INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERNamed Most Anticipated of 2021 by Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Hello! magazine, Oprah.com, Bustle, Popsugar, Betches, Sweet July, and GoodReads!March 2021 Indie Next Pick and #1 LibraryReads Pick“A bold, edgy, accomplished debut!” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Alice NetworkA forgotten history. A secret network of women. A legacy of poison … Times bestselling author of The Alice Network
A forgotten history. A secret network of women. A legacy of poison and revenge. Welcome to The Lost Apothecary…
Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.
Meanwhile in 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.
With crackling suspense, unforgettable characters and searing insight, The Lost Apothecary is a subversive and intoxicating debut novel of secrets, vengeance and the remarkable ways women can save each other despite the barrier of time.
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Sarah Penner had a stunning debut with a highly original premise that has attracted a wide attention and made The Lost Apothecary one of the “most anticipated books” of 2021.
Her central character Nella is a healer with a deep emotional wound, who uses her skills for nefarious purposes. She is, not to put too fine a point on it, a principled serial killer.
The principled part is that she only sells her deadly potions to women to kill men, a twisted logic which is propped up by the idea that women in 1790s London couldn’t find protection or justice in any other way so were forced resort to desperate measures.
Right from the opening Nella is presented in a complex and sympathetic light, when a precocious 12-year-old servant girl comes seeking a remedy and she receives her with kindness, setting in train repercussions with consequences reaching across the centuries.
1790s London comes alive in a compelling dual time line thriller as Nella is blackmailed into extending her activities into areas she never wanted to in a suspenseful dark tale which must inevitably must end badly.
The modern day link comes in the character of aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell , who spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial while “mudlarking” in 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 before.
Sarah Penner draws the two stories together with deft skill, raising uncomfortable questions about human behaviour while entertaining the reader with masterful plot turns.
Questions like is it ever excusable for one person to execute vengeance on another? And does a female serial killer deserve any more understanding than the Jeffrey Dahmer’s of this world? The author gives us plenty to think about while maintaining a tight and entertaining drama.
Sarah Penner talks about the challenge of writing The Lost Apothecary on The Joys of Binge Reading podcast.
I loved everything about this book! I loved the cover, the dual timelines, the characters and how their stories were interwoven. The women in this book are all at different stages of their life, and each has a unique perspective on the events that are happening. This was one aspect that drew me into the story. I love how Eliza is young and somewhat naive and how she is developing an understanding of things as the story progresses. I like how Nella is so knowledgeable about her job, but also has a moral code that she follows. I like how Caroline grows and develops insights about herself and her relationships. Their stories are interwoven beautifully by Sarah Penner, with different chapters told from different perspectives and in different time periods. This book will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This is author Sarah Penner’s debut novel and it’s a very fun read. Part historical fiction, part suspenseful mystery.
Like many novels published these days, there are two stories in different time periods. But unlike many writers who use this technique, Penner doesn’t wait for the end to tie the two stories together. Instead, they unfold in a clever and complementary fashion through three narrators:
1. Caroline: Living in Ohio where she works a safe but boring bookkeeping job, Caroline is in London on what was supposed to be an extravagant 10th anniversary celebration with her husband. Until circumstances forced her to take the trip alone.
2. Nella: A single woman with a tragic past now maintains a small, hidden apothecary her mother began. Only Nella uses what she knows to help desperate women escape from untenable situations.
3. Eliza: Just 12 years old, Eliza is already working as a servant in the home of a wealthy patron, and facing difficult situations of her own.
In 1791, Eliza is asked to deliver a secret message from her mistress to Nella’s shop. Immediately, the Eliza and Nella form an unexpected connection. One that eventually threatens both their lives.
In the present day, Caroline, suffering from jet lag, wanders London and serendipitously joins a walk along the Thames River where tourists sample mudlarking (looking for treasures in mud). With a lifelong passion for history, Caroline’s discovery leads her on a research adventure that changes her life.
These three strong women (or two women and a girl) run into bigger themes as well. Including the privilege inherent in the British class system, the dynamics of marriage, the nature of revenge, and how each individual needs to find their own fulfillment and happiness.
The writing is direct and concise and there’s plenty of action! Don’t miss this quick and enjoyable read!
