This was a terrific read, a historical novel set in Edinburgh, well researched and full of excitement. Will Raven, an aspiring young doctor, finds a friend of his dead. She is a prostitute, one he has known in the biblical sense in the past but now a friend who he has tried to help. When he finds that her death is not to be investigated he vows to find out what has been going on but in the meantime he has to avoid the thugs hired to beat him up by the moneylender he owes money to and to start an apprenticeship with the renowned Dr Simpson. He is joined in his endeavours by Sarah Fisher, Simpson's housemaid who is bright and resourceful and is ambitious in her own right. Together they track down the mysterious Madame Anjou who appears to be behind a number of unexplained deaths in the city. Ambrose Perry is a husband and wife team, Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman. Brookmyre is a renowned crime writer and Haetzman an anaesthetist who has studied the history of medicine in particular that of midwifery and anaesthesia. And what a gory history this is. This is to be the first in a series which follows Raven as he progresses in his career. I can't wait to read more. Thanks to Canongate and NetGalley for the ARC.

Ambrose Parry is the pen name of multi-award winning Scottish crime writer Chris Brookmyre and his wife Marisa Haetzman. It was Haetzman’s research into medical practice in Edinburgh in the 1850s that put the two down the track of collaborating on a novel set in the period.

Being a crime novel, The Way of All Flesh opens with a death – a prostitute named Evie, found by one of her regular clients, but also friend, Will Raven. Raven runs from the scene, straight into the arms of the debt collectors looking for repayment of the money he had borrowed to help Evie out. Raven is hoping that his new apprenticeship with famous “male midewife” (aka obstetrician) James Simpson, will help him earn the money that he needs. In Simpson’s house, which also serves as his clinic, is housemaid Sarah who has the capacity to be more and yearns for something better.

It takes some time for the murder mystery to come into focus. Some news about other deaths slowly builds in both Raven and Sarah a suspicion that something strange is afoot. They form a loose partnership as they tentatively investigate. Both characters are engaging and distinctive enough to avoid usual crime fiction stereotypes even when navigating some familiar plot beats.

Regular crime readers will pick this one pretty early on. But the draw of this book is not the plot. Rather it is the use of the crime genre to explore the development of medical techniques at the time. Parry charts the early use of ether to assist with pain in delivery and moves on to the discovery of use of chloroform. On the way, readers are treated to some fairly gruesome and explicit birthing techniques and surgery without anaesthetic.

Parry creates a great feel of the Edinburgh of the time, including the upper class New Town and shady Old Town. In particular the book explores the development of the medical profession as it transitioned from glorified butchery to something else. The bodice ripping (at times) plot, allows for a fun and interesting exploration of attitudes and beliefs of the time. And the afterward suggests that there is plenty more source material to build a long running series around.

I read an unproofed copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you. There was a lot to like about this book but it didn't hit the five star spot for me. Quite a lot of repetition which I think a good edit could have cleared up - and it might have by the time the book is published. It's a mix of genre, pretty undefinable, sci-fi meets family saga meets murder mystery and intrigue. It is well written and I enjoyed Kate Mascarenhas's style and use of language.

This first book in the series takes place in Edinburgh in 1847
where there is great leaps in scientific medicine. The first trials of chloroform changes people’s lives. It shows how women were restricted in their choices at this time and how darker medicine was been practiced. Into this story comes Sarah a housemaid who wishes to better herself and Will Raven who becomes apprentice to Professor Simpson in the field of midwifery. Women’s bodies are turning up having died in horrific pain. Will believes there is more to these deaths as his friend had been one of the first. Sarah and Will have a dark journey to finally come to the truth of the mystery.
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The novel is set in Edinburgh in 1847, a dual city, with both the Old Town and the New Town, once the home to brilliant advances in medical science, but a city of great poverty with a truly unpleasant, violent side. In New Town the book focuses on the Home of Dr Simpson, His house is like no other, full of visiting luminaries and daring experiments in the new medical frontier of anaesthesia. Dr Simpson is a well-known gynaecologist and surgeon, who was instrumental in discovering the anaesthetic properties of a substance chloroform. chloroform was used to ease the discomforts of child birth and to assist with difficult births, which in were frequently fatal. Also living in his house were his assistants, Drs Mathew Duncan and George Keith, all real people.

