even though my review is a bit late, i had a fun time reading this!! it also may have been a case of the right book right time because i felt the pacing, the plot, the characters, even the writing style was amazing. as soon as i picked it up, i never wanted to put it down. highly recommend!

Jaime Fixsen’s The Specimen is historical fiction with gothic elements which begins in Edinburgh, Scotland of 1826 with the life of Isobel Tait and her seven year old son, Thomas. Thomas has been ailing, weak and not getting better and Isobel was referred to a specialist, a surgeon/anatomist, a Doctor Burnett, for further evaluation and opinions. She meets him at his office which also contains various specimen from bodies he has apparently studied with his medical students. Here Isobel learns of a new method of listening to the heart and she actually is able to listen to Thomas’ unusual heartbeat and learn what it means for his future. He has a fault in his heart.

Resigned to having a shortened time with her boy, she is destroyed when only weeks later he disappears, apparently kidnapped. The novel becomes a mother’s pursuit of who would take her son and why. Isobel begins to have suspicions, has talked with police, but there is no real evidence of anything wrong. Meanwhile, Adam Kerr, a detective who met Isobel during the initial investigation after Thomas’s disappearance, has become aware of some other missing people in the city who might have something in common. Could there be a link?

This is a very interesting story, covering a period in medical practice and history that isn’t dealt with often: the early days of medical studies and teaching about and with the human body. The author’s note at the end ties this novel in to the historical landscape it grew out of, albeit with a very individual story. Recommended.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

This is a heartbreaking and interesting novel that I could not put down once I started it. I felt so tense when our girl went into that little specimen display. It was a lot. And then to go work in that place!
Amazing! I loved this so much!

True crime lovers will rejoice. An atmospheric gothic historical romance that is well written with beautiful descriptors. a poignant story based on haunting true events and set in gorgeous Scotland. The characters are well developed and the pacing is even.

Specimen is a captivating read with a completely haunting atmosphere that combines historical intrigue with the suspense of a thriller, making it a uniquely gripping novel for fans of both genres. It’s unsettling, thought-provoking, and beautifully crafted, perfect for anyone seeking a historical novel with a dark twist.
As a mother, I found it easy to connect with Isobel as a mom and how she will stop at nothing to get the answers about her child. This really spoke to my inner mama bear!

Thank you, #NetGalley and #PoisonedPenPress, for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. It was my pleasure to do so!

It’s 1826 in Edinburgh, Scotland when Isobel’s seven-year-old son, Thomas, goes missing. She’s wild with grief and hounds the police daily, but there’s not sign of him anywhere. Months later, Isobel, at the urging of friends, is attending a museum of morbid curiosities when she starts to hear the beating of Thomas’ heart!

The Specimen was suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat as Isobel searches for the truth and stumbles on a way to do it that puts her in danger! I was rooting for her as she uncovered the details and looked for a way to serve up justice! There’s a splash of spine-tingling supernatural here, too!

The writing was rich and vivid without sacrificing pace! Don’t miss reading the author’s note at the end which gives a bit of the history of the true story The Specimen was based on and how she came up with the story!

I alternately read and listened to The Specimen. The audio was fantastic! Cathleen McCarron’s Scottish accent was wonderful to listen to and there were pronunciations I wouldn’t have got right otherwise. She seamlessly performed both male and female voices. Loved!

This was a pretty good read! It was my first historical fiction novel and, while not a favorite genre of mine, I wasn't disappointed. The story was inspired by true events (the Burke & Hare murders), which is a detail that made the read even more chilling. I loved the gothic horror feel of this novel, as well as the main character, Isobel, who I absolutely adored. Whenever a book introduces a moral dilemma & makes the reader confront themselves & their true feelings, you must applaud the author, and this book did exactly that, so huge kudos to Jaima Fixsen!

The negatives for me were, firstly, there were parts that were very drawn out. I'd often catch myself letting my thoughts wander, instead of being completely invested in the book. Secondly, there were characters who would be called by their first name on one page, but their last name on the next, which was confusing. Granted, I did listen to the book, instead of reading a physical copy. I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem if reading the physical copy, but, in my case, it made it difficult to understand what was going on at times. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book to very slow and unfortunately more of a Historical Fiction and those are not something I read so this book was not for me. There were characters that were being introduced that I could just not keep up with. I did like all the different things in jars. Made me think of American Horror Story Season One, Murder House.

Over al not for me but I do think it will appeal to a different group of readers.

The story and characters were wonderfully conceived and developed. You can't help but root for the main characters, and cheer for their courage, despite their occasional morally grey actions. At times, the writing style was disturbingly detailed, adding beautifully to both the 1800s setting and the feeling of injustice behind the imagery. Despite this, the core values of love and family are dissolved within the very ink with which the book was printed.

