This is told from 3 pov's.

Caroline, present day London. She has found a vile with an etching on it in the Thames. Giving in to her historian dreams she investigates the vile and uncovers a string of old murders.

Nella is an Apothecary in 1791 London. She took over her mother's business of helping only women with their medicinal needs. However through a series of events she has decided to also help women get rid of the men in their lives. Her poisons are never to be used on another woman.

Eliza is a young house maid sent to Nella's shop to get what is needed to be rid of the Master of the house. She is a fearless young woman of 12. She becomes friends with Nella and Nella sees her as the daughter she never had and Eliza begins to help in the shop.

I enjoyed Nella and Eliza pov's more. The mystery of the apothecary, why she kills only men, and how she kept from getting caught were intriguing. I would have much preferred a longer book about Nella and her clients diving into her life and her potions.
I did enjoy Caroline's search for information and how she pieced the mystery together though.Her relationship troubles took me out of the story. I get why it was there, to add to the man hating theme, but for me it took away from the story. All of her problems were her husband's fault which perturbed me. However this book has a lot to do about oppressive men and how women are better off without them.

I was expecting a thrilling murder mystery of vengeful women, and the cunning ways they committed murder. This wasn't quite that but overall it was a fun read. I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction and slight murder mystery. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator's did a great job. Their voices were distinct and consistent.

Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Is murder ever justified? Is it ever ok to take matters into your own hands? The Lost Apothecary takes you on a journey to explore those options. Written in dual timelines - present day and 1700s - the author demonstrates the strength and emotions of women and what measures they feel they must take to protect themselves.

The character development is fantastic - you find yourself rooting for each of these women, no matter what their trespass. Also with the audio version, the narrators brought so much depth to the characters with their voices that I could picture them even better in my mind - the accents, tone, gruffness.

This book centers around women, their relationships, clean murder, history, and suspense. I would recommend the audio version - the narration is superb!

A wonderful debut from @sarah_penner_author #TheLostApothecary is atmospheric and captivating. Told in alternating timelines and through multiple narratives, I had the pleasure of listening to it on audio, and would highly recommend it (thanks @harlequin_audio & @netgalley for my advanced audio copy)!

It is hard to believe this is a debut novel. The writing is beautiful. You seamlessly transport between late 1700s/early 1800s and modern day London and you become so engrossed with the details in the story.

If you are looking for a story with strong female characters, history and research, and some mystery, this book is the way to go!

In 1791 an apothecary named Nella is dispensing poisons to women so they can kill the men who have wronged them. She’s doing it as a sort of revenge for the wrongs she’s endured, hoping that they will start to heal her heart. Instead, they weigh heavy on her. She does have rules surrounding the tinctures and potions she dolls out though, no woman must be harmed, and she must record the names of all her victims and the women so they are not lost to history.

One evening a precocious 12-year-old turns up to collect poison for her mistress and seems intent on staying in Nella’s life for as long as possible, despite Nella’s efforts to get Eliza away from herself and the danger of her business.

In the present day, Caroline Parcewell has come to London by herself, on what was meant to be a 10-year-anniversary trip with her husband. On a mudlarking tour of the Thames, she uncovers an apothecary vial and is drawn to investigate its origins. The more she investigates, the more she feels drawn to the past, to Nella and Eliza.

The story unfolds very quickly so you don’t have to wait long for intrigue and action to begin. I’ll admit that while I enjoyed the present-day chapters of the book well enough I couldn’t help myself wishing that the entire book was set in the 1700s and more time was devoted to Nella’s backstory, her victims, and her processes in the apothecary shop. That part of the story was just so interesting, and with the book split between the two times I don’t feel we got as much as I would have liked on that particular storyline.

I was glad that the present-day story had a bit of a twist I didn’t see coming, which kept things interesting, but I maintain that splitting the story meant there wasn’t quite enough of either time. It’s rare for me to say this, but I think The Lost Apothecary could have been longer, so we had more time with the characters and could go into more depth and really get to know them, their lives, and their surroundings.

The audiobook comes in at 10 hours and 17 minutes and was narrated by a full cast: Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, and Lauren Irwin. So if you’re in the mood for a historical fiction mystery definitely check this one out. And can we just take a moment to appreciate how absolutely beautiful this cover is?!

