The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

 The Stolen Queen

Book Summary

From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.

 

Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. That is until an unbearable tragedy strikes.

New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.”

 

Meanwhile, Charlotte is now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. She’s consumed by her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing, and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, and a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.

My Thoughts

In The Stolen Queen, Fiona Davis masterfully combines history, mystery, and romance into one compelling tale.  Charlotte and Annie are the two main characters who are at different points in their lives.  The story allows reader’s to traverse between the 1930s and the 1970s with the point of view alternating between Annie and Charlotte.  I enjoyed the picturesque descriptions of the artifacts as well as the art in the museum and the costumes (and fashions).  The author brought the scenes to life for me (I could envision them in my head).  There were a couple of interesting side characters in the story.  One of my favorites was Annie’s landlady, Mrs. Hollingsworth.  

Diana Vreeland

There were intriguing surprises along the way while other plot points were expected. The pacing was good throughout the story, and I like how it ramps up near the end as discoveries are made.  The ending ties everything up neatly with a bow (a little too neatly).  There was one part of the ending that I wish had been done differently, but that is my personal preference.  I enjoyed getting a glimpse of the work archaeologists do at a dig sites and in museums.  I would love to attend the exhibition that Diana Vreeland created. She had creative ideas.  The author brought The Met and The Met Gala to life with her vivid word imagery (the beautiful fashions worn by the attendees).  The Stolen Queen is a fascinating tale with an archaeological dig, fascinating fashions, a unique collar, a sinking ship, Hathorkare’s curse, an enigmatic donor, and uncovering the facts.

Diana Vreeland at Met Gala

The Stolen Queen is available from Amazon as well as other major booksellers. I have been in a slump with regard to books lately, but The Stolen Queen pulled me out of it.  You can find Fiona Davis's other novels here. I encourage you to check out The Lions of Fifth Avenue.  Thank you for joining me today.  I will return on Tuesday, January 14 with A Stolen Kiss by Mindy Steele.  It is the seventh book in The Heart of the Amish series. I am taking tomorrow off to escort my mother to an apppointment (hopefully, she does not cancel).  I am looking forward to eating out afterward.  I hope that you have a cheery day.  Take care, stay warm, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book.  I am not required to leave a review.  The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

 The Lost Bookshop

Book Summary

The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets.

‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

My Thoughts

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods is an interesting story.  It is told from three points of view (Opaline, 1921 and the present day).  The story does contain good writing.  I found the pacing to be slow especially in the middle (it dragged).  The book is too long (407 pages).  I can tell that the author loves books based on her beautiful descriptions of the bookstore and books.  I can certainly relate to that special feeling you get each time you enter a bookstore.  The wonderful smell of the paper and ink.  You never know who you will meet or where you will go when you pick up a book.  Opaline created a special bookstore with creative displays. It is a tragedy what happened to her (I am not going to tell you).  The laws in early twentieth century were archaic and gave men too much leeway over the women in their “care”.  

There are a number of characters, and it can be difficult to keep them all straight.  The bookshop with its magic is intriguing.  I especially liked the stained-glass windows with their changing scenes.  I felt for Opaline, but I had trouble relating to Martha and Henry (I was not a fan of Henry).  The story had, of course, romance (I would have preferred two woman who came into their own and carved their own path).  I was not a fan of the intimate scenes.  The story does contain foul language (quite a bit).  Those who have suffered physical or mental abuse will find triggers in the story.  There are various things that happen without explanation.   I can understand letting a couple of things be mysterious, but all of them. It becomes frustrating.  The last twenty percent is the best (if you make it that far).   I like how everything came together.  The ending was expected because the storylines are similar to those I have read in other novels.  The Lost Bookshop has mystery, love, magic, and books.  Three strangers who discover their stories by unlocking the secrets of a special bookstore.  I wanted to like The Lost Bookshop, but I found it tedious to wade through it (long and slow).  The Lost Bookshop is a book for bibliophiles with beloved books, a Parisian paramour, a brutal brother, a helpful position, an absent bookshop, phantastic happenings, and a magical culmination. 

The Lost Bookshop will be out on June 22, and it is available from Amazon*.  You can find the author's other books here.  Thank you for stopping by today.  Tomorrow I am featuring Hiss Me Deadly by Miranda James which will be out on Tuesday, June 27.  It is 15th A Cat in the Stacks Mystery.   I hope that you have an enchanting day. I am off to get some work done around the house.  The painting is delayed again because I damaged the toes on my right foot again (that trunk we use as a coffee table jumped right out in front of me).  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer

 The Last Dress from Paris

Book Summary

The secret is hidden within a collection of Dior dresses...

