Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC

The Resurrectionist has one of the most gorgeous covers I've seen, which definitely influenced my decision to read it. Set in 1800s Edinburgh, this novel delves into the dark and gothic world of medical schools, body snatchers, and real-life serial killers Burke and Hare. It also features a poignant queer love story. If any of these elements intrigue you, you might love this book as much as I did!

Typically, I'm not a fan of body horror, and there was plenty of it here. I was grateful to have seen the recent film with Emma Stone, Poor Things, which made it easier to visualise the medical school classrooms, auditoriums, procedures, and the innovations they tried to implement.

Regarding body snatchers, I had very little knowledge beyond a few true crime stories and watching Good Omens Season 2 😂 The moral and ethical dilemmas presented through the main character's perspective were thought-provoking—it felt almost justified, all in the name of advancing science!

I was also surprised to learn that Burke and Hare were real figures. Their heinous acts in early 1800s Edinburgh were shocking, as I don't recall hearing about them before.

This is A. Rae Dunlap's debut novel, yet her writing style is so polished and fluid that it feels like the work of a seasoned author. The story's tension builds masterfully towards the climax, keeping me thoroughly engaged.

Although I didn't necessarily love the ending, I still found this book to be marvelous—and very unusual for me. Despite the gore, I had a lot of fun reading it.
4.5/5 ⭐

Set in 19th-century Edinburgh, “The Resurrectionist” is a dark, gothic debut that masterfully intertwines historical fiction, true crime, and dark academia. The story follows James Willoughby, a young medical student who abandons his privileged life at Oxford to pursue surgery in Edinburgh, only to be lured into the illicit world of body snatching. James, desperate to gain surgical experience, strikes a deal with Nye MacKinnon, a charming and reckless dissectionist. Unbeknownst to James, Nye is a body snatcher, and soon James finds himself entangled in the underground world of Resurrectionists, competing with notorious figures like Burke and Hare.

Nye, with his artist’s eye for anatomy and dark charm, captivates both James and the reader. The romance subplot adds an extra layer to the story without overshadowing the main plot, maintaining a fine balance that enhances the overall narrative. The book’s meticulous research is evident in its rich historical details and accurate portrayal of 19th-century medical practices. The grim yet fascinating world of body snatching is vividly depicted, drawing readers into a macabre yet mesmerizing tale.

“The Resurrectionist” is not only a thrilling read for fans of dark academia and historical fiction but also an insightful look into the early days of modern medicine. Cross’s ability to blend fact and fiction creates an engrossing story that keeps readers hooked until the very end. If you enjoy tales of murder, greed, and the dark underpinnings of scientific pursuit, this book is a must-read.

Thank you for sending this book! I love this book! It has become one of my favourites (alongside EOTV and EOTD)! The fact that’s this is a debut novel is still crazy to me. It has such a fun concept that you don’t read about in other books. The writing reminded me a lot of Jay Kristoff’s writing, and the themes had a little bit of Frankenstein mixed in. It was gothic, it was queer, it was macabre, and it worked so well together. The chapters were long, but fit the story so well that it would’ve been weird to have short chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington publishing group to letting me read this ARC! This is not your average love story and takes us on a journey through the late 1800s and into the developing medical world and the anatomy schools. I gave this book 3 ⭐️, I loved the story/plot line but as someone that works in the medical field I wish there had been more included on their anatomy classes and the graveyard parts. Still a great read and I would read more by this author and also if there was a continuation!

I loved this book!!
The setting is wonderful and the writing!! Omg!! It was so captivating and I really felt as if I was part of the story while reading. The characters are amazing and it was so nice to see James evolve from the timid “posh boy” we met at the beginning to a man who isn’t afraid of his life choices and who’s defending them with everything he’s got.

“I crave no absolution but yours”

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????? The love story was EVERYTHING!!!! Nye and James were so cute! They had so much chemistry it made me insane, but as much as I adore them I felt as if their story was a bit rushed. Other than that the only other problem I had with this book was that the first chapters were a bit slow and made it hard for me to get into the book. Otherwise this book is amazing, I mean, be gay do crime am I right?

I absolutely LOVED this book. I expected to like this book upon reading the synopsis, but I never could have imagined how badly I fell in love with this book.

