Bodysnatching, human dissection, forbidden romance, and a big dose of old timey true crime….. what more could a reader want?! Well, if that reader is me, nothing. 5 stars - no notes! I was fully immersed from the first paragraph to the last. I will be reading/listening to the books and podcasts the author recommended on this subject at the end of the book.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review.

My interest was piqued for this novel for several reasons. The first, simply the title and the cover art. The cover is gorgeous and practically enough to make me want to read it without knowing what the book was about. The second, the concept of queer, gothic, and historical fiction colliding into one masterpiece of a debut. And, lastly, though not a notion that I was aware of at the start, is its true crime and real history elements. I was not aware of Burke and Hare prior to reading this, but upon its conclusion, I apprised my own knowledge banks of the two individuals, and it has only heightened my enjoyment and appreciation for The Resurrectionist.

In, The Resurrectionist we begin by following James, a former Oxford boy who has recently arrived in Scotland with aspirations set on becoming a Man of Science. Edinburgh, following a period of industrialization and scientific enlightenment, has become a hotspot for the field and James is eager to embark on his path to being a physician. But, as one might expect in 1828, the separation of classes was tantamount to the societal structure of the time, and when James’ own financial woes are nearly put on the forefront before he’s ever set foot in a physician’s gallery, he must learn new methodologies of procuring funds to support himself lest he find himself on the brink of social and economic ruin.

Enter, Nye, our love interest and a charming dissectionist who brings James into the fold of body snatching, procuring cadavers for several schools in the area, and otherwise skirting the coattails of something taboo in the underbelly of Edinburgh.

This novel was a dream to read, honestly. The prose was like butter, and the passages were so well-crafted, with the subject matter handled in a delicate and precise way. With ease, A. Rae Dunlap could have relied heavily in the shock value and gore of the time and field, but she instead focused on the cool precision of medical students in a field of survival, and that made the story all the more impactful for me.

The character exposition and growth, too, is something to be admired, as each character felt real and tangible with confliction emotions and morals surrounding necessity, desire and the overall drive to succeed and make something of them self. The romance was a guiding light against an otherwise dreary and dark time, and though the focus on romance was grander than I anticipated, it didn’t detract from the overall story.

As a debut, I think Dunlap has hit the nail on the head with The Resurrectionist as it truly is a fantastic blend of real-world events crafted and molded into digestible and enjoyable bites.

Five out of five moons, no question.

Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕 | 5/5

☠️

<b>”How could anything be unnatural when our coupling felt as easy as breathing air? How could the life I’d found with Nye be anything other than a benediction, full of grace? How could Nye ever be less than everything? For he was everything.”</b>

I loved this book! It was the perfect mix of historical, funny, poignant and action! While the things in the synopsis don’t start happening until the last half of the book, it still never feels dull, and when I got into a reading session, I would read 20-30% at a time!

The characters are lovable, the plot is intriguing, and the writing is playful and light. My one complaint would be the ending- no spoilers, but it left me a little unsatisfied.

Other than that, I highly recommend!

What if we dreamily looked into each other's eyes while digging up a grave?

Although this book didn’t make me go as feral as I was hoping I still had a really fun time with it. The Resurrectionist follows our main character James as he gets wrapped up in the grave robbing business in order to earn some money. I liked the way the story explored the medical field in the academic setting, making me aware of the lack of resources during this era. The crime aspect of the graveyard/grave robbing scenes were so disgusting and nerve wracking!

For the characters I really liked how the author honed in on James’s naivety making him easy to manipulate. Nye was also such an interesting character and I wasn’t fully convinced of his intentions till the very end. I would’ve loved it if the characters were a bit more unhinged, which is crazy to say because they are literal grave robbers, but I was ready for some crazy dissections and potential killings.

I think the romance was really well done and a nice touch to the story. It was more of a light romance aiding in adding additional stakes to the mystery and grave robbing business. Both James and Nye had such great chemistry and I really enjoyed the way they bounced off each other.

The story leaves off in a good place but I definitely would not be opposed to a potential expansion of their story in a sequel! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for providing me with this ARC.

The ressurectionist by A. Rae Dunlap
Rating: 4/5 🌙's

Overview: all around the medical school in Eidenburg graves are being dug up and the bodies are missing. But they leave the clothes and possesions in the grave. James knows that Edinburg has to top medical school. He leaves his posh Oxford life to become something he didn't even know existed.

