This book completely pulled me in with its premise—women fighting back in a world where they have no voice, using poison as their weapon. From the very first chapter, where we already know Giulia’s fate, I was hooked. The story takes us back to her childhood, when she first learns her mother’s deadly secret, and follows her as she carries on the legacy in the shadows of Rome.

This book is beautifully written, with rich descriptions that bring 17th-century Italy to life. You can tell the author put a lot of research into the historical details, which made the setting feel incredibly immersive. And the relationships—especially between Giulia, her mother, and her daughter—were so well done. Each woman approaches resistance in her own way, and it really highlights how limited their choices were.

That said, this is a dark read. The abuse and violence are hard to stomach at times, and there were moments when I had to take a break. The story doesn’t shy away from the brutal reality these women faced, which makes their fight for justice all the more compelling.

Even though we know from the beginning how it all ends, I was still completely invested in Giulia’s journey. If you love historical fiction with strong feminist themes and don’t mind some heavy subject matter, this one is definitely worth reading!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

In this one, the author takes us back in time… when there were cruel men and vengeful women. Were taken through 3 generations of poisoner women, determined to right wrongs done to women in their time by the cruel men in their lives. The author really gives a dark glimpse into the hidden sins and cruelty of the time, and a vision of inequality served up to all women, no matter their class. A triumph of female heroism, this tale shows how some were determined to have control over their destinies, even knowing it would eventually bring their demise. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and give many thanks to NetGalley, author Cathryn Kemp, and publisher, Union Square & Co. in exchange for an honest review.

This book is dedicated to every woman who knows how it feels when his key turns in the lock.
It is dedicated to female rage and resilience, to our strength and frailties.
It is an ode to courage, to loss, and to freedom. Author's Acknowledgments

Cathryn Kemp takes on the legend of Guilia Tofiana, a rumoured poisoner in 17th-century Italy. Interestingly little tidbit- Guilia is considered the first female serial killer in history. The story takes readers from Guilia's upbringing right up to her death. We see the people that Guilia helped and the new Pope who desires more than anything to rid his city of witches and heretics.

I liked this one. As interesting as the other women in the story were, I liked that I was reading all accounts mostly from Giulia's p.o.v. Except for those maddening chapters from the perspective of the Pope. Let me tell you, what a nut! Overall, a very intriguing story!

Some trigger warnings- domestic violence and abortion.





Publication Date 04/02/25
Goodreads Review 12/02/25
Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square& Co. for access to this title. I am auto-approved by the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Writing is extremely redundant and rambling at times. Story was okay, pretty gruesome at times. The daughter, Girolama, was such a brat, she irritated me from the jump. She could have at least hid that damn ledger.

Honestly, I wish I’d just dnf’d this around 30%

"The legendary figure of notorious seventeenth-century Italian poisoner Giulia Tofana, thought to be the first female serial killer in history, is brought to life in this feminist retelling.

Palermo 1632: Giulia is thirteen when she learns her mother's greatest secret: Teofania makes an undetectable, slow-acting, lethal poison - Acqua Tofana - which she uses to free the broken and abused women of Palermo. Now Teofania wants to pass her recipe on to her daughter, and Giulia soon realizes that in a time when women have no voice, justice is sometimes best served in a cup of wine or broth.

Rome, 1656: Years later, within the alleys and shadows of the Eternal City, Giulia forms her own circle of female poisoners, who work together under the guise of an apothecary shop to sell poison to women in need.

But even in a time of plague, when death looms over the city, it doesn't go unnoticed that the men of Rome are starting to fall like flies. And with the newly elected pope determined to rid the city of witches and heretics, Giulia is more vulnerable than ever. How far is she willing to go to continue her mother's legacy?

Weaving together the stories of the women Giulia helped, the men she killed, and those who wanted her dead, this is a tale of magic, secrets, vengeance, and sin in the back streets of Rome - and, ultimately, a fight for power."

Just poison the pope. It would solve some problems...

This is a fascinating and beautifully written literary thriller. I wasn’t prepared for the level of domestic violence and sexual assault it portrayed. Content warnings are needed. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Wow! This is quite a ride. I felt tense the entire time I read this, given the quick pace and the ever-evolving characters and story. Some trigger warnings - abuse, abortion, lots of death.
This historical fiction tale takes place in 17th-century Palermo and Rome. The group of women making balms and salves also make a poison they judiciously hand out to women who need to rid themselves of troublesome men. As more men start to die, the Pope and those participating in the Inquisition start to take notice.
The female characters are very strong and this was a very interesting book.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

I’m obsessed with female rage and women helping women in a 🔪🔪 kind of way. I’ve always been on a poisoners kick, and this was exactly what I was craving. This is a pretty dark book but overall phenomenal and I loved it

What a fascinating historical fiction piece based on a real woman!

Giulia has an interesting legacy -- a family recipe passed down from the matriarch of her family for a poison that will kill quickly without leaving a trace. The daughter of a courtesan, Giulia doesn't have many prospects for a life beyond this.

She is forced to grow up far too soon at the hands of her lecherous step-father and when she can no longer abide by his abuse, she makes a decision that puts her mother in danger and forces her to flee to Rome.

Nearly two decades later, she has created her own circle of women who help other women with their problems --99% of them being the men in their lives. With no other method for justice or separation, what else can they do but spike the broths and ales of all the wicked men in Rome? Every time a woman visits them with new bruises, they will quietly receive a small vial with instructions on how to use it.

With the numbers of women they distribute their wares to, it was only a matter of time before the authorities realized men are dying at an alarming rate. And so when the Pope decides to rid the city of all witchcraft and get to the bottom of these mysterious deaths once and for all, Giulia and the gang are operating on borrowed time -- but they want to help as many women as they can before they are caught.

A bit of a slow start but ended up really enjoying this one!

How far would you go to help a woman in need?

Inspired by Giulia Tofana, a woman known for creating an undetectable poison and providing it to desperate wives in 17th-century Italy, Cathryn Kemp’s fascinating story asks readers to question if this poisoner was really a murderer or a saviour.

Allow Kemp to capture your attention with her spellbinding narrative that begs readers to uncover why someone would risk their life to help the oppressed women of Rome and Palermo. Was it her harrowing childhood? Grief? Rebellion? Retribution? Something else?

Kemp considers the political climate of the time and suggests that perhaps Tofana was a product of the times. With plenty of showing, not telling, Kemp makes readers aware of the few options woman had in the restrictive 17th society. Divorce wasn’t legal and most marriages were arranged. Women were uneducated and could not support themselves. In addition to these conditions, readers note the flourishing criminal underworld already in place in Rome. Alchemists, apothecaries and those who dabbled in the dark arts/magic, had already congregated and found a welcoming underground community in which to produce solutions to problems that doctors or religious orders didn’t condone or couldn’t heal.

Kemp has formatted her narrative to provide the best experience for her readers. My head was full of questions and I couldn’t read fast enough to understand this mastermind and her weapon of choice. How did Aqua Tofana become the tool of the femme fatale? You’ll have to read to find out. You’ll be championing Guilia and the women she empowers, and will be left feeling thankful for your own circle of women who support you on your journey.

Considering the reason many women sought out this powerful potion producer, readers will most likely already be prepared for some uncomfortable passages. Kemp writes with sensitivity and doesn’t skim over the darkness some women experience.

Next time I get an opportunity to wander through the bustling Campo de’Fiori, I’ll be thinking of Giulia. I wonder if this square will continue to hold its charm for me?

I was gifted this copy by Union Square & Co and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.