BOOKS
ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘The Lost Apothecary’
02/21/2021 - by Jason Flatt
SHARETWEETPIN ITSHARE
Reading Time: 3 minutes
The Lost Apothecary - But Why Tho?The Lost Apothecary is a historical fiction novel by Sarah Penner published by Park Row Books, an imprint of Harlequin, a subsidiary of HarperCollins. The audiobook is published by Harlequin Audio and is narrated by Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, and Lauren Irwin.

In the late 1700s in London, a women’s apothecary Nella kept a book. In that book: the names of women who solicited her poisons to kill men who wronged them. In modern London, Caroline is visiting London for what is supposed to be her 10th wedding anniversary, but instead, she is getting as far away from her husband as possible, having just discovered his infidelity.

The chapters of The Lost Apothecary rotate between three voices: Nella, an ailing apothecary of women’s remedies who doubles as a dispenser of poisons; Eliza, a 12-year-old whose faith becomes entangled with Nella’s when she picks up poison on behalf of her mistress; and Caroline, a modern protagonist whose unfaithful husband is the absolute worst type of man and finds herself unexpectedly uncovering Nella and Eliza’s history for the first time.

The three-point of view characters have distinct voices (literally, with three different readers in the audio narration) but share a universal disposition. Nella has an air of wisdom with a tinge of assumption, which mixes well with Eliza’s confident naivety. And Caroline is adrift, not as sure about anything as the other two besides that her life needs a total reboot. All three women, though, are living in the shadow of men, their atrocities, and balancing the expectation and allure of motherhood. Infidelity, abandonment, and, much worse, don’t only traumatize the main characters, the men in their lives nearly completely ruin them forever. Secret poisons sound almost alluring.

Writing multiple perspectives over different time periods takes a lot to ensure every character’s story is equally compelling. The perspectives do all work together thematically and are individually interesting. But something is just slightly missing from both time periods to help fully bridge them. It’s perhaps the lack of a true mystery, at least, until the very last minute, in the present-day story that keeps the two sides of The Lost Apothecary feeling like two separate stories for much of the book. They’re both enjoyable stories on their own, but I wish there was just a smidgen more that would keep me in an elevated state of intrigue over what would happen next.

Again, both halves are indeed compelling on their own. Caroline’s plight with her husband, budding new friendship in England, and adrenalized pursuit of self-determination is both intense and gratifying. I detest her husband entirely and was repeatedly triggered by his behavior as it so immediately reflected emotional abuse I’ve sustained in my own relationship history. If Penner was not writing from her own personal experience, she was certainly drawing from a powerfully recognizable well. But for as uncomfortable as I was on occasion, Caroline’s absolute not just resilience but total imperturbable momentum right through him is perfect.

Nella and Eliza’s intergenerational relationship is very appreciable as well. While there isn’t necessarily affection between them, you can sense strong mutual admiration lacing their interactions. Eliza especially is written aptly as a 12-year old. Rather than the infallible tween of so many stories, she is totally as unwitting a child as a 12-year-old girl in the 1790s would be while still as headstrong as any child deserves to be.

And while there is a clear throughline between Caroline’s discovery of an apothecary vial and her quest to discover its story and the lives of Nella and Eliza, it just never feels like a mystery. It’s clear this adventure is significant to Caroline, who once dreamt of studying at Cambridge and becoming a historian. But it’s not necessarily lived through the book’s narrative and structure so much as told through Caroline’s chapters alone. It’s a totally compelling story, but because the mystery for nearly the whole book is “who is this apothecary” and the reader already knows the answer to that question, there isn’t an opportunity to feel the same high of uncovering a long-kept secret that Caroline experiences herself.

The Lost Apothecary is a good story from three perspectives displaced by several centuries, bound by the universal shadow of abusive men. While I wish there was just a sliver more suspense or mystery to keep the momentum between the two time periods, each side of the book holds its own with decent and empathetic characters.

The Lost Apothecary is available wherever books are sold on March 2nd.

I received a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

There will be some potential spoilers, so don't read on if you haven't read it yet.

I LOVED this book. It was so well done, and I loved the 3 different perspectives. If you listen on audio, there are also different narrators, which I loved.

I think what made me love this story so much is how different each woman was, and how they all in some way kept each others secrets. Caroline was very relatable for me - not in the end of her marriage, but in that she felt like she drifted away from what she wanted to do with her life. I love that she found herself again through investigating the vial.

I would also LOVE to have a job where you get to investigate the past, just saying.

This will probably be one of my favorite audiobooks hands down.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a copy of this magical book.