This was a good read....

The story line of the past meeting the future made for a very interesting time travel of sorts.

I really wish that there was more of an epilogue as I found the end of the book rushed and not much closure of the main characters story.

I thought this book was fine. It was just fine, it was not great for me. I listened to the audiobook, and unfortunately, immediately disliked the narrator of Caroline's part of the story. Other reviews liked the narrator, so maybe her voice just sounded too much like someone I didn't like. I really liked the other narrators. I think it was a really good decision t have multiple narrators, because I am not sure I would have been able to easily distinguish the present day voice (Caroline) from Nell or Eliza; that may have been part of my dislike for Caroline - her words and thoughts didn't seem to have a modern tone. I wish Nell and Eliza had been developed more, as I thought their story and characters were much more interesting that Caroline's. I thought Caroline's story was wrapped up a little too neatly - she applied to graduate school one evening and the next morning was planning her life around being accepted? I was glad that she left her awful husband and had some personal growth.

My goodreads review will be here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3860068428

Female empowerment at its finest! I can honestly say that I have not read a book like this in a long time (if ever!). It is equal parts historical fiction and mystery, but has a certain unassuming charm to it as well. The writer does a great job of navigating dual timelines, keeping you engrossed in stories happening now and hundreds of years ago.

4* Beautiful, compelling, and hard to put down!

What an incredible debut novel. A beautifully written story that merges the past and present. I felt the theme of maiden, mother, and crone; though I am not sure if it is a coincidence or was intended by the author. In the past we follow young Eliza and the apothecary Nella. In the present we follow Caroline. After learning of her husband's infidelity, Caroline takes off to London alone, a trip that had been planned for their 10 year anniversary. After finding a glass bottle with a faint bear imprint, Caroline embarks on a research journey to discover where the bottle came from and what happened to the apothecary.
In the past, Eliza first comes across Nella after her mistress sent her to get a poison to kill her husband. Eliza becomes intrigued and continues to hang around Nella, a woman that uses her powders and tinctures to help women. From pain with the monthly cycle to murdering cheating or abusive husbands, Nella works hidden in a back alley of London.

I received this free for review from NetGalley. All opinions started are totally my own.

I absolutely adored this book!! I've seen it labeled as fantasy in a few places, which it isn't (the apothecary comments multiple times that her tinctures are natural, not magical) but the atmosphere of mystery in late 1700s-1800s London makes it feel fantastical. Half of the book is set in the past, half in the present. I definitely preferred the chapters set in the past, with the apothecary and her young protégée, probably in part because the narrator who voiced the apothecary did such a great job creating atmosphere with her tone. However, I was still interested in the present-day chapters and it was really cool to discover how these people were remembered (or not) centuries later. This was just so interesting and I've never read anything like it, I enjoyed every minute. Generally I only listen to audiobooks while driving, but this was one I found myself fitting in listening time whenever I could. (I actually looked forward to doing laundry, because it had become prime listening time! If you knew how much I hate laundry, you'd know what a big deal that is). This book deserves all the hype it's been getting, especially as a debut novel! I look forward to reading more by Sarah Penner.

Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Penner, and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Apothecary is a dual narrative story that alternates between the 1790s and present day. Our 18th-century protagonist Nella runs an inconspicuous apothecary that sells well camouflaged poisons to women, ridding them of those (only men) who've wronged and hurt them. In present day London, Caroline opts to spend her 10th wedding anniversary alone after learning of her husband's infidelity. She happens upon an old apothecary vial which reignites a love for history she hasn't felt since college. As she researches the vial's origin, she discovers it may be linked to the "apothecary murders" that occurred in London some 200 years prior.

While I enjoyed the book, it was Nella's story that captivated me and encouraged me to keep reading to see how it would all play out. I wish Caroline's character had more moxie. I found her sapless and lackluster, especially in contrast to Nella's gumption. Additionally, I think the framing of Caroline's story exemplified a problematic zero-sum dynamic of relationships. Finally, I would have liked a little more from the ending. Not necessarily tied together perfectly, but a clearer resolution of Nella's story.

I really loved the narration of this audiobook. The variation in the cadence of the narrators helped to highlight and distinguish the different time periods.

