4.5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

"I crave no absolution but yours."

James is a hopeful doctor in Edinburgh and the easiest way to earn money for tuition is to take his colleague Aneurin's (Nye's) offer on body snatching and grave digging. After experiencing some reservations about the job itself, James finds himself among friends with Nye's crew and maybe something more with Nye himself.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting! Not to say I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but I started this book and got about 20% in before I put it down for a few days. Decided to pick it back up and give it an honest shot.

I liked James as a character, but I really loved Aneurin. I loved that there was no 3rd act breakup. I loved that it was silly and stupid and charming. My only critique is that Aneurin talked too much like James, despite being from Iona in the Inner Hebrides. It could be that it was just easier to have their dialog look and feel so similar, but there was only one scene with Nye speaking Gaelic that gave any indication that he wasn't also from London.

I was very pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed this book; I’m not a fan of true crime, but perhaps the historical distance makes it more palatable to me, as opposed to a modern context in which the victims of a high profile case may be around to read the story. Instead, this novel focuses more on James’ journey of self-discovery, his intellectual interests and his romantic preferences, with the network of different degrees of crime in upholding a growing area of study with major teething problems, woven around his narrative. I also loved the development in James and Nye’s relationship as they learn to open up to and trust one another, keeping each other safe as they delve deeper into the turn of events upsetting the equilibrium of the body snatching network of Edinburgh’s private medical schools. As a bonus, I am also a big fan of James’ narrative voice and how the writing style incorporates his artistic tone as well as his scientifically inclined ways of thinking, of seeing and processing the world.

Wow this book stole my heart with its unique writing and gothic medical horror and to top it off a beautiful love story. In this book we follow James who unsure what he wants in life ends up in Edinburgh in medical school.Due to his family poor financial condition he finds himself desperate for money and gets sucked into an underground world of grave robbing he never expected. We follow along as James faces many conflicts both internal and in the real world.
To start with I am a sucker for 19th century medical story’s so I was definitely the audience for this book. With that being said the writing was amazing in this book it was unique and kept me engaged but felt so true to the time period of this book. I was also shocked this was a debut with the writing and characters being so engaging. I also loved the characters the romance between James and Nye was one I was rooting for. Look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the different aspects of this novel. On one hand, we have social mobility, both upward and downward. There is also characterization of our main characters that gives them excellent and developed personality. The subtle differences that class and experience have on their personalities is great. As for the setting, I have no complaints; as a former resident of Edinburgh, it checks out and is easy to follow. The Resurrectionist puts forth the question: who pays the cost for development? It is a scientific and moral conundrum that continues in a different manner to this day.
I highly recommend this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. The only thing I had issue with was pacing.

This was a fabulous read this year, appealing to morbid curiosity and mystery alike! In the same vein as The Artful Dodger and The Alienist, our main characters were delightful and interesting to watch throughout the novel. I loved this! 4/5

Thank you A. Rae Dunlap, NetGalley, and Kensington Publishing for allowing me to review.

I was very excited for this as I thought this would be very atmospheric and interesting. I DNF'd this at 25%. Unfortunately, I felt like I was making myself read this, I wasn't connecting to the characters, and just did not feel that this had depth. I don't believe that this was for me and felt that this may be better suited for a male audience.

The cover is well done and part of what attracted me to this novel.

Thank you again and I am sorry that I did not connect with this book. I will not be posting a review anywhere.

This was an incredibly cool and trippy thriller, but most of all I loved all the actual true crime story interwoven with a beautiful love story. It was way more than I expected and I truly enjoyed every minute! The whole book was amazing, can’t wait to read more from the author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for sending me an advance copy of The Resurrectionist.

After reading The Burial Plot earlier this year, I was left wanting more of the grave-digging elements (which only happened in the first few pages). So when this book crossed my path, I thought I'd found exactly what I was looking for. But I ended up with mixed feelings about it, and I want to focus mainly on what didn't work for me.

The writing style was all over the place, honestly. It starts off with this lovely historical vibe that really got me excited, but then suddenly shifts into modern-sounding prose that kept pulling me out of the time period. The first-person narration didn't help matters, I kept thinking how much better this would have worked with an omniscient narrator who could really lean into that gothic atmosphere.

