The Way of All Flesh

This is a deliciously atmospheric piece of historical crime fiction from the husband and wife authors, Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman, set in Victorian Edinburgh, a city split between the poverty stricken and dark underbelly of the Old Town and the more genteel wealthy households of New Town. This is a story about Edinburgh's heyday as the prominent player in its contributions towards the progress of medicine intertwined with the murder of young women, prostitutes, deemed to be of little consequence, unworthy of any real investigation. It is 1847, a penniless and indebted Will Raven has secured a much sought after apprentice position with the well known Dr Simpson, specialising in midwifery and anaesthesia. Shocked after stumbling on the dead body of his friend, Evie, a prostitute, he is badly beaten and cut by the thugs of a moneylender when he arrives to live at the Simpson household. Needless to say, he makes a poor impression on some members of the household that include the young resentful Sarah Fisher, a bright and intelligent housemaid with aspirations for a career in medicine that is denied to her by society's misogyny and her poverty.

Edinburgh abounds with quacks, charlatans and snake oil salesman willing to peddle their dangerous practices and wares on a desperate public. Amidst the medical community there are daring experiments run by men, often ruthless and arrogant, brutal and uncaring of the people they experiment on. Driven by a need to acquire wealth and build their reputations, it is barely surprising that so many are corrupted by their power over ordinary mortal souls with nowhere else to go. In that respect, Raven is fortunate that Simpson is driven by the need to improve the gruesome medical practices in midwifery and to alleviate the unspeakable pain experienced by women in childbirth. We see the good doctor discover and implement the use of chloroform in the profession. Many doctors believe that it is natural for the patient to experience pain and it goes against nature to provide pain relief. I believe their beliefs would shift remarkably quickly if they were the ones on the receiving end of their brutal and excruciating practices. Then there are the male religious voices, claiming that God wants women to undergo painful childbirth and to provide an anaesthetic is to go against God. Sarah and Raven overcome their initial difficulties to join forces to investigate who is behind the growing number of dead women when no-one else will, only to find themselves in deadly danger.

The authors give us an atmospheric and richly described picture of the dark arts and science behind the breakthroughs made in 19th century Edinburgh amidst a background of a medical profession that was not always keen to adhere to the best interests of their patients. We are not spared the gruesome horrors of what people had to undergo in the hands of these powerful doctors, this includes the malignant abortionists taking advantage of poorer women with impunity. Sarah and Mina, whilst on different ends of the social strata, nevertheless epitomise just how powerless women were in their inability to choose their path in life, or even have control over their bodies. This novel does a brilliant job in providing such a great sense of time and location, giving an authentic glimpse of the state of medicine in the period, with all the tension and suspense of murder. The characterisation and development of Will Raven and Sarah Fisher was done well and with great skill as I found both of them utterly compelling as people. I look forward with great anticipation for the next in this series. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Canongate for an ARC.

Raven is an apprentice ‘midwife’ to Dr Simpson a kind, generous doctor with an interest in anaesthesia. Raven owes money to violent ‘loan sharks’ after borrowing to lend money to his friend who is then found dead. He feels this was murder, and then there are further women found dead with the same contorted bodies.

Sarah is a housemaid, who also works for Dr Simpson, part time, in his surgery helping with patients and clearing up. She has a thirst for medical knowledge and reads medical books but as a women in these times, was disregarded.

Sarah and Raven do not get on initially, but they begin to investigate the deaths of the women and a little romance begins.

There’s a lot of medical information given and the use of ether in medicine and surgery in the 1840’s and it reminds you just how much medicine has advanced , thank goodness. Ambrose Parry, the author has clearly done a lot of research and while he includes a lot of this in the tale it is not confusing but just reinforces the story and gives background to medicine of the time.

It’s a great tale of medical drama, romance and a murder mystery.

I would like to thank the Author/the Publishers/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review (I also have my own hardback copy)

After seeing this dynamic funny duo speak at the booksellers association, I had high hopes for this novel. Striking the right balance between forensic accuracy and a slightly dark romp through 19th century Edinburgh. Evoking the sights, sounds and smells, while introducing a great duo - and potentially room for more stories is a great feat. Throw in a really in depth look in the role of women and the limitations they faced and this is a super entertaining story.

