The Lost Apothecary /

by Sarah Penner

Large Print, 2021

Publication

Waterville : Thorndike Press, 2021.

Collection

Eiland Center

Call number

Large Print Fiction P

Physical description

475 p.; 22 cm

Status

Available

Call number

Large Print Fiction P

Description

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary's fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries. Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary's in a stunning twist of fate, and not everyone will survive.… (more)

Genres

User reviews

LibraryThing member Dreesie

I found this book on Hoopla under "recommended for you"--usually those recommendations are simple additional books by the authors I have listened to. Some are actually books that I have read on paper. I had never heard of this or the author, so gave it a listen.

The story moves back and forth

between 1791 and present day. In the present, Caroline finds a bottle on a mudlarking tour of the Thames, she goes to the British library to try researching it and the bear inscribed on the side. In the 1791 storyline, we learn about Nella's apothecary business and meet Eliza, who wants to be her apprentice. We find out how that bottle ended up in the Thames.

I was a history major just like Caroline, so I totally get her desire to learn more. This book was interesting and a fine listen. I doubt I'll remember it in a year.

There was some sloppy editing that was obvious even on audio. If you can see a door hinge, the door opens TOWARD you, you don't push it in. And Caroline does not need a librarian to look up London death records for her. They are all available online, for free, and totally searchable. And they have been for years. She could do it on her phone (though a computer is preferable!).

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LibraryThing member Cariola

Let me begin by saying that two of my not-so-favorite things in books are historical mysteries and historical fiction using the hackneyed formula of one woman in the present discovering something about a woman in the past. [The Lost Apothecary] fits into both categories. Nevertheless, I finished it

and even enjoyed parts of it. The main problem for me was the modern-day story, which I found to be both trite and annoying.

A few days before Caroline Parcewell and her husband are about to embark on a trip to London to celebrate their 10th anniversary, Caroline discovers that James has been unfaithful. Of course, as expected, he first denies doing anything wrong, then says it was a stupid mistake and begs for forgiveness. Broken-hearted, Caroline decides to take the trip on her own. There, she ponders her resentments, not just of the affair but of the fact that she gave up a chance to earn a Master's degree in history at Cambridge, opting to support James in his career instead, went to work in her family's business, and put off having a baby until James deemed that the time was right. I got really tired of all the wah, wah, wah. You made stupid choices; get over it and move on (which, of course, she does before the end of the book).

On her first day in London, Caroline joins a group of mudlarkers and, of course, finds an interesting artifact: a glass vial engraved with the figure of the bear. The group leader just happens to have a daughter who works at the British Museum and advises her to drop by to see if she can help. This sparks Caroline's old interest in history, and she becomes determined to uncover the secrets of the "lost" 18th-century apothecary.

While Nella's story is much more interesting, it certainly has its flaws. Nella's mother, a "white witch" type of apothecary. had taught her daughter the trade, but a bad experience with a bad, bad man (almost all of the men in the novel are horrible) turned Nella into a murderer, and she started a practice in a secret back room to help rid other women of the problematic men in their lives. It is through the course of helping one of these women that Nella meets 12-year old Eliza, a servant sent to pick up the "remedy." Eliza begs to learn the apothecary's trade, but she is actually more enamoured of "magic" than medicine. The two have a push-me/pull-me relationship: Nella wants to send the girl away yet needs her help and is drawn to her as to the daughter she never had.

So blah blah blah, and Caroline hides her discoveries and bonds with Nella over their mutual betrayals by the men they loved. She even finds herself accused of trying to bump off her annoying husband James. Of course, she becomes Her Own Woman in the end, planning the future she always REALLY wanted. In short, the author should have dropped the boring cliché of Caroline and James and stuck with the Nella-Eliza plotline.

Writing this review has made me realize that I liked this book even less than I thought I had. It follows a tired formula, the writing is mediocre and the dialogue not always fitting for the time period, it screams I AM WOMAN, and one of the main characters annoyed the heck out of me. Throwing in magical elements only made it worse.

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LibraryThing member HeatherLINC

Set in late 18th century London, "The Lost Apothecary" was about a secret apothecary where Nella dispensed poison to women who sought revenge on the men who had done them wrong. The novel started with great promise and I was excited to be caught up in the darkness, mystery and suspense of the plot,

but this never really eventuated.

