Today’s book review is for The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner, a fictional novel about a heartbroken history buff who is determined to uncover the story behind the apothecary killer from the late 1700s.
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Book Synopsis
Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.
One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose – selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.
In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near 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 ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate – and not everyone will survive. From Goodreads.
“Beneath the ink strokes of my register hid betrayal, anguish… and dark secrets.”
The Basics
Category: Fiction
Tags: Fiction, historical fiction, mystery, adult
Author: Sarah Penner
Publisher: Park Row, March 2021
Where to Find: Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Amazon
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
**Spoilers Ahead**
When Caroline uncovers evidence of an affair between her husband and a coworker, her perfectly stable life is forever changed. The discovery couldn’t have come at a worse time, as the couple was set to leave for London the next day to celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary. Caroline decides that she isn’t going to let a perfectly good vacation go to waste and embarks without her husband. Upon landing in London, Caroline is greeted by a mudlarking tour guide who invites her to join a tour.
“Twelve minutes. A fraction of a lifetime, yet enough to alter the course of it.”
I (like Caroline) had never heard of mudlarking before now. Mudlarking, as we both find out, is the act of searching riverbeds for interesting items and historical artefacts at low tide. With nothing better to do, curiosity gets the best of her; Caroline joins the group where she finds an artefact that reignites her passion for history.
“This was precisely what I found so enchanting about history: centuries might separate me from whoever last held the vial, but we shared in the exact same sensation of its cool glass between our fingers.”
So Let’s Get Into it…
This book occurs in two different time periods and follows the lives of three different women. Caroline’s timeline is present day London. When Caroline finds an old container with an etched marking of a bear on it, she becomes determined to uncover the history behind it.
“I may not have been perfectly happy with our life, but I wasn’t the one who’d thrown it away.”
The timeline then shifts to 1791 London, and we’re introduced to an apothecary named Nella. Nella isn’t your everyday ordinary apothecary, as she has a specialty: poisons. Hidden behind a false wall in her late mother’s shop, Nella has created her own deadly workshop. Nella is committed to helping women just as her mother did before her, but her methods are…less savory. Instead of making medicines and tinctures for healing purposes, Nella utilizes her deadly craft to help women escape from their husbands by any means necessary.
The story then jumps back to the present day, where Caroline’s discovery has given her a renewed sense of purpose. She momentarily blocks out her husband’s infidelity to solve a mystery, and she starts frequenting the British Library to investigate. There she meets Gaynor, a resident map expert with whom she forms a fast friendship. As Caroline learns more and more about her mudlarking find, Nella’s tale begins to unfold.
“Heartache is shared by all, and favors no rank.”
Back in 1791, Nella is surprised when her next customer is only 12-years-old. The customer, Eliza, came to the shop on behalf of her mistress. She has been tasked with obtaining a poison to put in a Mr. Amwell’s breakfast. After Eliza dispenses the poison that kills him, she is insistent that the ghost of Mr. Amwell is haunting her and goes to Nella for a concoction to rid the house of his spirit. Nella however is unable to help Eliza, as an apothecary is principled by science – not magic. Eliza, too afraid to be in the house without her mistress, asks Nella if she can become her apprentice. At first, Nella flat out refuses to mentor Eliza. Eliza is young, bright, and has her whole life ahead of her, and Nella doesn’t want to “corrupt” her.
However, Nella needs Eliza’s help. Nella is blackmailed by Lady Clarence to concoct a poison that will kill her husband’s mistress. When Nella originally made the potion, she did not realize that Lady Clarence nefarious plans were to use the poison on the mistress and not her husband. Sticking to her principles, Nella refuses to give the poison to Lady Clarence and destroys it. Furious, Lady Clarence demands Nella remake the poison or else Lady Clarence will expose Nella as a killer.
Physically unable to make the poison overnight due to time constraints and her arthritic body, Nella recruits Eliza to help dig up the poison beetles. The women work late into the night and into the next morning. They work well together, but Nella is still adamant that after this job is completed that Eliza is not to return to the shop. Rushed to complete the job before Lady Clarence returns, Eliza is tasked with obtaining the vial for the poison. Not knowing the difference between Nella’s vials, Eliza makes a grave mistake that leads to the discovery of the apothecary shop.
“I was brave about some things, yes, and poisons didn’t scare me. But unchained, angry spirits could bring me to my knees.”
Across time and space our two stories began the same: with a small, bear-etched vial and the residence of 3 Back Alley. From there each chronicle is woven together through the perspectives of three different women, and we solve the mystery of Caroline’s riverbed antique while simultaneously witnessing the beginnings of the infamous apothecary killer.
“And with that, my shop of poisons existed no longer. The single flame in the hearth sputtered out, the final letter crumbled to ash. No balms left to simmer, no tonics left to blend, no tinctures to agitate, no plants to uproot.”
So Bookmark or Bin it?
Conclusion: Bookmark it
This was such a fun and interesting read. I love historical fiction and enjoyed the unique perspectives of Eliza and Nella in the 18th century timeline. They and Caroline all experience character growth throughout the novel, with similarities and differences that make the reader appreciate their stories jointly and individually. I really liked the duality of the story’s two developing friendships – one between Nella and Eliza, the other between Caroline and Gaynor. I will definitely be checking out more titles from Sarah Penner!
Fun Extra Tidbit
Before becoming a full-time writer, Sarah Penner worked for 13 years in corporate finance. In addition to writing, Sarah is on the Board of Directors at her local animal shelter Friends of Strays. You can check out adoptable dogs and cats here! (Insert link)
Thanks so much for reading my book review for The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. Now it’s your turn! Have you read this novel or any others by Penner and if so, what are your thoughts? Please feel free to share in the comments below!
Happy reading 😊
