The Lost Apothecary
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Average rating3.4
A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them - setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.
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.
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The Lost Apothecary is a tale told to readers through the perspectives of different women. Apothecary Nella from 1791 and historian Caroline in the present day are the main characters. Both women have dealt with infidelity in their relationships, and separate losses over children. While their tales are not one for one the same, the heartbreak they endure is a common thread throughout their narratives.
This novel relies heavily on the literature side of writing, giving readers a surface level understanding of the two women’s situations. The reader is told through first-person what they are experiencing, but the emotional side is left up to the reader's imagination. The audiobook narrator added emotion to the women’s stories, but the reader is still told more than shown what they are going through.
As Nella reveals the truth behind her choice to make poisons, Caroline begins to discover the truths about her marriage. Both women deal with deceitful men, and in their way take a stand against them. There is a shared grief between the two women and this common theme is carried within the tale. While Nella tells the reader about the man who influenced her life, readers will see firsthand the gaslighting and deception Caroline must face.
The Lost Apothecary is a fictional novel for those who want to read about finding oneself after infidelity and the desire to have a family. Sarah Penner also makes sure to include the themes of womanhood and remaining true to yourself instead of what others want you to become.
Originally posted at www.behindthepages.org.
I've had this book on my shelf for a while. I've read mixed reviews about it. But I'm very happy I finally read it. I enjoyed the writing. I enjoyed the dual timelines and how they intertwined. It was also a quick easy read. The only thing I didn't like was the last chapter and how it actually ended. But overall I thought it was a good read
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