Modern-day, Caroline's story was underwhelming for the most part and it felt disconnected from the historical storyline. In fact, I'm not entirely sure why the author felt it was necessary to include her. I don't think she added much to the overall story. The historical characters could have carried the plot by themselves.

While I liked twelve-year-old Eliza and her curiosity, Nella was not the strong female protagonist I was expecting. I did appreciate the friendship that developed between them, it was the highlight of the novel, however, I wanted complex, conflicted characters I could emotionally connect with and this didn't happen.

Overall," The Lost Apothecary" was an okay read for a debut but it could have been so much better.

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LibraryThing member fredreeca

Caroline is spending her 10th wedding anniversary trip alone in London. She needs this time to digest just what her husband has done. Caroline found out he was having an affair right before the trip. She left without him. She just needs her space!

While Caroline is wandering around London and taking

in the scenery, she comes across a group of people getting together to go mudlarking. On a whim, she decides to join them. She ends up finding and antique bottle that sends her on a quest.

As most of you know, give me a book that I learn something and I am hooked. I have never heard of mudlarking…Yep, that is a thing. It is digging in the mud on a river, like the Thames, to find ancient artifacts. This sent me down a rabbit hole. I started researching and watching videos. This is now on the bucket list.

This story is told in two different time periods, present day and the 18th century. It is part family drama and part mystery. I was captivated all the way through. The characters, the time period, the science, the reasons behind the murders, the old maps with the clues…oh boy! What a book!

Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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LibraryThing member Allison_Krajewski

From the synopsis:

"A forgotten history.

A secret network of women.

A legacy of poison and revenge.

Welcome to The Lost Apothecary."

The Lost Apothecary is a historical fiction novel told in a dual-narrative style.

In the past of late 18th-century London, we follow:

-Nella (narrated by Lorna Bennett), the

unhappy and lonely owner/proprietor of a secret apothecary shop that caters to women seeking to poison their husbands or other men in their lives. The women that meet her in her secret shop tell of the mysterious Nella to other women in need via word of mouth and discretion.

-Eliza (narrated by Lauren Irwin), the spunky but naive 12-year-old girl that visits Nella's shop in search of poison for her mistress, who inadvertently sets off a chain of events that could spell the ruin for everyone involved.

In present-day London, we follow:

-Caroline (narrated by Lauren Anthony), who is in London on her tenth anniversary trip, alone, after discovering a terrible secret about her husband. She stumbles upon a mudlarking group, who search the River Thames for hidden treasures (a real thing!), and finds a small, blue vial. As she searches to discover the vial's origin, she slowly uncovers truths about the past and the fate of the apothecary's shop.

I liked the split timeline, which I thought was done very well. After the end of each narrator, right when I was ready to learn more, it switched to a different perspective; while this can be jarring to some, I found it lent well to the unfolding mystery of the story. It kept me intrigued to keep reading to see how their stories would ultimately coalesce.

I think the author did a good job giving a distinct voice to the three main narrators. The audiobook definitely helped with this, and I liked the utilization of the three narrators; it really brought each of these three characters - Nella, Eliza, Caroline - to life. I will say that the narrator who portrayed Nella had a cadence that was significantly slower than the other narrators, which was slightly jarring; however, I did like her narration style, as I did with each of the other narrators. Lorna Bennett brought an air of experience and a hint of regret to Nella; Lauren Irwin’s voice was young and brought a sense of innocence to Eliza; Lauren Anthony brought sadness yet hope to Caroline.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a pretty quick read with multi-faceted and interesting characters, a descent sense of tension, female relationships, and a satisfying conclusion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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LibraryThing member kimkimkim

February 3, 1971 Nella is waiting for the latest of her ladies who require her assistance to right a wrong. Nella knows nothing of this lady, nor of any of those who came before, only that she wants someone dead. A poisoner and secret-keeper, she toils behind false walls conjuring the potions that

will help her ladies. Simply told, she is a murderer. Her world is about to be upended and she will take Eliza, a perhaps not so unwitting young girl on a suicidal journey. This part of the story was interesting and flowed well.