While the principal characters, are all imaginary. Will Raven is given the post of apprentice to Dr Simpson, Raven is also given a room in the Simpson home and there he encounters Sarah, a maidservant who has a fascination for medical matters and secretly reads books on the subject, borrowed from Dr Simpson's library and assists in a basic capacity with clinics. As Sarah is of lowly birth and more importantly, female, is destined to never rise above this station in life. However, she is a strong willed young woman, Sarah has hopes of one day working in the medical profession an outrageous idea for a woman at that time in history. One especially good theme throughout the book is that of misogyny and class in the 19th century which helps you really grasp what little opportunity there was for those born of the ‘inferior sex’ or on the wrong side of town.

On the other side in the city’s Old Town several young women have been found dead, all having suffered similarly gruesome ends. Just before Raven joins the Simpson household, Evie - a prostitute who's become a friend of Raven - is found dead, her face and body hideously contorted and similar deaths in the poorest parts of Edinburgh have him believing these women may have been murdered. Raven begins to pick his way through the dark motives and powerful alliances that are concealing the truth.

As Dr Simpson treats patients from the richest to the poorest in Scotland's capital city, he and his colleagues carry out daring experiments. Meanwhile, Raven and Sarah have their own motive to look deeper into the city’s spate of suspicious deaths and find themselves forced into the darkest shadows of Edinburgh’s underworld, where they will have to overcome their differences if they are to make it out alive. The couple, initially disliking each other, gradually share a mutual respect

This is an atmospheric and intriguing murder mystery set in Edinburgh during the mid 19th century. Raven is the apprentice to the obstetrician Dr Simpson who is keen to elevate his status in life, learn all that he can from his mentor and solve the mystery of the prostitutes death. He is an intriguing character, and I really enjoyed the tension between him and the housemaid Sarah, who has similar aspirations in life.
There is so much woven into the pages of this book; a woman's place in society, the seedy underside of Edinburgh, how medical breakthroughs were discovered, but never at the expense of the tense murder mystery that Raven and Sarah are determined to solve.
It's a great start to a new series and I'm really looking forward to reading future books from this writing team.

My thanks go to the publishers and net galley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Great historical debut for what promises to be an interesting husband/wife writing duo. Very atmospheric and captured the spirit and essence of the time/place very well indeed. Some dark moments alongside sparklingly good writing, and definitely one I'll be recommending.

The Way of All Flesh is a weird book, but I don't necessarily dislike weird. It's an unusual, deeply atmospheric story with a very nicely drawn out setting and engaging characters. The pace is quick and I was never bored as I raced towards the finish, eager to see how the story could end. I'll be happy to read more by this author in this future!

Excellent ripper like thriller but leavened with excellent historidal underpinnings and an examination of the history of medicine thrown in as well. This looks like it will be a series and I look forward to the next one. Highly recommended.

Great historical crime set in mid 19th century Edinburgh. The descriptions of childbirth during this time are enough to put anyone off getting pregnant but the atmosphere of medical advancement and experimentation makes for an interesting, exciting read. Loved the characters who are all complex and although I sort of guessed the twist, the story is well told, fast paced, humorous in parts, shocking in some and well worth a read. Sarah is a very strong female character, ahead of her time and I look forward to meeting her again in a further adventure. I guess that she and Will Raven will become a team and further medical adventures will ensue. Good stuff.