Sooo good!! This was a most anticipated read for me and it did NOT disappoint!! A dual timelines narrative that follows Caroline - a young woman escaping from her cheating husband by taking their anniversary trip to London on her own in the present and Nella - an 18th century apothecary who distributes poisons to women looking for vengeance against men who have wronged them - and young Eliza, the servant who becomes Nella’s unwitting apprentice. These women’s stories intertwine when Caroline comes across one of Nella’s apothecary vials while mudlarking in the Thames River. An aspiring historian, Caroline takes it upon herself to discover the origins of the vial and while doing so uncovers a two hundred year mystery about the so-called “apothecary killer.” The historian in me loved the historical mystery aspects of this and how Caroline befriends Gaynor - the maps librarian at the British Library - together the two of them track down the origins of the vial and the location of the lost apothecary. Caroline also stumbles across Nella’s register book, wherein she recorded all her poison transactions. However the book leaves Caroline with more questions than answers and ultimately inspires her to go back to school and pursue the academic dreams she had put on hold when she married. Favourite quote: “But these sorts of questions - especially those about the subtle, mysterious interactions between two women - would likely not be found in old newspapers or documents. History doesn’t record the intricacies of women’s relationships with one another; they’re not to be uncovered”
Highly recommend this wonderful debut, especially to fans of Possession, The witches of New York or the Flavia de Luce series. Great on audio!

18th century female apothecary Nella dispenses poisons to women so they may avenge the men who’ve wronged them. When twelve year old Eliza enters her hidden shop, it sets in motion a series of fateful events that to this day were a mystery.

Present day Caroline is spending what should have been her wedding anniversary in London, processing her husband’s infidelity, when she happens upon an old apothecary vial. Determined to uncover its story, Caroline’s chapters are filled with making detective-like discoveries about the past while figuring out what’s best for her future.

I love novels that flip back and forth between time (whether it’s ten years or hundreds of years) and weave together. I also appreciate various narrators when listening to an audiobook, and Nella’s voice was particularly captivating.

The Lost Apothecary is filled with secrets, twists and fateful decisions that generally kept my interest. With that said, I was left wanting more Nella and Eliza and less of Caroline (sorry Caroline!).

Overall, this was a strong debut by Penner but for me didn’t quite live up to the 5 star hype.

This was such a beautiful, mysterious novel! I really did not know what to expect from it. I loved seeing the connections between the women even though their stories were centuries apart. I have always been a big fan of women's fiction so this was right up my alley. It read as part mystery, part thriller, and part historical fiction. I really enjoyed the multiple points of view throughout the narrative.

The premise of this book is interesting and intriguing. The book starts well, but then is just goes downhill. There is some mystery in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a woman apothecary, who dispenses poisons, so other women can kill their cheating husbands or lovers, and a precocious child, perhaps too precocious. There also a modern storyline in the 21st century, a love story, which was not needed and did not add much. It could have been left out. It seemed a little gimmicky and at times annoying. The language used by the characters in previous centuries sounded very modern and lacked credibility. Georgian English did not sound like that. The ending was predictable and a bit preachy. The fours stars are for the use of multiple narrators, which was interesting, the fast pace, the funny parts, and the slivers of mystery. Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Like most books that go back and forth between multiple time periods, I tend to favor one more than the other. In this case, the story of Nella the apothecary and Eliza, her young "apprentice" was far more intriguing than Caroline's story present day. I did really enjoy the strong female characters and hidden alleyways and rooms of London. The plot was very quick and the story never seemed to lag. A good, not great, read.

QOTD: if you HAD to choose, would you say you are a dog or cat person and why?

I’m 💯 a cat person. I feel like they get me.

Rounding out the month with this DELIGHT of a book! I’m about 3/4 through The Lost Apothecary by @sarah_penner_author, and it’s the historical fiction for me, y’all 👏

There is a duel timeline (which I usually dig) between the 18th century and present day. The present day storyline is far less compelling and the character falling into the wormhole of the lost apothecary doesn’t really read like real life, but overall it’s been fun and interesting otherwise!

I’m flexing a bit between the physical book and a gifted copy of the audio from @netgalley and @harperaudio (THANK YOU 🤩). The audio is an A+ performance so far, and I love that there are multiple narrators

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I could not stop listening to this book! It was incredible! I loved the story and narration. The timelines between the past and present day were accomplished flawlessly.

I listened to the audiobook of "The Lost Apothocary". The audio version is excellent, with each character fully developed and I really enjoyed listening to the book.

The story is told from three points of view. The stories of Nella and Eliza were fascinating--18th century women relating their lives as a 12-year-old housemaid and an older apothecary who dispenses poisons to women to deal with the men who have betrayed them.

In present day in the book, Caroline is in London alone, having left her cheating' husband behind on what was to be their anniversary trip. While mudlarking she finds a glass vial and it interested to learn more about it and where it came from. She meets a contact at a library named Gaynor who tries to help her. As the story progresses, the story goes back and forth between the present and the past, and Caroline gets more clues as to where her glass vial came from, and what it was used for. My favorite part of the book were the stories of Nella and Eliza, which I thought were fascinating. I would definitely recommend this book to others who love historical fiction.

I listened to the audio version of this book. I expected to love it which I didn't but I did enjoy it enough to feel okay with recommending it. I liked both storylines and settings. I think what made this more of a "like" than a "love" was how it easy it was for Caroline to climb walls, break into centuries old buildings, and start a graduate program at Oxford (even though it had been years since she graduated with her BA).

*I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

(posted on Goodreads)

Narrator eas great! Author was great with her storyline and creativity! I loved every bit of that book and also listened to it.
I highly recommend this author to everyone! Read the book or listen to the audiobook. Ether way you will be truly entertained !