When a couple of young women are found dead in similar suspicious circumstances, medical student Will Raven - apprenticed to Dr Simpson and Simpson's housemaid Sarah investigate which leads them into some grave trouble.
This is a fast-paced gritty historical fiction set in 1840's Edinburgh, when Edinburgh led the world in the field of medicine.
This is a story of the birth of anaesthesia, of power and corruption.
I loved this and I'm glad there will be more.

When Will Raven starts his apprenticeship with the renowned Dr Simpson he gets more than he’s bargained for as women are being murdered around Edinburgh. Teaming up with housemaid Sarah, can they discover the truth before it’s too late?

The Way of All Flesh is a historical fiction mystery that has strong medical base and knowledge thrown in. I felt this affected the pace quite a bit as it was a little slow to start, but sped up nicely towards the end to make me tear through the pages to find out the culprit.

The story itself seems very nicely researched and based in fact which is a nice touch. Upon reading more about the subject online I can see many famous figures are used as side-characters and many true (and remarkable!) events are used in the plot which is great. I enjoyed the descriptions of ancient, violent Edinburgh and thought the fictional characters of Raven and Sarah were well integrated into the factual story. I liked the slight romance between them and I gather there will be a sequel based around them which I will certainly look out for. The alternating narrative between them was a good choice and helped to carry the story along.
I did feel that the ‘modern’ touches were a little jarring – Sarah is quite a feminist and I did feel her viewpoints became a little preachey and unrealistic at times, particularly for someone of the lower classes – it felt like it was written with much too much hindsight in mind. As the story includes historically accurate story of the birth of ether and chloroform used in medical practice I did feel the inclusion of ‘peri peri’ was a bit weird and brought me out of the story a little.

Overall The Way of All Flesh was a bit of a slow paced read to start with but is a well-researched historical fiction that will stay with you after you read it – and you learn some real history from it as well which is always a good thing! Thank you to NetGalley and Canongate Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

** spoiler alert ** I have to be honest,I was expecting more gore.
What I got instead,was what I hope is the first in a series of medical based mysteries set in the 1800's.
Two very good central characters in Will and Sarah,some interesting medical stuff (midwifery and anaesthesia),slums,murder,debt collecting.
Oh and an interesting back story for Will.
It ticks a lot of boxes for a good read.
Already looking forward to where we go next

Medical thriller in mid 19th century Edinburgh, with gore. Excellent book based upon medical practitioners in Edinburgh covering both the New Town and the Old Town, so two very different social strata. Bodies of prostitutes turn up but the police have no strong interest - hoors are hoors and what do you expect? Will Raven, apprentice to Dr Simpson - specialising in midwifery/obstetrics - and Sarah Fisher, housemaid in the Simpson household, come together reluctantly to solve the murders; he knew one of the girls and Sarah was friends with another. They seem to have been poisoned and were also probably pregnant. The story brings in the development of medical techniques to help women during child birth - ether and chloroform to name but two - a painful and dangerous event for women at all levels of society. Brutal and dishonest doctors abound, although Simpson definitely is not one of these, and you can feel the rivalry between factions. Descriptions of the poorer parts of the city are vivid and the characters bring it to life. Running through this is also the general treatment of women at the time - wives or housemaids (or hoors) are the main options although we do get a vignette of an early female photographer, even if her work was publicised as being by her male counterpart of course. Sarah in particular has issues with this, being an intelligent woman, but not having the option of working for Dr Simpson as anything other than a housemaid although she does manage to act as medical secretary/receptionist at first. I noted that the story had been written by two people - this is not obvious from a reading as they clearly work well together and all the text meshes well. A compelling read and one which I thoroughly enjoyed too. Look forward to the next in the series hoping that the authors concentrate on a medical story and not too much on the developing relationship between Will and Sarah! Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