THE WAY OF ALL FLESH finds Will Raven, a medical student, and Sarah Fisher, a housemaid, as a reluctant team sleuthing out horrendous murders of young women in 1847 Edinburgh. An extremely scary and well-written read that will have you reaching for your blankie before the last page is turned. 5/5

I received a complimentary copy from Canongate Books US through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheWayOfAllFlesh #NetGalley

The story is about Edinburgh in the 19th century. It was at the time the leading centre for medical research and the advancement of medicine in the world. It concerns a young medical student who having completed his studies has become an apprentice to a professor of Obstetrics. In following his life the reader will learn quite a bit about the complications that can be met in child birth. However the story carries a tale of murder and intrigue and also of how the young penniless doctor is pursued by debtors and barely escapes with his life. He becomes involved with an intelligent housemaid with ambitions for better things and they both become dedicated to finding the person behind the death of friends where all is at risk in their endeavours to unmask the villain involved. An interesting story of the social norms of the times embedded with a rich tapestry of events.

This is an entertaining – and often illuminating – novel set in 1840s Edinburgh from husband and wife team Christopher Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman, writing as Ambrose Parry.

Women are dying, and young Will Raven, newly apprenticed to the renowned Dr James Young Simpson, has his own reasons for trying to find the culprit. The story is well-paced and keeps the reader entertained, and the backdrop of Edinburgh in the 1840s – the juxtaposition between the squalor of the Old Town and the genteel façade of the New Town – is the setting for an array of characters from all walks of life. Raven is aided in his quest by Sarah Fisher, a maid in the Simpson household but who has ambitions to use her intelligence and determination to improve her position in a male-dominated society and profession.

Planned as the first in a series of adventures, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The setting is an excellent way for the author to explore wider issues of the advancement of medicine, the position of women in society, and the contrasting social worlds of rich and poor. The two main characters have their own flaws, and as the book develops their respective stories reveal aspects of their own personal reasons for wanting to solve the series of murders. There is much to commend this book; if you are looking for a fast-paced, intelligently written crime novel with an historical setting then you should find this an enjoyable read. Throw in the Edinburgh setting, some breathless chasing around the city, a few ne’er-do-well lowlife thugs, and the development of medical practices with some suitably grisly descriptions, and you have a very satisfying read. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series!!

While I admire the work that went into Ambrose Parry’s “The Way of All Flesh” (a really bad title, in my opinion), I never felt a connection between myself and the characters. Perhaps it’s because they are an unlikely pair, Will and Sarah -- one an aspiring doctor/midwife, the other part of the help -- a situation that readers are never allowed to forget.

Each character has issues, and we learn about some of them; Raven’s secret background, and his wish to get ahead in the world and make money (he needs it, for reasons readers will find out about), and Sarah’s yearn to become something better than she is. You hear about this, a lot, as Sarah spends much time lamenting the role of women in society, especially her inability to be what she wants to be. Unfortunately all too true, but page after page gets old. One also finds out that Raven is really, really good at causing trouble for a lot of people. This is not a redeeming quality.

There is a mystery here -- women are dying in horrible ways, and Raven, with an unbending sense of guilt, sets out to find the truth of the matter -- with Sarah’s help, of course. Their dislike of each other soon gives way to a truce and working together. But it is secondary to what is essentially a history of the furtherance of medical knowledge, at least in Edinburgh in the 1840s, when a patient was as likely to die from the treatment they were receiving as they were from the initial diagnosis. Add in pregnancy, and, well, you get the picture. There are many passages that are not for the faint of heart; the squeamish factor is high as readers are treated to descriptions of operations. The time spent sniffing concoctions that are now considered lethal is fascinating, if horrifying. We learn how peri peri makes food taste better, and also read about chloroform being used for the first time. The book is a cornucopia of subject matter!

It takes an awfully long time to get to the meat of the story. That’s partly due to the number of true events, and real people, that populate these pages. We read about The Disruption, for instance, when the Church of Scotland split asunder. And as for the people -- we see James McLevy, the famous policeman (of which there is a whole series. He comes off a lot better in that one). There’s David Hall, the photographer, who recorded many of the participants of The Disruption, along with his associate Robert Adamson, both pioneers of photography. Indeed, readers are treated to the process of developing a calotype. William Gregory, famous Scottish chemist, is also mentioned. Not much is made of these characters, but they are interesting little footnotes within the pages.

