A Corruption of Blood is the last in the series featuring the amateur medical sleuths, Will Raven and Sarah Fisher. It follows The Way of All Flesh (2018) and The Art of Dying (2019). Set in 1850s Edinburgh it is the stomach-churning story of 'baby farming' in which illegitimate infants are bought and sold in the name of sending them to better homes than their young mothers — often prostitutes or the daughters of the city's wealthy — are able to provide, either because of poverty or because the family do not want the shame of it to ruin its reputation. This trilogy is a great read for fans of historical fiction.

Many thanks to Canongate and NetGalley for my ARC.

Another very enjoyable historical mystery come medical drama come romance come social treatise!
I enjoy books that I learn from without realising, and this series is definitely one of them, looking forward to catching up with Raven and Sarah again soon.
Thank you to netgalley and Canongate books for an advance copy of this book

The third part of the wonderful historical medical murder mystery series operates very much to the high standards of the previous books, but there is also progression here and a slight change of emphasis. There are a few early hints of the medical issues of childbirth and the role the newly discovered anesthetisation through use of chloroform, a suspicious child death an a suspected murder investigation that has the potential to upset the establishment. Inevitably then since it has invested so heavily in the characters of Raven and Sarah, their relationship and the social complications, class divisions and gender create, comes more to the fore in relation to these matters.

Again there is a neatness in how the social behaviours, expectations and even twists of fate that conspire to keep Raven and Sarah apart also provide a context for the period drama and the murder mystery developments. Sarah's ambition to go to Europe to meet the famous female doctor Dr Blackwell doesn't go entirely as she might have hoped, but it hits home just how much of a near impossible challenges lies ahead for a woman at this time hoping to break through the class and gender prejudices to embark upon a career in medicine.

Although the situation between Sarah and Raven looks like it is going to dominate and lead to a predictable outcome, 'Ambrose Parry' continues to surprise and find new depths in their main characters. Likewise the situation between them and the personal dilemmas they face also reflect more widely on the circumstances of men and women in society. It seems like it's female issues that are going to dominate, childbirth, prostitution and infant mortality, but it's not as if men aren't involved in those matters too.

The social aspect is well integrated into the murder investigation, which although it appears to lack danger and drama, soon develops into an intriguing mystery. The characterisation remains as strong as ever, the behaviours authentic, but the plotting is also superb, constantly surprising in the direction it takes, the revelations that come out, and how the authors tie everything together not just with consummate skill, but in a realistic and convincing manner, never acting out of character, or period, and never cheating the reader.

This has been a brilliant series of books, clever in its conception, with its historical background based on real historical figures, medical advances (and lack of advanced medicine) and in the different types of crime that would have been prevalent due to religious, moral and social attitudes. If this proves to be a three book series it goes out on a high, but there's potential to take this further.

A Corruption of Blood is the third Raven and Fisher book and they just keep getting better.

This story sees several different threads all running concurrently… there’s the mysterious circumstances around a baby body’s found in the river, a maids missing baby and an old adversary of Ravens needing his help.

Raven and Fisher are back working together and their character development continues in this book. It’s not a fast paced story but it’s writing makes you feel part of that time and place.

A five star read.

I really enjoy historical fiction that are based on real characters and events, and this mystery series fits that bill. Set in 1850s Edinburgh, the two main characters, Dr Will Raven and Sarah Fisher, live and work with Dr James Simpson, the man who pioneered the use of chloroform in medicine and surgery. While Will is a young doctor setting out on his career, Sarah is Dr Simpson’s assistant who he has trained to help with minor treatments and in administering chloroform. She yearns to be a doctor, but medical schools in Britain are not yet admitting women, although she is planning to seek advice from Dr Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to attend medical school in America.

When one of Edinburgh’s wealthy citizens, Sir Alistair Douglas is found dead and his son Gideon arrested for murder, Will is asked to look at the case by the young woman he is courting, who is a family friend of Gideon’s and believes he is innocent. Sarah is also asked to help a maid find her missing baby and soon becomes involved in tracking down an unscrupulous woman.

Sarah and Will clearly still both have feelings for each other, although Sarah is recently widowed after a brief marriage and Will is now courting a doctor’s daughter. He also knows Sarah needs to be free if she is to pursue her ambitions in medicine. It will be interesting to see how their relationship evolves over the series. In the meantime, they still work well together to help each other investigate their individual mysteries.

Together the two mysteries focus on many of the legal, medical and social issues of the day for both the wealthy and the more impoverished sides of society. There are some dark scenes as the plight of poor unmarried pregnant women and their babies is highlighted. Although the plot takes a little while to get moving, it’s well written and researched with the sights and sounds of Victorian Edinburgh flavouring the narrative.

