The Lost Apothecary

A Novel

320 pages

English language

Published June 19, 2021 by Harlequin Enterprises, Limited.

ISBN:
978-0-7783-1101-0
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3 stars (34 reviews)

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.

13 editions

It's a "meh" from me.

3 stars

Content warning (Review includes spoilers)

Review of 'The Lost Apothecary' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

The story as such, ok, not bad.

But that the police let her call her alibi on her own and brief her herself? What kind of police are they?
That she potentially destroyed 230 year old items by touching them without gloves and throwing them back into the river? What kind of historian is she? And how did nobody stumble upon the apothecary's lair in 200 years? Was the house with the cellar never sold?
James being the most controlling, unhealthy partner ever? Who would even go to those lenghts? How did she never notice?

This book would probably have benefited from being proofread by a historian or researcher or something. It just feels not fully thought through at times.

Review of 'Lost Apothecary' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

This was a captivating story about sisterhood, friendship, and women supporting women. It was fast paced and gripping from start to end. Though it was a bit one-note, I thought it was overall enjoyable.

On paper, this book ticks all the boxes of an excellent story. Great construction, good writing, great pacing, and good character development. However the themes of the book were just so heavy handed that it was almost boring to read despite doing everything else fine. The overall theme of the book is women supporting women. All the women in the book were either great or redeemed, and all of the men of the book were pretty much trash. That's great, I love that. I can get down with that. However, it seemed that just about every chapter it had to be spelled out how important it was for women to support women. For some reason the …

Review of 'Lost Apothecary' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

The premise sounded strong and promising, but I can't help but feel a little disappointed at how things played out. It wasn't thrilling enough to be a thriller or mysterious enough to be a mystery, and while I really enjoyed the historical setting, it just wasn't enough for me to rate the book much higher.

This book covers two different points in time: Caroline in present-day London who is trying to make the best of an anniversary trip despite her marriage being on the rocks, and the dual viewpoints of Nella the apothecary and her brief young assistant Eliza in the 1790s. Nella has been a secret dispenser of poisons, with a very strict set of rules about who they can be used on. This personal code is called into question with one very particular client, and the book largely centers around the buildup and resolution of this one particular …

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