'The Way of All Flesh' is set in Edinburgh in 1847 and is at its heart a dark medical mystery. I love the setting of Victorian Edinburgh and this centres on the Old Town where young women are being found dead. Our MC Will Raven, is a medical student who is on his way to begin an apprenticeship with an esteemed local doctor, Dr Simpson. Simpson is unusual in that he helps the poorest or the richest and his home is a place for experiments and discoveries, particularly with anaesthesia - which does lead to a particularly humorous scene.
Raven discovers the body of a prostitute, who he knew personally, and this begins the mystery central to the book. Poor Will Raven does go on quite an adventure and he is viciously beaten up by a moneylenders gang within the opening pages! This is only the start! He is soon, reluctantly, teamed up with the Dr's housemaid Sarah Fisher as they both get caught up with the murders.
The writing is atmospheric and the scenes of both the Old and New towns are engaging and provide a fascinating backdrop to the drama. It seemed to be very well researched, and I am thankful I'm born in this century after some of the medical scenes!
I would have liked more development of the central characters of Will and Sarah - it was a little disjointed at times and I felt it could have been so much more...maybe there's a sequel on the horizon?

Generally an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Canongate for the review copy

A very interesting historical novel set in Edinburgh. A look at midwifery and the evolution of anaesthetics . The main story was also very good with robust characters and lots of mystery and mayhem.

Edinburgh is described to a tee ! The old town and the new town are very different even today but not quite as bad as back in the day ! The city really comes alive

Sarah the wonderful house maid is, for me, the star of the book. She’s ahead of her time and a natural healer. The early day medics are described well - a heady mixture of genuine healers and patent chasers and of course Edinburgh has always been a centre of medical care excellence.

It’s a straightforward read and a nice mixture of thriller and history

Historical fiction is something I only read from time to time. However I'd seen a few good reviews for this and one half of the writing team is Christopher Brookmyre a favourite author of mine. The other part of the team is apparently his wife, a consultant anaesthetist, who brings her obviously extensive medical knowledge into play here. The book focusses strongly on medicine, the medical profession and their quests for improved treatment. Some of the practices are rather barbaric and quite graphic however it also feels authentic.

I found the opening wonderfully atmospheric creating a feel for an Edinburgh around 1850 where death is commonplace and doctors are an established if somewhat experimental part of society. Raven, an aspiring medic, finds a dead body, female, who is someone he has "known" in the past. Afraid he may be accused of her murder he flees the scene but worries about how she may have died. This leads to the book's leitmotif of "another deid hoor".

Raven, in the employ of an established doctor, finds his interest in what happened to his friend is a subject shared by another member of the household. Sarah, a maid, would far rather spend time dealing with patients and learning from doctors. She also had a friend who has died in an apparently similar way to Raven's. The book follows their attempts to investigate the deaths.

The book manages to bring out both the darkness of the time and the rawness of the lives of many. I did find the lightness of touch and slight humour here good and typical of Brookmyre's other books. I really did find this a highly entertaining read. I enjoyed the characters of Raven and Sarah and their quest for the truth about what is going on in the backstreets of Edinburgh. The pace was good and the at times graphic feel of the era was vivid. Happily recommended to fans of historical fiction of this general sort.