Let's talk about our main character, who frankly felt too naive for his own good. Being gay in the 19th century was incredibly dangerous (the gay element is not a spoiler, it's right there in the book's tags), but he acts almost oblivious to this reality while everyone around him clearly understands the risks. Then there's Aneurin/Nye, and yes, that random name change halfway through was odd. When we first meet him, I pictured this middle-aged guy with bad teeth and ghostly pale skin. Imagine my confusion when he turned out to be this attractive twenty-something instead. And what was with those random fits of hysterical laughter? They felt completely out of place.

The book reads like it's trying to straddle the line between YA and adult fiction, but never quite finds its footing. Don't get me wrong, it tackles some dark themes, but it could have gone much deeper into the ominous, threatening atmosphere it was hinting at. The plot loses its way about halfway through, suddenly introducing two new problems that felt forced rather than natural developments. My advice? Skip the synopsis, it gives away too much, and you'll probably enjoy the book more going in blind.

Three stars for some interesting ideas, but this one could have been so much more.

A. Rae Dunlap's The Resurrectionists is an enthralling blend of gothic horror and historical fiction, delving into Edinburgh’s dark past during the infamous Burke and Hare era. The story follows James, a medical student navigating the dark world of body-snatching amid his pursuit of anatomical knowledge.

The novel is very well researched, creating an atmospheric backdrop that is immersive, vividly evoking the grim streets and shadowy corners of 19th-century Edinburgh.

The characters, particularly James and Aneurin are deeply human, and their relationships natural and engaging. Through James's journey, Dunlap explores themes of ambition, identity, and moral conflict. James’s personal evolution—from a young man entranced by scientific discovery to someone grappling with ethical dilemmas—is both poignant and compelling. Aneurin, a charismatic and enigmatic figure, adds depth to the interpersonal dynamics, making their relationships feel authentic.

The city itself becomes a character, with its fog-drenched alleys and bustling pubs providing a vivid backdrop to the story's dark academia tone.

With believable characters and a macabre yet heartfelt tone, this debut is perfect for fans of dark academia and morally complex tales steeped in history.

In The Resurrectionist, James Willoughby trades his posh life at Oxford for the bustling, unfamiliar streets of Edinburgh, determined to fulfill his dream of becoming a surgeon. Although the university is the hub of medical innovation in the New Enlightenment, only the private dissection schools offer the “hands-on” education that James feels is necessary to complete his education. Unfortunately, the cost of tuition at his chosen school, run by Dr. Louis Malstrom, is far beyond his means and James, in desperation, naively strikes a deal with Dr. Malstrom’s assistant, the mysterious and charismatic Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon. What James doesn’t know is that he has become an accomplice to a gang of body snatchers, also known as Resurrectionists, who procure fresh corpses for Edinburgh's dissection schools. As James descends into the shadowy world of the Resurrectionists, he finds himself a target of a rival gang, including the ruthless duo Burke and Hare, who will stop at nothing to dominate the lucrative trade in the dead.

This novel was simply unputdownable. A. Rae Dunlap captures the duality of Edinburgh—the enlightened, scholarly atmosphere and its dark, gritty underbelly—in vivid, often gruesome, but undeniably beautiful detail. This book truly has something for everyone, with elements of dark academia, true crime and romance. Although I started this book for the historical fiction and mystery elements, the evolving relationship between James and Nye had me kicking my feet in glee! While the plot delves into macabre and serious subject matter, Dunlap skillfully balances the darker tones with moments of levity, adding depth and warmth to the characters. The Resurrectionist is an exceptional debut novel - I cannot wait to read more from Dunlap!

Thank you to Kensington Publishing for providing an advance copy of this book for review through NetGalley. All opinions are my own!

James is a medical student in 1828 who travels to Edinburgh, Scotland to pursue his dream. Coming from a privileged upbringing, he is unwittingly thrust into the macabre and disturbing underworld of practices used to procure bodies for medical study (ie “body snatching” from fresh graves). He is struck with the ethical dilemma of whether to become involved in body snatching, or to abandon his dream of becoming a doctor. Along the way he develops a romantic relationship with another man, which in those times could have him hanged for the “crime.” The couple are soon thrust into a murder mystery, which I don’t want to spoil by divulging more!

