Semi-gothic setting, 1700's time period, secret doors, poisons and remedies, and women only. These are the key words I'd use to describe The Lost Apothecary. With it's short snappy chapters, swapping between present day and the 1700's; and women whom you're likely to be sympathetic, if not empathetic with (as they try to do the right thing).
"Why did we suffer to keep secrets? Merely to protect ourselves, or to protect others?"

I've always thought that herbalists mixing up their concoctions are the closest to 'real' potions we have ever had in our world. And so while there is no magic in Lost Apothecary, it feels like there is. What isn't more magical than providing women with: birth control, healing ointments, and (of course) untraceable poisons. This is how our ancestors had to do things to get a foothold against the patriarch. It's sad, and yet so intriguing that one or two women risked everything in order to provide these backdoor solutions for other women.

Sarah Penner does a wonderful job of keeping the story going. And while each time we jumped to the 'now' story I just wanted to return to the 1700's plot and characters; it is fairly well-balanced in pacing and tone. There are certain elements I could tear apart here; but I won't. Not only because I really enjoyed the story, but also because I'd hate to deter anyone away from this one. I think Lost Apothecary is a great women's literature fictional read and has earned it's space on my personal print library shelf.

Please note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

What a great book! Two stories, one set in the late 18th century and one present day. In 18th century London, a young woman has continued acting as an apothecary to women in need of remedies, and (as a secret side business) to women in need of "special" remedies that will kill the men who torment them. In present day, Caroline is in London to "celebrate" her 10th anniversary, but she is alone after the discovery that her husband has been unfaithful. A serendipitous find sends her in search of the secret of a bottle and its source, and in the midst of this search she finds herself.

This is a suspenseful, fast paced novel full of history and lots of plot twists that kept me reading. I could not put this book down. Just when I thought I had it figured out, something happened to make me gasp. This is Penner's debut novel and I can't wait to see what she does next.

I enjoy stories with multiple timelines, and while I liked the characters and setting, the story felt rushed - especially at the end.

I had just saw a TikTok about the woman poisoner before I started this one. So I had already known some of the history behind this story. Which made this even more enjoyable. I do wish that the author would have had a short history of the actual woman in the beginning of the book. I think it would have prepared readers a little more. Overall, this book was stellar and I couldn't put it down.

Great read! Highly recommending this title to my mystery readers. I ended up adding this to my personal library as well.

This book is a massive dud for me. I was fascinated by the historical story but the modern protagonist was boring and whiny and I gave up on the book about 40% through. Infertility is a truly important issue--even to me personally--but the way it was portrayed in the modern character interfered with moving the story forward. There didn't seem to be any possibility of growth in this story, which was rather sad as the history was fascinating.

You will be transported to the time when the apothecary wasn't lost and you will also travel with the present day traveler to find herself as she discovers herself as she uncovers mysteries about the lost apothecary. A delightfully put together story. As it moves back and forth you don't want to leave either story thread. And the threads tie together nicely in the end. Such an enjoyable read about self discovery, friendship and exploration.

Real rating: 3.5/5

I'm not sure when I first started this book, I think earlier this year, so this review will be short and sweet (this also includes some side commentary which won't make sense until you read the book)

Bad summary: In 18th century London, a hidden apothecary tailors towards women. Not only for monthly cycles and fertility remedies but instead designed to right the wrongs of their husbands. When young Eliza shows on it's doorsteps, their unexpected bond will spark an unexpected consequence unraveling years of mysterious deaths. 200 years later and dealing her husband's recent infidelity, Caroline finds an aged vial along the coast of the Thames. While hunting for answers behind the mysterious vial, she finds a connection between it and the "apothecary murders" and binding her story with the women of the apothecary.

Firstly, thank you so much to Fierce Reads for the e-arc even though I'm finishing it several months after publication. As a history nerd, I loved the concept and the historical accuracy of the story (even if some of it was a creative liberty) And with that, the thing Caroline did in the end ENRAGED ME. DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU JUST LOST?! Also, I liked how the author kept Caroline clueless even though we the reader knew the true story behind certain information and while it did bug me, it's a true fact today that we will never know the person behind the history or the reason for their motives. I'm still giving this book 3.5 out of 5. It was a nice story but it didn't seem like there was much there (?) and I was more invested in Nella and Eliza's story than Caroline's marital problems. This was my first time reading a book like this so I'm a little biased and I can't relate to Caroline outside of our shared interest in history

Going back and forth in time between a female apothecary, Nella, who secretly dispenses poisons to women to free them from the men who wrong them in 18th century London and Caroline Parcewell, a modern day woman taking a what was supposed to be an anniversary trip, that has turned into a trip for one after she finds out her husband has been cheating on her.
Caroline finds an old apothecary vial while searching the banks of the Thames and it starts a collision course that sends her life into parallels with Nella.

