Historical fiction centered around the body-snatching resurrectionist days is a huge interest to me. They’re so atmospheric, gothic and morbid and The Specimen was no exception to that. I loved this book, but oh my God I seriously felt so much rage, I just can’t imagine something like this happening to me, but I’m sure it did in those days. I wanted our main character Isobel to have the retribution she deserved, though it would never be enough. I went into this blind, and in the author’s notes it does mention this was based loosely on a true story which sent me down a rabbit hole. I listened to this one on audio and thought the narration was great. If you’re looking for an atmospheric and devastating revenge story, The Specimen is one to pick up. This one is available now. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and RB Media for my eARC and advanced audiobook.

What an exciting gothic tale of a mother’s love and men’s entitled greed based on true crimes.

This novel reminds me of Patrick Suskind’s classic creepy novel Perfume and a little bit of a Jack the Ripper police procedural.

Specimen tells the story of a young mother and her sickly son. Isabel is an intelligent, caring, independent and musically gifted woman, desperate to help her boy. She gets an appointment with an ambitious Dr. Burnett, who tells her that her some has a serious, rare heart defect and does not have long to live. She decides to give her son the best life in the few short months they have left. But, soon after, her son goes missing. The police are baffled and none too helpful.

A year later, still mourning, Isabel finds herself back at Dr Burnett’s viewing his collection of medical oddities. And she sees a small heart and hears her son’s heartbeat.

She decides to go undercover and learn what happened to her son.

Emotional, haunting, tense and mesmerizing, this is a wonderful read! The audiobook was particularly enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and RB media for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

A very interesting story, I enjoyed the period it was set in but the direction the story took was just a bit boring for me. I can say at times I felt exhilarated just most of it I was bored sadly. I didn’t really care for any of the main characters at times they were interesting but most of it was eh.

I'll be publishing my review on Goodreads and StoryGraph 6th November and on Tik tok most likely will add to a monthly wrap up post with review the beginning of December.

Thank you to NetGalley & The Publisher for allowing me a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review!

This book was very good. It was well written, with great pacing, character development, and overall structure. It pulled me in, and I finished it within 3 days. The narrator of the audiobook was great as well, very easy to listen to with dynamic character voices that weren't cringy. All in all, a very solid read & extremely enjoyable, perfect for quiet evenings.

I am settling this one with 4.5 stars, rounded down. This is mostly because, as enjoyable as this was, there was nothing unique to it. It was a rather straightforward story that didn't attempt to break the mold in any way. This made it sort of bland. The way I described it to my husband was, "it's very cookie cutter, but cookies are still good even if they're all shaped the same." We all know and love our favorite cookies, and this one will fit right in with the rest.

I'll be looking forward to future titles by this author!

I really freaking liked this. This was a perfect spooky season read. 4.5/5

In the tradition of Burke & Hare, this story follows unscrupulous doctors blinded by their ambitions and need for constant bodies to further their careers and one mother who demands justice for her son. And if the police can't help her then she'll take matters into her own hands.

Normally I prefer my fiction to be speculative in nature, but I didn't need that at all here. (Granted, there's a slight magical realism/maybe speculative elements, but it's very, very minor so as to basically be inconsequential.) This captivated me from the start. The pacing and tension and raw emotion and vengeance were excellently portrayed.

I also quite liked the different POVs that we got that helped to round out the characters, round out the knowledge the reader is privy to, and truly cement what a despicable villain there was.

Overall I highly recommend this, especially around Halloween (which also gets a passing mention in the book!)

Audiobook Notes:
Consider me an instant fan of Cathleen McCarron. From the opening paragraph I already rushed to tell my friends how immediately in love I was with the narrator's accent. She has a lovely voice to listen to and did a fantastic job portraying the text. 10/10

"The Specimen" is a gripping gothic thriller that weaves together elements of suspense, mystery, and the supernatural. Set against a haunting backdrop, the story delves into themes of obsession, identity, and the dark side of human nature.
I loved the gothic atmosphere, with eerie settings, atmospheric descriptions, and a sense of impending doom that keeps readers on edge. The author skillfully builds tension, using elements like isolation, psychological twists, and supernatural undertones to create a chilling sense of dread.
As the plot unfolds, readers are taken on a rollercoaster of emotions, with unexpected revelations and heart-pounding moments that lead to a thrilling climax. "The Specimen" expertly combines classic gothic elements with modern storytelling, making it a must-read for fans of the genre who appreciate a dark and immersive tale.

If you love gothic and historical fiction you should give this book a read. It was spooky and mysterious which made it a perfect fall read and it was beautifully written. This book also had well written characters. I absolutely loved Adam, Isobel, and Nan and all their relationships to each other. One thing that fell a light short for me in this book was the witchy aspect, I feel like it could have been developed better. Overall I enjoyed this book!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narrator(s): ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes, etc: Revenge, Deadly Doctor, Creepy Collection
POV: Multiple, 1st & 3rd Person
Cliffhanger?: No

The Praise: The Specimen was so interesting and original! I loved Isobel and her determination to get justice for her son. She was kind, brave, and clever. And who knew I could become attached to a character in only 2 chapters and be devastated by his death?
I really loved Adam and Nan. The way Adam took Nan in and cared for & protected her like a daughter was so sweet.
Also the cover is absolutely gorgeous!

The Critique: The witchy aspect of the story left something to be desired for me. I wish there had either been more about it or that it had been removed entirely.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this! A unique story with strong characters & spooky crime vibes.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia!

I thought the premise of this novel was interesting, and definitely played to my STEMinist sensibilities. Honestly, any book that combines gothic elements and anatomy is an automatic pick up for me! This was a great blend of historical fiction and gothic thriller.