If you like historical fiction suffused with mystery, don’t sleep on this one! The Lost Apothecary follows 3 interwoven narratives: the apothecary and a young patron in the 1790s, and an aspiring historian in present day who is trying to discover their story.

When Caroline, on an interesting trip to present day London, finds an old apothecary vial on the riverbanks she is drawn to trying to hunt down the apothecary and discover the story of the vial and the “ordinary” people she suspects history has forgotten.

Back in 1790, Nella, the apothecary working in her hidden shop, is surprised when her newest patron is a 12 year old, Eliza. Their unlikely friendship ends up having some unexpected consequences that lead to the vial in the Thames and the possible downfall of the shop...

Oh yeah? Did I mention? Nella dispenses poisons to women who seek to dispose of the men in their lives, for one reason or another. But she will never provide a position to kill a woman.

This book was not exactly quick paced and not exactly a slow burn-- it was in between. It took me some time to be pulled into the story, but once I understood what was happening I was CAPTIVATED. I thought the characters were lovely and complex but understandable. I wanted to know what happened next in both of the timelines, and I stayed up late trying to finish!

Nella’s name is passed in whispers across eighteenth century London. Sure she helps women just as her mother did with health issues, but she has also gained a reputation for dealing with darker domestic issues. Caroline’s perfectly planned life is slipping away, thanks to her husband’s indiscretion. She decides to take their anniversary trip to London alone to sort out her next steps and stumbles upon a mystery. ⁣

Historical fiction with dual timelines are so common, but what makes 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘈𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺 unique is the exploration of women’s autonomy and power and let’s be honest, the ethical use of poison to address the abuses of men in a world that give women very little power.

I enjoyed the intrigue and suspense on both of the timelines, however I found one timeline stronger in terms of plot and character development. This small thing seemed easily forgiven because of the overall theme woven through the two timelines worked so well. ⁣I loved the balance between historic fiction, suspense and mystery that Penner creates so well.
⁣
Thank you to @netgalley and @parkrowbooks for the ARC. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘈𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘺 releases today, March 2.

The lost apothecary is a story about a woman in 1791 London who sells poisons to women looking to get rid of the horrible men in their life. It’s a premise I absolutely love, especially since the apothecary in question is the protagonist, and is seen as completely justified in what she is doing. There is also a present day storyline, which I did not care for. There was a lot of info dumping in the beginning, and I just was not as invested in her story compared to the apothecary’s. There were three narrators for the three POV characters, and they all had their own distinct voice which embodied the characters every well. Overall it was very entertaining book and I was pleased with how it ended.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I devoured the entire thing in two sittings because I just had to know what was going to happen! I loved the multiple perspectives/timelines. It always seemed to switch in the perfect place and leave me hanging so I just couldn't stop listening. I will say, sometimes the characters had miscommunications that seemed to stretch on a little longer than seemed plausible (thinking about the scene with Caroline and the police at the hospital), but other than that I don't have many complaints!

*4.5

London 1791- Nella runs the apothecary her mother once owned, but she does business differently. Her mother was a healer who would formulate and dispense medicine to those who came to her with various ailments. Nella now uses what her mother taught her to concoct poisons for the women who find themselves in need of getting rid of men that have done them harm. She keeps record of the murderers and their victims in the apothecary's register, and she NEVER allows the use of her poisons to harm another woman. That is until 12 year old Eliza shows up one morning and sets off a chain of events that will change both of their lives forever.

Present Day London- Caroline has found herself alone in London on what was supposed the be her 10th anniversary trip with her husband James. Not wanting to do anything on her planned itinerary, Caroline finds herself joining a group for mudlarking in the Thames. While sifting through the muck, Caroline uncovers a little blue bottle with a bear etched in the glass. Fueled by her love of history, Caroline sets off to discover the story of The Lost Apothecary.

What a fantastic debut novel from Sarah Penner! I enjoyed seeing how the lives of the three women were entwined together and the background of 18th century London was a joy to be immersed in.

I had the honor of listening to this story's audio and I highly recommend that route. The three narrators-Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, and Lauren Irwin- did a wonderful job giving a voice to each of the women.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to an early copy of this audiobook. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I received this book from the publisher, Harper Audio through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Told in two different time periods this book was fascinating. In 18th century London Nella runs the apothecary shop that her mother started to help women with whatever ails them. Whether that was help with birth control tinctures, or how to get rid of a pregnancy or just how to cure illness in themselves or their children. When she is duped by a man she loved she changes her focus and starts dispensing poisons to use against the oppressive men in women's lives. Now she is old and sick and has a premonition that something dangerous is coming. This is when she meets a precocious 12 year old on a mission from her mistress.