I loved reading about Nella and her relationship with her begrudging apprentice, Eliza. Reading about an apothecary at that time and a woman apothecary was very interesting. I could have done without, however, the glaringly obvious parallel between Nella and Caroline. I honestly could have done without Caroline's storyline altogether.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A spellbinding read showing the strength these women need to survive.

THE LOST APOTHECARY is a positively riveting read from beginning to end. Penner weaves a tale bringing the reading into the past while still grounding us in present.

What was so good about this book for me Nella, Eliza, and Caroline’s lives should have never overlapped. However, within this masterful plot, the author allows us to get to know all three of these ladies as they discover themselves as well as the power they each hold. We are there for all the intrigue, emotions, and complicated nature of these ladies' personal relationships.

Though this story is set hundreds of years apart, there is a mystery, a deep sense of history, and a wonderful portrayal of magic. By having Caroline make the discoveries she does in the present, the reader gets to find out what happened in the 18th century to Nella and Eliza. It really is a fabulous mingling of histories. Then you add the potions and what Nella does to help her clients and the reader can see that this tale has a thread of darkness in it. The author does not shy away from some timely subjects even if they are set back in time.

This debut novel certainly had my interest and I cannot wait to read more from Penner.

Loved the dual timeline. Interesting perspective. Good for book groups and historical fiction fans.

What I Liked:
I loved how this book was told in multiple perspectives, spanning over vastly different periods in time. It was a beautiful way to reveal the climax of the story and get a feel for these characters. It made me forget that Caroline didn't know Nella or Eliza like we did.
I loved the history behind this one too. I usually struggle with any type of historical fiction, but this one twisted history with my favorite genre, thriller, so perfectly.

What I Didn't Like/Wanted More Of:
I almost felt the plotlines with Caroline's husband were a little unnecessary - specifically when he got sick.

I loved this book. It started off a little slow, but it picked up and was really interesting! I liked the past quite a bit more than the present (typical for me), but the parts where Caroline unraveled the mystery were done well!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story that is set in two separate time periods but connect in such a wonderful way! It was engaging, meaningful, and somewhat magical! I will say that I did prefer the story set in the 18th century over the modern one, but I am a bit of a historian, so that is no surprise! The characters were likable, the story didn't drag, and I feel like this is a story that anyone would enjoy!

I cannot say enough great things about this book, I just loved it so much! The story switches POV's between Nella, an apothecary living in late 1700's London, and Caroline, a woman in present-day London. Nella is secretly known as the woman who will help other women by dispensing poison to do away with their marriage troubles. Caroline, experiencing marital problems of her own, comes across an old apothecary jar and begins looking into its past. The story kept me enthralled throughout, I felt connected to both women and invested in each of their stories. Highly recommend this historical fiction/thriller. Great read!

I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it. The story was slow-burning, and the twists were unexpected. All three main characters from different timelines have to find their way, and I found myself rooting for each.

Would strongly recommend, and will definitely read again.

Honestly a textbook 3 star book for me, but not in a bad way. I read it quickly, wanted to see what would happen, and probably will never think about it again. Caroline, the modern character, was partly sympathetic but also partly lame. The historical storyline was definitely more engaging, but never stellar.

I hate bashing a book. But jeez, this one was just so bad that I don’t even know where to start (be warned, I’m going to rant)! We have one storyline taking place in the present time, featuring the character Caroline… who I disliked from the start. Her husband cheated on her (and yes, he is an asshole) so she decides to go to England on their vacation by herself. All of this would have been empowering if it wasn’t for her bland commentary on her life. She then discovers this glass bottle and so our adventure begins to find out about this lost apothecary. By some miracle, she is able to “research” and find everything she needs pretty easily, handling precious documents and accessing hidden buildings with ease. The author’s justification? Caroline likes to read historical documents and almost got a master’s degree in it. Of course, this means she’s basically an expert historian, even though she gave up her passion for reading books years ago and went into admin work. Now, we get to the second storyline, featuring 2 female characters: one makes deadly potions for women who want to take life into their own hands (sounds badass, right?) and the other is a 12 year old maid sent to the apothecary by her mistress. I wanted this second storyline to be interesting, to be about badass women taking revenge. But somehow, it was just as boring. The only thing I liked about this entire story is the 12 year old Eliza – everyone else just sucked. This novel plodded along, with no logic to it, and I finished it feeling highly disappointed. If I say any more about this story, I’m going to spoil it (although that might not be such a horrible thing …) but do yourself a favour and give this one a pass.

Late to the party with this one, but I really enjoyed it. I liked hearing the perspectives of all the characters throughout the story. I also am a sucker for a past/present timeline thanks to Outlander so that was a plus for me.

The Lost Apothecary is a dual timeline historical fiction, Nella an apothecary helps women with their problems. Everything changes when a 12 year old darkens her door one night. The modern day timeline follows Caroline, who finds a mysterious vial. This was a fun read that delves in to murder, mystery and revenge. The author could flesh out the characters a bit more and work on giving them more individual 'voices.' but overall an enjoyable read.