The Art of Dying

The second book by Ambrose Parry, a collaboration between author Christopher Brookmyre and his wife Marisa Haetzman, an anaesthetist. I loved it just as much as the first.

Amazon UK link

Amazon US link

Book description

Edinburgh, 1850. Despite being at the forefront of modern medicine, hordes of patients are dying all across the city, with doctors finding their remedies powerless. But it is not just the deaths that dismay the esteemed Dr James Simpson - a whispering campaign seeks to blame him for the death of a patient in suspicious circumstances.

Simpson's protege Will Raven and former housemaid Sarah Fisher are determined to clear their patron's name. But with Raven battling against the dark side of his own nature, and Sarah endeavouring to expand her own medical knowledge beyond what society deems acceptable for a woman, the pair struggle to understand the cause of the deaths.

Will and Sarah must unite and plunge into Edinburgh's deadliest streets to clear Simpson's name. But soon they discover that the true cause of these deaths has evaded suspicion purely because it is so unthinkable.

My review - 

In the second of these excellent historical/medical murder mysteries we find Will retuned from abroad to a married Sarah. Much angst. The two work together again to unravel the mystery of several deaths exhibiting strange symptoms. Nineteenth Century Edinburgh is once again well portrayed with its fine town houses and its nasty tenements. Places to be seen in and places you wouldn’t be seen dead in – or maybe you would. There are echoes from the previous book and many dilemmas for Will, which I found quite gripping. Seeing which way he chose to live his life, as he feared the devil within – his mother’s expression. The ending of the book is both exciting and satisfying. I would highly recommend it to all who love an historical mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley for a pre-publication copy.

About the author

Amazon holds no author information for Ambrose Parry but it's no secret that this name belongs to the collabration between author Christopher Brookmyre and his wife Marisa Haetzman, an anaesthetist. Long may they collaborate.

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Just a thought

Books fall open, you fall in ― David McCord

Ambrose Parry

This is the first in a proposed series - so get in now!

The Way of all Flesh

Amazon.com link

My review -

This story is set in 19^th Century Edinburgh in the infancy of anaesthesia. A young apprentice doctor and a knowledgeable housemaid who doesn’t know her place make unlikely allies on the surface, but this is going to be a formidable partnership.

It’s a slow burner in the sense that the first part of the book sets up characters and their relationships with one another. As this is the first of a proposed series, and the writing is enticing and the setting very atmospheric, this wasn’t a problem for me. I found this interesting both medically and historically and a jolly fine mystery too. A very good book indeed and I’ve already recommended it to several people.

Thanks to Netgalley for a review copy.

Please note, the Kindle price at the time of writing is over £6 but the paperback is not yet available. Experience tells me it will come down.