I. Could. Not. Put. This. Book. Down. As a medical professional myself, I have always been fascinated—and horrified—by the gruesome methods used in those times to learn about the human body. I greatly appreciated the author’s extensive research into the subject, and even her inclusion of actual people involved in body snatching.

I loved the inclusion of the love story, which added so much more depth to the novel. And speaking of depth, as soon as you think you know everything about a character, there is yet another layer added to their story.

This novel is shocking, gruesome, and disturbing; but at the same time, it is heartwarming and uplifting! I will be recommending this to everyone, and A. Rae Dunlap is officially one of my auto-buy authors. I have already ordered the physical copy to place on my bookshelf!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the gifted eARC!

"Was I, the noble son of a landed family, about to tow a freshly stolen corpse into my chamber window and exchange it for money? No, not money, Progress, I reminded myself firmly. It was simply a matter of supply and demand."
4.75☆|5

Edinburgh in 1828, grave robbers, macabre elements, a bit of queerness, and a main character so naïve that it was flirting with stupidity at some points — and yet we love him —, what is there not to love?

This book is so great that I can't seem to find the words to describe my reading experience properly. I devoured it and finished it in a few days, even though it took me weeks to end a book those days. I got so attached to the characters because they are really, really, loveable. We follow James, who gave up on his Oxford studies and ended up in Edinburgh to become a surgeon. We are going to discover the city as well as the world of medicine at the same time that he and I love it really much! He was a bit naïve at times, sometimes reaching stupidity, but it added a bit of humour to the story, making you wonder “…he can't be that stupid can he” (those are actual notes that I wrote at some point). But the rest of the cast was also really loveable! I loved Charlie a lot, and I am afraid that if I start talking about Aneurin I'll still be here tomorrow (he is so incredible, a really chaotic type of character).

But characters are nothing without a story, and my, what a story! The author takes us with him in the old street of Edinburg, in the Surgeon'*, and in the graveyard, and somehow, we never once want to leave. That writing style combined with that plot was a pleasure, and I simply couldn’t put it down. I am pretty sure that it is A. Rae Dunlap's debut and let me tell you, he nailed it.

Another thing that makes me want to scream about this are the relationships. The beautiful one between Marie and Nie, the one between James and his friends that I have found quite interesting and funny at times. But also, the romance. It was so beautiful, and I adored them. The way James sees Aneurin? I just wanted to scream in a corner. Just gonna put this quote here but know that I crave for historical queer romance and characters.

"Whether drinking by my side at the Pig, eyeing me appraisingly across the hall at Malstrom’s, or splayed out casually in my desk chair recovering from the rigors of a dig, he was my North Star whenever the darkness of doubt threatened to envelop me."

I am afraid that reading this may have given me a new interest for that subject (I do take recommendations if anyone has any) but it is worth it. This book will be out on December 24th, and I do recommend it a lot.

This is such a strong debut! I was captivated from the very first page. the gothic setting and exhilarating plot are absolute highlights. We follow James Willoughby who pursues becoming a physician in Edinburgh. He then gets offered a deal he cannot decline by Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon. The job, however, leads him down a different path than expected.

The character development from James was simply beautiful. I loved following his journey and being in the head of a well fleshed out character. His romance with Nye was just perfection. The friendship that naturally turned into yearning was so well done. I enjoyed the fact that the romance didn’t take over the entire story. It was so cute, but it wasn’t a central driving force which is great. Nye is such an endearing character that everyone will fall in love with.

The plot and all the shenanigans they got up to was delivered so well. The vibes were a combo of Frankenstein and Penny Dreadful, which are right up my alley. If you enjoy morbid tales, endearing characters, and an atmospheric historical gothic setting, I highly recommend this!

