The Apothecary's Garden

  • Author Name: Jeanette Lynes
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • ISBN: 9781443464666

About the Book

Victorian Canada: Touring circuses, seances, and a world powered by steam engines. But in Belleville, Ontario, a twenty-eight-year old spinster, Lavender Fitch, barely scrapes by, selling flowers from her garden at the train station, her position in life greatly diminished after the death of her father, the local apothecary. Then, one day, a glamorous couple step off the train. The lady is a famed spirit medium, Allegra Trout, who has arrived for a public show of her mediumship, accompanied by her handsome but disfigured assistant, Robert. With her striking beauty and otherworldly charms, Allegra casts a spell over Belleville from the moment she arrives. Lavender is captivated by the medium as well. She’s been searching for a secret cache of money and hopes Allegra might be able to contact her dead mother for clues to its hidden location. As the Trouts remain in town, preparing for their Mystical Extravaganza, Robert and Lavender grow close, much to Allegra’s disapproval. Will Robert and Lavender's relationship blossom or will it be abandoned when he leaves for the next town? Will Lavender find her mother's gift or be forced from her home and beloved garden? The Apothecary’s Garden is a magical story about the mysteries of life, the enchantment of flowers, and wonders of love.

About the Author

Jeanette Lynes is the author of seven collections of poetry and two novels. Her first novel, The Factory Voice (2009) was longlisted for The Scotiabank Giller Prize. Her second novel, The Small Things That End the World (2018) won the fiction prize at the Saskatchewan Book Awards in 2019. Jeanette directs the MFA in Writing program at the University of Saskatchewan. She grew up in rural southern Ontario and splits her time between Toronto and Saskatoon.

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