Review: The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of the audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  This book will be published on March 2, 2021.

I thoroughly enjoyed this.  It is told from 3 different perspectives, and narrated by 3 different women which helps the reader distinguish Eliza, Caroline, and Nella.  They have 3 very different voices which makes it very easy for the reader to distinguish which perspective the story is being told from.  

Caroline is an American on holiday in present day London.  She is supposed to be celebrating her 10th wedding anniversary, but has just discovered that her husband has been having an affair.  She decides to take their anniversary trip without him and do some sole searching and self-discovery.  She was once an aspiring historian and rediscovers her spark and passion for historical investigation while mudlarkng in the Thames.  She finds an old apothecary's jar that leads her on an unsolved murder investigation.  Roughly 200 years prior Nella runs an women's apothecary.  It was once respected for curing women's maladies, but when Nella's own skills were used against her she began using her skills for a much darker purpose.  She now uses her apothecary skills to help women seek revenge against the men in their lives who have wronged them.  Enter Eliza, who was tasked to pick up and administer a poison for her  mistress.  Eliza is drawn to Nella and becomes caught up in her schemes and attempts to not only save her shop but the women who have used her services.

While I normally don't like dual timeline or multiple perspectives, this book is an example of how to do both right!  Penner did a wonderful job connecting the three characters and the timeline.  I think having Caroline investigate the history of what happened to the apothecary was the perfect way to tie her back to Nella and Eliza.  I also really loved the way Eliza was portrayed, just as I was beginning to wonder if anyone was going to set her straight about some of her naïve thoughts, Nella gently explains what is going on with her.  I thought the author did a great job writing her as a 12 year old girl from another time, she was so grown up about some things but so innocent about others.  I also very much enjoyed watching the relationship blossom between Nella and Eliza.  Even though it was only over a very short period of time, it pulled you in and you were immediate wrapped up in what happened to them.  

I struggle to write this review without spoilers because while this is a bit of a historical fiction it also has some mystery elements as well.  There is an interesting twist at the end, but I will say as a big thriller reader I kind of saw it coming.  Overall I very much enjoyed the audiobook of this.  I think I finished it in 2 days and couldn't wait to get back to it every time I turned it off.   I believe this is Penner's debut, and if so it is a solid one and I can't wait to read more from her!  I'll be looking forward to more of her work.

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