After an old apothecary's vial is found along the banks of the River Thames, a story unfolds spanning 200 years, intertwining the lives of three women all struggling with their own existence. As the history of London's mysterious and unsolved “apothecary murders” is dug up, a present-day life is upended in an unpredictable turn of events that no tincture or tonic can reverse.
In Sarah Penner's debut novel, “The Lost Apothecary,” betrayal by men is the common thread that connects Caroline, Nella and Eliza, three strong female characters who write history together.
Caroline finds herself alone on her anniversary trip to London after discovering that her husband of 10 years was having an affair. Needing time, space and a distraction, she decides on a whim to join a mudlarking tour. Digging through the debris washed up on the banks of the Thames her hands soon touch upon a relic, a timeworn apothecary's vial with a bear etched on the side.
Poison no longer lies within, but Caroline eventually realizes her discovery is far from harmless.
As the timeline shifts to 1791, readers finds themselves inside a hidden room off Bear Alley with shelves that hold harmless herbal remedies alongside vessels of ingredients that can be deadly when precisely prepared by the murderous apothecary, Nella. The shop, having once belonged to her mother, was only for women clientele – a safe haven to get help for whatever ailed them physically, mentally or emotionally.
After her mother's passing, Nella took over, but after suffering betrayal and loss at the hand of a man, the shop's purpose mutated into something sinister – or supportive, depending on how you regarded it. Doling out poison wasn't exactly in line with her mother's legacy.
Within the same timeline, Eliza finds herself in the apothecary's clandestine room on behalf of her employer, looking to acquire a poisonous solution for a scandalous husband. As she is only 12, the girl is curious about the apothecary shop with all its vials and the danger they held. She also found herself needing guidance with a problem less dire, but a problem all the same.
With some manipulation, Eliza gets Nella to agree to let her be an apprentice for a few days with her motive actually being to gain whatever help is available upon those shelves.
One small misstep in those few days sets into motion a chain of events that will forever change history and present day for all three female protagonists. Penner thoroughly builds in-depth background stories for all three women, giving the reader a clear understanding of why their stories progress and mesh together so well – especially when all their conflicts come to climax.
All their struggles and dilemmas run parallel as the timeline alternates chapter by chapter, providing a perfect pace as the suspense builds.
Although the three stories weave together smoothly, Nella and Eliza's happenings were more engaging and intriguing than Caroline's present-day narrative. The atmosphere and action in the chapters from 1791 kept the momentum going throughout the book and held the reader's attention. The modern-day point of view fell somewhat flat, even though it helped connect the future to the past.
Just as resolution feels near and the murky mystery starts to become clear, the bottom falls out beneath all three women. Will they all survive to bring the truth of the “apothecary murders” to light or will it all fall apart before the puzzle is solved? As quickly as it was discovered, history can also be erased if Caroline doesn't bring her findings to fruition before she gets caught up in a critical misunderstanding.
The heart of this book beats with themes of empowerment, loss, feminism and strength across centuries through multiple timelines and voices brought together in a seamlessly woven narrative. As Caroline comes to terms with her future, her research not only reveals historical truths, but also the truth she was searching for within herself. Her findings breathe life back into the stories of Eliza and Nella, bringing the story full circle.
Laced with feelings of magic, Penner's novel is a perfectly executed combination of historical fiction, mystery and self-discovery that not only provides entertainment but, more importantly, gives insight to the struggle that all women, past and present, face in the matters of trust and self-preservation.
“I traced the bear with my thumbnail, thinking of all the vial had taught me: that the hardest truths never rest on the surface. They must be dredged up, held to the light and rinsed clean.”
Christy Keller is a page designer for The Journal Gazette.
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