Really enjoyed this read –fast, entertaining, with some fascinating history woven in. 3 interlocking stories about 3 different women all revolving around this “apothecary shop” that really dispenses poisons so women can dispose of the men who have betrayed and hurt them. Total page-turner. Nothing to read too closely or carefully, but if you’re just looking to be entertained, this is a fantastic historical fiction read.
If the characters were younger, this would be a coming-of-age book. This book goes back and forth between three characters of which two are separated by a century. The desire to help women in a different age forms the basis of the apothecary’s work although that help morphs from mother to daughter. The daughter and her modern day counterpart find themselves questioning the work that they are each doing in a way that leads to discovery and change and in each case with another child/women to help. A bit of the occult thrown in for good measure.
I enjoyed the author’s voice and her writing style. I really liked going on the hunt with Caroline as she searched for the apothecary. That was a lot of fun. This was an easy read with interesting historical characters. I’m such a sucker for history, so my favorite characters were the ones from the past.
Interesting characters, pristine prose, and the structure of the two timelines intersect beautifully.
An intoxicating debut, The Lost Apothecary is a riveting tale of poisons and potions and dark deeds in the name of survival.
Penner’s debut had me completely under its spell. The women of The Lost Apothecary, separated by centuries, seek both revenge and truth in this powerful story. Riveting and utterly original.
I enjoyed this book as a holiday read. There are some little plot niggles, which some reviewers have highlighted, but we read to suspend belief not to detail check.
read my full review https://thebookbubble.com/f/summer-holiday-reviews
A juicy spring read.
Dark, clever, and wickedly fun, The Lost Apothecary is a true page-turner. Sarah Penner has given us a puzzle box of women’s lives, betrayal, power, and history. It’s a book that slyly asks what any of us deserve and if, sometimes, that might not be a little poison.
Sarah Penner kept me guessing until the last page of this addictive, atmospheric novel… Meticulously researched, The Lost Apothecary is both a cure for idleness and a recipe for intrigue. Prepare to be consumed by this carefully plotted, propulsive debut.
Judging by reader reviews, The Lost Apothecary is a book readers either enjoy or dislike. There doesn’t seem to be a middle ground. I admit, it’s a difficult story to enter, but it’s worth the effort. In 1791 London, Nella Clavinger mixes potions and tisanes that can be used to eliminate oppressive or abusive men. Successful applicants have their names inscribed in a book, perhaps the only record the woman ever existed. Nella has one strict rule. The poison is not to be used against another woman. And the primary plot moves forward from there.
In contemporary London, Caroline Parcewell has the usual complaints found it women’s fiction. Her husband is unfaithful. Her life is unfulfilling. She isn’t remotely interesting, until she uncovers a blue vial hidden in Thames River mud and uncovers Nella’s story. Read the book, and you can do the same.
Somewhat predictable dual timeline story with some mystery surrounding the past. Historical buts were the most interesting parts. A mildly entertaining read.
The best part of this book is the writer and her voice in telling this alternate time period mystery. A very enjoyable book!
I have read a lot of historical books and it’s very interesting that women have always taken care of themselves. Sometimes they had to resort to unpleasant ways but in the 18th century the laws were not helpful to females
After I had just finished reading and reviewing my last book, I got a notification. These were a list of the most checked out books in 2021. As I looked them over, I came across “The Lost Apothecary.” It appeared to be an easy read, perfect for a short break during the holiday. I didn’t realize that I was about to enter a mystery. No spoilers of course, I recommend you read this book for yourself. A wonderful novel about a forgotten London history. A secret network of women and the legacy of poisons and revenge. I found this book so entertaining that I could have finished it quickly. I found myself putting the book down on purpose, for the first time…as I didn’t want this story to end too quickly. The author did a wonderful job of jumping around to each of the three main character women, seamlessly. As I was approaching the last few chapters, I was already hoping for a happily ever after, that seemed impossible to happen. There were many surprise twists that made the story unpredictable. This was an enjoyable story and I would recommend it to my friends. I definitely want to own this book and could enjoy reading it again.
A thoughtful read with a dual timeline. The concept of how women seek their own version of justice in a world that favours men, often crops up in my thoughts. It’s about how things aren’t always what they seem, and how small actions have big ripples. I won’t spoil the ending, you’ll have to read it for yourself!
Loved this book! Set in London, it alternates chapters between an 18th-century apothecary who helps women rid themselves of toxic men and a modern-day woman who’s just learned of her husband’s infidelity. A real page-turner.