I really do enjoy this series of books. I love the fast paced stories which are always so cleverly written. The mix between fact and historical fiction is so well blended you just get lost in the story. I enjoy the mystery side of the story but I also love the feel you get for the history of the time period, and what life was like for rich and poor, male and female. The setting of Edinburgh is perfect as it helps give the story its slightly dark and gothic edge. But most of all I enjoy meeting all the characters old and new. All the characters are so well written, and the main characters of Sarah and Will are just the best, they are some of my favourite reoccurring book characters as they are just so alive and real, they are flawed, but they are also smart, and sensitive. I can never get to end of these books fast enough but always feel so sad to say goodbye when I’ve finished.

Another foray into the depths of darkest Edinburgh. Truths and mysteries lie behind the doors of the well to do hidden for them but the less scrupulous. Will Raven and Sarah Fisher delve into the depths to solve the murder of the despicable Alistair Douglas . In doing so they unearth the heart wrenching ‘baby farming’ with its trail of tragedies and horrendous reality.
The book is earthy, well written and carefully blends the reality of the times socially and medically in a tale of clever detection with a serving of romance and rivalry on the side .

Another chapter in the life of Will Raven another case of murders in facts murders reflecting Victorian attitudes to life and infantacide

Another brilliant book starring Will Raven and Sarah Fisher and continuing their will-they-won't-they relationship. Of course, there's much more to it than this, from a sickening discovery in the Water of Leith, to a cry for help from an enemy, plus an engagement which may or may not lead to marriage.

Edinburgh is wonderfully evoked, the sights and smells and sounds of the period bring it alive. Dr Simpson, as always, provides genuine background detail and even his rival, Syme, makes an appearance.

There's intrigue, a little violence, disappointment in love, and medical details - and it all adds up to a gripping read.

Excellent as always.

Mid nineteenth Edinburgh, and Dr Will Raven is obliged by his employer to accompany him to a fundraising event presided over by the overbearing, opinionated Sir Ainsley Douglas. The following morning, he is found dead, and Will is entreated to try to exonerate Gideon Douglas, whom he remembers as a feckless medical student and is now suspected of murdering his father. He does not relish the task, especially as it will involve once more antagonising police officer McLevy, with whom he has unfortunate history.
Meanwhile, Will’s friend Sarah returns from Europe downcast and disenchanted, recognising the overwhelming obstacles in the way of her pursuing a career in medicine, and finds distraction in attempting to help the new maid locate her missing child.
Tension and mystery deepen in this immaculately researched portrayal of the medical profession in Victorian Scotland, highlighting the social and economic tensions of the period and, through its strong female characters, underlining the inequalities and limited opportunities against which they are forced to fight.
This is the first novel in which I have encountered Will and Sarah, but I will certainly be seeking out the two previous novels in the series. This is a thoroughly engrossing novel, inhabited by rounded, complex characters within a vividly described and realised historical context.

Ambrose Parry entertains us with fiction loosely based on fact in ‘A Corruption of Blood’. It was an easy read and I will probably go back an read his previous books in the series.

There’s probably a necessary proviso required ahead of this review and that’s I’m not a massive reader of detective novels. Aside from Sherlock Holmes and Jack Laidlaw, there’s few fictional detectives whose careers I’ve followed with any attention. And so if any of the carping below comes across as ill-informed or whiny then I hope you’ll allow me to plead ignorance in my defence.
Part of the problem is that the rather static nature of the way most detectives are drawn — necessary presumably for any long-running series of books — always leaves me rather cold. It seems to me, like the afore-mentioned Sherlock and Laidlaw, that literary detectives need to be vivid. Not cartoonish, of course, but certainly with some aspect that veers close to the larger than life. And indeed, both these examples strike me as possessing something in the way of character development — something that feels rather lacking in the novel’s double protagonists of Will Raven and Sarah Fisher.
And here’s one of the places that I probably have to acknowledge that I might be being unfair. This is the only book in Ambrose Parry’s sequence that I’ve read. Perhaps if I’d read the preceding instalments, I’d be better disposed towards Raven and Fisher. As it is, I found Raven (who sounds like he’s wandered out of some other book, possibly something with wizards in) rather an intolerable prig and Fisher to be something of a whiner. The best that can be said of them is that I found my utter indifference to them and their tedious affairs of the heart only thawing into active dislike at their treatment of Eugenie Todd (for my money the only really interesting character in the novel and the one who is the most ill-served and ignored).
Parry is the pseudonym for the husband-and-wife writing team of Christopher Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman and this is the third in the Raven/Fisher books set in mid-19th century Edinburgh. Parry (I’m sticking to the singular to avoid confusion) is definitely an able stylist and the time and place are lovingly evoked. The research is worn perhaps a bit too self-consciously at times and tends to feel like Parry reciting some stuff they’ve dug out from the NLS rather than the thoughts and experience of real characters of the time. For instance, at one point Raven and Fisher pause in mid break-in to discuss the invention of the Davy Lamp they happen to be using.
The novel does also tend to rely on one of the bug-bears of the detective genre — that of the heaping of increasingly unlikely coincidences. What at first looks like a city-wide scandal involving baby farmers and the sordid secrets of the city fathers turns out to revolve around the goings-on of a couple of households, including Raven and Fisher’s own. And the two begin by embarking on separate investigations that, rather predictably, end up dovetailing into one.
But perhaps I’m just not entering into the spirit of the thing because the whole thing rattled along at a nice pace and I did want to keep reading towards the end and the twists and turns of the plot were in no way predictable. That said, I’m not sure I’d be that inclined to revisit the series (and not just because I can just feel that they’re setting poor Eugenie up for a tragic murder in a later volume for poor guilt-ridden Raven and Fisher to solve before finally living happily ever after).
It’s a fun enough read but aside from the largely nicely realised setting and an articulate strand of passionate social commentary, there’s little remarkable or out-of-the-ordinary to this book that feels all too often as if it’s been written with half an eye towards a future TV adaptation.