London, 2017. There’s no one Lucille adores more than her grandmother. So, when her beloved Granny Sylvie asks for Lucille’s assistance with a small matter, she’s happy to help. The next thing she knows, Lucille is on a train to Paris, tasked with retrieving a priceless Dior dress. But not everything is as it seems, and what Lucille finds in a small Parisian apartment will have her scouring the city for answers to a question that could change her entire life.

Paris, 1952. Postwar France is full of glamour and privilege, and Alice Ainsley is in the middle of it all. As the wife to the British ambassador to France, Alice’s job is to see and be seen—even if that wasn’t quite what she signed up for. Her husband showers her with jewels, banquets, and couture Dior dresses, but his affection has become distressingly elusive. As the strain on her marriage grows, Alice’s only comfort is her bond with her trusted lady’s maid, Marianne. But when a new face appears in her drawing room, Alice finds herself yearning to follow her heart...no matter the consequences.

The City of Light comes alive in this lush, evocative tale that explores the ties that bind us together, the truths we hold that make us who we are, and the true meaning of what makes someone family.

My Thoughts

The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer is a dual timeline novel that takes place in 2017 and 1952.  A grandmother (Granny Sylvie) tasks her granddaughter (Lucille) with recovering a special dress from Paris.  It sounds like an easy task, but grandmum may have left out a few details.  Lucille soon finds herself on a journey in Paris that could change her life.  I thought the story was well-written.  Jade Beer is a descriptive writer.  I enjoyed the word imagery of the couture dresses.  I could imagine sitting at the Dior fashion shows seeing all the gorgeous creations.  I delighted in the detailed descriptions of Paris.  I thought the author beautifully blended the two timelines together.  The Last Dress from Paris has a forbidden romance, couture fashions, elaborate parties, Paris landmarks, a dress hunt, friendship, a strained mother/daughter relationship, and an unexpected romance.    I liked the strong female friendship between Anne and Alice.   I did have a hard time getting into the story.  It took me some time to become engaged.  I did find Alice’s storyline to be on the sad side, but it was balance with the more upbeat atmosphere in Lucille’s storyline.  I like that we get to see Lucille grow and become self-assured.  I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story.  The Last Dress from Paris is a heartfelt tale about friendships, fashion, and familial relationships.    

The Last Dress from Paris is available from Amazon*.  You can find Jade Beer's other novels here.  Thank you for stopping by today and reading my review.  Tomorrow I will be featuring Donut Disturb by Ellie Alexander which will be out on Tuesday, June 28.  It is the 15th A Bakeshop Mystery.  I hope that you have a joyful day.  Take care, stay cool, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Arms of Freedom by Kathleen Neeley: Review & Giveaway!

 

ARMS of  Freedom

About the Book

Book: Arms of Freedom

Author: Kathleen Neely

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Release date: October 6, 2021

With each page of the age-old journals, Annie discovers all that unites her with a woman who once lived in her farmhouse. One lived with wealth and one with poverty, but both knew captivity. Both longed to be free.

Miriam yearns to escape her life as a super model. She drops the pseudonym and uses the name she gave up years ago—Annie Gentry. Then she alters her appearance and moves to rural South Carolina to care for her grandmother. Can she live a simple life without recognition? Can she hide a net worth valued in the millions? Love is nowhere in her plans until she meets a man who wants nothing more than Annie Gentry and the simple life he lives.

Charlotte lived in the same farmhouse in the tumultuous 1860’s. The Civil War was over, but for a bi-racial girl, freedom remained elusive. She coveted a life where she wouldn’t bring shame to her family. A life where she could make a difference. As she experiences hope, will it be wrested from her?

The journals stop abruptly with a climactic event, leaving Annie to search for information. What happened to Charlotte? Did her life make a difference?  Did she ever find freedom?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kathleen Neely is a retired elementary principal, and enjoys time with family, visiting her two grandsons, traveling, and reading.

She is the author of The Street Singer, Beauty for Ashes, The Least of These, Arms of Freedom, and In Search of True North. Kathleen won second place in a short story contest through ACFW-VA for her short story “The Missing Piece” and an honorable mention for her story “The Dance”. Both were published in a Christmas anthology. Her novel, The Least of These, was awarded first place in the 2015 Fresh Voices contest through Almost an Author. She has numerous devotions published through Christian Devotions.

