Set in Victorian era Edinburgh, The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen is a bone-chilling and suspenseful novel rich with Gothic atmosphere. Body snatching was big business for those who harvested corpses and the anatomists who used them for research, teaching and medical advancement. In the depths of poverty, people stopped at nothing to make money and ethics were ignored.

Dr. Burnett was obsessed with anatomy and medical instruction. He treated live patients at his practice and also issued tickets to paying customers to ogle the oddities he collected. But tied to these oddities were family members who grieved missing loved ones. Isobel is told her young son had a rare incurable mitral valve problem. Shortly after, he disappeared under strange circumstances. When she saw a heart with such a defect in Dr. Bunett's specimen collection, she put two and two together. Driven to investigate, she secured a job at his home with access to the creepy room. Enveloped by darkness, she peeled back the layers to discover truths which revolted against seeing the light of day. She tread into Ribbonman territory and unsavory characters at great personal danger.

This multiple-perspective story is gorgeously written, tense, thoroughly researched (see the author's notes), captivatingly original, spine-tingling, and left me on tenterhooks. It felt as though it was written two hundred years ago it was so believable. The descriptions and gamut of emotions swept me into a different time and place and my reading enjoyment could not be more gratifying.

My sincere thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this exquisite novel. It was impossible to put down even for a moment.

*The Specimen* by Jaima Fixsen is a captivating historical novel that masterfully blends romance, science, and mystery. Fixsen’s richly detailed prose and compelling characters create a vivid, immersive world. It's a thought-provoking and engaging story that balances intrigue with emotional depth.

Thomas Tait goes missing soon after he is diagnosed with a rare heart defect. His mother, Isobel, sees a heart just like his in a local anatomist’s collection - the same doctor who diagnosed the defect. Driven by her grief, Isobel is determined to take down Dr. Conall Burnett, whatever the cost.

Isobel goes undercover for answers, and she eventually even teams up with one of the detectives who failed to find her son. Meanwhile, more people are going missing, and Burnett starts to get suspicious.

The story was inspired by the very real problem of body snatching in this era. We know who the villain is here - this isn’t a mystery, and there aren’t many surprises. But I found myself rooting for Isobel and wanting to see her succeed. I always love a story with a female protagonist fighting back against “the way it is.” In some historical fiction, women are written as kind of weak and helpless victims, but that was not the case here - Isobel takes matters into her own hands and gets answers, for herself and others. Of course, they did assume she was a witch, but she used that to her advantage.

Ooh this one was so good!!! I’d say it’s a mix of gothic horror and a detective story! I was hooked from the start and didn’t want to put this one down!! 🙌

The story is based on the true crimes of Burke and Hare from the early 1800s in Edinburgh, Scotland. I’ve heard about the grave-robbing that used to occur back then to supply anatomy schools with bodies for teaching and research, even here in Chicago! It’s creepy but fascinating!! 🫣🧐

Highly recommend this one to fans of horror and crime stories! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Jaima Fixsen for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review!! Looking forward to reading more from this author!! ❤️

Loved this book! I felt there was a small piece that felt like it was missing something but otherwise the story had me completely invested. I loved that the author used real life events to create this story. It was a wild ride! Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to read this in advance to release day! #Specimen

The Specimen was an incredible read. While it was slow at times, I was so completely drawn in to Isobel's story. I do not typically read historical fiction but when I do, this is exactly what I am looking for. There was mystery and suspense and a found family. Adam's character was so well done and it was even better to learn more about the inspiration for him in the author's note. In addition, Burnett was the perfect villain. There was not a single redeemable character trait for him. And his fate was, as Nan put it, fitting. I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others. Fans of Stalking Jack the Ripper and Immortality would certainly enjoy this one!

Voto complessivo: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trama: 👍👍👍👍
Personaggi: 👦👦👦👦
Page turner: 📖📖📖📖
Suspense: 😱😱😱😱.5
Plot twist: 💡💡💡

Ringrazio Jaima Fixsen, la Poisoned Pen Press e NetGalley per l’eARC in anteprima in cambio della mia onesta opinione.