Corruption Of Blood is not my usual type of read but I kept at it and I did find it quite enjoyable. It wasn't as good as I'd hoped it would be but it did turn into a good read in the end. It took me a while to get into it but once I did, I couldn't put it down! I had hoped for a different ending but it was nice reading how one part turned out. There were a few twists along the way - I did not guess it was the person it was who killed so that was a surprise!

"A Corruption of Blood" is where status and power collide, and shows how each is used against those who possess neither , or furthers the aims of those who do.

Its interesting twists took me back in time to witness experimental and risky medical practices, and the stark reminders of how your gender and place in society decides the roles you are afforded, certainly none of any standing in a professional or respected capacity if you’re untitled or female.

Sarah’s battle to place a foot on the ladder of medicine was heartbreaking at times. Will’s unwavering support for her endeavours is endearing. The sinister undertow they both find themselves caught in frustrates their efforts to prove someone innocent of a crime everyone believes he committed and makes for a well paced, characterful read with a cleverly developed mystery.

Perhaps not my favourite of the series so far, but still gripping and well worth your time.

In A Corruption of Blood the third in the Raven and Fisher series there’s murder at both ends of the social scale when Will investigates the murder of a prominent Edinburgh businessman who everyone loves to hate and Sarah, newly returned for Europe, goes in search of some missing babies.
Through this series Will has been plagued by the shadow of his violent father and continually questions whether he has inherited his nature, in A Corruption of Blood this is mirrored in the story of another family with a tyrannical father.
Sarah is tasked by the new housemaid to find the baby that she gave away to a supposedly respectable woman to look after who has now disappeared with no trace of the baby.
In this third instalment Will is actually behaving like a sensible human being (apart from one howler of a decision *cough Eugenie*) he’s being noble and thinking about what Sarah wants and needs before himself. Sarah disillusioned and lacking confidence after an eye opening trip to Europe is for once shaken out of her usual solid self assurance. You should never meet your heroes. They are both still dancing around each other like a pair of big Jessie’s though. It has to be said. Their relationship in this book is distinctly passionless which is ironic given what happens. I felt a bit robbed. Everyone was being sensible and reasonable and it was all a bit anticlimactic. I want tortured souls and gnashing of teeth. Maybe next time.
The story however was very good and I liked how they interconnected although it was handy that everyone who’s anyone has had an illegitimate baby. But everyone knows those victorians were all at it like rabbits so it’s not really that unthinkable.

I was delighted to receive a proof of this, the third in the Will Raven/Sarah Fisher series.

Set like the first two books in nineteenth century Edinburgh, the book portrays a society divided between man and woman, rich and poor. The story begins with the discovery of the body of a baby in the water of Leith. Then an eminent citizen is murdered. Surely these two events can’t be connected. But it seems they are and Will and Sarah become involved. The issue is complicated by Sarah’s growing feelings for Will, who has found someone else.

The threads of the plot are slowly unravelled, and by the end the reader has a picture of a deeply conservative society, where reputation is all. Fortunately, not all the threads are resolved, the main one being will Sarah ever achieve her ambition of becoming a doctor?

Like the previous two books in the series, this contains a lot of detail about the revolution in medicine which was taking place in Edinburgh at the time. I’m a glutton for detail and I found it fascinating. It’s done with a very light touch though, and it really does add to the story.

It would be possible to enjoy this as a standalone novel, but I really feel you should read the first two in the series first, so as to enjoy the development of the two main characters. I very much enjoyed meeting Will and Sarah again.
Thanks to Netgalley and Canongate for the proof.

This series - set in Victorian Edinburgh - is one of my absolute favourites!

