Gosh, I love a good historical murder book, and this one’s good indeed. Gripping from the very first page and full of tangible detail.

Paul Collins sets you squarely in the insular 1840s Harvard, and pages fly by as you're drawn in to the story of how a murder rocked this staid society. I picked up this book having some familiarity with the case, but the whole thing turned out to be so much more than I knew! Recommended for true crime, Harvard/Boston history, or legal history enthusiasts.

I received a digital ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.

Thank goodness II was lucky enough to be gifted Blood and Ivy by the Publisher as there’s more titles written by Paul Collins and his way of bringing true life crime takes to life is really good.

A case of two Harvard doctors and in 1849, the murder of one of them at the hands of another. I’d never heard of this case so it was a thrill to discover it and even more so, step back into the past with Paul’s evocative writing and unique turn of phrase.

The book plunges you into the time and place from the first page. Charles Dickens is on his US tour, they’re selling Little Nell cigars in the stores, horses and carriages clatter down the streets. A historical reader’s dream.

But that’s just the brilliant scene setting start. What follows is almost unbelievable to the point you can’t believe this really happened. At a time whenHarvard’s medical legacy was being written, cadavers were being examined in halls, medical discoveries were on the cusp of being made, and where such gore fascinated and inspired Dickens himself for future novels.

This novel is thick with history and gore, a trial of the century which examines procedures of that time such as reasonable doubt, motive, mental illness, the allure of the medical scholars of their time.

Take your reading scalpel to this one and get dissecting!

Thanks W. W. Norton & Company for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This biography has so many echos into the present. You'll be outraged, engaged, and glued to your seat. Collins is a master at his craft.

Thank you to NetGalley and WW Norton Publishing for gifting me with an ARC of Blood & Ivy by Paul Collins. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

I absolutely loved this true crime account. Collins skillfully and artistically draws the reader into the mid 19th century and the exclusive halls of Harvard University. In 1849 Dr. George Parkman, a Harvard graduate and benefactor of the esteemed university left his Cambridge home to run some errands and never returned. Foul play was quickly suspected and within a week the culprit arrested. The book goes about describing the victim, the accused, the trial and the aftermath. I was riveted from page one and completely mesmerized by the startling conclusion.
Paul Collins extensive research was evident as this nonfiction account read like fiction with all the astonishing details, newspaper headlines, letters and journals.Appearances from Harvard alumni, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes and poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow really added to the drama and mystery. Evocative and exhilarating this is a must read for all true crime fans and history buffs!

Paul Collins’s latest true crime account Blood & Ivy takes the reader into the world of Boston’s elite in 1849. The victim in this case is George Parkman, successful businessman, doctor, and most importantly, Harvard alumni. He disappears on the 23rd of November on a seemingly routine round of errands in Cambridge, close to the renowned college. Rumors abound and society’s mores are tested as the police and Parkman’s peers look for their friend. Victim begets suspect which begets one of the most famous trials in Boston's history.

Collins’s exposition chronicles several interesting parts of 19th century life: the history of Harvard Medical School, the reporting of court cases, the treatment of mental illness, the origins of the modern definition of reasonable doubt, and maybe most fun, the collecting of cadavers for dissection.

Collins’s engaging style is noted by its exhaustive research and enacting language. He puts the reader on the streets of Boston in 1847, a student in the lecture halls, a landowner collecting rents, a reporter in the courtroom. As with his other books, his setup and delivery are near perfect.

Blood & Ivy is another smart true crime book from Paul Collins. A slew of new types of evidence for the time and this great subject matter (a case that inspired Dickens!) will engage his existing fans and should bring a legion of new readers.

Many thanks to NetGalley, W. W. Norton & Company, and Mr. Collins for the advanced copy for review.