The Lost Apothecary was a surprising read for me. I loved it more than I had thought and it was one of those books where it was hard to put down! I really liked how it all played out, so of course I wanted to read her latest.

The book is told from two point-of-views as well as present and past tense. Both come from Lenna Wickes and Mr. M. Morley. In ways I felt that Morley’s PoV hindered the story. I wasn’t as intrigued with his story and felt like maybe the story would have been better with a PoV from her sister Evie instead. It would have added a better connection to the overall story which is something that was missing for me but was present in her last book. Morley’s also gave a lot when it came to clues and I really wasn’t surprised with the outcome of it all.

Although I was excited with the whole Séance Society mentioned in the blurb I feel like it was very lackluster and didn’t have the magical realism I was looking for or expected. It was kind of a letdown.

There were times that I was intrigued by the story but it wasn’t enough to keep me glued to the story for long.

Overall, this was a bummer for me. I know there will be those who love this one more than me and I hope this book finds its readers.

Rating: 2.5 stars

The London Seance Society
by Sarah Penner
Pub Date: March 7, 2023
Harlequin Trade Publishing
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. They say don't judge a book by its cover but I'm glad I did. This one was creepy and gothic.
From the author of the sensational bestseller The Lost Apothecary comes a spellbinding tale about two daring women who hunt for truth and justice in the perilous art of conjuring the dead.
I loved The Lost Apothecary and this one did not disappoint either.
It started as a slow burn but I LOVED the eccentric characters and tempting spiritualists world, and the last quarter was smart, mind spinning and fast paced.
I give this one 4 stars

This was an intriguing read with dual perspectives - Lenna Wickes who is a bidding clairvoyant trying to solve her sisters murder and Mr Morley the head of the London Seance Society. Twists and turns abound as Lenna gets closer to the truth and we begin to discover the cracks in the society . Engaging.’, entertaining and an enjoyable read to the end!.

This is the first book that I have read by Sarah Penner. They always say, don't judge a book by its cover, but that is exactly what I did with this one. And, it was a wonderful adventure.

The Victorian aspect of the book was portrayed in a wonderful way and I loved the aspect of seances. I felt that this had a more gothic feel and it was a little more creepy than I would have imagined (I should have guessed by the title, right?)

DNF at 25%

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me. I loved Sarah Penner’s first novel, The Lost Apothecary, but I found this one lacking all the magic the first one had. Nothing about the story was enticing me to continue reading. I will say, the cover is an A+ though!

**Received with thanks from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for my honest thoughts**

The London Seance Society follows Lenna as she takes on an apprenticeship as a medium in order to figure out who murdered her sister Evie in 1873. As the book unfolds, Lenna and her mentor Vaudeline uncover secrets about the London Seance Socety, a men’s only club that performs seances.

This book should have been right up my alley but I found it lacking somehow. I felt like the characters were all very one sided and could have used more depth. I also felt that at times the book didn’t draw me in and I found myself wanting to do other things that read. This book just fell a little flat for me.

I did really enjoy the atmosphere of the book and the topic. It was easy to read and overall the story comes together nicely at the end. The alternating POV kept me interested as well.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I want to thank the author as well as NetGalley for the opportunities to read this book. I found myself trying to figure it all out. I did not and I love that! I want to know more about what happens to Lenna and Vaudeline. This novel kept me coming back for more.

I don't read many historical fictions, but I read The Lost Apothecary when it came out and really enjoyed it, so I was excited when I saw the author was releasing a new book. I actually liked this one more than The Lost Apothecary. The London Séance Society starts out slow but when it picked up, I couldn't put it down. The book is full of mystery, conspiracies, murder, and mediumism. I loved that Lenna was a skeptic who trusted science, it made the story feel more believable. Nothing is as it seems within the London Séance Society and you never who to trust. I enjoyed trying to solve the murders along the way and the ending was satisfying. It wrapped everything up without feeling like there were missing pieces or feeling rushed. The author also researched the era and spiritualism quite well, including recipes and additional reading at the end of the book. Overall, for someone who has trouble reading historical fiction, this was an enjoyable slow burn, full of twists you won't expect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was fantastic! Every bit as good as The Lost Apothecary, maybe even better. Full of mystery, excitement, action, and even some romance. Penner’s writing style is beautiful and really makes you feel what the characters feel, see what they see, and experience the story. Thank you NetGallery for the ARC.

I'm not normally a fan of historical fiction, but I am a sucker for anything related to the Spiritualism movement. The cover being beautiful was also a huge plus. I did have some trouble keeping track of and connecting with the characters, but that may be due to my disconnection from and lack of experience with historical fiction. Overall, I did like the story and was surprised at points. It had too much romance for my taste, but that is definitely a personal preference. If you're interested in gothic fiction, the supernatural, the spiritualist movement of the 19th century, or spooky reads in general - give it a shot!