I love how vividly the gloom and danger of the city is conveyed, I love the realistic characters and I love the medical basis for the books. The (married) writers - award-winning crime writer (Chris Brookmyre) and medical expert specialising in anaesthetics (Marisa Haetzman) - are a brilliant combination and I look forward to each new book in this series with anticipation.

And this one is an absolute gem!

In this story, Dr Will Raven begins to investigate the gruesome and tragic contents of a package that washes up in Leith. His work is interrupted by the poisoning of a wealthy Edinburgh figure - and Raven isn't wholly convinced that the right man will hang for the crime. Assisting him is Sarah Fisher - a women who has her sights on a career in medicine no matter the barriers caused by her gender - who has both her own reasons for investigating and a complex past with Raven.

The plotting of this book is just so clever. For something that starts relatively slowly with two separate investigations, the pace really picks up and the twists just keep coming! At the end, there were so many revelations and reversals of what I expected that I was reeling! I had no clue about the culprit or motives whatsoever (although the clues were all there) - and, to me, that makes a pretty fantastic read.

The setting of these books is a real strength. Victorian Edinburgh is a dark and twisted place, full of secrets and underhand dealings and danger - which I love. The streets aren't safe and the sights and smells of Raven's world are evoked strongly (I was going to say beautifully, but there isn't much beautiful about the morgues and poor houses, chloroform and pus that make up Raven's existence as a medical doctor).

As always, the character of Sarah Fisher is the one that I love most. She really conveys how hard it was for women to be taken seriously in their desire to practise medicine, especially women who have been hampered by their 'female' education. It does complicate the tentative romance between Fisher and Raven that has formed the backbone of this series as marriage would compromise her independence. This is something that is dealt with really sensitively and with clearly lots of thought about what are realistic but painful choices for the characters.

I honestly could go on forever about these books. Instead, I'll suggest that you pick up an Ambrose Parry book now if you love dark and grimy historical murder mysteries. This book could be read as a stand alone, but to fully appreciate the characters I'd suggest you begin with book one, 'The Way of All Flesh'.

Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Complex storylines, appealing characters and an exciting plot. The third book in this series develops the relationship between the two main characters as they navigate their desires and goals within their (historical) setting.
Highly recommended. But start with book one for the best reading experience.

This series! It's ridiculous how good it is! It really does provide the pure pleasure that makes reading a joy, a release and a privilege. And I have to say this one is the best so far! The murder mystery is an enthralling and pleasingly shocking romp and the convoluted relationship between Sarah and Raven is a perfectly constructed frustrated romance - they are the Ross and Rachel of Victorian Edinburgh! The plot is fast paced, twisty, tightly constructed and it plays out with just the right amount of reveals and hunches satisfied. The writing is light and engaging, the dialogue sharp and witty, and it's just delightfully compelling, a lot of fun and easy to absorb - and to be absorbed into! The characters are like old friends now. I also really appreciate the balance of the case to be solved and the personal relationships, mixed with the historical backdrop and the inclusion of real medical figures/facts.

It is 1840, and Will Raven is a young Edinburgh doctor (like a GP or Physician but with few actual medicines) and accoucheur (like an obstetrician). Such a man, and it has to be a man because women cannot enter University, is considered to be of lower status than a surgeon. Equality issues such as this underlie much of the story and some aspects of the plot are driven by them. Fortunately, Will is assistant to Dr Simpson, the world famous “inventor” of Chloroform as an anaesthetic. This is the third book in which he appears and a number of other characters from the previous books also feature. Notable amongst these is Sarah Fisher, Will’s research assistant who aspires to become a doctor in her own right. In the past there has been a level of romantic involvement between them, albeit of a decorous and unrequited nature. However, there is friction between them now because Will has fallen for Eugenie Todd, whose father is a pillar of the medical establishment and so is above his station
Will is present when a parcel containing a dead baby washes up in Port of Leith and he takes an interest in the investigation begun by Inspector McLevy, with whom he has had issues in the past. This leads Will and Sarah into the darker and poorer side of Edinburgh’s Old Town and into danger.
An apparently separate thread starts when Will runs into an ex-student, Gideon Douglas, the upper class scion of another pillar, indeed central column, of the local medical world. Gideon has always looked down on lesser mortals such as Will but now, arrested by McLevy and charged with murder, he turns to Will (and Sarah) in the hope they can prove his innocence. But is this leading them into danger from a different quarter?
Ambrose Parry (an homage to Ambroise Paré?), is the pen-name of Chris Brookmyre (celebrated author of crime and mystery stories) and his wife Marisa Haetzman (a consultant anaesthetist) so it is not surprising that this book (and the previous two) is well plotted and richly detailed. Resolution of these investigations, played out against the historically accurate background and the tightly confined, and supercilious, medical world of the times, is suitably satisfying, if a bit obvious.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.