Jem Flockhart is a very interesting and compelling character. The story, the language, the intensity of the writing is wonderful. #ESThomson has created a protagonist worth following for more adventures in #BelovedPoison.

A great murder mystery with a brilliant lead character, well rounded plot and well written

Thank you netgalley for a copy for an honest review

Meet Jem – a woman dressing as a man so as to continue her work as an apothecary in a crumbling London hospital in the 1840s. The story is fast paced and completely sucks the reader in – I could almost smell the blood, the pus, the rotting city with its overflowing cemeteries and feel the oppressive nature of London at that time. As if that wasn’t enough, there is also murder, mystery and mayhem to keep the reader’s interest. I read this in two sittings and can’t wait to read the next in the series.

An absolute knockout of a book. An amazing cast of well-fleshed out characters, lots of fascinating detail about medicine in the 19th century, and a crime story to be solved at the centre of it all, this was truly one book I never wanted to end. Definitely in my Top Five of 2016.