I did, however, think it was slightly too drawn out in the middle section. I’m not sure if this would have been different if I had read the physical copy rather than the audiobook - but I do find that historical fiction can often feel on the slow side for me. Interestingly, I didn’t have any issues with anything else (relatively rare for me: I’m quite picky). The writing was clear, the characters were great, and the imagery was definitely there. I thought that the MC had great growth throughout the novel, and I loved the character of the detective. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more releases by this author,

With its gothic vibe, elements of true crime, historical fiction, and mystery, this book is nearly perfect! I discovered this crime story a while back, so having the chance to read a book based on it is truly amazing. The narration was outstanding and kept me captivated from beginning to end. A huge thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for this incredible ARC!

The way I tensed up when the protagonist walked into that museums of specimens. It just gets more tense from there. I love how incredibly well researched this book was. It was also emotional and interesting and I fell in love with the cop and our protagonist. It was way too real.
I am blown away.
And the narration! This was one of the best narrated books I have ever listened to! How did they do that? So amazing.
I will read anything this author produces from now on.

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 review is of The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen. And this is not going to be my usual type of review.
I am not a history nut, but I have read the history of the body snatchers in Edinburgh. I know about their total disregard for human life or the pain they caused the survivors. Their only driving force was greed. This book delves into that world of pain, grief, and greed and brings it to life with the characters. The single mother who has her 5 year old son snatched so doctors can study his defective heart. How far will she go to prove quilt when no believes she can still hear her son’s heart? The policeman who doesn’t fit in and forced to work on his own. The man who may not be able to catch the evil doers, so he takes in and helps the broken. The doctor who is so sure of his own self importance, and will do anything to prove it to others.
Other reviewers have said they loved the book. Did I love it. No. Do I think it is one of the best books I have read in years, definitely. Should you read it? Yes, definitely. But you need to remember something when you do. Each one of us reads a book in their own unique way. One reviewer said the book was too long. I disagree because when I was reading it I became the policeman, the mother, those who were left behind. To me the book had to be that long to make sure everyone’s story was told.
I hope you read this book. I don’t care if you love it, hate it, or think it was too long. The important thing is to read it. To become immersed in a world so different from the one we know.
Thank you Jaima Fixsen for creating this stunning work.

This was a very gripping story of a mother's love and the depths that one would be willing to go for love.

I was really interested in the premise, especially since it's based on true crime - with some supernatural elements sprinkled in. I was really hooked in the beginning but the entire middle section of this book was bit boring and fell flat for me, thence the three stars. The beginning and ending were the most captivating parts for me. I liked the gothic, suspenseful vibes that this book gave and it is a good fall read.

Thank you Netgalley and RB Media for this audiobook arc!

True Crime
Based on a True Story
Historical Fiction

If you just said those three things I would have already said take my money!!! I always watch true crime documentaries but this was the first true crime book I have read. It definitely exceeded my expectations.

The story takes place in 1826 in Edinburgh, Scotland. A woman, Isobel, has a son who is seven and has a heart condition. Unfortunately he has a heart murmur. Isobel takes him to a doctor and finds out her only has three years left. But then he goes missing.

Like any mother, Isobel becomes depressed because of her missing son. She goes out one night and sees a display of Dr. Burnett's collection of oddities. Well the oddities are medical specimens (EWWW). Isobel begins to hear the heartbeat of her son. She becomes determined to figure out if this Dr. Burnett killed her son.

I was able to listen to the audiobook and I adore the narrator. She had a scottish accent and really helped me dive into the story. I must say it was creepy at times and had me at the edge of my seat. The writing was rich and I felt Isobel's pain. I couldn't put it down! I listened to it in one day. Sometimes the pacing was a little weird. That is why I gave it a 4/5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press,Jaima Fixsen for this ARC!

i love a gothic thriller and this one did not disappoint! it's a mystery, but not a whodunit. it's the type of investigative mystery where you know who the culprit is and throughout the story the details of the crime and additional crimes are slowly uncovered. i was invested in isobel's pursuit of justice and really grew attached to the main characters. i listened to this on audio and was a big fan of the narrator.

thank you to netgalley and rb media for an advance listener copy in exchange for my honest review! pub date is tomorrow (oct 15) so grab a copy for spooky season 👻

I definitely enjoyed this book. It was fascinating hearing about how doctors used to acquire their bodies for experiments or research. I admired the mother and the detective for not giving up. I didn't expect the sci-fi aspect but it wasn't overdone.

This is a historical fiction, thriller and mystery all rolled into one!

"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…"

Set in 1826 in Edinburgh and based on a true story. Isobel has a seven year old son who has a heart condition. He soon disappears and Isobel is left to figure out what happened to her son by herself.
After seeing the doctors collection of specimens, particularly body parts, she hears the heartbeat of her son and becomes convinced her son was killed in order to have his heart kept in a collection!

This is an amazing story. Saddened by the fact it's based on a true story and these things actually happened!
I wish I had of read the book instead of listening to the audiobook, as I felt I would have enjoyed the book more. None the less this is a great story and would recommend it to historical fiction readers.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this!

It was first gothic historial book and I absolutely enjoyed every second of it! It starts slow ,describing the life of Isobel and her son but then it takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. Very well written and the narrators did a great job.

In this gripping tale of gothic suspense, Isobel Tait is a mother whose chronically ill son mysteriously vanishes, leaving her bereft. One year later, while on a tour of the medical specimen collection of Dr. Conall Burnett, she is shocked to see a heart with the exact same mitral valve defect as young Thomas. When she hears his heartbeat calling out to her from inside its glass jar prison, nothing can stop her from exposing the truth.
Creepy and atmospheric. More historical fiction should be based on true crime!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and RB Digital for this e-arc.*