Book Description Review PRAISE FOR The Way of All Flesh:“Parry’s Victorian Edinburgh comes vividly alive – and it’s a world of pain” VAL MCDERMID“A rip-roaring tale of murder amid the medical experiments of 19th-century Edinburgh. The book brings both city and period to colourful life and is a joy to read” IAN RANKIN, Guardian“Menacing, witty and ingeniously plotted, Ambrose Parry’s debut draws you into the dark heart of nineteenth-century Edinburgh and won’t let you go until the final page” S.J. PARRIS“An astonishing debut. The dark and dangerous past is brought thrillingly to life. I can’t wait to read more of Raven and Sarah” MARK BILLINGHAM“Utterly compelling, this tale of Old Edinburgh is so full of characters and startling incident that I never wanted it to end” DENISE MINA“A thoroughly entertaining tale of murder and misadventure in 1840s Edinburgh” Sunday Times“A dynamic new arrival . . . Ambrose Parry’s The Way of All Flesh is set in an 1840s Edinburgh where new science and old beliefs rub shoulders. Its twisty gothic plot is based on grisly real events” Observer”Outstanding . . . Fans of David Pirie and Katie Welsh . . . will be richly rewarded” Publishers Weekly“Historical fiction at its most enjoyable, with facts smoothly blended into a clever plot” Kirkus Review“A gritty portrayal of the early days of medical experimentation . . . a solid medical-history mystery” Booklist Read more About the Author Ambrose Parry is a pseudonym for a collaboration between Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman. The couple are married and live in Scotland. Chris Brookmyre is the international bestselling and multi-award-winning author of over twenty novels. Dr Marisa Haetzman is a consultant anaesthetist of twenty years’ experience, whose research for her Master’s degree in the History of Medicine uncovered the material upon which this series, which begun with The Way of All Flesh, is based. The Art of Dying is the second book in the series.@ambroseparry Read more Customers Review: I took a chance and ordered both of these books (I think more are planned). It paid off because they are fantastic. I’m a Scotsman from the Isle of Skye but I spent a lot of time in Edinburgh and I’ve read scores of books on its history. These authors (it’s a husband and wife team) perfectly capture the classism, misogynistic, blinkered world of Edinburgh in the 1700-1800s. The mystery is real and reminds me of the best of Dickens or Dan Simmons. The characters are fleshed out and real, not cartoons. Loved it.
The Art of Dying is the second book in the early Victorian era mystery series by Ambrose Parry (married writer duo Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman). Released 7th Jan 2020 by Canongate Books, it’s 416 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. The ebook format includes an interactive table of contents with chapter headings. I’ve become very fond of interactive ebooks lately.This is an engaging and well written Victorian medical mystery set (mostly) in Edinburgh in 1850. One thing which struct me early on was how meticulously researched both the medical and cultural aspects of the period and place were. The narrative is seamless and well written. Protagonist Sarah Fisher again joins forces with Will Raven (now a qualified doctor) to investigate discrepancies in one of her mentor’s previous cases and in his household. She’s intelligent and strong and fairly fearless in a world absolutely dominated by men who still hold almost all the power.I did enjoy Sarah’s character, intelligence, and conviction. I was less enamored of Dr. Will Raven’s character and found myself rolling my eyes at his arrogance and unappealing classist snobbery. He is a patronizing twit. There was also a touch too much romance and mournful regret (especially on Raven’s part) for me. Readers who want a shot of romance in their murder mysteries will no doubt disagree with me.The book is undeniably well plotted and the narrative arc is a well engineered thing of beauty. I did enjoy it and it worked well enough as a standalone. The author provides the necessary back-story without relentless info dumping which is nice.Four stars. Entertaining and well written.Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
*I received a free ARC of this book, with thanks to the author, NetGalley and Canongate Books. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*The Art of Dying is both an excellent Victorian medical murder mystery, and an educational and entertaining treatise on the talents and restrictions of intelligent women of the age.I haven’t read The Way of All Flesh (although I certainly want to now!), but that didn’t hinder me from picking up the characters and story here as I went along. The only slight effect I noticed on this book is that it starts with Will Raven in Italy – fighting off assailants, bantering merrily with his friend and enjoying the company of a ladyfriend – clearly in reasonable spirits despite past and current events. I can only presume whether this is the Raven met in the previous book, because most of this story is set after his return to Edinburgh and the sarcastic roisterer is completely subsumed by a morose and pompous man struggling to reconcile his love for a remarkable woman with her lowly position in life. He does not come out well in comparison to Archie Banks on this matter!Sarah Fisher, said remarkable woman, fares much better in reader estimations. She keeps her focus firmly on her patients, the doctors she supports and her family responsibilities; still finds time to aid other women with their health and domestic concerns; and keeps a tight hold on her own hopes and dreams throughout, always open to an opportunity for more from life. Which all makes her the perfect counterpoint to the murderer.We, the readers, get an insider glimpse into the murderer’s thoughts and past, via excerpts from a written account that features later in the plot. As a result, the identity of the murderer, and even their motives, are less the focus of the mystery than the question of whether Raven and Sarah will be able to resolve the matter without either of them being hurt, embarrassed, or imprisoned.The historical medical information presented throughout the book – specifically the information related to anaesthetic and obstetrics – is fascinating and clearly well-researched by the authors. I could definitely read more Raven and Fisher books just for this aspect alone, so engrossing were the insights presented. Conversely, I was less fond of the romantic aspects of the story, as I strongly feel Sarah deserves better than Raven – not because of his self-confessed ‘monstrous person’ doubts, but due to his adherence to status above all, despite (or perhaps because of) his own lack of it.Fans of historical mystery fiction will enjoy this well-written and thought-provoking series. I’m off to catch up the previous book, in preparation for the next one! ‘And once again, here I am, in your company in the bloody aftermath of a fight.’‘Maybe you are the one who courts mayhem and you are merely fortunate to have me on hand to assist. Have you thought of it that way?’‘Not once. But often have I said you’d be the death of me.’Raven searched his memory.‘You have never once said that.’‘No,’ he admitted, ‘but I must have thought it. So please prove me wrong. And don’t forget to wash the knife.’– Ambrose Parry, The Art of DyingReview by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog |
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