The Poisoner Audiobook By I.V. Ophelia cover art

The Poisoner

The Poisoner Series, Book 1

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The Poisoner

By: I.V. Ophelia
Narrated by: Matt Sykes, Stephanie Willis
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About this listen

The Lost Apothecary meets Gothikana in this Victorian gothic romance of poison, passion, and dark secrets following a botanist who likes to poison unsavory men, but when her next target visits her apothecary, they discover their dark bond runs deeper than they imagined.

Have you ever wondered how long it would take for a lethal dose of arsenic to kill you?

Thirty-five hours, twenty-nine minutes, and fifteen seconds.

I know because I counted myself.

Amidst the gaslit alleys and cobblestone streets of Victorian London, two killers find themselves entangled in a waltz they cannot escape.

Alina Lis, a botanist and hobbyist poisoner, has a pastime of killing unsavory men in her twisted sense of poetic justice. When she targets the conceited playboy, Silas Forbes, only to find him in her apothecary the following week, she discovers human men are the least of her problems.

The pair’s unlikely association sparks gossip among affluent society. As their mysterious bond deepens, a chilling truth emerges—concealed identities, lurking foes, and questions as plentiful as the hydra’s head brew within this haunting Gothic tale of violent passion.

Will Silas and Alina find themselves in each other’s arms, or will the shadows of their past keep them apart?

©2025 I.V. Ophelia (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio
Gothic Horror Paranormal Suspense Thriller & Suspense
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I really enjoyed the story and the characters! The narrators did an amazing job, I couldn't imagine anyone else voicing these two. I especially liked all the twists and turns that the author threw at us in this book and cannot wait for the next in the series.

Amazing!

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After receiving a notification that the audiobook is available to purchase, I didn’t waste any second and added it to my library and listened to it for one whole day.

The moment I heard the voices behind Alina and Silas, I had the hardest decision in life because I love them both! They were born for this! Kudus!

Now, for the plot and world building, it was quite good. It made me imagine like I was actually in their world. The tension was crazy. I kept on kicking, smiling, and squealing simultaneously as the characters exchange deals for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. LOL!

The spice was just for me as I’m not inclined to sexy stuff.

I love Alina’s curiosity as well as Silas’ teasing personality. Plus, the third and fourth wheels of the century—Phoebe and Luka—are a touch of some sort of secret ingredient that makes the whole recipe more interesting.

I just hope that Alina’s “the poisoner” title was more elaborate. Like how she concocted the poison and her execution. It should’ve been more intriguing if it delved one or two scenes with her other persona as a silent poet for justice.

As for Silas, dude, you could have done better. It made me frown on how he’s possessive with Alina and yet, can’t do anything about Luka. Man, walk the talk! Be like Phoebe, scared yet had the courage to do something for Alina. And I won’t mind shipping them both because they also have THAT TENSION.

BUT YEAH, THE PLOT TWIST WAS REALLY AT THE END. I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!

Overall, it’s a good read! I’ll wait for the second book because I might find my answers there.

Thank you, @ophallic! I’m excited for your next book! Keep them coming! ♥️

The Poisoner ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 (🫣) SLOWBURN? YES. PLEASE WATCH OUT FOR THE TRIGGER WARNINGS.

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Fantastic narrators, beautiful writing style.
I read this book was self published by the author and while I enjoyed the story, there was a particular chapter that I found to be unnecessarily cruel and humiliating. After *a lot* of unfavorable feedback, the author has since changed the chapter and I agree with those changes. Alina goes through enough on this journey, that added bit of cruelty really soured the book overall to me.
I enjoy this updated version and I’m looking forward to the next book. Narrators are truly fantastic

Victorian Dark Gothic Romance

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This book is so good! I love a good Dark Romance! The narrators were perfect!

Loved it!

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If atmospheric dread could be bottled and sold, The Poisner would be the premium vintage. IV Ophelia doesn’t just write a story — she constructs a creeping, pulsing experience that slithers into your brain and settles in with a sinister grin. And let me tell you, the audiobook? It's an immersive rabbit hole that I gleefully fell into.

Let’s start with the star of my nightmares: The Creature’s clicking sound. That sound deserves its own credit in the cast list. Every time it echoed through my headphones, I felt my spine do a little anxiety dance. It wasn’t just a sound effect; it was a warning, a mood, a perfectly timed shiver that elevated the tension in the most deliciously dreadful way. Honestly, chef's kiss to whoever came up with that brilliant touch.

Now, on to the narrators. Whoever cast this duo deserves a medal — or at least unlimited book credits. The synergy between them was seamless. Their voices danced, clashed, whispered, and roared exactly when they needed to. They didn’t just read the story; they performed it. You could feel the unease, the longing, the horror, and the hidden truths bubbling beneath every word.

IV Ophelia’s writing is lush, sharp, and laced with a quiet menace that grips you from page one (or minute one, if you’re listening). The pacing? Impeccable. The world-building? Suffocating in the best possible way. The character dynamics? Like watching a beautifully choreographed emotional knife fight.

🌟 In short: The Poisner is a masterpiece.
It’s haunting, it’s immersive, and it left me side-eyeing shadows in my hallway. If you’re a fan of rich horror with a gothic heartbeat, paired with an audio production that pulls no punches, this one’s for you.

But seriously… beware the click.

The Creature Click

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Stephanie & Matt do an excellent job portraying Alina/The Poisoner & Silas/The Creature. IV Ophelia’s writing is an absolute masterpiece of gothic paranormal horrormance. I will forever be recommnding this audio(book) to any and everyone.

An absolute must listen

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Loved, loved, loved this book and was even more excited about it being an audiobook. Was very pleased with duet narration. Only wished that all the male characters were voiced by the male narrator. Can't wait for book 2!!!!

So good!!!

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I had already read the book when it came out but listening to the audiobook, it just gives it new life. AND THE CLICKING!!! *chef kiss* love that touch to the experience. Seriously 10/10 recommend! CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE

A whole different experience

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DNF at 28%

I was really looking forward to this one. Gothic romance is one of my favorite genres, and the premise sounded like something I’d absolutely love. But unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me.

I found myself constantly distracted while reading, even nodding off at times, and no matter how much I wanted to stay engaged, I couldn’t get into the story.

I also listened to the audiobook, which was advertised as duet narration. Duet narration typically means the female narrator voices all of the female characters and the male narrator voices all of the male characters, no matter whose POV we’re in. But here, it wasn’t actually duet. While the main characters were voiced correctly, the side characters were all over the place. The male narrator would randomly voice female side characters and vice versa, and it kept switching back and forth in a way that felt messy and distracting.

I don’t mind dual narration at all when that’s what’s promised, but this was marketed as duet and didn’t deliver. That mismatch between expectation and reality made it even harder to stay connected.

Honestly, this feels like a book that had a lot of potential and strong marketing behind it, but the execution just didn’t land for me. It might still work for other readers, but it’s not one I’ll be finishing.

The Poisoner

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