WOW! I just loved everything about “The Lost Apothecary” by Sarah Penner. I highly recommend this amazing novel which is so wickedly entertaining, captivating, intriguing and intense. The genres for this novel are magical realism, some historical fiction, women’s friendship and fiction. There are two timelines for this story, 1791 and the present. The author goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. Both timelines eventually connect like pieces of a puzzle. The author describes her dramatic and colorful characters as complex and complicated. They are also motivated, and have a sense of purpose.

In 1791, Nella waits in her hidden apothecary store for her customers. Nella inherited this store of magical and special potents from her mother, who treated sick people with herbs and specially made medicines. Nella has found a different way of helping other women who have been hurt. She keeps a special book and records all her information. Nella has a way of revenge, where she can make potents and potions that can harm the men who have hurt women. Her only rule is that no woman ever be hurt.

A young new woman, Ella seeking a special medicine for her mistress befriends Nella, and wants to learn from her. Little does she know how her contributions will alter the change of many things.

In the present, a historian, Caroline is obsessed with the apothecary from past years. This is a novel that is difficult to put down. There are twists and turns, and highs and lows, betrayals, danger and death. I suggest that you put this novel on your reading list.

My Thoughts
I love 18th and 19th Century mysteries (gothic) and particularly ones that take place in London and prominently involve women. This book ticked a lot of boxes for me. Here are my pros and cons for The Lost Apothecary:

Pros
1. I was drawn in immediately and completely hooked. The story is fast-paced and richly descriptive.
2. The book alternates between present day (Caroline) and past (Nella, the apothecary). The transitions between periods were smooth and effective. The story never lagged or got boring at all.
3. Even if it seemed a bit like some serious beginner’s luck, I loved how the author connected the present to the past with the mudlarking discovery. I thought that was creative and hopefully more people will learn what mudlarking is now!
4. Strong, smart, and unforgettable female leads, both present and past. Caroline, Nella, and young Eliza are very well-developed.
5. Caroline’s husband infuriated me, particularly with what he pulls at the end of the book. I will leave it at that.
6. Atmospheric to the max. The apothecary was superbly described! I felt like I was there! There was a strong gothic feel to the novel.
7. What I wouldn’t give to read that register!
8. The ending is perfect.

Cons
1. I have a pet peeve. In the book, it clearly states that Caroline (present day) graduated with a degree in British history, but that she preferred to pursue knowledge about the lives of the regular people in history rather than the dry facts and figures of prominent people and events. So, it surprised me that she had absolutely no clue what mudlarking was. I don’t study history, but even I know what mudlarking is from the period fiction I’ve read. Surely someone who studied British history with a specific interest in the common folk would have come across that at some point!
2. There were a few too many convenient situations in the story (i.e., the exact historical information necessary to solve the mystery seemed to be too readily available). While this convenience was necessary for the story to reach a conclusion, I’m sure historians who read this book will wish information was so readily available and puzzle pieces would fit together as nicely and as quickly for their research!

Summary
I really liked this book. Yes, there are some convenient situations that helped move the story along. Yes, it bothers me that Caroline didn’t know what mudlarking was. But overall, I savored this story! It is well-developed with strong female characters, completely engrossing, and it had an amazingly mysterious gothic feel to it. This is a wonderful debut novel! I will keep my eye out for this author in the future!

Thank you NetGalley and Park Row Books for providing an ebook, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this book. The story was very engrossing and I couldn't wait to go back to reading it. At first I thought going back and forth between two timelines was a little striking and got me out of the story at first, but I really grew to like both storylines and how they intertwined. I will highly recommend this to the library I work at, as well as the Mystery Book Club that I host. I think they will really like this, especially a hardcore or one who likes light mysteries can get into the Lost Apothecary. Thanks to Netgally for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After learning of her husband’s affair, Caroline travels to London where she hopes to spend time alone and decide what she will do as she moves forward with her life.

Once there, a series of unexpected events draw her into researching “the lost apothecary”. The mysterious apothecary existed two hundred years ago, and the details surrounding the murders and disappearance were never fully exposed. As Caroline begins to delve into the circumstances related to the apothecary, she soon realizes that she may be the only person who can solve the mystery.

