The Lost Apothecary

 The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner 301 pages

Summary from Goodreads: 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.

And here's what I thought: I enjoyed the dual plotlines and character lines in this story. Going back and forth lends some mystery elements to the present-day story, and the storyline set in the past is just as compelling as the part set in the present. I liked that the story is based around women, and there are true elements in this story - historical details, and botanical details, as well. The story has a very smooth progression, keeping you on edge about what's going to happen to both Nella and Caroline, who both are in danger for different (yet similar) reasons.  Is there such a thing as a quiet thriller? If so, this is that kind of story.