Finally, the villain is revealed -- an astute reader will have figured it out well ahead of time. I appreciate the attention that went into creating “The Way of All Flesh,” but won’t be looking for more in the series.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of this book, in exchange for this review.

Dead bodies of women come up here and there in Edinburgh. Their demise investigated or ignored, depending of what kind of women they were. Police is not paying much attention to the goings on in the slams of Edinburgh. The New Town is a different story.

There is a famous women's doctor who takes a new assistant. This new assistant has a very dark back story and seemingly bright prospects if he can keep himself in check. A young housemaid will help this young doctor to do just so. Moreover, these two would get together to solve the murders at very high cost. 

It is Edinburgh. It is nineteenth century. It is medical murder mystery. All the ingredients for a recipe of a suspenseful, nail-biting thriller... not.

The Way of All Fresh is nicely done. It is set in the right place within the right time. It is filled with right kind of characters. It is very atmospheric and candle-lighted. However, it is missing the mark.

Yes, there is a dead body, rather dead bodies. Yes, there is a detective and a sidekick. Yes, there is a bad guy, a very bad guy. But the narration is too slow and winded. It gets lost in itself in a few places. Half way through the book I forgot whether this was a crime story or medical drama. The unfolding took forever. 

However, to give the authors (a duet in this case) their dues, the story is good, when it makes it to the end. It is readable. I would not go as far as making it into a series.

Will Raven gets the opportunity of a lifetime, just after receiving a devastating blow. Even as he moves into his new position and future, his past is chasing him and he chases answers. This book brings history to life without sugarcoating it!

I love a good historical mystery! And this was a <i>great</i> historical mystery. I loved Sarah – her ambition and gumption! If you were a fan of Mercy Street and lamented its cancellation – this is its Scottish cousin! Plus some mystery! It was really good historical fiction, with lots of facts mixed in and plenty of atmosphere-setting, but it didn’t drag. It was rich in detail and took you back to Edinburgh in 1847, but you weren’t meandering in the streets – you were racing down them!

<u>The Way of All Flesh</u> felt like an amazingly realistic trip into the past, showing the gritty underbelly of society’s view of women of all stations, poverty, the primitive quality of medicine… But it was full of the hope of development and change! I truly loved it.

<i>You</i> need this book if you are a fan of historical fiction, mystery, women’s fiction… It reminded me a bit of Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood as it was historical fiction that dealt with a lot of facts and sometimes the uglier side of history.

Entertainment Value: 5
Characters: 4.5-5
Voice: 5
Plot: 5
Overall: 5 stars

<i>Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!</i>
See my reviews @ mamaneedsabook.blogspot.com

I went into this book thinking I knew a good outline of the premise because of the awesome Publisher's Weekly article on it, and I was totally wrong, in good, bad, and simply unexpected ways. I won't elaborate too much, because spoilers, but I'd describe this as a medical historical fiction story that also becomes a slow-paced mystery eventually, which totally works for it.

A few things I'd note:

➝ Simpson's (and therefore Raven's) medical practice is obstetrics, which I didn't realize going in. If you're squeamish about things that might involve obstetrics, like [unhappy child delivery and births, reproductive rights, birth control methods and experimentation, a woman's lack of say in said areas, and anything else in that field (hide spoiler)], you'll probably want to take a hard pass on this one. Parry doesn't hold back with details on the medical procedures or how heartbreaking it all is. There was one scene in particular that upset me, and my shriveled heart is extremely non-squeamish when it comes to medical things (unless it's eyes, then screw it, I'm running). But I'd say the detail of gruesomeness is non-gratuitous—there's a reason behind it rather than shock value.

➝ One of the strongest elements of the book revolves around the medical and scientific scene in Edinburgh, 1847. It really delves into issues surrounding it at the time and how grotesque and wide that fallout can be, whether it's salary for the physicians, research methods, patient consent, or another tiny little things. This was super fascinating, especially from Raven's perspective as a new practitioner from one background and then Sarah's not-as-privileged background.