Alternating between the past and the present, this is a story of secrets, revenge, betrayal, poisons and potions, and a network of women who are determined to control their fates. This is a fast paced debut novel rich in historical detail with unforgettable characters that will keep you turning the pages until the final chapter!

Thank you to NetGalley, Park Row Books, and author Sarah Penner for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this novel.

The Lost Apothecary was an amazing dual timeline narrative that will take you deep into the past then jump back to the present. Fantasy has slowly and surely worked its way into mainstream fiction. I’ve always enjoyed fantasy-light: time travel, magic, ghosts, time-looping, etc. Lately, more and more books have a touch or even a spoonful of these fantastical aspects. I really hope this will be trending into a norm.

In the 1700s, Nella inherited her mother’s apothecary that holds a secret room where women can find tinctures to help them with all issues regarding their love interests, husbands, lovers, etc. This hidden room is behind a false wall that women only learn about by word of mouth. Nella is surprised that a young girl, Eliza, visits the shop as a representative for her mistress. Surprisingly, an odd and beautiful relationship ensues between the two.

Fast forward to the present and we meet Caroline, a woman traveling solo in England. She should be with her husband, so to pass the time she goes on a mudlarking adventure. While on this excursion, she finds part of a vial that once held these elixirs. In order to avoid thinking about her relationship issues, she sets out to discover the history of this artifact.

The book portrayed three strong feminine characters in the book and each grew into women who defied their own emotional and/or physical limits. I could’ve stayed in the 1700s for the whole book, but Caroline’s findings were the window into Nella’s story.

I highly recommend this debut author’s novel. For more on mudlarking check out the author’s informative website.

Quotes I liked:
(From an ARC, and may be altered in finished copy.)

The world is not kinds to us…There are few places for a woman to leave an indelible mark.”

“Vengeance is its own medicine.”

“How had I only just learned that happiness and fulfillment were entirely distinct things?”

I absolutely love this book! The author has a way with words that will quickly have you hooked. This story is beautifully told over two separate timelines and so well done I found myself hooked on each character instead of hoping to get back to one of them. Caroline is in modern day London and will inadvertently find herself very curious about an apothecary who lived in that city very long ago. Nella, that apothecary, has lived her life in her own way but that is about to change when she meets young Eliza. The POV will go back and forth between these women who can more than hold their own but it is Eliza who steals the pages in my opinion. While in part historical fiction the pacing is fast and the mysteries in this book will appeal to a wide range of readers. At times I found Caroline’s thoughts on her life grating as wallowing annoys me but it is brief. I preferred Nella’s inner thoughts as they were more of an explanation and less rooted in modern frivolity. This is a book you will not be able to put down but be warned it really wraps up even more towards the end so make sure you have time for it because you will not want to stop until you see how it ends! I still had questions and found myself wanting more of this novel and my favorite characters but the author did an excellent job on her unique wrap up to the story. I cannot wait to read whatever the author writes next! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Told through the lens of three different women - two from the past and one from today's world - this book spins the tale of three strong women, all of whom are facing difficult decisions in their own lives. Caroline Pearce is visiting present-day London after finding out her husband has been unfaithful when she happens upon an old apothecary bottle with a mysterious carving of a bear. We cut to Nella, an apothecary from 18th century London, who sells disguised poisons to women to use on men who have wronged them. When young Eliza first enters the apothecary on behalf of her mistress she is immediately intrigued but finds herself trapped once a fatal mistake has been made. While the book starts off a little slow, the stories are woven and come together in a way that had me turning the pages as fast as I could towards the end!

Excellent historical fiction book with suspense mixed in. I kept reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen. Interesting characters and great portrayal of the time period. Highly recommended.

