This historical novel in prose and verse tells the story of a deadly secret hiding in plain sight and of the womenwho risk everything to provide care for those with nowhere else to turn, perfect for fans of Blood Water Paint and The Lost Apothecary.

Early Seventeenth-Century Rome
For as long as she can remember, Carmela Tofana has desperately wanted one thing:to be allowed behind the counter of her mothers apothecary in Campo Marzio, Rome. When she turns sixteen, shes finally allowed intothe inner sanctum: the workroom where her mother, Giulia Tofana, and two assistants craft renowned remedies for their customers. But for every sweet-smelling flower extract in the workroom, theres another potionrequiring darker ingredients. And then theres Aqua Tofana, theapothecarys remedy of last resort for husbands who are just as deadly as any disease. In all Carmelas years of wishing to follow in her mothers footsteps, she never realized one tiny vial could be the death of them all.