tale.”

I like the interaction of Gaynor with our protagonist, Caroline, in the search for the answer to the mysterious bottle and the simultaneous story of Eliza working with Nella, the apothecary. I didn’t buy into the divorce story line as much, it just seemed like extra baggage to set up the trip to London. Caroline at times seemed whiny and I wanted to scream at her, just give him the boot.
#LostApothecary #NetGalley

I was hooked on this book from the beginning! The topic was unlike anything I've read before, and I enjoyed it immensely! Both the current day and past storyline are interesting and engaging. Highly recommend!

This was an excellent book. I loved it.
Caroline is on her 10th wedding anniversary trip to London alone because she recently discovered that her husband has been cheating on her. On a whim, she participates in a mudlarking expedition in the Thames and discovers a blue glass vial with some interesting markings. The find inspires Caroline to embark on a research project.
Caroline's storyline and the stories of two characters from the late 1700s mesh effortlessly. All three of the characters are well-developed and very interesting. As Caroline works to uncover the truth, the reader is taken on a parallel journey in the 1790s. This novel includes several surprising twists. I must admit to being disappointed by what happened to the vial at the end.
I would enjoy reading another book about Caroline. I would definitely read this author again.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an advance reading copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This is a ponderous, dark novel that moved so slowly. There are truly wonderous moments of writing but overall it came across as a depressingly old work. A unique premise, excellent character development, but when woven together, along with the setting, it made for a hard read.