Kathleen continues to speak to students about writing and publication processes. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

More from Kathleen

I’d like to introduce myself and then share a little bit about my book, Arms of Freedom. I am a retired educator having taught preschool, fourth grade, and then moving into administration as an elementary principal. When I retired, I pursued my desire to write. My first novel, The Least of These, won first place in a contest titled Fresh Voices. That honor renewed my confidence, and since then, I’ve written five novels. Arms of Freedom is my first timeslip (dual timeline) novel.

Arms of Freedom was birthed during a time of racial tension in our nation; a time when social injustice and protests were forefront in the news. Many publishers safely avoided manuscripts with any mention of racial issues—perhaps a wise decision from a business perspective.

However, failure to look at our past denies us the opportunity to learn from history. Our fear of offending can push major historical offenses into a dark closet. I chose to illuminate those offenses by launching this book. Following the Civil War, the period of twelve years known as Reconstruction was perhaps the most brutal period of racial terrorism. The contents may be hard to read. I confess that I often wrote through tears.

In the end, I hope your takeaway is this: Regardless of race and ethnicity, all people are created in the image of God, a one-of-a-kind miracle, loved by Him, and created for a purpose. We are called to unity, to be perfectly one (John 17:23). May we join together in raising our arms of freedom to the Savior who released us from the captivity of sin.

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. — John 8:36 NIV

I hope you enjoy Annie’s story as the life of this contemporary character intersects with Charlotte’s story from 150 years earlier. Both experience a coming-of-age change as they seek to escape from what holds them captive.

My Thoughts

Annie Gentry aka Miriam is worn out from her modeling career and is in desperate need of a change.  Her grandmother deeds her the family farmhouse in Hickory Falls.  Miriam cuts and colors her hair in the hopes of making herself unrecognizable.  As Annie, she moves into the farmhouse and works on giving it a facelift.  In the attic, she finds a child’s room set up and a trunk with journals from a girl named Charlotte.  Charlotte lived in the house following the Civil War.  Annie begins reading the journals that detail Charlotte’s early years.  When the journals end without the final details of Charlotte’s life after Hickory Falls, Annie goes searching for information.  Maybe what Annie learns will help her with her own life.  Annie needs to find a way to move forward with her life and let go of the past.  

Arms of Freedom by Kathleen Neely is a timeslip novel.  It is well-written with developed, realistic main characters.  The story goes between the present day and back to the late 1860s. The author’s descriptive writing brought the scenes to life. I loved Annie’s grandmother.  She is a sweet woman.   Seth is a kind man with a big heart. I was taken aback by the violence, bigotry, and hatred in the book.  I was unprepared for it. Kathleen Neely gives an accurate portrayal on what it was like to be black and live in the south following the Civil War.  The Christian element is light.  I liked that there was more emphasis on God and Christianity near the end.  Arms of Freedom is an emotional novel that deals with love, loss, domestic violence, and social injustice.  Arms of Freedom is a touching tale with a generous grandmother, a commanding mother, a foul father, a helpful hardware store owner, a vengeful fashion designer, a dutiful daughter, and a model ready for a makeover.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!  Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click here to enter.  Good Luck!  

Arms of Freedom is available from Amazon*.  If you are a Kindle Unlimited member, you can read it for free.  You can find Kathleen Neeley's other books here.  Do not forget to leave a comment for an extra entry in the giveaway.  I will return tomorrow to share my thoughts on Looking for Leroy by Melody Carlson.  I hope that you have a satisfying day.  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, March 3

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 4

The Avid Reader, March 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 5

Inklings and notions, March 6

For Him and My Family, March 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 8

Miriam Jacob, March 8

deb’s Book Review, March 9

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, March 10

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, March 11

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, March 12

Bizwings Blog, March 13

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 14 (Spotlight)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 14

Simple Harvest Reads, March 15 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 16

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

 The Last House on the Street

Book Summary

A community’s past sins rise to the surface in New York Times bestselling author Diane Chamberlain’s The Last House on the Street when two women, a generation apart, find themselves bound by tragedy and an unsolved, decades-old mystery.

1965

Growing up in the well-to-do town of Round Hill, North Carolina, Ellie Hockley was raised to be a certain type of proper Southern lady. Enrolled in college and all but engaged to a bank manager, Ellie isn’t as committed to her expected future as her family believes. She’s chosen to spend her summer break as a volunteer helping to register black voters. But as Ellie follows her ideals fighting for the civil rights of the marginalized, her scandalized parents scorn her efforts, and her neighbors reveal their prejudices. And when she loses her heart to a fellow volunteer, Ellie discovers the frightening true nature of the people living in Round Hill.