In the present Caroline Parcewell is in London without her husband, spending her 10th anniversary alone after she discovers her husband has been unfaithful. With time on her hands she goes mudlarking and discovers a small bottle in the Thames. Investigating where it may have come from leads her to rekindle her passion for research and her long aspired passion for history. When her husband makes an unwelcome and undesired trip to London in the hopes of winning Caroline back, Caroline is in despair. She wanted space.

Now really taking a hard look at her life and her choices she sees where she gave over her power to her husband and while he says he hasn't been happy she realizes that neither has she. Now the question is what is she going to do about it.

This book focuses on empowering women. For too long have manipulated and gotten away with what they want with little regard to the women in their lives. In the 18th century the little apothecary gave women hope, and sometimes freedom. In the present we have more choices but often fall victim to a culture that expects us to fall in line. When Caroline is finally faced with what she had given up she realizes she had given away her power and now she wants it back. Its about how we can be manipulated and guided into believing things are in our own best interest against what we believe inside. I loved this book and these characters. I was shocked at a twist here and there and loved how it all pulled together in the end.

Fun audiobook alert!

1791, London. There is a secret apothecary hidden in the back alley. Not everyone can find it. Only women who have been wronged, and cannot find help anywhere else know where to look for Nella’s apothecary. That’s because Nella is not just a natural healer. The elixirs, and powders that she dispenses are not making people better. Nella sells poisons to women who have been betrayed and hurt by their lovers, husbands, and brothers…men.

In the present-day London Caroline is in a desperate need of healing. This was supposed to be her 10-year anniversary trip with her husband. Instead, her marriage fell apart after she found out about his infidelity, and she made the decision to come to London by herself to get away from it all. When Caroline finds an ancient vial with a little bear etched on it in the river, she thinks nothing of it at first. Then, in an attempt to get away from her present-day problems, she lets her inquisitive nature drive her to investigate the source of the vial further. This leads to the discovery of the little forgotten alley. Caroline dives into unravelling the lost apothecary’s mystery headfirst, learning things not only about 18-centure London, but about herself as well.

Told by three female narrators (Nella and Eliza in 1791, and Caroline in present day), The Lost Apothecary is a story of love, betrayal, loss, female friendship, and not giving up on one’s dreams. While content wise, in my opinion it was a bit overhyped, thanks to the skillful narration of Lorna Bennett, Lauren Anthony, Lauren Irwin (was that a coincidence? LOL) the audiobook is phenomenal. The narrators make this story come to life artfully utilizing different accents (present day American, cockney, and 1700’s “good society” to name a few). I highly recommend listening to The Lost Apothecary; however, I do think that downloading the pdfs that come with the audio, containing the maps and the recipes will make it an even better, more immersive experience. I know it is not currently possible for most, but this is a type of the book that would be fun to listen to right before or while visiting London.

The Lost Apothecary is a fast-paced novel, and you are guaranteed to keep turning pages in a hurry to find out Nella’s and Eliza’s fate. I found the 1700’s timeline much more interesting than the present-day one. In my opinion the whole “amateur sleuth” trop has been overdone lately, and the one in The Lost Apothecary was definitely not the most unique example. In addition to that the main message was all about pursuing your dreams and not “settling”. While some might find this message compelling, this type of cheery self-help(ishness) in literary fiction is not something I enjoy (sue me!). Sure, someone like Caroline whose only problem seemingly is a husband who is not only a cheat but also a condescending jerk (how did she end up with him anyways?) don't need to “settle”, and could seek fulfilment at all cost. But the message that “everyone should do it!” is just well falling on deaf ears here. No, not everyone can or should pursue their college dreams no matter what. The circumstances change. And the dreams should too. If you are diagnosed with severe mental illness in your thirties for example, you should not get even more depressed because someone tells you that you “can and should pursue your childhood dreams”. You can’t, and that’s fine. Adjust your dreams. Pursue new dreams. Life is not that simple. Not everyone can chase the lost apothecaries for fun and then turn it into a career.