I’ll be honest, this one took me a minute to get into it. But once I was there, I was in.
The book had an interesting opening, setting up James’s relationships, past, and desires while introducing us to his tone of voice. As narrators go, I enjoyed his unique perspective. He was someone that I wanted to follow along as he came to terms with the ideals instilled in him from his upbringing, and how that changed through his immersion in the medical field and the scientific advancements that came from body snatching and dissection. The relationship here was sweet, and yet another way that James came into his own. Once Burke and Hare were introduced, the excitement really kicked up a notch and would lot me go until I finished the book. Definitely recommend.

I absolutely loved this book! Maybe it says something about me, but a story about body-snatching in 1800s Edinburgh turned out to be such a fun, oddly beautiful read. By the time I picked it up, I’d forgotten most of the description, so I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I got pulled into this historical setting—and the tie-ins with real people from 1800s Edinburgh were such a nice touch. Now I’m half-planning a trip just to see Surgeon’s Square in person!

The writing was really approachable, which is rare for historical fiction—usually, it can feel a bit heavy, but here, everything from the world-building to the mischievous characters was just so well done and felt spot-on for the time period. I did wish for a little more closure on where Nye and James ended up, but I also get why the ending was left a bit open. I just got so attached to them and really wanted the best for them 🥰

A darkly atmospheric and gripping historical novel set in 19th century Scotland. The story of body snatching combines historical fiction, true crime and dark academia. It is a perfect blend of fact and fiction, offering a stunning glimpse into the grisly origins of modern medicine.
Many thanks to Kensington and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.7 / 5.0

The Resurrectionist by Rae Dunlap is an historical fiction with dark vibes, queer romance, and a slow-burn murder mystery. It was immersive, intriguing, and intensely consumable. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions with other players, the environment, and especially one another. This book is a fantastic debut and I am excited to have another author to add to my list of preferred reads.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.

3.97 ★ — anatomy: a love story but yaoi. pretty quick after you get through the first couple chapters. the mc was likable from the first sentence he uttered, which is insane coming from me, because he's a man, and i never like male characters. how the author managed to portray a 20 year old (i'm assuming? since he's in his second or so year of college.) male in first person without being corny is beyond me. he's witty, intriguing, and full of personality. the plot is interesting too, but i honestly stayed mostly for james and the writing style. i didn't even remember there was supposed to be a murder mystery until like 75%, so there's that.

(there's a couple of instances of jimmy boy doing casual misogyny, which made me hate him for a while, but then i remembered this is set in the 1800s, so of course. duh. but he's not that awful. silver linings.)

thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy.

Body snatchers in 19th century Scotland and a sheltered queer gentleman getting his world turned upside-down!! “The Resurrectionist” is a riveting tale of dark academia and true crime. The romance and humor are well-written and cohesive with the book’s macabre themes.

The coolest place I visited this year was the Surgeon’s Hall Museum in Edinburgh. It’s really gruesome and educational - people have done some shocking things for the sake of medical science!? So, when I stumbled across “The Resurrectionist” on NetGalley (thank you to NG and Kensington for the eARC), I was eager to try it out. I went in with the expectation to feel immersed in that same kind of fascinatingly morbid setting, and this book expertly delivered on that.

Our protagonist, James, is naive and bit of a snob at the start (in a way I found comically endearing at times). But he is driven to learn, grow, and prove himself. He’s putting himself out there to study medicine in a new city (despite financial troubles) and break free from the confines of his upbringing. That fierce drive, along with him feeling drawn to the roguish and charismatic Aneurin, is how he winds up in a crew of body snatchers that dig up corpses for surgical dissection. It’s a high-stakes adventure that had me completely captivated.

The comedy throughout is superb and feels natural. They really had me giggling while they’re decapitating dead bodies?!? My guy Nye has ijbolitis fr (yes, that is the best way I can describe it!) Also, the romance had me swooning. ‘Be gay, do crimes’, as they say.

I only have two caveats, one about syntax and one about the story. There’s an excessive use of italics. I think it could be toned down, but maybe that’s just a personal vexation. The other thing is a big spoiler [idk how to hide spoilers on NetGalley so check out my Goodreads review to see it]. But ultimately, the story and characters were great, so I really recommend this book.

This book gave me Jack the Ripper times as a vibe. It’s sci-fi love mystery and murder all in one. I did really enjoy the read it kept me captivated and interested. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this for my honest review.