This story told in two time periods.  Current Time Caroline Parcewell has recently found out her husband was having an emotional affair.  She takes their anniversary trip to England solo, to decide what she wants to do about life now.  On a chance mudlarking adventure she finds a glass jar with a bear engraving.  As someone who used to study history, she is intrigued and starts digging for answers.

At the end of the 1700s, down a dark black alley, and hidden behind a wall is an apothecary that specializes in teaching bad husbands a lesson.  Many times that lesson ends in death.  When Nella was young her mother ran the shop that was known as a place of healing.  But Nella was burnt, and burnt bad, and sees the work she does as a salve to her own emotional healing, and to others as well.

But death is a funny thing.  Eventually, it becomes suspicious.  A twelve year old girl named Eliza Fanning is both a danger, a savior, and a problem.  

This book is an emotional roller coaster.  It’s not really this reader's type of book.  There were many times I just wanted it to end, but it felt like it was dragging on.  I felt many of the events at the end were not surprising, but expected.  The stories between time points were okay, and was done well with switching between Eliza, Nelle, and Caroline's points of views.  There is a bit of magic talk, along with medicine, and crazy events.  Overall I thought it was a good book.  It will be read in book clubs for years to come.  I can see it being a high check out title at my library.  But for this reader, it was just ho hum.  But I do thank the publisher for the book, the bag, and the audio book.  I can see why so much umph was put behind the marketing for this book.