Now: When Paige returns to her ancestral family home, Woodham Hall, she’s nursing an unbearable heartbreak. The man she’d thought she loved has told her the most terrible lie, one she feels she’ll never recover from. The only thing that seems to be able to hold her interest is the story of a poisoning that once supposedly happened in the house – depicted in brutal detail in a painting by an unknown artist…
1672: Jeanne’s life at Woodham Hall is happy. Admittedly her brother-in-law – the lord of the manor – is unfaithful to her sister, causing terrible discord in the house. But Jeanne adores her sister, and her niece, Hélène, and even though her growing feelings for another member of the household are illicit, they are bringing her great joy. That is, until Sir Robert chooses to move his mistress in.
Jeanne and her sister are to be banished to a French abbey to live out their days but all the sisters can think is how to get back to Hélène, and the woman who Jeanne might just love. From the glittering court of the Sun King to the dark depths of French society and those who perform alchemy, they will do whatever they must. Even if it means murder…
Their stories are linked across history, with an unforgettable love story, and mystery that must be solved.
The Alchemist’s Secret by Clare Marchant is published by Boldwood Books on 9 March 2026 and is available to pre-order on Amazon. I was so excited when the NetGalley approval arrived — just look at this cover, how could you resist? My thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advance digital review copy.
Clare marchant
Growing up in Surrey, Clare always dreamed of being a writer. Instead for many years she followed a career in IT, before moving to Norfolk where she lives with her husband and youngest child.
Now writing full time, Clare’s books have been translated into eight languages. She loves Tudor and 17th century historical mysteries and especially the forgotten stories of women throughout the centuries. Her weekends are spent researching for her historical dual timeline books amongst the local castles and monastic ruins, or visiting the nearby coast.
Clare loves to chat with readers and she can be found on various social media platforms.
Facebook, Instagram, and Boldwood Books
My Review
Peaceful, Heartbreaking, Unforgettable
Some books are enjoyable. Some are beautifully written. And then, very occasionally, one comes along that completely consumes you. The Alchemist’s Secret by Clare Marchant is that kind of book.
Told across two timelines, we follow two women whose lives are separated by centuries yet intricately connected. The story moves between them with such elegance and control, revealing what happened in the past only when it needs to be revealed. There is no heavy backstory, no overwhelming exposition. Instead, the truth unfolds naturally, piece by piece, exactly at the moment it carries the most emotional weight. It makes the experience of reading feel immersive and intimate — as though you are discovering everything alongside the characters.
I read this in just 24 hours because I simply could not pull myself away. When I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it. I found myself carrying the sisters’ story with me throughout the day, willing them on, hoping for strength where there seemed to be so little power. Their journey — and the quiet endurance beneath it — affected me more deeply than I expected. There’s a restraint in the writing that somehow makes the heartbreak feel even sharper. In the present timeline, that same emotional care is mirrored in a slower, reflective journey of healing and rediscovery. The parallels between past and present are handled so beautifully — not forced, not dramatic for effect, but thoughtful and resonant. The emotional echoes between the two timelines are what make this novel so powerful.
Clare Marchant’s characterisation is extraordinary. She writes people who feel real — layered, vulnerable, imperfect. I wasn’t just observing them; I felt emotionally aligned with them. Their fears felt heavy. Their hope felt fragile. Their moments of connection felt precious.
And the atmosphere… the atmosphere is breathtaking. There is such a peaceful quality to the prose — a softness, almost — yet threaded through it is an undercurrent of sorrow and quiet desperation. The scenes set in 1672 are immersive and vivid without ever becoming overwhelming. You can feel the weight of the manor house, the tension in its corridors, the shifting power within its walls. Equally, the present-day setting carries a sense of reflection and inherited memory that lingers gently in the background. The world-building is seamless. It never shouts for attention, yet it surrounds you completely. I felt transported — not just to a place, but into an emotional landscape. The past feels alive. The present feels shaped by it. And the transitions between the two are so fluid that the story reads like one continuous, beating heart.
There is also a beautifully tender emotional thread running quietly through both timelines — one that develops with patience and authenticity. It adds warmth to what is, at times, a heartbreaking story. That balance between love and loss, hope and injustice, peace and devastation is handled with such skill.
When I turned the final page, I genuinely didn’t want to leave these characters behind. That lingering feeling — that sense of having lived something alongside them — is rare. And precious. This is, without question, a five-star read for me. It gripped me more than any historical novel I can remember. It moved me, unsettled me, comforted me — sometimes all at once.
A truly special book. One I feel very blessed to have read. And I will absolutely be reading Clare Marchant again.
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See About My Reviews and Review FAQ for full star rating explanations and review guidelines. This review may also appear on my social media channels and selected book platforms. All links were correct at the time of publication. Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley, thanks to Boldwood Books. This review reflects my own reading experience. This review is original content. Please credit and link back if you wish to quote.
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