I have so many thoughts, so I am going to go piece by piece. (I will be refraining from spoilers)

Setting
I, myself, am Scottish, which was another thing that initially drew me to this book. However, I’ll be honest and say that so many times I’ve found myself disappointed when reading books set in Scotland, because I feel like the characters are all a stereotype; none of it feels how Scotland and Scottish people really are. However, this book truly felt authentic to Edinburgh and Scotland. Especially the mention of the grey skies, rain, heather, it all painted that picture of Scotland in my head. I miss Scotland very dearly (as I am not living there at the moment) and was so happy to feel like I was back.

Characters
I loved James and Aneurin. I loved seeing the development of James. At the beginning he was so shy and timid, and seemed to really question his life choices and if he’d done the right thing by going to university, unsure if he was cut out for it. It’s a huge difference from who he becomes by the end of the book. I also loved Aneurin as his character was so complex and I loved learning about him little by little.

Writing
The writing in this book was soooo good. Like art actually. It was so descriptive, making the whole book immersive; it truly played like a movie in my head. It also made the book extremely hard to put down. I can’t even emphasize it enough how immersive it all was. It was amazing and soo addictive.

Overall, this book was so amazing. I really can’t stress that enough. It’s my new favorite book, and I actually feel like I’m going crazy because I need a hard copy to highlight and annotate, but I won’t be able to get one for months. I highly recommend this book especially if you’re into gothic literature or true crime. Also if you’re a wolfstar shipper (trust me)

True crime, a love story, AND historical fiction all in one? SIGN ME UP! I was so stoked to have been accepted for an ARC of this book. I was into this story pretty much immediately, James and Nye are both so likeable, I found myself wondering their next moves when I wasn’t reading. When I started this book, I was unfamiliar with the real-life crimes this book references, but learning about them at the end was so fascinating. The Resurrectionist is going to be an absolute hit, I had a hard time putting it down, it was so intelligently written that I feel like I even learned things while reading. Highly recommend!

Side note, I read it during Pride Month not even knowing it was going to have a queer aspect, very serendipitous!

A delightful, LGBTQ historical fiction centred around the resurrectionists of the 18th-19th century. I’d forgotten about Burke and Hare; the infamous body snatchers that never got their hands dirty, at least not in the literal sense. And loved seeing them written in here so well.

This was brilliantly written and very well researched, a really authentic feel for the era with characters that feel real. Has a timeless, classic feel to it. Genuinely feels more like you’re reading a book written a hundred years ago, very polished and with language and style that suit the period.

I absolutely loved Nye, and really enjoyed reading their story. This is set in Edinburgh, and as someone that loves anatomy and the history of anatomists and body snatching, I absolutely loved it.

Really lovely and endearing prose, at the beginning it was a little difficult to get into,
unclear what it’s about, who the narrator is or what’s happening— I had to refer to blurb.
It was complicated but once I got into it was so interesting and macabre.

The first couple of chapters are a bit slow, and it's definitely got some holes (pun intended) where I thought, "Well, she could have gone into more detail about how we got here," or "I'm not sure that's how that would work," but all in all, it was a really exciting read with lots of excellent characters, and I'm sure the final product will be much more polished than the ARC I read. I would absolutely without a doubt recommend this book! I'm so glad I read it, and I've already pre-0rdered the book on Amazon.

The Resurrectionist is a debut gothic novel set in 19th century Scotland.

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1828. James Willoughby has abandoned his posh life at Oxford to pursue his dream of studying surgery. He goes to join a school but can’t afford it on his own, causing him to strike a deal with Anuerin “Nye” MacKinnon who is a young dissectionist. Nye agrees to help James learn anatomy…but it isn’t long until James learns that Nye is a bodysnatcher. And now, James is his accomplice.

This book was sadly not on my radar until I requested it from NetGalley. BUT OH MY GOD! I am in love. I love the characters. I love Nye and James and I love this world. This is an amazing Gothic tale that is short and compelling. This was very immersive and atmospheric.

I would say if you like the more classic Gothics like Frankenstein and Dracula and Mary Shelley, you should read this. It also gave me Stalking Jack the Ripper vibes. This is a debut to keep your eyes on and I am pre-ordering the book now!

I was drawn to the plot as a lover of dark academia and true crime, but thought it sounded too intriguing to actually deliver what my mind was expecting of it. Somehow it surpassed that, and I had to put timers on so I wouldn't read it too quick and run out of pages faster than I was prepared for.