The 1700’s story line is far more compelling, but it did glorify revenge a bit too much for my liking. Yes, there was a lot about women supporting other women, but the support focused largely on disposing of the “evil” men. The ending was also a bit disappointing. I actually ADORED the fact that The Lost Apothecary was not about magic. Throughout the book Nella keeps stressing out that there’s no need for magic, that the bounties of the Earth, the natural remedies passed from generation to generation of natural healers, are ENOUGH. So …in the book it’s enough, and enough, and then...it isn’t? What?! Yeah, I was really hoping for more of an “environmental” twist, but alas, we got dipped into magical realism yet again albeit without the lyricism of Hoffman’s Practical Magic series.

There are several other plot holes that unfortunately ruined it for me, but I cannot really talk about them here without leaking some major spoilers. If you have read or listened to the book and want to chat please message me!

Final thoughts: I think it is fair to say that my expectations of this debut novel were unreasonably high. I therefore suggest that if you are gearing up for another Magic Lessons you should adjust your expectations. There are some recipes of the remedies and potions, and well…poisons (mostly), but the book doesn’t really explore in depth any existential questions (other than (maybe) self-fulfillment), and the writing is not really comparable to that of Hoffman. This being said The Lost Apothecary is an easy, fun, and FAST read. It’s a combination of the historical fiction, cozy mystery, and women’s fiction which may be is a part of the problem. Perhaps there was too much in there to do justice to any of these genres? I do recommend it on audio should you choose to give it a try.

Triggers: loss of a child, infidelity, poisoning, chronic illness, murder

I'm very glad that I was able to listen to this book before its pub date so I can recommend the audio to fellow readers!! Not only were there two timelines unfolding, but we also had three total POV's (the apothecary, the accidental apprentice, and the modern day woman) which really added a layer to the plot.

Normally with books using multiple timelines, I find myself drawn more to one than the other, but that wasn't the case with this book. I also felt like there was a real conclusion to both story lines with not a lot left to ask. I was also nervous that there may be a lot of detail about the mixtures that the apothecary provided and that I may be bored by the more scientific aspects, but there wasn't a ton of description of these so it was very accessible in that way.

I think that this book will appeal to a large audience and will be recommending!

I loved this book ! It was so much fun. 3 different POV's but totally followable and fun. Every character is great except of the husband. I dont know how to explain how i feel but it was kinda whimsical.. Probably the wrong term for it but it was good.

**SPOILERS***
I kinda hoped that the husband drank from the blue vial. That could of been a weird and fun twist. :)

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner.
I usually enjoy novels which have two timelines intertwined. In this case the reader is introduced to Nella, the owner of an apothecary, during the year of 1791. Down an obscure back alley, Nella’s shop can be discovered behind a fake wall, where she brews tinctures, poultices, and various potions for women. Betrayed by her beloved, Nella understands about heartache and loss, and has committed herself to helping women who find themselves in a variety of situations. While secretly doling out poisons, Nella’s newest customer Eliza, enters the storyline. From that time forward, the two are inseparable, even in death.

The second timeline is present day and the reader is introduced to Caroline who is disgruntled about her failing marriage and arrives in London during her 10th wedding anniversary. Having arrived on her own, she begins to explore London which leads to her finding a blue glass bottle. As she begins to uncover more information about the bottle, Caroline discovers The Lost Apothecary from 1791.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I very much enjoyed listening to Nella and Eliza’s stories. The audio book presented their stories authentically and that’s ,where I believe ,the magic and pull of this story lays. I found the present-day timeline necessary but the story would have been stronger without it. The author spent too much time recounting Caroline’s failed marriage, lost dreams, and lousy husband. I still don’t understand why Caroline’s husband arrived in London and the events which unfolded from it. It read as a very weak and unbelievable attempt to move the plot along. From the onset, the reader can certainly discern how Caroline’s storyline will unfold.. Caroline deciding to ‘take back her life’ did not seem authentic. Why waste the reader’s time? I think in many ways, Penner missed the mark by having two timelines. The real story is Nella’s . Her shop, her legacy, her empowerment of women during the late 1700’s is what needs to be told. The reader gets a glimpse into Nella’s life, but only a glimpse. What a missed opportunity! Two and a half stars is my rating.