Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for honest review. I have been stuck in a rut with historical fiction, but this one broke out of the field for me. An engaging read, fast-paced, with a dose of "magick" made for a very enjoyable read for me. I really enjoyed the characters and the storyline had twists all the way up to the end. The only drawback initially was the plausibility of a woman doling out poisons and not have been caught, but by the end everything seemed to fit - the other positives outweighed this.

Caroline and James are planning to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary on a memorable trip to England. But plans change when Carolina discovers her husband's infidelity. She decides to take the journey alone, which was a gift from her parents; she takes a tour of the Thames River. It is there she finds a small blue glass bottle. The etchings on the bottle lead Caroline to an address and hidden apothecary shop, which holds secrets from the past.

The story moves from present-day to the 17th century when Nella operated the apothecary and assisted women in whatever they needed. She kept a record of what she dispensed and to whom.
One day, a young girl, Eliza, comes to the apothecary needing help. From that point, They formed a friendship. This is a story of three different females. They are separated by centuries, but so somehow, their lives will intersect.

The story was told from different points of view. The story moves quickly between the past and present. Eventually, connect ing the three women trough time and centuries. The characters were interesting and well developed. I found this story fascinating. I was drawn in from the beginning until the end.

The Lost Apothecary is a dual timeline murder mystery. The titular apothecary is plying her trade in England in the 1790s, while she sells traditional remedies to help the women of London with normal maladies she also plies a darker trade in poisons. In modern day London, Caroline has arrived on what was supposed to be her 10 year anniversary but her husband's recent infidelity has her travelling alone. On a spur of the moment tour of mudlarking on the river Thames she finds an old apothecary vial and her latent desire to be a historian comes to a head and she decided to try and track down the apothecary. The story bounces back between the two timelines as we see story of these two women who have been betrayed by the people around them and the paths they take to reconcile with these betrayals. This was an interesting book and a really quick read and while I saw the end coming there was a minor twist that I was glad to see. I received a free ebook from NetGalley.

I liked this book, but more so the historical storyline than the present day one. I don't typically read historical fiction but the idea of this apothecary was really intriguing. I almost wish the present day storyline wasn't even there, as there was just something off about it. Especially the relationship between Caroline and her husband. Overall a decent read.

Thank you to #Netgalley and Harlequin for an advanced copy of The Lost Apothecary.

this book was a very interesting read. It goes between current times and about a hundred years ago. I enjoyed reading it and liked the twists.

Wow! This first book is first rate. Alternating between present day and the late 1700s, the author leads us through the story of a woman who mixes poisons to kill and a young girl who visits her, then to a historical researcher who stumbles onto their story. Highly recommended!

While I loved the historical detail, and the sections dealing with the past really came alive, the modern-day thread was less interesting, especially in the beginning. The modern-day main character also felt much more thinly realized than the girl and the old woman in the historical chapters, and her relationship woes came across as oddly inauthentic. Overall a fun read, though.

I found this to be a compelling read. It's a dual timeline, present day and late 1700s, that takes place in London. There is an historical apothecary story and an American out-of-sorts in present day London. I found both stories interesting and found myself quickly turning pages to dig deep into the story and then had the same compulsion to finish it. It was great storytelling. While reading though, I felt very much pulled out of the wonderful atmosphere of the historic portion each time the timeline switched and ultimately I wondered if the present day story was even necessary. I think I would have more enjoyed staying in 1700s London as the author does a brilliant job of making that come to life, as well as creating really vivid characters in that time period as well.

I’m not sure if it was reading it in ebook format or what, but the pacing of this book felt very off. I was just starting to get into the story and care about the characters when it ended, pretty abruptly. I also didn’t find it realistic in any way, either the present narrative or the historical one. Not in a suspension of disbelief way, but in a this is just not how humans interact way. The plot was compelling but not something I can really recommend.

This was such a fabulous read about an 18th-century female apothecary, helping women with their everyday woes... and with enacting revenge on the men who have wronged them.

Nella is basically a ghost, living behind a secret, hidden wall that leads to her apothecary of helps and poisons, the knowledge of which is passed on only from mouth-to-mouth, from woman to woman in their times of need. She doles out the healing medicines for all varieties of women's ailments as her mother taught her, along with deadly poisons - only to be used against men, and the names of the purchaser, intended victim, and poison must ALWAYS be recorded.

Caroline lives in our present day. Recently estranged from her husband, she takes their intended anniversary trip to London alone, where on a mudlarking trip she discovers an old apothecary's vial, strangely unmarked except for a little image imprinted upon it. This novel is full of intrigue and suspense as Caroline uncovers the secrets that lie buried in the past, and Nella's life intersects with that of her youngest patron yet - a girl aged 12, named Eliza.

This book was utterly un-put-down-able, and I highly recommend!

The ending of this book was not what I expected! I enjoy books that time jump so this was perfect. The reader is drawn in by the discovery of a notebook that belonged to someone long ago that operated the apothecary. The narrator then discovers the apothecary and embarks on a journey of self discovery. I will recommend this book to mystery readers.

