Penner does a nice job of intertwining the present day story of Caroline, and the over two centuries old story of Nella, whose story and apothecary were lost to the passage of time, with its decay and reinvention. Caroline meant to be enjoying the sights of London with her husband James for their tenth anniversary; due to her discovery of his infidelity, she finds herself alone in London, grieving, and forced to reexamine all that has been put aside and repressed of herself and her dreams for her life. Her discovery of a vial with a peculiar figure of a bear launches her investigation into a mysterious apothecary where not only cures to heal, but poisons to end suffering are dispensed.

Told in alternating chapters, we follow Caroline’s story and Nella’s, the apothecary who learned her trade from her mother, but due to a terrible betrayal has dispensed toxic remedies to others with similar circumstances as her own. The storylines are artfully interwoven, timed perfectly as they draw closer, almost seeming to touch across time. For a first novel, Penner does a fine job of character development and plotting. Not only well-researched historical fiction, this is also a mystery story, as we quickly turn pages to find out who will live and who will die, and if the law will catch up with Nella. She does not hold malice for the victims of her poison; she is trying to offer women with no other recourse a way out of their pain, the situations that ensnare them. Nella sees herself as their only means of justice, and often their only escape from loss, despair, or abuse.

My only critique is that it took 200 pages for the story to really find its momentum, to pick up the propulsion toward a page turning resolution. Much had to be planted and developed in those pages, but I fear that many readers will not have the motivation to see it through. It does drag a bit in those two-thirds. It was well worth hanging in there, for the final 100 pages were riveting. The neat resolutions made sense and were satisfying. For those who enjoy historical fiction, especially set in London of the late eighteenth century, this was a pleasure. I’d recommend you add this to your beach bag this summer.