The specimen by Jaima Ficxen, it is the early 1800s in Isabel Tate lives in a rooming house with her son Thomas who has a heart murmur. Thanks to Mrs.Lowe, she is the parent of one of Isabel‘s music students. This is how Isabel is introduced to one of the doctors at the height of his powers and pays for Thomas to see him. In the beginning Isabell thought Dr. Burnett was going to be her sons savior but ultimately he will be the facilitator of her nightmare. At the time medicine is in its infancy but Edinburgh is at the epicenter of its evolution the only problem is they do this by body snatching. When Thomas goes missing Isabell didn’t think twice about her son being a victim of the practice but in an attempt to get her out of her morning for her loss she find something that will give her a whole new reason to go on. This is a long book and there is way more to the story than what I put in this review they’re are depths and levels to this plot line that I didn’t see coming but OMG it makes the story awesome I love historical horror and this was a banger of a book as I said it was a long one but you will not notice until it’s over because I didn’t it was so good. Oh I am a stickler for historical accuracy in this book missed a lot but it was so good I didn’t notice until thinking about the book later it is so good… Oh yes I said that! #NetGalley,#PoisonPenPress, #JaimaFicxen, #TheSpecimen,

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and author Jaima Fixsen for the arc!

Wow guys … this historical fiction is suspenseful and creepy and cringey (umm body parts on display, just hanging out in jars on a shelf in the parlor!) … and even more so when you understand that this is based on true crimes and gruesome stuff like this really did happen! Body snatching and corpse harvesting all in the name of science and discovery and fame in the medical world! And it is terrifying!

The author does a fantastic job with the beautiful writing of this era … laying you gently down in the middle of this gothic setting and bringing this time period to life. I could eerily feel the dark shroud that covers the entire story … lending an even more chilling vibe to the already very atmospheric scene. The characters are also well portrayed and captivating and I could feel their emotions … I was engaged with them the entire book!

And can we just take a moment to admire that gorgeous cover! Whoa!

A year later, after her son's mysterious disappearance, Isobel was invited on a tour by her friends of Dr. Burnett's specimen collection, and she heard it! Her son's heartbeat is calling her. Searching for this familiar beat, she then finds herself staring at a tiny heart floating in a jar. Dr. Burnett is renowned for his collection of oddities and medical specimens, and this juvenile heart with a damaged mitral valve is not the strangest thing on display. Except that the condition is rare and that Isobel Tait's young son, who has been missing for months, suffered from the same condition.

With Dr. Burnett's growing collection of specimens, people with oddities in Edinburg simply vanish like mist. How far will he go to acquire more? And how far will a grieving mother go to find justice for her son?

Based on true crime events of the infamous Burke and Hare murders in Edinburgh in 1828, "The Specimen" is an enthralling story about a brave mother searching for truth and justice. True crime, suspense, and fiction blend really well with this novel. And it's also outstanding and commendable that Fixsen also incorporated folkloric superstition and gothic vibes, which add flavor to the entirety of the story. While at times the story progressed slowly, I was still engaged and mesmerized as to how Isobel would gather evidence to prove Dr. Burnett's illegal ways of obtaining specimens. And I loved how it ended for all of the characters. Gruesome, yet beautiful.

"The Specimen" is a historical fiction novel that will be released on October 15, 2024. This book deserves recognition, so if you're up for historical fiction based on true crime events, add this to your TBR.

My go to genres are psychological thrillers, true crime, and historical fiction/non-fiction and this hits two out of the three genres. When i saw that it was true crime and historical fiction i jumped at the chance to read it. Jaima Fixsen's spine-tingling, gripping novel The Specimen, set in Victorian-era Edinburgh, is enveloped in a Gothic atmosphere. For everyone who collected corpses and the anatomists who utilized them for study, instruction, and medical progress, body snatching was a lucrative enterprise. People would do anything to make money when they were really poor, and morality was disregarded.

Dr. Burnett had an unhealthy relationship with anatomy and teaching medicine. In addition to treating actual patients in his office, he sold tickets to paying clients so they may view the oddities he had gathered. However, connected to these anomalies were relatives who mourned lost loved ones. It becomes apparent to Isobel that her infant kid suffered a rare, terminal mitral valve issue. Not long after, he vanished under peculiar circumstances. When a heart caught her eye Dr. Bunett's specimen collection had a flaw, and she was able to piece it together. She got hired at his house with access to the eerie room since she was driven to look into it. She removed the layers of darkness to uncover facts that were in direct opposition to daylight. She put herself in grave peril as she ventured into Ribbonman territory and among shady figures.

I was gripped by this exquisitely written, suspenseful, well-researched, engrossingly unique, spine-tingling, multiple-perspective tale that had me on edge. Because it was so believable, it seemed as though it had been composed two centuries ago. The range of feelings and descriptions transported me to a new era, and I intensively enjoyed reading it.


Thank you net galley, Poisoned Pen Press, and the author for these advance readers copy in exchanged for an unbiased review.

