In the 3rd instalment, Raven and Sarah are back together at 52 Queen Street working with Dr Simpson while also trying to work through their feelings for each other.
Sarah is recently widowed and Raven has promised himself to the daughter of a prominent daughter.
At the same time, Sarah is trying to help a new housemaid find out what happened to her illegitimate child and Raven is helping his fiancé determine if her childhood friend really did commit murder.

There are lots of sub-plots which intermingle and a mystery where the end is a surprise. As for Raven and Sarah, we still don't know what life looks like for them except that Sarah wants to learn medicine and can't do that if she and Raven were together.

This is a great historical fiction series full of well developed characters and interesting facts from the time. Let's hope there is a book 4 not far away!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

A new Ambrose Parry is always a joy and this, the third Will Raven and Sarah Fisher book, doesn't disappoint.

It's Edinburgh in the 19th century; the city of Jekyll and Hyde, of splendid townhouses and sordid tenements, of hypocrisy and secrets. Parents and their failings are highlighted as Will has to prove an enemy is innocent of killing his own father, while Sarah investigates deaths connected to a notorious baby-farmer. All this is complicated by their feelings for one another, of course.

To say that this book is evocative and atmospheric hardly does it justice. The descriptions are vivid, yet subtle enough that you feel you're living in the book and the characters, from the likeable to the vile, are believable. Pacy and twisty, this is one of those books that keeps you up reading long into the night because you need to know what happens next. And the ending is both surprising and satisfying.

Thoroughly enjoyeble and masterfully written.

The adventures of Will and Sarah just keep getting better with every book. Perfectly brings Edinburgh to life and with a gripping plot. Can’t wait for the next book now. Thriller, crime drama, beautifully written.

I love this series and leaped to read this one when it was offered. My only hesitation with it is that there is lots of attention to Raven's romance in opening sections n.. and so the original crime we follow really begins chapters in ..with flashbacks to Sarah in spurts interrupting ... we have misgivings about their match making and this is highlighted ...

There will always be certain authors that you will turn to when you want a guaranteed great read, a book that will keep you turning page after page well into the night and for me Ambrose Parry sits well and truly in that category. This highly talented husband and wife writing team blend history with murder and mystery that gives the reader both an insight into the past whilst appealing to their inner detective. A Corruption of Blood seed Will Raven reunited with Sarah Fisher as they are both starting to make real plans for their futures, ones that may not eventually include each other.
When a former acquaintance from medical college is accused of his father’s murder, Will is asked to prove his innocence. He is not convinced that he will be able to help or that his own feelings toward him will not colour his investigations. Sarah finds herself looking into the seedier side of life in Edinburgh when she is enlisted by a maid working in Dr Simpsons house to find out what has happened to the child she temporarily gave up into care when she found herself alone, unmarried, and pregnant.
Its not long before Will and Sarah find themselves working together on both cases as they find their unique skills complement each other and open doors where alone they may have struggled to obtain the answers they sought. Their investigations lead them to some dark and dangerous places, once again putting themselves in danger and also confront a part of history and its practices that are unpleasant but unfortunately were also not ended quite as quickly as we would like to believe they were.
What I love most about this series is that the characters, no matter how big a part they play in events have a depth to them, making them seem more real. The blend of real people and events with the fictitious ones are seamless. For a history/crime nut like myself this series is just perfect. Neither element detracts from the other and with each book I am learning more about a part of history that I am finding truly fascinating.
Although this is the third in the series they can each be read as a stand alone but I would recommend that you start from the beginning so you can follow the relationship between Will and Sarah from the start and like me become more invested in their future with each new chapter

Another great instalment in this series of books from Ambrose Parry. I love the relationship between all the characters, especially Will and Sarah, and the way the story unfolds at a perfect pace, speeding up as it reaches a satisfactory conclusion. Alongside this I really enjoy the historical detail, learning the differences in society and the development of medical procedures. Overall this is a great series, and I look forward to the next installment!

I was waiting to read this book until I knew I'd have a couple of days when I'd be able to sit down and enjoy it without any interruptions. It turned out a couple of days weren't needed, I read it in one as I found it unputdownable! I like the interaction between Will and Sarah that is ever present, and although I feel the story of the crimes they come across and solve in a visually well portrayed Victorian Edinburgh are the main story, their feelings for each other provide the light that brightens the darkness of the crimes. I'm looking forward to the next one!