➝ My other favorite part was the setting and the historical details. I've been going through a ridiculous historical fiction phase lately, and the details in this were delightful. When it comes to historical fiction, I'm not necessarily draconian about anachronisms or details; I love that it takes me out of the modern world and into a different world, and how the different time and setting affects that story. But this was definitely a story that you couldn't really pick up and flop into a different time period or city without changing many major or minor details—that's how strong a role the setting played—and that's lovely.

➝ I loved Sarah right away, but Raven started on the unsympathetic side for me; some things I liked, and then at times I felt a douche vibe. However, he really improved as the book progressed. Simpson played less of a part then I anticipated, but the part he did play was interesting.

➝ Cons: Sometimes Raven could be grating as a narrator (that changes later, thankfully); if you're looking for a mystery-mystery, you'll probably get annoyed because it's a very slow build.

tl;dr: This was an interesting medical historical fiction with a mystery. The setting and details were everything, the medical reality in 1847 is horrifically engrossing, and the mystery is good, although it is definitely a slow build. But if you're at all sensitive to obstetrics issues and unhappy baby deliveries, I'd proceed either with extreme caution or pass it all together. I feel like there's some sequel potential; I'd probably read it if there was one.

Actual rating 4 ½
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book and it has carved out a spot on my Favorites Shelf. This book had a perfect blend of mystery, murder, intrigue, and just a touch of romance. In other terms it has everything I love in book. I can’t wait for the rest of the series to come out.

Characters:

My favorite character in this book was by far Sarah. Sarah was never content with her lot life and she was always to trying to better herself in someway and reach for the stars. Even though Sarah knew that there was not much she could do as woman it did not prevent her from learning new material and trying to expand her horizons. I especially love how she rallied against the idea that men were superior and that because she was a woman she couldn’t possibly be competent or think for herself in anyway. Sarah was also incredibly loyal to everyone who was close to her. For instance, she believed that something was amiss with Mina’s (the sister-in-law of the man she worked) suitor; so she searched for answers even though Mina could be rude and degrading towards Sarah. In all Sarah was a compassionate, loyal, and smart woman who was before her time.

I also loved Raven. Even though he could be very ignorant he always tried to better himself when he realized what he had done was wrong. I loved the fact that Raven felt complex emotions while he was dealing with such morbid and disturbing circumstances. His reactions were very realistic and created a very dynamic character that someone could connect with. Raven was also incredibly loyal towards those he cared for especially Sarah, Professor Simpson, and Evie. Raven’s inner dialogue lent a very revealing picture of what it must have been like for the surgeons and midwifes of the time and it shed light on the difficulties and struggles felt by medical men during a time when advancements were just beginning. Overall Raven was a great character who I felt I could connect with and understand.

I personally either loved or hated the secondary characters, but I think the ones that I hated I was supposed to hate. I loved Professor Simpson; his kindness was beautiful to see and showed that doctors and medical men were not in the business just for the money. I also felt that his reaction to the loss of life (a mother or a baby alike) was believable and completely understandable. I detested Dr. Duncan; he was a man who felt that having emotions for patients prevented you from being a great doctor. Not to mention that his constant search for glory was aggravating and I must admit it was slightly disturbing just how single mindedly he sought glory. In the beginning I liked Beattie but towards the end something about him became a little suspicious and at the end my fears were confirmed.

Overall the characters were expertly crafted. Every single one added a special element to the plot that pushed the story towards its ending. I absolutely can’t wait for the rest of the books to released and I eagerly await the opportunity to read them.

Plot:

Oh man, the plot of this story was amazing. Never before have I read such an expertly crafted mystery that contained the perfect amount of intrigue and romance. I must admit that the plot was a little slow to begin with but once it picked up speed it didn’t stop gathering momentum until the very end.