Present day, Caroline Parcewell has been betrayed and takes off across the ocean to lick her wounds and make some decisions which turn from bad to worse and back again. This part of the story could have been a throwaway. So much of it just did not work for me. Further, Penner seemed to have trouble embracing present day language and I felt she never shed the nuance of Nella’s time.

Not a bad debut, but not as great as it could have been. The potential is there, the history is interesting, the present less so, the endings disappointing. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for a copy.

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LibraryThing member ChelleBearss

When I saw this on Netgalley with the description stating Named Most Anticipated of 2021 by Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Hello! magazine, Oprah.com, Bustle, Popsugar, Betches, Sweet July, and GoodReads! I felt I should give it a shot. I love a good historical fiction and this had just a touch of

magic to it. I loved the characters and the multiple narrators really helped make the audio that much more wonderful to listen to. I had a really hard time believing that this was a debut novel! Recommended to anyone who enjoys mystery, historical fiction, or a strong female character.

(Thanks to NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.)

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LibraryThing member Lea.Pearl

Reading this book made me feel like I was on gentle rollercoaster. The interest level dipped and climbed often for me and once I hit that nail-biting part near the end, I was hooked and completely invested. The alternate timelines wove a super intriguing story of the apothecary, Nella, in the

1700's and the modern-day woman, Caroline...it almost felt like a mystery, but jumping between times made it seem like the reader got the inside look at what actually happened all the while Caroline was trying to figure it out.

The characters are well thought out, the plot doesn't get lost between timelines, and the story flows really well. Going in, I thought this would be a darker, more twisty book than it was so I was a bit disappointed with that, but overall I did enjoy this witchy, mysterious, debut novel.

Thank you to HARLEQUIN/Park Row via NetGalley for the e-arc to read and review honestly.

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LibraryThing member Virginia51

I loved reading about Caroline, Nella and Eliza. These are three strong women. I enjoyed how the story went from the past to the present. I loved learning about the many ways that plants can be used to make poisons. This was fascinating. It is sad that so many women felt the need to murder. This

story shows how each of these women grows as the time goes on. I always enjoy reading about the late 1700’s. I received a copy of this book from Harlequin fir a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

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LibraryThing member eyes.2c

Murder with a difference!

I’m conflicted about this story. I felt like I’d wandered into a secretive hidden world that exists between brutal reality and surface pretences. A supportive apothecary in the eighteenth century, hidden in the back alleyways of London, turned ‘serial killer!’ What

drove the change? I loved the idea of the female apothecary line and the rules set forth to guide them. Only at some stage they moved from supporting women in their illnesses and health necessities by using various herb mixtures, creams and tinctures; to helping them get out from under the tyranny of husbands or others who use them badly. Unfortunately the apothecary finds herself at the mercy of one she assists. The code to never harm a female is broken. (I wonder, how far back did the line go really? Would these women have been accused of witchcraft once?) Whether in the past or today, the fact is they are assisting with murder. The apothecary needed to tread carefully. Hence all the fronts, the hiddenness that were put in place to conceal their efforts.
I confess, I’m never too keen on split time sequencing. Here it worked really well. The story walks between 1791 and the apothecary Nella, and today. Caroline is an American woman whose marriage is in turmoil. She’s flown to London to think things through. A British history major, she joins a group mudlarking, scrounging along the banks of the Thames like the Victorian mudlarkers looking for something valuable or interesting. What Caroline finds opens up the story to this fascinating historical aspect, the female apothecary. I enjoyed Caroline’s initial search for finding Bear Alley, searches in the British Library, the using of old digitalised map overlaid with more modern maps. Wonderful!
In the book’s introduction publisher Loriana Sacilotto writes that this is,
“a jaw-dropping, subversive, intoxicating read about women rebelling against the society that limits them...”
It is! I couldn’t put it down.
BTW I love the richness of colour in the cover design!

A Park Row / Harlequin Trade ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change

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LibraryThing member Madison_Fairbanks

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
Contemporary and historical women’s fiction. Alternating chapters from 1791 and present day.
1791 Eliza, a twelve year servant tasked with killing her employers husband with a poison from the hidden apothecary.
1791 Nella, an aging and sick spinster has been

disbursing poisons to women since she lost her own child in death.
Present day Caroline, a woman traveling alone in London after finding out her husband has had an affair. She finds an intriguing glass vial when joining a mudlarking tour on a whim. So begins her search for a lost apothecary.