2010

Architect Kayla Carter and her husband designed a beautiful house for themselves in Round Hill’s new development, Shadow Ridge Estates. It was supposed to be a home where they could raise their three-year-old daughter and grow old together. Instead, it’s the place where Kayla’s husband died in an accident—a fact known to a mysterious woman who warns Kayla against moving in. The woods and lake behind the property are reputed to be haunted, and the new home has been targeted by vandals leaving threatening notes. And Kayla’s neighbor Ellie Hockley is harboring long buried secrets about the dark history of the land where her house was built.

Two women. Two stories. Both on a collision course with the truth--no matter what that truth may bring to light--in Diane Chamberlain's riveting, powerful novel about the search for justice.

My Thoughts

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain is a dual-timeline novel.  We meet Ellie a twenty-year old Caucasian who signs up for the SCOPE project.  Kayla in 2010 is a recent widow with a young daughter.  Her husband died before their dream home was completed.  It is the only house in a new development and Kayla is warned away.  Just outside the development is a home that has been there for three generations and the dying owner refuses to sell.  After Kayla moves into her new home, she meets Ellie Hockley who grew up in the old home and they become friends.  Kayla can tell, though, that Ellie has secrets.  Something happened in this area almost fifty years ago.  Is it time for the secret to come to light?  The Last House on the Street contains good writing, but I thought the pacing was slow.  As I kept reading, I was wondering if the book would ever get moving.  I enjoyed Ellie’s story more than Kayla’s.  Ellie’s story tells of the bigotry, violence, and hatred that was prevalent in the south during this time.  There was a great deal of unrest in the south. It was interesting learning about the SCOPE project.  Ellie’s character was significantly more developed than Kayla’s.  For most of the book, Kayla is unnecessary.  Her character lacked emotion and depth.  As I read, I could soon see how everything tied together and how the story would play out.  I wish the storyline had not been so obvious.  I had trouble getting through the first two thirds of the book because of the slow pacing and there was little action up to this point.  The ending nicely wrapped up the story.  This was not my favorite Diane Chamberlain story.  It was not the same caliber as her last novel.  The Last House on the Street is an emotional and dramatic story that will take you back to 1965 in North Carolina.  

The Last House on the Street is available from Amazon*.  You can find Diane Chamberlain's other novels here.  Thank you for reading my review today.  I will be back tomorrow with A Three Book Problem by Vicki Delany.  It is the seventh A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery.  I hope everyone has an uplifting day.  We need more positivity in our lives.  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner: Review & Excerpt

 

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

About the Book

In this addictive and spectacularly imagined debut, 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. Pitched as Kate Morton meets The Miniaturist, The Lost Apothecary is a bold work of historical fiction with a rebellious twist that heralds the coming of an explosive new talent.

A forgotten history. A secret network of women. A legacy of poison and revenge. Welcome to The Lost Apothecary…

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.

With crackling suspense, unforgettable characters and searing insight, The Lost Apothecary is a subversive and intoxicating debut novel of secrets, vengeance and the remarkable ways women can save each other despite the barrier of time.

About the Author

Sarah Penner is the debut author of The Lost Apothecary, to be translated in eleven languages worldwide. She works full-time in finance and is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Women's Fiction Writers Association. She and her husband live in St. Petersburg, Florida, with their miniature dachshund, Zoe. To learn more, visit slpenner.com.

Author Links

Author website: https://www.sarahpenner.com/

Facebook: @SarahPennerAuthor

Instagram: @sarah_penner_author

Twitter: @sl_penner

My Thoughts

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.

Excerpt

Nella

February 3, 1791

She would come at daybreak—the woman whose letter I held in my hands, the woman whose name I did not yet know.

I knew neither her age nor where she lived. I did not know her rank in society nor the dark things of which she dreamed when night fell. She could be a victim or a transgressor. A new wife or a vengeful widow. A nursemaid or a courtesan.

But despite all that I did not know, I understood this: the woman knew exactly who she wanted dead.

I lifted the blush-colored paper, illuminated by the dying f lame of a single rush wick candle. I ran my fingers over the ink of her words, imagining what despair brought the woman to seek out someone like me. Not just an apothecary, but a murderer. A master of disguise.

Her request was simple and straightforward. For my mistress’s husband, with his breakfast. Daybreak, 4 Feb. At once, I drew to mind a middle-aged housemaid, called to do the bidding of her mistress. And with an instinct perfected over the last two decades, I knew immediately the remedy most suited to this request: a chicken egg laced with nux vomica.