This is the third book in this series set in the mid nineteenth century, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint as we return to Edinburgh and the household of Dr James Simpson. On the way home after a tricky birth of twins Dr Will Raven witnesses a disturbing find at the port of Leith. Sarah Fisher, newly widowed has been to Europe to meet Dr Elizabeth Blackwell she had hoped to pursue her dreams of gaining medical qualifications, but returns to Scotland feeling dejected, but she then begins to help Will to find the truth around the death of a key figure in Edinburgh society.

Not only is this series brilliantly written, well researched, it also makes the characters come alive. The characters are all so believable and three dimensional, I love a book that I can like the characters I am always disappointed when I pick up a book and I hate every character. Sarah and Will’s relationship and chemistry comes across so well, but Will doesn’t want to stand in the way of Sarah’s dreams of becoming a Dr, which is what would happen. But whilst Sarah is away Will meets Eugenie Todd who is the daughter of another leading physician Dr Cameron Todd, their relationship develops to a point where marriage expectations are high. But when Sarah returns she realises how things have changed and her feelings of loss and envy are high, causing a difficult and interesting situation with the three, who will Will pick? If anyone. After all the investigations Will and Sarah do means they work together, how would the other woman fit in, I know how I want this to end.

However some of the character’s aren’t as nice, which is fine it’s equally fine that one of them gets exactly what he deserves. I have never visited Edinburgh but it feels like I am there as I can picture and almost smell Auld Reekie a less salubrious area. There is a darkness in this one with ‘baby farmers’ which you hope isn’t true but sadly it is!

It shows the divide between what women can and can’t do, like trying to get a career as Sarah wants to do, it’s hard to imagine now as women are becoming able to do most jobs, although I think there are some areas that they have to work harder to prove themselves in some areas. But compared to the times in the book where women had no chance, if they were in the lower social class as well it was even harder, which is why there were so many prostitutes just trying to earn money to feed their children. Sarah being a widow does now have a little more independence than she did when she was married which is shown within this.

The plot works well as two threads that don’t appear connected actually do merge well together and the twists are just not seen, or I didn’t spot them. If you like a historical mystery then you can’t go wrong with this series, this works ok as a stand alone and if you like it you can always go back to the first two books after.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #CanongateBooks for an eARC of this in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review

The third in what is developing into an excellent series. The historical setting is spot on, as are the medical aspects, and the 2 main characters each have their own developing stories which draw the reader in. Of course, with Chris Brookmyre being one half of the author duo, the crime mystery has plenty of twists to keep us on our toes. Excellent.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.)

Dr Will Raven is drawn into a case of a baby being found in the river at Port of Leith. Sarah Fisher, his friend, is overseas trying to pursue her dream to obtain a medical degree. However, what she discovers both there and on her return throw all her plans awry.

Will is asked to help a man he has previously crossed swords with, who has been accused of his father's murder. He draws Sarah into the case to try to resolve it before the man is convicted and his estate forfeit, even for any children, because of a 'corruption of blood'.

The story shows the darker side of Edinburgh, with poverty, abuse and child farming. We see how difficult it was for women to be taken seriously, and how power and money rule all. The book is fast paced and full of detail, making for an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canongate Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really love Ambrose Parry's writing and really enjoyed this story that allows us to catch up with Will Raven, and Sarah (who to me, is the most awesome of characters).

Fact and fiction are interwoven seamlessly in such an evocative manner, I felt truly transported back to 1850. Rich imagery, and meticulous description bring Edinburgh alive.

Another series of mysteries, so cleverly twisting together. Beware, the story is macabre. But fascinating nevertheless.

Sarah and Will have such brilliant chemistry, but there's nothing predictable about their relationship which I think, shows real quality of writing. It's moving, and tender and spiky.

Everything is just brilliant about this book, I adored it.

Dr Raven and Sarah have two seperate mysteries to solve; and as much as they hate to admit it, they always work better together.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third book in the Raven, Fisher and Simpson series. I've read the first book, but not the second - it was very easy to pick back up, but I definitely want to read The Art of Dying now.

The narrative is still split between Will Raven and Sarah Fisher.
Will is thinking to his future as a doctor, and starts to court Eugenie - a bold young woman who would make the perfect doctor's wife.
When Eugenie's childhood friend is arrested for the murder of his father; she implores Will to investigate and find the truth.

Sarah returns from visiting her hero - Dr Elizabeth Blackwell - and finds everything is changing in the Simpson household. One new addition is housemaid Christina, whose child has gone missing whilst in the care of a dubious Mrs King.
Which may unfortunately be connected to the dead babies found by the river...