The Way of All Flesh is the first in a new series by writing team Christopher Brookmyre and consultant anaesthetist Dr Marisa Haetzman. These two authors combine their skills to create a fast moving and scientifically accurate thriller that grips from the start and never lets up.
The story, set in 1847 Edinburgh, is centred around Will Raven, an apprentice to the famous real life gynaecologist Doctor Simpson and housemaid Sarah Fisher. Will has just completed his initial training and is in debt to a local money lender. He hopes that his new position in Doctor Simpson's household will allow him to soon repay what he owes but until that time he is in fear of being caught and tortured by enforcers trying to extract the money.
After a prostitute with whom Will is acquainted (in every way possible) is found dead showing every sign of being poisoned Will tries to investigate as the police, including the historical figure of James McLevy, have little interest in following up the death of a whore. Soon other women's bodies showing similar symptoms begin to appear and Will realises that he is on the trail of a backstreet abortionist.
Intertwined with the investigation we get to know the Simpson household, especially Sarah, a young housemaid who becomes a major player in the quest for the killer. We also meet Dr Simpson's unmarried sister in law and learn of her quest for a husband, his disapproving butler, terrifying cook, a noisy parrot and two doctors who conduct surgeries in the house.
At this time in history anaesthesia was just becoming accepted as a valid medical practice and Dr Simpson was at the forefront of championing it's effects for women in labour. He was often at loggerheads with some clergymen who felt that relief from the suffering of childbirth was against God's Will. Ether was the primary compound of choice for these early attempts at anaesthesia but it was not without risks and several patients' deaths had been attributed to it. Hence the search was on for any other compounds which might produce a similar effect but with less risk as the doctor who discovered such a drug would be guaranteed wealth for life.
During the course of the story chloroform is found to have a much better anaesthetic action and starts to become used in practice having been lauded by the famed Doctor Simpson.
Not all medical practitioners agreed with his methods though, some feeling that having the patient fully conscious as operations were performed could guide the surgeon's hand - unthinkable today perhaps but a common belief at the time.
Edinburgh itself is a major character in the story as it was, at the time, a world renowned centre of medical excellence. It is brought to life in the book as Will and his friends travel from the slums to the houses of the wealthy and from the dockyards of Leith to the outskirts of the city.
The story moves along at a good pace, the short chapters allowing us to gain clues to the crime as well as getting to know the characters without ever getting bogged down. The combined writing also adds medical authenticity to the story without losing pace, it is clear that Dr Marisa Haetzman is very well versed in her subject as well as being an excellent storyteller. It has to be said though that some of the descriptions of medical procedure (particularly an amputation carried out in front of students without anaesthetic) are very vivid and not for the faint hearted.
I was able to work out the identity of the criminal fairly easily as well as their modus operandi but that, in no way, detracted from my enjoyment of the story as I was keen to know what happened to our characters next and how, if at all, justice would be served.
It is clear that this is the first book in a series as there is more exposition an development of secondary characters than I would expect in a standalone story. I for one am very glad about this as I very much look forward to reading more of Will's adventures and, at the same time, learning more about this fascinating period in medical history.

Darkly atmospheric tale of a 19th century medical student and a housemaid investigating grisly murders in Edinburgh. Medical detailing is fascinating. A little relieved to see how much medicine has advance in the following years! A little slow to start, but well worth sticking with it. Well researched, great detail and lovely characterisation.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy in return for an honest review.

A really good read. Set in Edinburgh as medical knowledge advances and the use of anaesthesia is being tested and evaluated in the 19th century. A trainee doctor looks to work out why women are dying in suspicious circumstances and are those esteemed medical colleagues around him all that they claim to be? Impressive debut novel which is a collaboration between wonderful scottish crime writer Chris Brookmyre and Dr Marisa Haetzman, a consultant anesthetist and medical historian. The beginning of a very promising historical crime series, worth keeping an eye on.

An excellent historical fiction set in 1800s Edinburgh, The Way of All Flesh is gripping, exciting, and informative. A fascinating insight into medicine and midwifery of the time. I especially enjoyed the subtle feminist themes woven through the story, about how women like Sarah are taught to be grateful for their station in life, and not to aspire to be anything more, and the women like Mina, "above stairs", who can only hope to become wives and mothers.

It’s 1847 and in Edinburgh, women are dying in gruesome ways. One of these women is prostitute Evie, friend of Will Raven, a doctor’s apprentice looking to claw his way to respectability through medicine. Initially assuming she died of drinking, her death starts to haunt him as he comes into contact with more women whose demise bear remarkable similarities. He has started working for the esteemed Dr Simpson, who specialises in childbirth and anaesthesia and we follow his progress as a medical man.

Slowly he connects the dots between the murders and has to enlist the help of Dr. Simpson’s housemaid-cum-assistant, the lively, outspoken and intelligent Sarah. Book-devouring Sarah is unhappy with her state of affairs, where as a woman she cannot even apply for a job in medicine, or anywhere a man would take her seriously. Drawn in to the challenge, she and Will work together despite the fact that they initially don’t get on.

There’s a bit of politics, intrigue, romance, drama and murder. Edinburgh is portrayed with character, well researched and accurate, full of interesting medical details. The characters are expertly written and the storyline gripping. I couldn’t put it down and finished it in two days – staying up way later than usual thinking one more chapter. I’m going to devour anything else written by Ambrose Parry, but I really hope we see more of Will Raven with a character led series – he has a lot more life to lead and I’d love to be there for it.