I adored The Lost Apothecary and was very excited to receive this ARC. The London Seance Society did not disappoint! It is.an engaging novel with mystery, revenge, and spiritualism, and I found myself thinking about it when I wasn't reading it. Sarah Penner has quickly become a must-read author for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley!

Let me start out by saying I LOVED this authors previous book, The Lost Apothecary. I will forever recommend it and shout its name from the rooftops. I was so excited to find out she has a new book coming out. High expectations all around!

I love old time London and how this author seems to play seek and find in her novels. The London Séance Society did not disappoint on this. I enjoyed putting the pieces together. While my assumptions were correct all along, the way the author teased them out or dropped them like bombs was excellent!

I also like how the author added additional information at the end of the book. The receipts, I will definitely be trying! She rooted her information in truth and her imagination which was awesome to learn about in the additional notes.

I am so thankful to have gotten an ARC from NetGalley. I can’t wait to get my hard copy when I head to Books Over Drinks with Sarah Penner in March!

I really wanted to like this book. I adored Ms. Penner’s debut novel, The Lost Apothecary. The earlier novel was fast-paced and fun, but this one simply falls flat. The plot feels very convoluted, with obvious red herrings and partially-reliable narrators. The setting was potentially fascinating, but the narrative kept getting bogged down in cliches, like the “scientific minded” protagonist who couldn’t possibly believe in ghosts — until, predictably, she does. I’d recommend re-reading The Lost Apothecary and skipping this one altogether.

Sadly I could only give this one 2.5⭐. After hearing great things about The Lost Apothecary, I saw this one and was stoked to get approved. I just couldn't get into this one. The plot fell flat. The mystery didn't feel strong enough to hold my attention. I do think the Séance research was excellent though. I found that part pretty interesting. I will still pick up The Lost Apothecary in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. Out March 7.

In Victorian London, spiritualism has piqued the interest of many of its residents. Some choose to share their talents with those willing to pay for their services; it's a gamble as to whether these talents are legitimate or not. One woman, Vaudeline, uses her abilities to channel those who have been murdered in order to bring answers to their families and has trained cohorts of other women to follow in her footsteps, including Lenna, whose sister Evie was a former student and murdered herself. Another man has chosen to create an entire society around spiritualism and séances, the London Séance Society, with powerful men as their members. When rumors around the validity of the Society start to swirl, especially after the murder of the Society's president, Vaudeline is called back to London from her exile in Paris in order to investigate with Lenna in tow.

I enjoyed this book, especially with all of the spiritualism content. I kind of thought I knew what happened around the beginning, but it turns out that you are never really sure. I was excited to pick it back up every time I had a chance to read a bit more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts. All comments are my own.

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review (Thank you #NetGalley) I loved the authors debut book The Lost Apothecary and could not wait to read this one. It did not disappoint! I love the historic setting, London in 1873, and following our main character as she uncovers secrets. What a beautifully written book that you will not be able put down.

I am so grateful to Sarah Penner, Park Row Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC of The London Séance Society. Thank you!!!

The Lost Apothecary was one of my top three favorite reads of 2022 so I was extremely excited and honored to be able to read Sarah Penner's new book The London Séance Society.

This was a riveting, masterful, and sultry Gothic mystery. If you're a fan of strong female leads, murder, conspiracy, devotion, truth-seeking, revenge, and spiritualism/the supernatural then this book is for you!!

It did take me a bit longer to get into this book than it did with The Lost Apothecary but once things picked up I could not put the book down!

Join Lenna and Vaudeline on their journey to uncover the truth about not one, but two, murders as they delve into the world of the occult.

This is a spectacular historical/supernatural fiction and what is sure to be another blockbuster hit by Sarah Penner!!

Author Sarah Penner has written a fascinating historical mystery with surprising depth in her new novel The London Séance Society.
I had expected an entertaining period piece with mystery and ghosts, but this book gives the reader much more than just another Victorian-set mystery. At the base of the story compelling commentary on the importance of relationships and love, be it familial love, friendly love, and romantic love, and love of one's calling. It also addresses the conflict between science and the unseen beliefs that defy scientific classification. Upon that base, Penner slowly peels away layers of the mystery as the book proceeds, exposing an evil core beyond anything the reader or the characters expected.
The characters are relatable and authentic, with their struggles, pain, and misunderstandings on full display for the reader to relate to. The mystery is complex, making the book difficult to put down.
Thank you to #NetGalley and #HarlequinTradePublishing for the advance copy of #TheLondonSéanceSociety.

Big thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This book is set in the 1800 Victorian Era of London and Paris; it revolves around seances, mediums and ultimately REVENGE! Sarah Penner wrote another great historical novel that was hard to put down.

This book was dark and mysterious, with a plot so unique and riveting, I couldn’t put it down. Somehow the author upholds an eery tone throughout the entire book. The characters seem so authentic and could be right out of an Agatha Christie book. The London Séance Society is not at all what I expected: there is murder, romance, and mystery, but it is not a ghost story. Sarah Penner is a great story teller and this is her best book yet! Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This was such a treat!