“I could hardly bear to put the book down, such was the need to know the choice each woman makes and the consequences of that choice.” — Sandi Madore, Magnolia’s Bookstore, Seattle, WA

Sarah Penner is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary and The London Séance Society. Her books have been translated into more than forty languages and her debut, The Lost Apothecary, has sold over one million copies worldwide. Her upcoming book, The Amalfi Curse (April 2025), contains powerful witchcraft, a hunt for sunken treasure and forbidden love on the high seas.

A graduate of the University of Kansas, Sarah spent thirteen years in corporate finance and now writes full-time. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking, yoga, and cooking. She also sits on the Board of Directors at her local animal shelter, Friends of Strays. Sarah and her husband, Marc, live in Florida.

Sarah's Featured Titles

The Amalfi Curse: A Novel

Park Row |
Magical Realism & Fantasy

“Sarah Penner transported me to the sea-swept cliffs of Positano and introduced me to characters I’ll never forget. A magical read!”
Emilia Hart, New York Times bestselling author of Weyward

Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…

Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work?

As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano’s latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever…

Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea.

The London Séance Society

Park Row |
Novel

“Sarah Penner brings history to vivid life in this atmospheric and evocative whodunnit steeped in suspense, mystery, and illusion.” –Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestseller of The Maid

From the author of the sensational bestseller The Lost Apothecary comes a spellbinding tale about truth, illusion and the grave risks women will take to avenge the ones they love.

Translated into more than twenty languages
Starred reviews from Booklist & Library Journal (audio)

May mercy be upon the man who finds himself the enemy of a vengeful medium…

1873. At an abandoned chateau on the outskirts of Paris, a dark’s seance is about to take place, led by acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire. Known worldwide for her talent in conjuring the spirits of murder victims to ascertain the identities of the people who killed them, she is highly sought after by widows and investigators alike.

Lenna Wickes has come to Paris to find answers about her sister’s death, but to do so, she must embrace the unknown and overcome her own logic-driven bias against the occult. When Vaudeline is beckoned to England to solve a high-profile murder, Lenna accompanies her as an understudy. But as the women team up with the powerful men of London’s exclusive Seance Society to solve the mystery, they begin to suspect that they are not merely out to solve a crime, but perhaps entangled in one themselves…

The Lost Apothecary

Park Row |
Fiction

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Named Most Anticipated of 2021 by Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, Hello magazine, Oprah.com, Bustle, Popsugar, Betches, Sweet July, and GoodReads

March 2021 Indie Next Pick and #1 LibraryReads Pick 

Over one million copies sold
On the USA Today & Publishers Weekly bestseller lists for 3 months
On the IndieBound bestseller list for 5 months
International bestseller in Canada, Belgium, Sweden, and Spain

“A bold, edgy, accomplished debut ” –Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Alice Network

A forgotten history. A secret network of women. A legacy of poison and revenge. Welcome to The Lost Apothecary…

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.

Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary’s in a stunning twist of fate–and not everyone will survive.

With crackling suspense, unforgettable characters and searing insight, The Lost Apothecary is a subversive and intoxicating debut novel of secrets, vengeance and the remarkable ways women can save each other despite the barrier of time.

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A Conversation with Sarah Penner

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From Day Job to Daydream: Journey to Publication

How one writer went from thirteen years in finance to being an instant New York Times bestseller.

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Business Plans for Authors: Building Your Roadmap

You own your writing career. In this session, we’ll begin building a business plan. We’ll work on defining your brand and author values; identifying your competitive advantages, problems, and needs; and developing a tactical action plan to reach your goals.

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Social Strategy: Platforms and Online Presence for Writers

Content and platform strategies to maximize your writing career.

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Gone digital! Tech Tools for Landing a Literary Agent

A can’t-miss tech walkthrough for aspiring authors.

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The Last Revision Plan You’ll Ever Need: A Writer’s Workshop

A comprehensive micro & macro approach to revising a manuscript.

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Canva for Writers: Tips & Tricks for Better Book Marketing

Bring your laptops! Canva 101 for writers looking to market themselves more effectively.

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Mastering the Dual-Timeline Story

Telling one story is hard enough. But two? This session will walk you step-by-step in the development of two narratives, and how to effectively layer them together to maximize suspense and keep the reader turning pages.

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Unburying the Secrets of The Lost Apothecary: Poison Throughout History

True tales of poison, apothecaries, and the advent of forensic toxicology.

Sarah Penner – Southern Voices 2023

Sarah’s Recent Press Clips

Sarah’s Upcoming Events

For Book Clubs

Honors, Awards & Recognition

The Lost Apothecary
Instant New York Times bestseller, debuting at #7 on the hardcover fiction list
In the works as a drama series at Fox
Book of the Month pick and Book of the Year top 5 finalist
On the USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists for 3 months
On the IndieBound bestseller list for 5 months
International bestseller in Canada, Belgium, Sweden and Spain
Sold in forty territories

The London Séance Society
Instant New York Times bestseller, debuting at #7 on the hardcover fiction list
Instant Publishers Weekly bestseller
Instant IndieBound bestseller
Instant international bestseller in Canada
Book of the Month pick for March 2023
Sold in 20+ territories
Starred reviews from Booklist & Library Journal (audio)

Notable Speaking Engagements
Overdrive Conference Digipalooza – August 2023 – Keynote speaker
Florida WritersCon – October 2022 – Keynote speaker
Florida Bibliophile Society – May 2022 – Keynote speaker
Kansas Authors Dinner – February 2022 – Honorary author & speaker

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

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