Such a great book! I needed a break from my normal genre, and this one hit it out of the park. I am still raving about this one to anyone that will listen.

In 1790’s London, a female apothecary concocts potions solely for women, either for their own ailments or perhaps one to kill a man. When she takes on a young apprentice, events are set in motion that threaten the careful life Nella has built crafting her poisons. In present day London, Caroline Parcewell is on a solo trip to think about the direction of her life. A secret exposed brings Caroline’s world crashing at her feet. With its dual timelines, THE LOST APOTHECARY tells the story of these 2 women, separated by centuries, whose lives eventually and magically intersect.

With its strong undercurrent of female empowerment, I adored this tale steeped in mystery. The audiobook was absolutely fantastic with its 3 narrators, though I have to say Nella stole the show. Her character, her voice, and her storyline were my favorite parts of this book. I loved her journey from healer to poison crafter, and her history was one that’s every bit as sad and tragic as you’d expect a healer-turned-murderess’ story to be. My only complaint, and one that prevents me from giving this beauty the full 5 stars it truly merits, was the ending. Seemingly rushed and wrapped much too neatly for my liking, I would have liked to see Caroline give her cheating spouse the harsh treatment he deserved. And I also found the job offer landed much too neatly (and unrealistically) in Caroline’s lap. Though much like the storylines that eventually intertwine, perhaps fate and unseen hands are at work.

Bottom line — magical and mysterious, Penner’s debut is definitely one of my favorites for this year, and I can’t wait to see what she brings next. 4.5 stars.

*audio arc received via NetGalley and the publisher.

This book had me from the get go. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is the first time that I have read/listened to this author, but don't expect it to be my last. It does have dual time lines- present day & late 1700 early 1800's. It talks of a wife, who found out her husband had an affair. They were to take an anniversary trip to London. Anyway, she went mud larking one day and found a blue vial. So begins her looking into the past. Very good book!

Thank you to NetGalley (and Harlequin Audio) for this amazing debut written by Sarah Penner and narrated by Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, & Lauren Irwin!

This book was a solid 4.3-star audio-read for me as all three of these narrators captured the tone and personality of the three main characters so very well. The story itself, kept me interested, engaged, and intrigued me to research more on my own about the topic and time period. These are all characteristics that I particularly look for in great historical fiction.

This book has a dual timeline and while many of my most recent reads with this style have included the characters having some relation/connection, I have to say that I didn't see the exact way these two would come together in advance. I was very impressed by the way the author made the current day character's story converge with the life of an apothecary in the late 1700's. The research behind this and the skill in storytelling is especially impressive since this is Sarah Penner's debut novel. I will definitely be following her and looking forward to any future novels by her.

#TheLostApothecary #NetGalley #Harlequin Audio #Audiobook #StrongWomen

The Lost Apothecary is a wonderful historical fiction debut set in London in the 18th century with an additional storyline in the present. The audiobook, read by three different narrators, brings the complexities of being a women, a human, and a friend to life: complexities that exist regardless of one’s age or the time period. Along the way, rich historical details are disclosed and flashes between past and present reveal more and more. This is a compelling, beautifully written novel.

4.5/5 stars

I just finished the lost apothecary and I really enjoyed it! While it looks like a fantasy novel, it’s really closer to historical fiction. That being said, the lost apothecary itself has a bit of a magical air to it. In the first half of the book I thought it was predictable and maybe a bit cheesy. It did end up being a bit predictable, but I was pleasantly surprised by a few little twists. This is an easy, quick read so it’s enjoyable for a lighter escape. I also enjoyed the theme of women supporting women and surprise friendships throughout the book.

First things first, the cover for this book is gorgeous!!!! Nella and Eliza were the best part about the book. Nella parts were my favorite. I loved the story of Nella selling the poisons to help women and only women. Caroline was an annoying character. I can appreciate growth in a character, but it didn’t make her any less annoying. It was a predictable story, but overall I enjoyed the listen.

An Apothecary shop that caters to your every need...whether it be helping with an ailment or kill your husband? Ummm yes please! Sign me up for a read that promises to be dark and twisted.

This storyline alternates between 1791 and present day. I was gripped instantly as the story started to build. Flash back to the 1790's and a mere 13 year old girl pondering murder? Will the apothecary owner assist her with this? Nella has assisted many of women in her time, but a child this young? As this plan fell into place and Nella and Eliza formed a friendship...the story burned very, very slowly and I eventually started to lose interest.

Forward to modern down and we have Caroline who is dealing with her own "man" problems. After researching the apothecary of the past, her husband ends up having issues of his own...is Caroline to blame? As past and present clash together, it does tie in well...however it did not deliver the depth or suspense that I had anticipated. Perhaps I am the wrong audience for this book. I do read mainly thrillers and I was expecting more...

I wanted more excitement- I mean we have a shop that fully supports assisting in "offing" men that have behaved very badly...there was so much potential here for ALOT of scandal. I expected more gothic vibes...more..witchy wonderfulness...but no...so this is probably a case of "it is me not you." So many have absolutely loved this book, so I suggest giving it a try!