James has clearly romanticised what life will be like pursuing a medical degree in Edinburgh and really doesn’t know what he is in for. However, with Nye at his side, it’s like you’re following a story of someone studying anatomy that finally discovers their own backbone.
The book is brilliantly written, and the banter between the characters had me just as drawn in as the effortless humour in the author’s writing from the very first page, and the way Dunlop has incorporated Burke and Hare into the story fit so perfectly I almost forgot they weren’t fiction, despite knowing of them before I started reading the book.
I sincerely hope that another book will come in the future, as I’m not ready to say goodbye to James and Nye, nor to how well Dunlop has set the scene of their story.

UN.PUT.DOWNABLE! Or it is if you like historical fiction + old school gothic + the macabre + dash of humor. I couldn’t…well, I couldn’t put it down.

The Resurrectionist is a retelling of the macabre history of illicit body snatching in 19th century Edinburgh. It’s a light and easy read despite being a story centered around human cadavers. A good read if you’re interested in a cozy true crime story with queer characters and a splash of dark academia.

I enjoyed the parts that focused on medical discoveries which were fascinating, and the body snatching adventures which made me laugh. Moreover, I loved the characters even if there isn't much material to get to know them with; though it’d be nice if there were more interactions and a deeper character development. And I want to know more about James’ surgery studies, as I love stories about academia.

The romance is well-executed. It didn’t overshadow the main plot, and yes I LOVE THEM.

Lastly, the writing style isn’t for me, but I see great potential for a sequel, and I would love to watch a movie adaptation.

I loved the stories and the characters.
Very unique approache of the story line and the characters.
Higly recommend

THIS BOOK!!! I need Nye and James so much. If you are looking for a macabre queer historical fiction please look no further. The character and plot development were unmatched imo. Set in Edinburgh, James is looking for a fresh start as a medical student, what he gets is so much more.

The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap, was a thoroughly enjoyable read! I rated it 4.5 stars! The plot, with its anatomy references, plot twists, and special appearances from 2 famous figures from Scottish history, made this book unputdownable!

James, the protagonist of this story, is plummeted into the world of human anatomy- and later body snatching- after moving to Edinburgh to begin his studies with the famous Dr Malstrom (much to the dismay of his family). Once his first lecture has ended, he finds himself striking a deal of employment with Malstrom's assistant, Aneurin. After which, James' journey as a Resurrectionist officially begins!

First of all thank you NetGalley and Kensington Press for gifting me this arc.

3. 75 ⭐️

James has always dreamed of a better education in medicine and the human body. Oxford with its constraints, means he will never fully establish himself as a surgeon. So, he moves to Edinburgh where he is introduced to private schools outside of the university that do live autopsies. There he meets Nye, the assistant to the doctor James admires most. Nye helps James in getting a spot in the doctor's classes by offering work in return for James to complete. It turns south though, when it is soon revealed that Nye is a grave digger, and the bodies that the doctor does autopsies on are normal people being taken from their graves.

But family matters means that James can't turn away from this position, and he can't turn away from Nye's teasing smile and hidden gentle nature. But as danger looms around the corner, what can be done when their profession starts to affect those they love?

The Resurrectionist is just a good ol' time. The characters are enjoyable, the premise is solid and the writing is lovely. I love the relationship between James and Nye, and loved the brutal line between morality and immorality throughout. I wish it was a little more gruesome at times, but then if this is meant to be YA then I can understand why not. However, I had a good time overall.

Thankyou to Kensington Publishing allowing me a chance at reading this book pre publishing. One word WOW!!
A mix of historical fiction, true crime, horror.
Loved the narration of the protagonist, the language used concreted you into his reality as if he is telling you his story in real time. A grave robber love story that felt very balance and never out weighed with the different plots and story lines through out. The ending was chefs kiss.

I enjoy a good, morbid plot and this delivers. I also appreciate a well researched historical fiction tale. Plenty gruesome and a good mystery as well. The M/M romance is in the background--adds to the story but doesn't overshadow it. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

This book was fantastic, I gave it 4.25/5 stars (I'm putting five here). The prose was simply fantastic and it helped the setting immensely, as well as the descriptions for the more anatomical parts of the book (Which were so good that I sometimes felt a little nauseous), the characters are very well made and feel pretty round even if we talk about secondary characters, but Nye and James were such perfect main characters and had a great romance that started to simmer from the first instance they saw each other. The only fault I can give is that the chapters felt way too long and some of them could have been easily divided into two, these longer chapters gave the sensation of a heavier reading and sometimes a little more tiring, but the plot always manages to push you through it.