Thoughts: This book was one that I kept reading to uncover more and more of the plot as it built. Missing bodies. And elusive classes for the highest price under the wing of two rival schools. Dr. Knox and maelstrom. Once James meets Nye his world is flipped on its head. The truth on why Edinburgh and the private schools are so sought after. To me this book was full of revelations. The moral dilemmas kept my attention. The romance being so unheard of in year 1828. The posh family that James has back home all clashes together and test our love story. It's filled with mystery and challenges that keep the reader wrapped into this dark acedima story.

I would definitely recommend this book to members of the LGBTQ community. This book also touches a little on the tabooness and fear that people that were gay felt so many years ago and to a degree still worry about today

Thank you so much for the review copy. ❤️

I absolutely loved it, I dont know what it says about me as a person but I thought that a book about body snatching in 1800s Edinburg was fun and beautiful read.
By the time I started reading it I honestly had forgotten the description for the most part so i was really pleasantly suprised by the overall story and how easy it was to get into this historical novel that also had some great tie in's with actual people who lived in Edinburgh on 1800s and I knew nothing about but now am planning a trip to Edinburgh in my head and want to see the Surgeon's Square with my own eyes.
I think it was very well written and easy to read as often i find more historical ficton books be overwhelming but here it gave good context of the world the story was taking part in, great character building that was also fun and mischevious and every part it felt accurate for the point in time this story took in.
I would have love to get littlebit more at the end to know where the main characters ended up but i also see why the somewhat of a open ending really works here, i just want them happiness because i really grew fond on Nye and James.

4.25 ⭐
historical fiction and true crime in one novel? weird premise but it got me hooked! this was quite a fun and enjoyable weekend read i didnt expect. i was not familiar with the true story and characters but the writing worked effectively in making them come alive (pun intended!)
thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc and congratulations to the author for this excellent debut!

Set in 1828 Scotland, The Resurrectionist follows James Willoughby, the posh third son of a nobleman who’d gambled his estate into bankruptcy, as he starts off on his third attempt at education at the medical school at the University of Edinburgh. In dire financial straits, unable to afford tuition at the separate medical and surgical schools on top of his room and board, he finds employment in a group of diggers for his surgical school—body-snatchers who sell corpses and parts for medical study at the schools throughout the city. In this work, he falls in love and into trouble as a gang descends upon the city and monopolizes the corpse trade, and finds the latter putting his life at risk.

The Resurrectionist was a joy to read, both for its craft and its content. The writing is rich in detail and the dialogue appropriately historically accurate, if a little sesquipedalian at times, but that can be attributed to the characters’ educations. James charmed me for being totally unaware of his own naivety, and Nye for his charming of James. I appreciated the author’s handling of James and Nye’s relationship: I spent the first half wondering if the punch would be pulled and was overjoyed when it wasn’t. I’ll admit I went into The Resurrectionist completely ignorant of the saga surrounding serial killers Burke and Hare—I was in it for the historical medical practice and morally questionable characters. But the integration of the real-life figures seemed, to me, seamless. At no point did I feel like I was missing information or assumed to have knowledge of these people, nor did I feel like their inclusion took away from the fictional element of the story. Between the setting, the romance, and the engaging plot, The Resurrectionist has become one of my favorite standalone reads this year, and the gorgeous cover is just icing on the cake. I’d recommend it to fans of dark academia (with less emphasis on the academia portion), true crime, and medical history.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Goodness gracious. THIS IS A DEBUT NOVEL?!?!? I love the medical field and historical fiction and this was like a special treat and the added LGBT romance woven in was done exceptionally well.

I absolutely loved the writing of this book. It was reminiscent of a Sherlock Holmes novel but with a new twist.
The plot was unexpected, really funny in parts and the main character was so charming.

I really enjoyed being immersed in the dark world of body snatching and was excited to be exposed to something I wouldn’t normally have read.