A journal of adventure and self discovery. Intriguing and easy to read. I found both time frames fascinating and even a bit suspenseful. I also think Caroline found things a little too easy but no one would find hundreds of hours of research fun to read about so it made sense for the story. Loved the ending and resolution.

Excerpt:
“My eyes began to sting as I considered the odds of finding this object in the riverbed: a historical artifact, probably once belonging to a person of little significance, someone whose name wasn’t recorded in a textbook, but whose life was fascinating all the same. 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 sensation of its cool glass between our fingers. It felt as though the universe, in her strange and nonsensical way, meant to reach out to me, to remind me of the enthusiasm I once had for the trifling bits of bygone eras, if only I could look beneath the dirt that had accumulated over time.”
Excerpt from The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

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LibraryThing member brangwinn

Not time travel, but time slip. When American Caroline goes to London alone after she discovers her husband is having an affair, she is feeling sad and frustrated. She gave up her love of studying ordinary people in history. She gave up her dream of graduate studies at Cambridge because she got

married. On a whim, she joins a mudlark tour on the Thames and discovers an old bottle. The discovery sends her to the British library where she embarks on a quest to discover its history. Not only does she find an astonishing history, she makes a new librarian friend who helps her in research. It turns out that the bottle came from a female apothecary’s shop in the 1790’s. Transitioning from the present to the 18th century, it is also the story of an English woman who dispenses poison to help women who have been wronged. Along with the history its also the story of Caroline’s discoveries of what she needs to be fulfilled. This is a great “escape” book. It is easy to get drawn into the story, and once you are halfway through, it turns into a “read past my bedtime book.” While the research part moves too quickly for reality, stories that involve history, libraries and books are tops on my list to help me get away from my reality for a little while.

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LibraryThing member SilversReviews

Who wouldn't like to solve a hundred-year-old mystery and especially one that had to do with poisons that were used to kill unfaithful husbands or boyfriends.

Caroline came to London for a tenth anniversary celebration, but found out her husband had been having an affair so she came

alone.

She didn’t want to follow through with her itinerary she was to have had with her husband and happened upon a man who suggested she go mudlarking with a group.

Mudlarking was done in the 1800’s as a means of survival by finding things washed up on the shore, but this group did it for fun.

Caroline finds a vial with a bear on it. Her curiosity as a historian had her searching for what the vial may have been used for and the place where a shop probably existed in 1791 that could have created remedies.

While Caroline is looking for clues, we flash back to 1791 and meet Nella who made remedies, actually poisons, for women who needed to be rid of their husbands. A young girl, Eliza, who came to the shop to have Nella make a potion for her mistress, took an interest in the shop.

Nella, Eliza, and Caroline collide virtually in present day through research and poisons.

THE LOST APOTHECARY is very clever, enjoyable, different, unique, and very well researched.

I loved the information about the maps of London and finding clues to how others lived and worked in past times.

History buffs, those who love solving years-old mysteries, and those who love Old London won’t want to miss this book.

ENJOY!!

An amazing debut!! 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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LibraryThing member bookappeal

In chapters alternating between past and present from multiple characters, Sarah Penner builds suspenseful tension as the fates of three women hurtle toward crisis. Gripping writing with chapter-ending teasers; intricate plotting; an easy and fast read.

LibraryThing member Kris_Anderson

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner is a dual-timeline novel told from the point-of-view of three women. I found this to be an engaging historical novel. I was transported back to London in 1791 where Nella has a small hidden apothecary shop. Nella catered to women who needed a certain man in their

