K.M. Pohlkamp’s gothic story becomes darker as Lavinia’s ambition leads her on a journey from which there can be no return. Her experiments are unhindered by concern for her victims, and she admits the poisoner’s reward is the look of surprised understanding in the eyes of a doomed victim. Written in the first person, the atmospheric undertones and fast pace make this a book which is hard to put down.

~ Tony Riches, author of the Tudor Trilogy

I don’t normally read historical fiction, but I am a huge fan of this book. Although rich in period detail, K.M. Pohlkamp’s Apricots and Wolfsbane reads like a modern-day psychological thriller. Fans of the Dexter series will love Lavinia, an anti-hero the reader simultaneously gravitates toward and cringes away from. In some scenes, Lavinia is so sympathetic, my palms sweat with anticipation, hoping Lavinia could escape every predicament she found herself in. In other scenes, my stomach turned in revulsion at the lengths the poisoner went through while stalking and attempting to murder her prey. This is a perfect book club novel—with enough interest and intrigue to keep everyone turning the pages and enough depth for a lively discussion afterwards. I can’t wait for the sequel!

~Megan Cassidy, author of Always Jessie, The Misadventures of Marvin Miller, and Smothered