I seem to be on a roll with fiction books involving 19th century serial killers Burke and Hare as of late!! I have to say, I really enjoyed this one too!! 🙌

I really liked the main characters as well!! Even had LGBTQIA+ representation going on!! 👏

Highly recommend this one for lovers of dark, gothic historical fiction! 🤓

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and A. Rae Dunlap for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review!! I will definitely be picking up a physical copy to add to my shelves!! ❤️

This wasn’t what I was expecting in the best way. I loved the relationship, the humor, the prose, and the storylines. I love my horror with a bit of lightness and humor and this book delivered. The relationship dynamics were beautiful. I kind of thought the relationship between the main characters might take a backseat to the body snatching and murder, but the author skillfully wove in the romance throughout the darker side of the story. This one is definitely going on my rereading and physical copy list. Overall, a unique and memorable read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC

If you liked Anatomy: A Love Story, you’ll love this. It’s darker and a bit spookier than Anatomy and I loved that about it. A perfect fall read and so good for historical fiction with dark academia vibes!

This was an absolutely stunning debut novel. I felt like this book was specifically made for me as it involves medical history and in a sense queer history.
It was immersive, believable and filled with history-based events. I wasn't familiar with the murders of Burke and Hare but this novel definitely piqued my interest in diving into their crimes.

I highly recommend this novel if you like dark historical fiction that also involves a queer love story!

This was an excellent book. I loved so much about it--the characters, the story, the setting. It was equal parts coming-of-age story, mystery, and dark academia, and it worked so well. The writing was both beautiful and witty and I felt it really fit with James' character. He was naive yet charming and it was hard not to love him. Aneurin was of course wonderful and I loved seeing his and James' companionship grow throughout the book and throughout all of the action.

I was glued to the story and loved learning about the underground world of bodysnatching and the reasons it was done. I knew little about Burke and Hare before reading this book but loved how the author was able to tie their real, gruesome history in with the events of the story.

I highly recommend this book to those who love Edinburgh, grisly duties in the name of science, and a delightful writing style. Huge thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the chance to review this eARC.

The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap is a unique take on the darker side of medical history, blending historical fiction with elements of mystery and the supernatural. The premise of a resurrectionist—a body snatcher for medical purposes—is intriguing, and the novel explores a little-known aspect of history that I found quite fascinating. Dunlap's attention to detail in setting the mood and period is commendable, and the eerie atmosphere keeps you invested.

That said, while the concept is strong, the execution felt uneven at times. Some characters lacked depth, and their motivations were hard to grasp, which made it difficult to become fully emotionally engaged in their struggles. Additionally, the pacing dragged in parts, with certain plot points either being rushed or overly drawn out, which broke the immersion.

Overall, The Resurrectionist is a decent read if you're interested in a gothic, historical mystery, but it might leave some readers wanting more in terms of character development and tighter storytelling.

This book was amazing. A thrilling and exciting look into the medical field while trying to not be arrested for grave robbery. The storyline gripped me from the beginning as I really felt immersed into the time. I definitely look forward to getting a hard copy when it's released.

✰ 3.75 stars ✰

“Our gaze met, and for a mere millisecond, I felt a crackle of pure energy between us--the sort of sensation one experiences just before the world turns resoundingly upon its head.

“For opportunity.”

I raised my glass before me. “Well then, Aneurin MacKinnon. To​ opportunity.”

Book 2, when?

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Okay, that's not all I have to say, because, let's face it, when don't I have something to say? And what I can say is that, starting The Resurrectionist - was a struggle. Struggle because I was stumbling over the over-usage of words that took out the simplicity of the story. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Granted, perhaps it was a writer's choice to evoke the olden classics feel of verbose dialogue and grandiose descriptive detail, heralding to that of the narrative being of one James, of sound mind and body, who has arrived in 1818 Edinburgh in the pursuit of scientific knowledge, 'for the awe of it all - to witness the miracle of the human form first hand' and to escape the burgeoning financial woes of his own family, along with their own disregard and contempt of his being. His studies offer him an escape from sailing through life devoid of consequence or meaning - yearning for a purpose, and 'for the first time in my life, here—at the University, at Malstrom’s—I feel that I matter.' 😥

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ And once I got into the swing of the story, ah, it was so worth it! Okay, one more critique about the writing, because, uff, it was so distracting! 😩 But, I do understand the reasoning behind it, hence, my slight willingness to be forgiving about it, however!