Synopsis: In 18th century London, hidden off a storeroom lies an apothecary shop. Nella, the owner, has developed quite a reputation as an apothecary, not only for her healing tinctures but for her carefully crafted and disguised poisons. Nella allows women to gain their freedom from the men in their lives that have done them wrong.
In the present-day, Caroline is anticipating her England adventure with her husband to celebrate their tenth anniversary. Right before their planned trip, Caroline discovers her husband has been having an affair. Rather than cancel the trip of a lifetime, Caroline decides to make the journey alone. On her first day in England, Caroline encounters a local guide that takes people down to the river banks to go mudlarking. At first, Caroline refuses the invitation but then decides it could be an interesting adventure. While searching the banks, Caroline comes across a small vial with a bear engraved on it. This discovery sends Caroline on a path to solving the two-hundred-year-old mystery surrounding the apothecary murders.

My Evaluation of the Book: An intricately plotted submersive novel where 'mudlarking' leads to a small discovery with a grand story. Mudlarking can be an adventure in itself. You never know where the objects you find can lead you. I have spent hours mudlarking on a beach in Key West, where it is known that a ship carrying porcelain items sank offshore. I have found numerous fascinating pieces, including a partial face to a small porcelain doll. So I can fully understand Caroline's need to find out more about the vial she found on the banks of the Thames.
The strong female characters are likable and build an inspirational vibe relating to female friendships, the importance of women supporting women, and never giving up on your dreams just because life gets in the way. It is evident that Penner fully researched the intricacies of her novel, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Absolutely loved this book and I would not call it women's fiction. I agree with the historical fiction and also somewhat of a mystery. Fantastic cover. Intriguing and original story too. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Penner and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 3/2/21

Caroline Parcewell arrives in London for what should have been her tenth anniversary celebration with her husband alone, and furious from the discovery of an affair. On her first day, she is invited to mudlark along the Thames, reigniting an interest in historical research that she had put aside when she was married, and the discovery of a small vile sets her on the path to discover more about the apothecary murders from several centuries past.

This book shifts between the past perspectives of Nella, the owner of an apothecary that dispenses poisons for wronged women, and Eliza, a young girl who comes in contact with Nella and the apothecary through a request from Eliza's mistress, and Caroline in present day as she considers what went wrong with her marriage, and what she is discovering about herself through the process of research and investigation.

I very much enjoyed this title - reading most if it in a couple of settings. The historical background, the exploration of power dynamics and intimacy in relationships, and Caroline learning to come to her own throughout all of it, and the revelation of what people may do in order to manipulate a situation. While perhaps what Caroline is able to discover feels a little fantastical - it seems as if historical research is never that simple - it is a wonderful read for those who enjoy historical mysteries, and the notion of researching history, and I will certainly recommend the story to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ This debut author flawlessly goes between 1790’s with Nella, an apothecary, who dispenses remedies and poisons to women in order to help them get out of difficult situations with men and present day with Caroline , an historian, who discovers an apothecary bottle while on a mud larking tour. Caroline is on a solo anniversary London trip, due to her marriage failing. She drawn to further researching the history from the apothecary bottle. Will Caroline be able to discover the truths behind the bottle? Nella and Caroline’s lives both parallel each other with their own troubled lives. This debut novel will not disappoint and will have you turning the pages to discover the truths that will unveil.

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me preview this novel and, in return, I am providing a review. A positive review was not required, but I greatly enjoyed this book. I loved the duality of the characters and how the past and the present intertwined without being unbelievable. I also greatly enjoyed the emphasis on female strength and that the characters were not merely fodder or foil for males, regardless of the time period. The thought of preserving female names for posterity hit me hard. I can only imagine how many stories, the fantastical, the ordinary, the intriguing, the bravery, have been lost in the sands of time, simply because they were women. How many of my female ancestors dealt with things that I will never know about because history was written by men. Such a wonderful novel. The way Penner gets into her characters' minds and conveys their feelings and thoughts is nothing short of masterful!

As a librarian with a personal interest in historic research and folk medicine, I absolutely loved this book. Every twist and turn was completely unpredictable, and I tore through it in a day!

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Directly up my alley. I love a good “back and forth in time” story, and the entire tale made me want to get on a plane to London to pursue my own love of history.