The Way of All Flesh is superb – gripping, atmospheric and satisfying. Five stars.

An interesting and enjoyable read. I found it difficult to start with but then settled into the story and enjoyed the book. Definitely recommended.

I hope very much that this is the first of a new series. Set in 19th Century Edinburgh amongst the doctors of the time, the heroes are a young doctor and a medically-inclined maid. The story is strong but it's the characters and atmosphere that really carry the book.

An historical novel set in nineteenth century Edinburgh. It is very atmospheric of place and time. The roughness and squalor of the time is contrasted with the light, wry comic tone of the narrative.
The central character is a young student doctor, Will Raven, buffeted by life and events who, despite his incompetence and naivety, has a good heart. He is contrasted with the clever and resourceful Sarah Fisher, a housemaid frustrated by her lack of opportunities.
The story unfolds against the backdrop of the history of anaesthetics. Themes include the role of women in society, class distinctions and the use of legal and illegal medical practices. There is a crime to be solved but this does not fully come to the forefront of the novel until the latter half. The development of the characters plays a significant role throughout the novel.
The story is excellently written, fast-paced with likeable characters and there are plenty of plot twists to keep it exciting. The wry comedy gives a lightness that contrasts and emphasises the graphic horror of many of the medical practices of the time.
I loved this book and understand that this is the first book in a series. I greatly look forward to reading the next book and meeting the characters again.

Fabulous concept for a novel. Great to have found this new author and am very interested to see what happens next.

The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Parry
When I began this book I had no idea that Ambrose Parry was in fact the husband and wife team of Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman. I have read a number of Chris Brookmyre’s novels and have always been impressed with his writing and this was no exception. It was a very well researched and atmospheric historical novel which was set in Edinburgh in 1847. At this time Edinburgh was at the “cutting edge” of developments in surgery and this story weaves together the deaths of young women and the development of more effective methods of anesthesia.
The main character is Will Raven, who is penniless but has managed to secure a position as an apprentice to the eminent Dr Simpson whose medical specialty is childbirth and ways to make the process less dangerous and painful. Before Will is able to take up his role he finds a friend of his, a prostitute, dead in unusual circumstances and is set upon by thugs sent by a moneylender to retrieve money he owes. He therefore is a sorry sight as he first arrives at Dr Simpson’s establishment and does not endear himself to the staff.
The Edinburgh of the time is well described as is the position of women in society who are beholden to men and generally powerless. At the house he encounters Sarah, a servant, who is well read and dreams of furthering her scientific knowledge. Together they have to solve the mystery at the heart of the novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am keen to read more of their adventures.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Canongate for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I loved Parry's characters groom earlier book, and medical student, Raven really engages me .. okay the relationship to Sarah is slightly stereotypical, but then women were treated as lesser beings then .. which Raven resists as they plunge into dark corners of the the city tracking murders. The set up takes a bit of time, but the narrative speeds forward rapidly as he ance sarah get drawn into killing sprees ... very impressive! I hope more to come .. really enjoyable

Chris Brookmyre, a fine crime novelist in his own right, has joined forces with his wife, under the pseudonym of Ambrose Parry, to create a new series set in 1840s Edinburgh. The Way Of All Flesh is part historical fiction and part a history of approaches to childbirth. While the latter is an interesting aspect, it detracts slightly from the central crime, the disappearance and murder of young women. Nevertheless this is a very enjoyable read and I look forward to future instalments.

I wasn't too sure what to make of this book when I initially started to read it, but somehow it seemed to reel you in and it got more and more interesting until you didn't want to put the book down! Despite being a 'historical' setting, it made it very interesting to read and the characters were enjoyable too.