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️



✨Mystery
✨ Historical Drama
✨ Based on a true crime




✨ wow…
It’s my first time reading this kind of trope and did not disappoint. I must admit, this book is great for someone likes a historical fiction with both mystery and true crime..
so it’s quite hard for me to like it as much but I definitely enjoyed reading it.



✨ Specimen is based in Scotland .
In the 19th centuries, which focus on Burke and Hare.
The story included a gothic horror theme too so it was abit confusing for someone who reads this kind of genre for the first time .
Isobel is the main character in this.
Suffering from depression and someone invited her for a show.. what kind of show!? Gory of body parts,collected in jars and god knows what😳
I was in shock reading that chapter and hooked me right away.


✨ definitely worth the read. May slow at some points but chapters are pretty decent count.


✨ Thankyou @ poisonedpress for the opportunity to read this book for a honest review.




🫶🏼shaye.reads

This is my first Historical Fiction! For my first, I didn’t think it was horrible! The only thing I really didn’t like was that we were constantly meeting new people or the book was constantly mentioning me names for a brief second which I didn’t quite like personally. For me, it makes it hard to keep track of who’s who and if are they important or not. I will say that I loved the cover! It was absolutely beautiful and that’s what got me!! Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Jaima Fixsen for the opportunity to read this book!

Hello creepy October vibes! If you are familiar at all with the source inspiration, there's not that much mystery here but it's still quite a ride all the way through. The Specimen is a gothic historical thriller set in 1826 - we open with Isobel Tait and her young son Thomas who suffers from a weak heart. Isobel takes Thomas to an up and coming specialist in anatomical sciences, Dr. Burnett, who diagnoses his rare heart defect and gives him only months to live. Shortly after, Thomas goes missing and a year later Isobel finds herself staring at the damaged heart of a young boy on display in Burnett's museum of unusual and medical specimens. How far will Isobel go to find out the truth about Thomas?

*potential spoilers below*
My main drawback with The Specimen is that I think it leaned too heavily on the paranormal element during the critical ending scenes. It was a nice addition in the early chapters to add atmosphere and spookiness, but it got a little heavy handed at the end.

Recommend if you can stomach the story (body parts in jars my friends), the sadness, and like gothic historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Jaima Fixsen for this ARC.

Any time a book is based on true crime, I will read it. It’s just a fact. 🤣 But this premise should be enticing for anyone who loves thrillers: Isabol stares at a juvenile heart floating in a jar as she goes through Dr. Burnett’s collection of oddities tour. The same doctor advised on her son’s case a few months ago. The son that is now missing. 🤯

This story is mesmerizing and addicting from the first page. Beautifully written, it kept me on the edge of my plane seat (yes, I read this on the ✈️) as I rooted for Isabol to expose the sinister Dr. Burnett's dark dealings. Suspenseful and gothic, this thriller is the perfect way to dip your toe into historical fiction.

I also loved Isabol as a character. She is a mom on a mission as she searches for justice for her son, and it is heartwarming, devastating, and inspiring to watch her take control of the situation when others (ahem, men) do not.

This is a slow-burn mystery, but once you get about 25% in the pace considerably picks up, especially as the stakes get raised, and Isabel finds herself in some precarious situations.

If you are looking for a gothic thriller with major fall vibes, “The Specimen” is the book you need on your TBR. It is disturbingly detailed, but I easily binge-read it all in one plane ride because it is unputdownable.

As the girl who still has the pig brain in a jar of formaldehyde in her bedroom from junior year of high school I would say this is the perfect gothic, medical horror book for me.

The horror of the story is more on the slower side - the actions and atmosphere, but the thrilling nature was intertwined through out the story! Isobel is the perfect heroine to express a mother’s love and the power of a mother’s rage. I also loved Detective Kerr and how the team he and Isobel end up forming. The way their stories came together was great!

Also 100% recommend reading the authors note at the end - the real life history and influences of this story is so fascinating and made me love this book even more!

The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen

Thank you to @poisonedpenpress, @byjaimafixsen, and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this #advancedreadercopy in exchange for my #honestbookreview! This book is out October 15 so preorder now.

This was absolutely brilliant! Two books that have really stuck with me since reading, Hester by Lori Lico Albanese and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, are fused thematically in this dark telling of a doctor who will stop at nothing to grow his collection of rare specimens. This had thrilling action and suspense at times, pensive evaluation of science and medicine at others, and still heartbreaking agony and loss at others. This is the must read for those looking for a thought-provoking read this spooky season!

TWs: loss of a loved one, k*dnapping, g*slighting, lack of cooperation from authorities, corruption, more

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5/5

Inspired by true crimes, this was a fascinating historical Gothic thriller full of mystery and suspense.
Isobel's son has an abnormal heart. Shortly after being diagnosed by a new doctor, her son goes missing. Time passes and her son is never seen again. Until Isobel visits the museum of medical oddities belonging to the same doctor and sees a jar containing a child's heart with the same rare abnormality as her son. How exactly does the renowned doctor aquire his specimens? Isobel won't stop until she finds out. 4.5 stars.