This was quite slow to get started, and focussed a lot on Will Raven - his current work and his social aspirations. He's involved in the discovery of a dead baby wrapped in parcel paper, and he unofficially helps where he can in that investigation, as well as that into the innocence of his fiancee's friend, Gideon.
I found it interesting to follow Will as he searches for the truth. He has to put his personal dislike for Gideon aside, and work out whether the lazy rich man's son is capable of murder.

After really enjoying the characters of Sarah and Dr Simpson in the first book, I was a little disappointed at how small a role they played in the first half.
After the events of the second book (which I admit that I haven't read yet), Sarah is a shadow of her former self. She is newly-widowed and finds there is a great deal of freedom afforded to her now. She tracks down her hero Elizabeth Blackwell - the first British female doctor.
Upon her return, Sarah realises that she no longer fits in her old life, and struggles to find her true place. This is made worse by the news that Will is engaged.
I can relate to Sarah throughout her chapters, but they were very slow, until she starts to work on the mystery of Christina's missing son.
In the second half, we get to see more of the old Sarah.

Poor Dr Simpson was definitely a background character. Which was disappointing after how colourful he was in the first book.

Anyway, by the second half, the pace had picked up, as Will and Sarah follow their respective mysteries.
I really enjoyed following the stories, guessing where it would take us.
The story of the poor children was particularly hard-hitting. The role of women was so restrictive at the time, and they were solely to blame for any children out of wedlock. You could sense how desperate these women are - that they would put there children in the care of Mrs King, because it was the only way to survive.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm intrigued how Sarah and Will's 'friendship' will cope now that Eugenie is firmly in the picture.

This is a great third book for the duo Will Raven, MD & Sarah Fisher. They are investigating two cases in regards to disappearing babies in Edinburgh.
It is the end of the Victorian era, when it is frowned upon for women to practice the same sexual freedom that men enjoy. The socioeconomical gaps are huge, and women of poor backgrounds resort to prostitution to pay the bills. But what happens when such encounters produce unwanted offsprings? Well, the men just get away, and the women have to find a way to rid themselves of the burden of the child, even if only temporarily.
While Sarah is looking for the housemade’s baby, Will's new fiancée Eugenie, is pleading him to help clear the name of Gideon, her long-time pal, who's accused of murdering his dad, the all might sir Ainslee, a moral righteous patron of the Edinburgh medical society.
While their cases interlink, we learn more about Doctor Simpson their patron, who discovered chloroform, and Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor, whose footsteps Sarah strives to follow.
Well written, mature, without need of too much adventures, with a smart twist. Maybe less sinister and less horror-like genre than the last two books. But now that the characters are getting more familiar, it was quite fun.

I have read all of this series and enjoyed it. In this episode the Will and Sarah potential for romance suffers another set back as Will gets himself engaged. The mystery all centres around a couple of well off families and the denizens of society. There is almost a moral element as the author explores the unfairness between the sexes with unplanned pregnancy. I did however really struggle through parts of this. It did not have the pace and pull of the first two books, although the ending was worth it and it will not necessarily put me off reading any further books published in the series

A Corruption of Blood is the third book in the brilliant historical mystery series set in 19th century Edinburgh. As the previous two books, this latest instalment is well written, totally griping, atmospheric and full of wonderful characters (old and new). I really hope that there will be book 4.

Marisa Haetzman and Chris Brookmyre are a husband-and-wife team who write under the pen name Ambrose Parry. They are the authors of an excellent series set in Scotland featuring Dr. Will Raven. In "A Corruption of Blood," Raven attempts to forget Sarah Fisher, the woman he once hoped to marry. Formerly a housemaid, Sarah is an aspiring physician who traveled to Europe to consult with Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell. Meanwhile, back in Edinburgh, Will is the assistant of Dr. James Simpson, a Professor of Midwifery, who helped popularize the use of chloroform in his obstetrical practice. Unexpectedly, Will finds himself enamored of a beautiful young woman, Eugenie Todd, who reciprocates his affection.

This novel is a roller-coaster ride, with a complex narrative that is sometimes challenging to follow. Parry touches on quite a few social issues. Among them are the cruel treatment of unwed mothers in the nineteenth century; the sexism that made it difficult for brilliant women to enter male-dominated professions; the evils of baby-farming; and the lack of equal justice under the law. At the center of it all is a juicy murder. A wealthy and obnoxious individual is dead, an apparent homicide. Will and Sarah, who is back from her European trip, embark on a multi-faceted investigation, during which they risk their lives and unearth long-buried secrets.