I have to admit that this genre is one of my guilty pleasures.
Women are dying in suspicious circumstances. The story is set in 1870, the research the author has done is so detailed.
Raven is training to be a midwife or as we know a doctor for women. No female doctors in this time period. Women were not to be trusted or respected. THIS WAS MAN'S WORK !!!!!!
This is a compelling and educational read. No not a history lesson, our author gives the reader some amazing insights into how medical practitioners worked in this time period and how much has changed. Thank god. A historical murder mystery with a touch of romance and so much more. Readers of this genre are in for a treat. An easy five stars and so Highly Recommended.
I would like to thank the author, Canongate and Netgalley for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

The Way of All Flesh has been on my TBR piles ever since I attended a book festival and listened to the authors discuss how it came to be and all that went into it. Having finally got round to reading it I know that it was worth waiting for.
Raven certainly grew on me over the course of the book. I loved the different nicknames he gave to people that quite often related to a physical attribute they possessed. He was hiding secrets to his past from others, and himself from lenders that who were after their money or his blood and didn’t seem too fussed which one they ended up with. This kind of made him appear to be a bit standoffish especially with those who he believed to be beneath him. His saving grace was that he was determined to find out what happened to a local prostitute who he had become friendly with. As his investigations into her death progressed he slowly began to take maid Sarah into his confidence. Their constant interactions even when he didn’t really welcome them slowly changed his character.
Sarah was a character that was stifled by the era she lived in. Helping out the doctor whose household she worked for, she had a naturally inquisitive mind and would have dearly loved to have been more involved in patient care or medicine but unfortunately she had one thing going against her…. She was a woman. Despite initially taking a dislike to Raven, her natural inquisitiveness meant that she was soon helping him. By the end of the book I wouldn’t say that she liked him, but she certainly had a better understanding of him and what he was really like.
The book really is right up my street, mixing historical facts with a bit of humour and mystery. I will admit that I did have to check that it was ok to find bits of it funny as I am known to have a very odd sense of humour and will often be found chuckling at gruesome bits. There were some medical procedures though that even had me cringing and I don’t remember reading about them as I studied medicine through the ages at school many moons ago. I am also relieved that childbirth and complications surrounding it are managed vastly differently in the modern era. This husband and wife writing team have produced a real winner of a book in my opinion as you can’t help but get caught up in Raven’s life and I look forward to the next instalment to see what lies ahead for Raven and Sarah.

I'm not sure this novel stood out from any other historical fiction of this time period, and the focus on surgery and medicine seems particularly popular, I also guessed the twist early on in the book. However it was easy to read and peopled with some interesting characters and I did learn more about anaesthesia without feeling I was reading a textbook.
Thank you to netgalley and Canongate for an advance copy of this book.

If you think the title sounds familiar, then you are right! It was used in the nineteenth century by Samuel Butler in his semi-autobiographical novel that attacks Victorian hypocrisy. Most fitting then that the husband and wife team of Ambrose Parry appropriate it for their partnership in crime fiction which also focuses on Victorian duplicity.
Set in Edinburgh in 1847, a few decades before the original work, this is an exciting time for medical developments and we follow the research and experiments of the eminent Dr Simpson as he looks to find a safer substitute for the ether that he uses during operations, including incidents of difficult childbirth. His assistant, Will Raven, is equally keen to promote safer labour and the two of them pay no attention to class or economy when treating their patients. Others of the profession are less scrupulous. The historical accuracy of the material, alongside the vivid descriptions of the ordeals suffered, ensures that the reader is engrossed and appalled in equal measures.
Patterns in female mortality begin to emerge and Will, helped by the Simpsons’ capable, intelligent and ambitious housemaid, Sarah, is keen to track down the abortionist who clearly has little concern whether or not the women live or die. In this society women are worth very little. Many girls in domestic positions, ‘ruined’ by their employers, have no choice but to become prostitutes; clever Sarah has little outlet for her medical knowledge; even the sophisticated middle-class Mina seems desperate in her attempts to catch a husband, certain that her life will be depleted without one.
This novel is not just for those who enjoy solving crimes. It is a very interesting exploration of both the scientific developments and the grimy underbelly of Victorian life. Raven and Sarah are likeable, flawed yet resourceful detectives and I look forward to reading more of their adventures. Ambrose Parry’s characters come alive on the page and I am sure that they are ripe for being portrayed on the small screen too!
My thanks to NetGalley and Canongate Books for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

I realised that I had read this book before. Here is my review.