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The usage of italics was severely abused. I understand the need to emphasize certain words - to enhance their effect and meaning in expression and intention - I get it. I use that technique, myself. But, this - this was overkill. 🙅🏻‍♀️ I don't know if it is the case of an ARC, but the author really needs to tone it down, so that we can enjoy the story-telling! Because it was good. It was engaging, and the characters were likeable and the dynamics were well done. I don't want to be mean simply because of the italics, but I must! It was just too much, a lot more than necessary, and there has to be an alternative to get the point across. Please? 🤔

“Our motivation is not the value of the bodies we steal, but in the second life we give them; postmortem Prometheus, bringing fire to mankind.”

For I really did enjoy it otherwise. It was a very intriguing if not engaging debut that was easy to get immersed in, despite the conflicting narrative. 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ I loved how the plot built up - how circumstances led to James entangled with Nye and his nightly crew's excursions - how James' own feelings on said involvement faced its own wavering thoughts, before it finally was met with certainty and conviction that it was where he belonged. That it was not only financial desperation that he benefited from, but Nye's company, as well. The mystery and intrigue, along with the perplexity of their job was something I was familiar with before. 😥 But I was not aware of the true life crimes of Burke and Hare that added to the authenticity of the story. I liked how real life blended into fiction - how Nye and James' own close-knit circle was forced to clash with the unnatural depravity of the macabre that did in turn save them from a worse fate. Seeing them work in tandem - be on similar wavelengths, while tentatively approaching a relationship that was more than just partners and friends to something more... 🥲

“Do you not see that all we have done, I have consented to do? This is my will, Nye. My truth and my reason, it’s all with you.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ And can we talk about James and Nye? Because I do want to talk about how they defined be gay, do crime. At first, I thought James' object of affection would be someone else, but then, I realized how it could not be anyone but this 'red-blooded Scotsman with an entirely unpronounceable Welsh name,' whose easy-going charming nature thrummed with an impulsive nature and thrived on the scientific wonders yet to be discovered. ☺️ They were so sweet together - 'tender, patient, and endlessly joyful' - something so earnestly fervent in not only expressing their attraction and affections for each other, that I could not help the smile that spread across my face during their scenes. In a way they are two peas in a pod - so very passionate about medicine, the human anatomy and the desire to add more to medical research.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Nye was so accommodating and helpful with James. Even when he put him in impossible situations, I loved seeing James just lighten up with him. ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 Even with the morbid act of grave digging for the advances of research, it was nice to see James' opinion change and then steadily accept it for what it was. 'Aneurin had transformed his world from monstrosity to marvel and I felt the veil lift from my eyes, leaving me lucid and nearly blinded by its poignant truth.' It was not even a hot and cold dynamic, but something so cute. 🫠🫠 I loved how James felt comfortable to be as open with Nye. I loved that scene when Nye felt challenged by him - how he then made James see the light. The trust and confidence they felt with each other - the comfort they sought and the gravitational pull they then just felt between the two - despite the fear of being found out - the subtle skirting of their own palpable flirting - 'it could never be unnatural. It was as easy as breathing.' 🥹🤍🥹

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I did find it kinda hypocritical, though, when Nye reacted in a particular scene that made me wonder why he does not share those similar thoughts when excavating bodies that well, did not really deserve to be exhumed, let alone used for their purposes. Perhaps in later years, we might have a chance for this train of thought to be explored. 🤷🏻‍♀️

“Yet I must insist that in the end, this is not a story about Death. It is perhaps a Life story, or even--yes--a Love story.”

Like I said, book 2 when? 👉🏻👈🏻

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Because I was so sad to see it end! 😭 There was still so much left to tackle, so much more that I am curious about and how things will fare for the two of them. 💛💛 I know that as medical research progresses, The Resurrectionists will cease to exist, but I was not ready to part ways with James and Nye. That questionable future makes me want to know for sure if they will survive what is yet to come. 🥺

*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This debut has romance, history, anatomy lessons and a feeling that something is creeping up behind the reader at all given times.

Beautiful and immersive, I was drawn to this novel as I was curious about the real life events depicted in it and I stayed for the beautifully dark writing and the lovely characters, which managed to rip my heart open in every page and heal it in the next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of readying this book. It has all the elements of a gothic dark academia romance that I could hope for. I enjoyed the characters and all their flaws. The story has good pacing and I never felt bored or the need to skim through. I highly recommend and I plan to buy a hard copy in December.