Author Sarah Penney has written an extraordinary story intertwining the lives of three women over the span of two hundred years. It is at once captivating and the storyline carries you along on a ride of suspense. The characters are developed fully and their lives are clearly set before us. You find yourself invested in each of the women hoping for a satisfying future for each of them. The information regarding the plants used for the poisons and cures dispensed from the Apothecary make for an interesting read.

This is a wonderful book, and to be written by a first-time published author is as extraordinary as is this story. I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to read a good suspenseful story, and one that truly speaks to the wonderful love and support women can have for each other. (I was given this book from NetGalley for my honest opinion, but I can honestly say that I would have gladly paid to read this book—it is that good!)

This book was not for me. For some reason I just had a hard time connecting with the characters. I felt like I could see bad things were going to happen to them way in advance, and they were all just not making smart decisions. Others may really enjoy this book, but I did not.

Debut novel from Sarah Penner. The storyline jumps between 1791 and present day London. Told from three POVs, two in the past and one present. In the present Caroline goes Mudlarking and finds an old glass apothacary vial. I have seen mudlarking on a travel show where pipes, coins, pottery and other items can be found in the mud as the tide changes. Caroline with the help of a new friend at the British Library tries to find out about the vial where it came from.

In 1791 Nella is runs an apothecary. In her mothers day it was mainly for female complaints. Nella continues that tradition but she also helps women who have special problems. She will provide the means to poison cheating or abusive spouses or others. She is literally a Georgian era serial killer. Eliza is a 12 year old girl who befriends Nella.

With multiple stories it is easy to like one more than the other. I preferred the 1700s partly because it got more time being told from two people. I think this will be promoted as feminist which is true in the sense that a woman was helping other woman in a time when legally they were so restricted. To me it is a mystery that is pealed back layer upon layer. Each chapter ending was almost a cliffhanger making you wait to join that storyline again. I am not sure that I could fully believe that Caroline could put together all the pieces that she did. I loved that she used period maps to aid in her search. I did have a few questions that weren't quite answered. What was or caused Nella's ailment and what was her ending. And why was Eliza so independent and capable yet also frustratingly superstitious.

I read this fairly quickly in a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. It will appeal to anyone who likes mysteries, London or womens fiction in general. It is also clean for language and sex. Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin and the author for an ARC ebook in exchange for a honest review.

Each chapter is told from a different character's point of view. Nella owns an apothecary in London during the 1790s. Caroline is in present day London on a trip after finding out her husband has been cheating on her. Eliza is a young girl who goes to Nella on behalf of her mistress for a potion to kill the husband of the mistress.

I enjoyed the plot and the character formation. It kept my interest throughout, and I had a hard time putting it down. I think this would make a god book club pick.

I really enjoyed this narrative set in two timelines: the late 1700s and modern-day. I was hooked by the premise of a female apothecary who dispensed poison to women to avenge the men who had done them wrong. Through the eyes of a modern visitor to London, a young girl who visits the hidden apothecary shop, and the apothecary herself, readers learn how and why Nella runs this unusual business. Hand to mystery fans.

It’s been awhile since a story grabbed hold of me so strongly as this one. The juxtaposed stories of the apothecary in the 17th century and the woman in the 21st century blend really nicely, although I will confess I was more interested in the apothecary’s story and the action taking place there.

The 21st century characters are definitely of the time - a little whiny, self-absorbed, and feeling unfulfilled - while the 17th century characters seem to pop. I definitely got the feeling the author enjoyed writing the apothecary’s story more! Nella and Eliza, and even the Lady Clarence blaze off the page, while I was left with little sympathy for our modern day characters.

Overall, though, this is a captivating and fast-paced story that will appeal to fans of historical fiction.

I enjoyed this unique story very much. Historical fiction is my very favorite genre and I especially liked the unique kind of clientele in this novel. The dual timelines intertwined really well and there is a perfect balance of mystery and adventure. I was intrigued from beginning to end. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.

18th Century, London. In a bleak room as dark and dank as her empty soul, Nella grinds and concocts poisons that will effectively kill men—undetected.

For a price, any woman who has been cheated on, used, abused, swindled, broken-hearted, scorned, and can swear to secrecy and promise to never use the poisons on another woman, can safely seek her revenge. For decades, invisible obscurity is how the Apothecary ran. Until Eliza showed up at Nella's secret door with a request from her society mistress.

Present-day Caroline is touring London solo—she was supposed to have been celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary. Instead, she's on her own, nursing a shattered heart.

Joining a 'mudlarking' group, mucking about in the shallows of a river, Caroline finds a tiny, blue vial with a unique etching. Intrigued, the latent historian in her decides to investigate. Slowly unearthing clues, she discovers the ages-old Apothecary, but her quest is cut short when her estranged husband shows up announced. When he is unexpectedly seized by a violent sickness, Caroline is suspected of intentionally poisoning him.

Seamlessly shifting between the two timelines and the stories of the characters, Penner delivers a fascinating, fantastical, and evocative read.

It was hard to put down and I didn't until I finished it. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) for the read of Sarah Penner's, The Lost Apothecary.

Opinions expressed are my own.

Blend of historical and contemporary fiction told though narratives of three women. Poison is always exciting even when over 200 years apart. An intriguing mystery.