An interesting intriguing read set in historical Edinburgh. A wonderful atmospheric city to write about. This historical story is about the often gruesome practice of medicine in the 1800s. It is also about murders in the city. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

My thanks to Canongate for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Way of All Flesh’ by Ambrose Parry in exchange for an honest review. I am reviewing for the paperback edition as it’s been out in hardback since last August.

Ambrose Parry is such a fabulously Gothic name and is the pen name for a collaboration between novelist Chris Brookmyre and consultant anaesthetist Dr Marisa Haetzman. As the audiobook edition was available I elected to listen alongside reading the eARC.

“The only difference between a medicine and a poison is the dosage.”

Edinburgh 1847 - Will Raven is a medical student apprenticing with the renowned Dr. Simpson, who is undertaking daring experiments in the new medical frontier of anaesthesia. Sarah is a maid in the Simpson household and while she is intelligent as Will she hasn’t the privileges he enjoys. With Dr. Simpson’s blessing she also assists with his clinics and is eager to learn more.

A number of suspicious deaths of young women across the city attracts the attention of both Will and Sarah and eventually they team up to investigate. Both Will and Sarah are the focus of various chapters and the audiobook edition is narrated by Brian Dick and Louise Brealey.

It was quite clear to me that someone with a medical background had crafted this novel as it is so meticulous in its representation of mid-19th Century medical practices. In addition, it is well plotted, entertaining and very atmospheric in its setting. Both protagonists proved resourceful and appealing.

I read a fair amount of historical fiction and really appreciate it when such care is taken in capturing the period represented. I enjoyed this very much and am delighted to see that it was planned as a series with the second, ‘The Art of Dying’ due out at the end of August.

Will Raven – has been brought up in a school for Fatherless boys, at his Uncles expense, out of duty to his sister. A matter his money conscious Uncle likes to remind his mother and Will about regularly.

Will finds himself lucky enough to gain an apprenticeship, with Dr. Simpson – a highly regarded obstetrician in Edinburgh. He quickly becomes accustomed to the inherent wealth and far more salubrious furnishings of Dr Simpson’s well-to-do townhouse practice, than his previous living quarters in the the squalid and tattered lodgings he kept in the Old town, run down, dirty and filled with dark alleys in which the debt collector Mr Flint is lurking, waiting for Will.

Will’s new job requires him, to administer Ether – new to the medicinal world and not always welcomed by Dr. Simpson’s many laboring mothers, who would do well to heed his advice. And not suffer the pains of labor, having read Parry’s detailed and atmospheric descriptions of the agonies which they must endure. But the Revered Grissom has been preaching and argues that it is not safe and Mothers should go through birth without pain relief. Despite the fact, he as a man can not completely comprehend the pain which can occur and one that he will of course, never encounter.

After a difficult start Will becomes friends with Sarah Fisher, the Simpson’s housemaid and it is together they try and solve what the cause of death was to two of their friends – Evie – Will’s friend, was a prostitute and so her death is duly ignored by McLevy the Police chief in charge of her death. And Rose – Sarah’s friend, also a housemaid and so another considered too low in status to be concerned about when her body is dragged from the river. But their deaths contain similarities that Will and Sarah cannot ignore.

Sarah reads a great character and strives to better herself and has a mind as good as any of the medical men that pass through Simpson’s door. She reads and assists the Doctor in his home practice, and would like to do more but women were never Doctors in those days, merely maids with intellect and endeavor beyond their reach.

Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman have used their combined knowledge and created a beautifully sculpted, historical narrative, flowing and descriptive novel. The use of medical terms and medicines of the day have created the perfect pairing with crime thriller and medical history mixing socially and seamlessly between the pages. A wonderful insight into the use of Ether – or lack of and how the world has progressed from the agonizing operations that were once performed, into the world as we know it today and the wonderful NHS we know so well, in the UK. I have 3 children – 2 born naturally and know how painful childbirth can be, and that it’s soon over. But to think that all amputations and operations were done without the use of anesthetics makes me glad I am alive in the present day and not the 1847 Edinburgh version.