A quanto pare, Edimburgo negli anni ‘20 del XIX secolo, tra scuole di Anatomia e trafugatori di salme, fa proprio al caso mio, come dimostrato da Anatomy di Dana Schwartz e The Resurrectionist di A. Rae Dunlap. Anche in The Specimen la vicenda è legata al traffico di corpi, e, sebbene non vengano mai esplicitamente citati, è difficile non pensare a figure come quelle di Burke e Hare, i più famigerati Resurrectionist dell’epoca, nonché a Knox, il medico per cui lavorarono ma che non fu mai messo sotto inchiesta. Stavolta ad indagare è una madre, Isobel Tait, che ha perso suo figlio, già condannato da una rara condizione cardiaca, scomparso improvvisamente nel nulla, non molto tempo dopo essere stato visitato dal dr. Butnett, medico, ma anche collezionista di stravaganze anatomiche. È proprio nel suo studio, aperto al pubblico per visite guidate, che Isobel ritrova un cuore con la stessa rara malformazione del piccolo Thomas…
Gothic vibes e murder mystery si intrecciano alla perfezione in un romanzo che vorrete divorare dalla prima all’ultima pagina.
La prima parte, introduttiva, è un po’ lenta, ma necessaria per presentare personaggi e situazioni, però, una volta ingranato, si procede speditamente. La prosa è scarna, ma sicuramente la trama riesce ad incollare il lettore alla pagina, senza la necessità di particolari virtuosismi.
La pubblicazione è prevista per il 15/10/2024.

I don't like Gothic tales or period pieces, but something about the plot of this book drew me in and I'm so glad I gave it a chance. This is a superb thriller, a heartbreaking story of a mothers grief, and a disturbing tale based on true crimes.

Isobel Tait's son Thomas has a heart defect that is quite rare. Dr. Barnett, an accomplished anatomy instructor and physician. collects medical specimens that he displays in his home for public viewing. When Isobel's son goes missing not long after a consultation with Dr. Barrett, one where the boy was given a prognosis of only three years to live, Isobel sees a specimen with the same rare condition in this doctors collection and sets out to prove he is responsible for her son's disappearance.

This was a rather well crafted and emotional read. There are many characters here that you will grown to hate as the story unfolds. Many victims stories that will tear at your heart. This is a fascinating and beautiful story of how far some people will go to obtain notoriety for their own greed and selfish gains and how far others will go get justice.

Thanks immensely to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance of publication. It was absolutely enthralling and I can see this story haunting me for quite a long time.

"Walk carefully, lest you become a part of Dr. Burnett's collection...

1826. Isobel Tait finds herself, by chance, staring at a tiny human heart floating in a jar. It should be of little consequence; Dr. Burnett is renowned for his collection of oddities and medical specimens, and this, a juvenile heart with a damaged mitral valve, is not the strangest thing on display. Except that the condition is rare, and that Isobel's young son, who has been missing for months, suffered from the ailment.

A phantom pulse beats in Isobel's ears. She knows something here isn't right.

Missing persons cases are all too common in Edinburgh, where people simply vanish like mist. But Burnett is obsessed with his specimens - how far would he go to acquire a new one? Determined to investigate, Isobel joins his staff as the keeper of his collection. What she'll unearth, though, is far worse than any of her nightmares...

Based on true crimes, The Specimen is a mesmerizing story about one woman's search for truth and vengeance in the darkest of places - where the deadliest secrets lie hidden in plain sight, on a freshly dusted shelf."

YES! Finally a book with resurrection men in the correct era. You have NO idea how annoyed I am by later day resurrection men supposedly making money after the Anatomy Act of 1832.

I was hooked on this book as soon as I read the description. A mystery and a mom who will stop at nothing for her child, sign me up. Isobel is such a relatable character and her fight to bring down a beloved doctor is inspiring.

What a beautiful and terrible book. Not terrible in the sense of quality, because in truth, I don’t think I have ever read anything so successful in instilling the profound sense of anxiety and grief strictly reserved for maternal figures. But terrible in that it is so successful.
Months after her dying son suddenly disappears, Isobel finds a perfectly preserved juvenile heart in the specimen collection of one of his former physicians. A heart that strangely has the exact same rare defect that was killing her child.
I am usually not someone overly moved by narratives centred around motherhood. As someone who has chosen not to procreate, I often find that the hyperfocus around and self sacrifice required to rear children in books—as well in life, I suppose—is not something I find I am easily engaged by. Like a foreign concept that I don’t wish to understand, even if I respect it. However, what sets The Specimen apart is that it is not concerned with martyring its mother protagonist, Isobel, as someone willing to do or give anything for the sake of her child. No, none of that matters, because this isn’t a story about her love, but rather what happens in the wake of it. What she does when her life’s purpose vanishes and how far she goes to find closure as to what happened.
For me, this was the perfect Autumnal read. It's mysterious and macabre, but also moving and terrifying in a way I did not expect it to be. Highly recommend it for anyone looking to bulk out their Fall TBR.