The descriptive passages are outstanding, and Parry does a magnificent job of creating characters that are almost Dickensian in their richness and depth. There is Gideon Douglas, a "callous, arrogant, and selfish" wastrel. Raven is his opposite—courageous, loyal, thoughtful, intelligent, and compassionate, like his mentor, Dr. Simpson. Parry vividly portrays even those who make brief appearances, such as Christina, a former prostitute who longs for the baby who was cruelly taken from her. Sarah, who has endured more than her share of hardships, tries to claw her way back from despair with Will's support. My sole problem with this engrossing and atmospheric work of historical fiction is Parry's excessive use of clichéd and melodramatic plot devices. Fortunately, "A Corruption of Blood" has a satisfying conclusion, in which not everyone gets his or her just desserts. The clever and original ending introduces a refreshingly admirable bit of ambiguity into the proceedings that leaves us eager for Parry's next installment.

It is the third outing for some of these characters, in this new and shocking tale set in 1850 Edinburgh. Women were not thought of as capable to do anything that a man could, as they would neither have the brains for most things nor the stomach for others.


It often put women in impossible situations. So to keep their employment, many had to give in to their master’s wishes. If they fell pregnant, theirs and the baby’s life was ruined.

There was only one option for such women. That was the workhouse, where the child would be taken from the mother. The mother had the opportunity to have the child back if they could pay for all the years it had been cared for. Something that rarely happened.

Conception did not just lay with the poor, it could happen to any woman. The only difference was the young lady could be sent away for a while, then return after the birth without the baby.

Dr Will Raven and the newly widowed Sarah Fisher find themselves thrown together in a recent murder case, where reputation, titles and wealth are at stake, besides the life of the man who is said to have committed murder. The tangled web holds terrible secrets as the pair dig deeper.

It is a disturbing story with twists and truths entwined. I like the ‘new’ Sarah very much. Excellent reading.

I wish to thank the publisher and Net Galley for an e-copy of this book that I have reviewed honestly.

This is the third book I have read by this author and I have enjoyed it as much as the other two. Raven and Sarah live in an atmospheric Victorian Edinburgh where Raven is a junior doctor and Sarah is a housemaid. They are a dynamic duo who together solve a mystery and right a wrong. I love the details that the author has delved into concerning medicine and social status. I really hope that there will be another book in this series.

This was quite an ambitious book, it had many different genre's within one. It was a historical medical fiction, a crime and murder mystery as well as a focus on womans rights. It's hard to explain without giving too much away and while reading it I was a bit worried I'd get lost in one section and it would all get too confusing but it all linked up, made perfect sense and was nicely tied up at the end.
I loved the setting of 1800 Edinburgh and I feel like this added to the story as it wouldn't have worked as well in a modern setting. I like reading historical fiction where some facts are true but there's a lot of fiction woven in as it is a nice way to explore some historical events.
This wasn't at all what I was expecting it to be but i did really enjoy it. I think you got enough story with each character. I would just say this book takes a little more focus because of the intertwining plot lines but its well worth a read.

Dr. Will Raven is a man seldom horrified by human remains, but even he is disturbed by the contents of a small package found floating in the Port of Leith.

Sarah Fisher has set her sights on learning to practice medicine. When word reaches her that a woman has recently obtained a medical degree despite her gender, Sarah decides to travel to Europe to seek her out.

On Sarah's return, she is asked by one of the maids to help her find her baby that she left in the care of a Mrs. King and Raven's new fiance has asked him to help an old adversary to escape the hangman noose for patricide.

Raven's efforts to prove this man's innocence are failing and Sarah is struggling to take down the elusive Mrs. King. Both turn to each other for help and put their feelings for one another aside. The investigations take them to both the wealthy and underclass of Edinburgh, where they discover that class cannot alter a fate written in the blood.

I like the characters of Will and Sarah, having followed their arc since book one. The story alternates between Will and Sarah, following Will as he goes about his day-to-day surgery with Dr. Simpson and Sarah as she travels to Europe, with ambition in her heart. It then follows both of their investigations, and the shock Sarah has of discovering that Will has become engaged in the short time she was away, though it does not dwell on it too much. We also learn a secret about Will's new finance too.

The book covers a multitude of subjects from murder, adoption, bribery, murder, incest, suicide, and the class divide. I enjoyed the story and hope to read more of how Will and Sarah fare in the future.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for an honest review.