The preparation would take mere minutes; the poison was within reach. But for a reason yet unknown to me, something about the letter left me unsettled. It was not the subtle, woodsy odor of the parchment or the way the lower left corner curled forward slightly, as though once damp with tears. Instead, the disquiet brewed inside of me. An intuitive understanding that something must be avoided.

But what unwritten warning could reside on a single sheet of parchment, shrouded beneath pen strokes? None at all, I assured myself; this letter was no omen. My troubling thoughts were merely the result of my fatigue—the hour was late—and the persistent discomfort in my joints.

I drew my attention to my calfskin register on the table in front of me. My precious register was a record of life and death; an inventory of the many women who sought potions from here, the darkest of apothecary shops.

In the front pages of my register, the ink was soft, written with a lighter hand, void of grief and resistance. These faded, worn entries belonged to my mother. This apothecary shop for women’s maladies, situated at 3 Back Alley, was hers long before it was mine.

On occasion I read her entries—23 Mar 1767, Mrs. R. Ranford, Yarrow Milfoil 15 dr. 3x—and the words evoked memories of her: the way her hair fell against the back of her neck as she ground the yarrow stem with the pestle, or the taut, papery skin of her hand as she plucked seeds from the flower’s head. But my mother had not disguised her shop behind a false wall, and she had not slipped her remedies into vessels of dark red wine. She’d had no need to hide. The tinctures she dispensed were meant only for good: soothing the raw, tender parts of a new mother, or bringing menses upon a barren wife. Thus, she filled her register pages with the most benign of herbal remedies. They would raise no suspicion.

On my register pages, I wrote things such as nettle and hyssop and amaranth, yes, but also remedies more sinister: nightshade and hellebore and arsenic. Beneath the ink strokes of my register hid betrayal, anguish…and dark secrets.

Secrets about the vigorous young man who suffered an ailing heart on the eve of his wedding, or how it came to pass that a healthy new father fell victim to a sudden fever. My register laid it all bare: these were not weak hearts and fevers at all, but thorn apple juice and nightshade slipped into wines and pies by cunning women whose names now stained my register.

Oh, but if only the register told my own secret, the truth about how this all began. For I had documented every victim in these pages, all but one: Frederick. The sharp, black lines of his name defaced only my sullen heart, my scarred womb.

I gently closed the register, for I had no use of it tonight, and returned my attention to the letter. What worried me so? The edge of the parchment continued to catch my eye, as though something crawled beneath it. And the longer I remained at my table, the more my belly ached and my fingers trembled. In the distance, beyond the walls of the shop, the bells on a carriage sounded frighteningly similar to the chains on a constable’s belt. But I assured myself that the bailiffs would not come tonight, just as they had not come for the last two decades. My shop, like my poisons, was too cleverly disguised. No man would find this place; it was buried deep behind a cupboard wall at the base of a twisted alleyway in the darkest depths of London.

I drew my eyes to the soot-stained wall that I had not the heart, nor the strength, to scrub clean. An empty bottle on a shelf caught my reflection. My eyes, once bright green like my mother’s, now held little life within them. My cheeks, too, once flushed with vitality, were sallow and sunken. I had the appearance of a ghost, much older than my forty-one years of age.

Tenderly, I began to rub the round bone in my left wrist, swollen with heat like a stone left in the fire and forgotten. The discomfort in my joints had crawled through my body for years; it had grown so severe, I lived not a waking hour without pain. Every poison I dispensed brought a new wave of it upon me; some evenings, my fingers were so distended and stiff, I felt sure the skin would split open and expose what lay underneath.

Killing and secret-keeping had done this to me. It had begun to rot me from the inside out, and something inside meant to tear me open.

At once, the air grew stagnant, and smoke began to curl into the low stone ceiling of my hidden room. The candle was nearly spent, and soon the laudanum drops would wrap me in their heavy warmth. Night had long ago fallen, and she would arrive in just a few hours: the woman whose name I would add to my register and whose mystery I would begin to unravel, no matter the unease it brewed inside of me.

The Lost Apothecary is available from Amazon*, Bookshop.org, IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Audible, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, Books-a-Million, Target, and Libro.fm.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope I have helped you to find a new book and author.  Tomorrow I am featuring Who's That Witch? by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson.  It is the 3rd book in The Holiday Hills Witch Cozy Mystery series.  I hope that you have an enchanting day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.