The Specimen is a chilling and atmospheric tale set in 1826 Edinburgh, where Isobel Tait’s discovery of a human heart in a jar sparks a terrifying journey of suspicion and vengeance. The heart’s connection to her missing son—who suffered from a rare condition—draws Isobel deep into the macabre world of Dr. Burnett, a man obsessed with his grotesque collection of medical oddities. As missing persons continue to disappear like mist in the city, Isobel’s suspicions grow, leading her to infiltrate Burnett’s world as a keeper of his collection. What unfolds is a haunting investigation into how far someone might go to acquire their "specimens"—and the dark truth behind the doctor's collection is even more horrifying than her worst fears.

Based on true crimes, The Specimen brilliantly blends historical intrigue with gothic horror, pulling readers into Isobel's relentless search for answers amidst the eerie, unsettling atmosphere of 19th-century Edinburgh. The story’s slow-burn suspense, vivid details, and Isobel’s tenacity make this a captivating and disturbing read, perfect for those who love stories where secrets lie hidden in plain sight.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a gothic historical fiction thriller based on true crime.

The author has done remarkably well blending true crime with fiction. The writing is fast paced and well thought out. The main female character is one of the strongest depiction of a woman and mother I have read in recent times.

This book brings to light the age old question of ethics in the medical profession. While we all benefit from advancements in medicine, the question remains, what cost is too great to pay for said advancements.

A lot of unbelievably crazy stuff happens in the course of this book. I know that this book will stay with me for a very very long time.

Thankyou NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Specimen was a fascinating story about the 1800s medical world. I could not get enough of this book!!! Loved the authors note as well.

I remember going to a hospital in a city over from us and walking down a hallway that has specimens in the way of multiple different organs. Caught me off guard at first but super interesting at the same time.

The characters were done well and I had hopes of a love story at the end but…

Def a book I’ll think of for years.

A compelling story that, while exploring dark topics, never feels gratuitous or grisly. This book will appeal to fans of horror and the supernatural, but it's subdued enough that it's also suitable for more sensitive readers. The writing style is accessible without being too casual, with multiple points of view to heighten the suspense. I love the inclusion of suggested reading at the end of the book, since I definitely wanted to learn more about the historical inspirations for the story. No explicit sexual content, and limited swearing -- I feel comfortable recommending this book to my more conservative patrons. Perfect for an October display!

Wow..
So historical fiction is a new genre for me. This is only because I had not found on that made me want to jump in. This one was that for me.
The cover pulled me too this and the topic got me to stay.

in the 1800s a Dr has a great collections a specimens and people keep going missing.

The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen is a historical novel set in Edinburgh in 1826, it’s a terrifying gothic mystery based on true stories. Isobel’s son has gone missing and she discovers that a doctor who collects unusual specimens may be responsible for his disappearance. She devises a plan to infiltrate his household and find out what happened to her son. The truth is scarier than she could ever imagine and more people are involved in his scheme. This book explores how resurrectionists in the 18th and 19th century dug up bodies to sell to anatomists or physicians to dissect for study, but this story takes a turn for an even more macabre twist.

I would recommend this book for historical fiction and thriller readers. I exclaimed several times while reading because it was so creepy and the twists are so unexpected. It unfolds in a slow build and then a frantic pace to reach the truth. You need to be prepared to tuck in and read it without interruptions. The author’s note describes the true stories behind her novel, that has to be the most terrifying part of the story. The historical details are well researched including the practice of medicine in the 19th century and the descriptions of Edinburgh.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

How far would a grieving mother go to get justice for her child's disappearance? The Specimen is a chilling historical fiction that is morbidly fascinating. Set in the time of grave robbing for medical progress, The Specimen is a haunting and compelling story. I highly enjoyed the lengths the main character, Isobel, went to right the worst wrong a mother could experience. With well planned twists and a rich characters, The Specimen is a thrilling mystery and enjoyable read.

This novel has to be one of the best I've read this year. It's horrific and is set in a time period that I just cannot get enough of. The characters made me fall in love, made cry and root for them. The story is quite bleak and dark but it has a lot of heart. I hope it gets all the love and hype upon its release. Jaima Fixsen is truly an author to look out for.

This book was very well written. I loved how the characters were fleshed out and the historical aspect of it. However, I felt that it dragged a lot before finally getting into the meat and potatoes of the book and even then, I felt that it dragged. I do enjoy historical fiction, so that wasn't the problem. I just would find myself getting bored and not wanting to continue to the next chapter.

Thank you Poisoned Press for another incredible opportunity to read an ARC.