Deborah Swift's Historical Novel "The Poison Keeper": A Story of Betrayal and Redemption

Jo: I enjoyed this story. I cannot wait to read the other two.

Australia on Nov 15, 2023

cindy enzenauer: This was a great story. Moved along well. I was so surprised after the end of the book, that I
read this was based on real events. Makes it all the better!

United States on Nov 01, 2023

Cygfa: I enjoy medieval historical fiction. Recently I’ve stumbled across women writers writing wonderful story plots around seemingly ordinary women who were real people living extraordinary lives trying to go their own way in life while making a difference to others. This series is a fantastic example.

United Kingdom on Sep 09, 2023

Amazon Customer: This book had me captivated from beginning to end!!! I was transported back to Renaissance Italy in this wild & scary adventure!!! Fascinating story. I highly recommend!

United States on Aug 31, 2023

Amazon Customer Brenda Cummings: I disliked NOTHING and LOVED every word printed the people were alive in my vision the depth of feelings anguished me every twist and turn was as exciting

United Kingdom on Jul 24, 2023

Alexandra S. Morgan: Interesting novel about a woman in Italy in the 1600s. Giulia learned the arts
of healing (and poisoning). and gave women the poison. She did it to help women who were trapped in marriage to evil husbands

United States on Jun 04, 2023

Kindle Customer: Fast paced, mysterious.
Look forward to reading the next books in the series . will refer this author to my friends and family.

United States on Apr 09, 2023

Amazon Reader: As a lover of historical fiction, I came upon this book and hoped it would be a good read. I was not disappointed and look forward to the next in the series.

United States on Mar 28, 2023

Anne Mammy: Having just finished this book, i am left wondering what it is which stopped me from really enjoying it. It seemed a bit long I suppose and I could not really feel empathy for Guilia. Her reasoning and moral justification for what she did - I don't poison people, only give others the wherewithal to do so - is of course specious . I would have been very interested to see the storyline between Guilia and Emilio been more developed and there was some inkling of how it might have gone when they first meet. I suppose, as she was a real historical character it was difficult to be too free with the real course of events. Still it is one of these books that keeps you thinking and guessing which way it's going to go when you are not actually reading it. Against all expectations I've just downloaded the sequel as I see reviewers praise it greatly. Let's see whether sericulture is even more entertaining than poisons.

United Kingdom on Feb 02, 2022

10Stars: I rarely review books because I am both critical and unable to gush but I was entranced by the opening sequences of The Poison Keeper and reached the magical watershed of 50 percent with no trouble.

A tale with its roots firmly in historical fact which is explained at the end of the book, Ms Swift’s story is set in Palermo in Sicily and revolves around a young woman … I want to say girl but she is twenty-three, Giulia. When her mother, skilled both in curing people’s ailments and also creating a final solution to their problems, is involved in the attempted murder of Duke Antonio de Verdi, of the ruling house, Giulia fearing for her own life takes a boat to Naples, to seek refuge with the mother’s sister, a courtesan. There Giulia plots her revenge, determined to become as skilled in the use of herbs and poisons as her mother had been.
Yes, I did have a few problems with the narrative where paragraphs on one page were repeated similarly on the next; but the main problem for me was a lack of information about time passing; the novel opens in June 1633 with one other reference, right at the end … late summer. No indication of weather or clothing that might show...

United Kingdom on Jul 17, 2021