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A review by sheriatthelibrary
The Alchemist's Daughter by Mary Lawrence
4.0
Excerpt from review originally published at www.SherisHerbs.com
Now, The Alchemist's Daughter isn't your typical cozy mystery though it has elements of the cozy genre. It's set in the 16th century, across the bridge from London in a slum town known as Southwark. Bianca Goddard is a not your typical amateur sleuth either. She is a smart independent young woman trying to take care of herself at a time and place when that was pretty unheard of. Her passion is herbal medicine, and she's good at it. She's curious and constantly experimenting and researching, a trait she inherited from her father, a well known and mistrusted alchemist. But she has no desire to be associated with her father or alchemy. She want's to do something important, and help people.
When her friend, Jolyn, suddenly falls ill and dies, Bianca blames herself for not being able to save her, and the local constable blames her too, accusing her of murder. It appears to be a poisoning and she had just given Jolyn an herbal remedy. She has to outwit the constable, and prove her innocence by using her knowledge of herbs and healing . A cast of colorful characters turn up to help, and sometimes hinder her along the way. I can't wait until the next installment in the Bianca Goddard Mysteries. I hope to see further development of Bianca's character, more about her past and how she breaks away from her Alchemist father to become an independent herbalist.
Now, The Alchemist's Daughter isn't your typical cozy mystery though it has elements of the cozy genre. It's set in the 16th century, across the bridge from London in a slum town known as Southwark. Bianca Goddard is a not your typical amateur sleuth either. She is a smart independent young woman trying to take care of herself at a time and place when that was pretty unheard of. Her passion is herbal medicine, and she's good at it. She's curious and constantly experimenting and researching, a trait she inherited from her father, a well known and mistrusted alchemist. But she has no desire to be associated with her father or alchemy. She want's to do something important, and help people.
When her friend, Jolyn, suddenly falls ill and dies, Bianca blames herself for not being able to save her, and the local constable blames her too, accusing her of murder. It appears to be a poisoning and she had just given Jolyn an herbal remedy. She has to outwit the constable, and prove her innocence by using her knowledge of herbs and healing . A cast of colorful characters turn up to help, and sometimes hinder her along the way. I can't wait until the next installment in the Bianca Goddard Mysteries. I hope to see further development of Bianca's character, more about her past and how she breaks away from her Alchemist father to become an independent herbalist.