life removed. She only catered to women who wished to harm men. Eliza Fanning arrives one day on behalf of her mistress who needs help taking care of her husband. Eliza is fascinated by Nella’s workshop and asks dozens of questions. A friendship of sorts develops between the pair. Caroline Parcewell is in London on what was supposed to be her tenth anniversary trip. The night before departure, Caroline discovered her husband has been cheating on her. She takes the trip to give herself time to think away from home and her husband. Caroline goes mudlarking on her first day and discovers an old blue apothecary bottle in the Thames. Caroline sets out to find out more information on the bottle and where it came from. It was fascinating learning more about an apothecary shop and what it contained. A small amount of an item can be helpful, while a large amount can be deadly. I admit that I enjoyed the historical time-period more than the modern storyline. Personally, the book could have excluded Caroline’s story and been even better (less repetition too). However, I did like how the three storylines tied together. The Lost Apothecary is a well-written, developed story with great characters and a fabulous, dark atmosphere. It has a spooky quality that I loved. The Lost Apothecary is a dark, mysterious tale that captured my attention and imagination. Sarah Penner created an intriguing debut novel and I look forward to reading Sarah Penner’s next creation.

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LibraryThing member phoenixcomet

A solidly readable work of historical fiction about a female apothecary, Nella, who instead of using her abilities to heal, use her abilities to murder men who abuse their power and relationships. Interspersed with modern times, Caroline is estranged from her cheating husband needing to make

decisions in her life. When in London for her non-10 year anniversary, she encounters a little apothecary jar and starts on a quest to find herself and find out more about the little jar.

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LibraryThing member leslico

The Lost Apothecary is a magical historical mystery - a formidable debut by Sarah Penner! The audio book quickly grabbed my attention and I found myself looking for things to do around the house so I could continue to listen to the story as I couldn't wait to hear what would happen next. The audio

book has 3 amazing narrators who really embrace the personalities and accents of each character and this contributes to the beautiful character development in the book, I was really rooting for all of them by the end of the story.

The story weaves together the stories of Nella, an apothecary in 1791 London who has some dark secrets, her 12 year old client Eliza who wants to learn more about her trade, and present day Caroline, who travels to London on her own after making a shocking discovery about her marriage and then explores what she wants to do with the rest of her life.

In addition to being a fantastic story, I think this is the most beautiful book cover I've ever seen! I usually read the book along with the audio book, but in this case I only had access to the audio, so I look forward to buying a copy to reread and add to my book collection once the final version is released.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

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LibraryThing member pennsylady

The Lost Apothecary
I was drawn to this book by what promised to be a unique read.

I did find dark, creative fiction that gave me a historical perspective of the time before poison could be detected at autopsy.

The dual timeline (1791 and present day London) wove the story of a secret apothecary that

dispensed poison to women to liberate them from men who exploited them and a present day young woman seeking to understand a jumble of feelings stifling her life.

Betrayal is a backdrop and the plot is cleverly woven to yield surprises.
A small jar recovered while mudlarking in the Thames leads to slowly revealing an underground web of revenge over two centuries ago.

Provocative characters make this an interesting read.

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LibraryThing member pennykaplan

Running from her husband’s betrayal Caroline Parcewell takes the London trip they had planned together, and discovers evidence of an 18th century apothecary shop whose owner dispensed poisons to oppressive and cheating men. Interesting premise although a bit of a stretch of imagination.

Entertaining read.

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LibraryThing member JanaRose1

Tucked into an alley, working in a hidden room, Nella sells poisons to women in abusive situations. When a twelve year old comes into her shop seeking a potion for her mistress, a small mistake puts Nella in serious danger. In present-day, after finding out that her husband is cheating, Caroline

travels to London alone. After finding an apothecary bottle in the mud along the river, she begins to track down the bottle and unravel Nella's story.

I'm not sure what to say about this one. Nella's story was interesting, and I wish the book had focused entirely on her. Caroline's story was unnecessary and dramatically slowed the plot down. I thought Caroline's research attempts were highly unlikely to yield any results and was just not believable. However, because I enjoyed the apothecary's story, 3 out of 5 stars.

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LibraryThing member LisCarey

In 1790s London, Nella is an apothecary, a very specialized apothecary, who dispenses carefully disguised poisons to women who want to remove the oppressive or abusive men in their lives.

Eliza Fanning is her newest client, a twelve-year-old girl sent by her mistress, Mrs. Amwell, for poison for Mr.

Amwell, who has molested female servants in the past, and has started to take an interest in Eliza.

In the present day, Caroline Parcewell is in London on what was supposed to be a celebratory tenth wedding anniversary trip with her husband. Instead, her husband is home in Ohio, and Caroline is in London on her own, contemplating the possible end of her marriage.