The mystery at the heart of the story was the most intriguing thing to me. The basis of the mystery was the deaths of several women who were believed to have been in desperate situations and sought out abortions. These abortions however were not of the typical verity; no, these botched abortions came in the form of a “potion” to rid the desperate woman of there burdens and the end result was a wretched and painful death. The entire time Raven and Sarah were searching for the culprit I was right there with them trying to put the clues together and let me tell you the culprit was very much a surprise to me. The ending of this novel was not what I thought it would be but it worked out perfectly and left me feeling satisfied yet craving more.

The romance of this novel was my kind of romance. The relationship between the two main characters was not instant love. It took time for each of them to realize what they were feeling. I think this romance was very believable and worked with the main plot of the story very well. I hope that I get to see Raven’s and Sarah’s relationship develop in the upcoming books of the series.

Overall the plot was amazing and raised the standard by which I shall judge all other mystery novels I read in the future.

Recommendations:

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an amazing historical fiction mystery. I must say that this novel covered some very mature issues such as the death of babies and mother in childbirth as well as some of the very graphic procedures used. It also involves prostitution and the poor conditions the women of the night lived in as well as the injustices they faced in life and in death. I believe that only mature audiences should read this novel. With all this being said I think that the people who enjoy these types of novels will absolutely love this book and its characters.

The Way Of All Flesh Ambrose Parry


Will Raven is just about to start as the new medical apprentice to the renown Dr James Simpson, but just before taking up his appointment he finds a friend dead in her bed. Twisted in death the body looks as though it is in spasm, and Will leaves without telling anybody. He has to, his friend is “just another dead whore” as he latter hears her called.

Moving into his new digs Will cannot forget his dead friend as he sets about his new job. But as more bodies are found, contorted in the same way as his fiend, it becomes obvious that somebody is killing women, but why.

Finding an unlikely ally in a young house maid, Sarah, who is fascinated by Homeopathy, and hankers for a job in medicine only open to men from privileged backgrounds, Will begins to look for who was responsible for killing the women.

Set in Edinburgh in the winter of 1847. A time when Doctors and Chemists are racing to find the ideal Anesthetic. A time when women are turning to prostitution to make ends meet. A time when illegal back street abortions are killing too many women who have no other option.

This story is not one that races along. It is a bit of a plod at times but it is well worth plodding through it.

Ambrose Parry paints a great picture of the life and times of the upper and lower classes of Edinburgh society, and nicely places his main character Will somewhere in the middle.

He paints a time when peoples egos outpaced the science they were trying to establish.

Pages: 416
Publishers: Canongate Books
Publishing Date: 30th August

This tale of murder takes place in mid 19th century Edinburgh, where the city is at the forefront of the world's advances in medicine - both medical practices and procedures and also drugs and anaesthetics. Many nights are spent with some of the city's top surgeons sitting round the dinner table in the post-prandial slumber sampling various substances looking to find the perfect anaesthetic.

Will Raven, a recently qualified doctor, starts a new job as apprentice to Edinburgh's pre-eminent midwifery expert, Dr James Young Simpson. But he has recently found the dead body of a female friend and starts to investigate the mysterious circumstances of her demise.

The book takes several strands: we have the true history of Edinburgh's medical revolution where doctors like Simpson vied to get the job done but also find better ways to do it for their patients, we have the murder mystery angle, we have the capable and frustrated women who are refused to even attempt to do jobs they are clearly able to do, and we have the class system in full evidence and while many go along with it, some people like Simpson try to get past this and make their households more inclusive for all.

The threads are all interwoven brilliantly and combine to give a story that is both thrilling and interesting.

Having read a lot of Chris Brookmyre, I had high expectations for his storytelling and these were more than met with a brilliantly paced and enjoyable page-turner. I believe writing with his wife has helped tone down the language a little and the tone of the dialogue is very different to his previous work.

My one gripe would be that the climax of the story was a little laboured, with every single event, decision and twist explained numerous times from different perspectives. Given I had spotted a number of hints quite early on and knew who the perpetrator was, and was happy to assume certain things had happened, I didn't feel the need to have this confirmed at length in great detail.

Otherwise an excellent book and the start of a new series that I will be avidly waiting for the next instalment of.