This book was a magical experience. I absolutely fell in love with it; it captured my imagination from page one through the very end. I knew this was a five star read as soon as I finished the first chapter. I could not put this down because I needed to find out what happened. I read it every chance I got!
Sarah Penner’s gorgeous writing completely transported me to an atmospheric, thrilling, dark 18th century London. It’s hard to believe that this is her debut novel. We follow the stories of three women: Nella, a mysterious apothecary who’s made it her mission to help the women who society forsakes by selling them poison to get revenge against the men who’ve hurt them. Eliza, a twelve year old servant girl whose curiosity about tinctures and magic lead her to Nella’s hidden shop again and again. And Caroline, a woman who gets tangled up in a historical murder mystery while on a trip to London after learning of her husband’s infidelity on their 10th wedding anniversary.
These three points of view were expertly woven together; none of the characters overshadowed any of the others, and none felt weaker than the others. This book was exactly what I needed right now - it seriously felt like it was written for my interests. It was advertised perfectly; I was worried that the synopsis was too good to be true and that I would be disappointed with the actual execution, but I was so happy to be proven wrong. It has the perfect blend of suspense, action, magic, and relatable characters to root for that left me wanting more. I felt so empowered after finishing this book, and it’s definitely one of my new all-time favorites. The recipes at the end of the book were also a lovely whimsical touch. Sarah Penner is an author to watch!

The Lost Apothecary is a book that I think will fit comfortably in a chick-lit book club.

Women banding together to get rid of abusive men! Women suddenly realizing they are married to the biggest gaslighting jerk on the planet! Women finding friendship when men can't be relied on! And hey, these aren't bad points, but the characters fell flat for me, becoming nothing more than stereotypes.

Penner has created a dual timeline, with the current day Caroline visiting London on her own after discovering her husband's infidelity. She discovers an old bottle while mudlarking which ties us into the past story of Nella, an apothecary who sells poisons to women looking to get rid of lying, cheating men. Eliza is the young girl who becomes involved in Nella's life after Eliza helps her mistress kill the rapey husband. Yea! Girl power!

There's a good degree of artificial angst here when Caroline's manipulative husband shows up trying to save their relationship. Honestly, if the man was this bad, why is she suddenly seeing it all only after ten years? Seriously, Penner gives this man not one redeeming characteristic. And that's my main problem here. Did we need another feminist Aesop's fable? The Lost Apothecary is fine if you're looking for a one-dimensional feel-good quick read, but it's not for me.

The book covers two different time periods - modern day with Caroline, and the 1790's with Nella.

Caroline visits Paris after finding out her husband has had an affair. A trek to the river leads her to find an old apothecary bottle, and she begins to do some research to try and trace the history of this little bottle. Through her investigation, she uncovers the "apothecary murders" and scrambles to learn as much as she can.

Nella runs the little apothecary shop in the 1790's and receives requests from customers for various needs... including poison. She has rules in place that she will never do harm to another woman through her concoctions, but she is tested more than once. Young Eliza also visits the shop and immediately becomes fascinated with everything inside and what it can do.

The story has some suspense built in, and it easily transports you to this tiny apothecary shop and all of the activity within it. A very enjoyable book.

'The Lost Apothecary' is a genuine tale of feminine power, without worrying about trying to make a "Strong Female Character." Instead, apothecary Nella, would-be apprentice Eliza, and historian Caroline are complicated, multi-dimensional women who struggle with moral quandaries and with having their trust broken - by men, yes, but also by other women.

In one era, we have Nella, an apothecary whose bitter past has led her to transform her shop into a secret place for women to acquire poisons, along with young Eliza, who's sent there on a mission from her employer and finds herself intrigued by the world behind the wall. In the modern day, there's Caroline, a would-be historian who's spent years making herself smaller for the sake of her husband, but when she stumbles across evidence of a mystery from centuries past, she starts to find herself again. The character- and world-building are wonderful, immersing the reader fully in this mystery through time.

It's easy to think of this just as a slowly unwinding mystery, but really, it's about the ways women carve out spaces for themselves, whether the world wants them to or not. There's nothing "remarkable" about the setting - there's no war, no court intrigue, no major historical event like many historical fiction books use as a backdrop. In some ways, though, it allows its remarkable women to shine even more.