On an unplanned mudlarking outing on the banks of the Thames, she finds an odd glass bottle, with nothing to identify it but a little engraving of a bear on all fours. A little initial research doesn't tell her where the bottle comes from, but does lead her to hints of the mystery of the late 18th century "apothecary killer," never caught or conclusively identified. Caroline's interest is caught, awakening dreams of doing historical research into ordinary lives she abandoned after her marriage.

The story is told in alternating chapters from the viewpoints of each of these two women and a child. Each narrative voice is clear and distinct, and the narrators do justice to them. We come to clearly understand Nella's choices. Caroline's struggle over her marriage and over her rediscovered dream of historical research into ordinary lives is real and palpable and moving. Eliza's efforts to understand the situation she's been thrust into, and arrive at the right choices and decisions, and even to understand her own body as it changes, are moving.

It's a thoroughly engrossing story, and I highly recommend it.

I bought this audiobook.

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LibraryThing member forsanolim

I was definitely drawn into this book by the cover and the blurb--a female apothecary in eighteenth-century London dispenses poisons to female customers, in order to kill men in their lives. The book is dual-timeline, jumping back and forth between the late 1700s and the present day.

Unfortunately,

while I still think that the premise is really intriguing, this book really didn't work for me. I think that there were a few main reasons for this. For one, the writing didn't really click with me--I think I went in expecting a bit more atmospheric of writing than I felt like the book ended up having. The jumps between the different timelines were also very short, and I felt like I could have benefited from having longer between jumps.

Secondly, I really don't think that the present-day story added much of anything to the story. I mean, I see how the author was trying to contrast the story of the modern-day character, Caroline, with the older one, but I really would have been much happier without her perspective. (Her story also really, really heavily revolves around marital infidelity/an unhappy marriage, and I just didn't like reading it. It's also extremely convenient, and I really struggled to think that it was very plausible.)

Further, a substantial number of the plot points in the book fundamentally resulted from misunderstandings that could so easily have been cleared up with a one-sentence explanation. This was definitely true of some pretty major plot points in the 1700s timeline, and I also deeply don't understand why Caroline decided to be secretive about her actions in the modern-day timeline.

With all that being said, though, I am definitely aware that this is a debut book, and I still want to underscore that the premise of this book was and still is really fascinating. While the plot didn't deliver for me, I do think that it might work for some people.

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LibraryThing member bookczuk

Pandemic read. So much that I liked about this book, in both timelines.

LibraryThing member mzonderm

In 1791, Nella is a London apothecary who has made it her mission to help women get revenge on the men who hurt them. She dispenses poisons and teaches women how to use them to kill the men who have shunned them, raped them, cheated on them, or otherwise done them harm. Caroline is a present-day

woman who has come to London for what was supposed to be a 10th anniversary trip with her husband. Unfortunately, she's just found out that he's been cheating on her, so she's on her own, asking big questions about the path of her life. Perhaps, if she'd lived in the 18th century, she would have been one of Nella's clients. Instead, she finds one of Nella's vials while mudlarking by the Thames, and is determined to find out the story behind it.

What follows is a dual tale, tracing Nella's possible downfall as one of her poisons is possibly taken by the wrong person, and Caroline's quest to figure out the mystery of the vial and to make the hard decisions about the rest of her life. Both Nella and Caroline are well-written characters, but their lives, both interior and exterior, weren't sketched out quite fully enough for me to understand some of their motivations. Similarly, some of the evidence that Caroline uncovers about Nella felt much too slender to base some of her conclusions on, and the connection between one conclusion and another often felt tenuous.

Still, both Nella's and Caroline's stories are compelling, and together they create a momentum that propels the book forward quite nicely.

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LibraryThing member DrApple

I enjoyed this book. A woman goes to London alone to celebrate her 10th anniversary after discovering that her husband is having affair. Upon arrival she goes on a mudlarking tour, picking up things that the Thames has washed ashore, and find a small mysterious bottle with strange markings. She

begins to investigate and is led to the story of an apothecary who lived centuries earlier. The story alternates between modern London and the apothecary's tale. It's quite engaging!

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