Voices of the Dead by Ambrose Parry

EDINBURGH, 1853.

In a city of science, discovery can be deadly . . .

In a time of unprecedented scientific discovery, the public’s appetite for wonder has seen a resurgence of interest in mesmerism, spiritualism and other unexplained phenomena.

Dr Will Raven is wary of the shadowlands that lie between progress and quackery, but Sarah Fisher can’t afford to be so picky. Frustrated in her medical ambitions, she sees opportunity in a new therapeutic field not already closed off to women.

Raven has enough on his hands as it is. Body parts have been found at Surgeons' Hall, and they’re not anatomy specimens. In a city still haunted by the crimes of Burke and Hare, he is tasked with heading off a scandal.

When further human remains are found, Raven is able to identify a prime suspect, and the hunt is on before he kills again. Unfortunately, the individual he seeks happens to be an accomplished actor, a man of a thousand faces and a renowned master of disguise.

With the lines between science and spectacle dangerously blurred, the stage is set for a grand and deadly illusion . . .

About the authors

Ambrose Parry is the penname for two authors – the internationally bestselling and multi-award-winning Chris Brookmyre and consultant anaesthetist of twenty years’ experience, Dr Marisa Haetzman. Inspired by the gory details Haetzman uncovered during her History of Medicine degree, the couple teamed up to write a series of historical crime thrillers, featuring the darkest of Victorian Edinburgh’s secrets. They are married and live in Scotland. The Way of All Flesh, The Art of Dying and A Corruption of Blood were shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year. A Corruption of Blood was shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger in 2022. @ambroseparry

Review

‘Voices of the Dead’ is a chilling and mesmerising look into the rise of hypnotherapy and spiritualism. Will Raven and Sarah Fisher are back! This is the fourth book in the series but can easily be read as a standalone though. I would recommend reading the whole series if you can as it is some of the best historical fiction books out there at the moment! Superbly plotted with rich and detailed historical context - both socially and medically, they are a shining example of this genre. Plus, you get a mystery to solve as well!

1854 marks the dawn of a new medical age! Never has there been a time when the general public was so fascinated with science and medicine. But this appetite for the new has lead to the rise of charlatans, showmen and magicians whose invention and ingenuity leave people unable to tell the difference between the wonders of technology and the art of illusion. Several mesmeric hospitals pop in Edinburgh and Dr James Simpson is seen dabbling in senaces as he wants to study this field with an open mind. Sarah Fisher who has seen discrimination from the medical field sees mesmerism as a change to learn and be accepted. But great danger lies in the shadowlands of science and trickery.

I love this series and this outing was no different! These books are always in my most anticipated of the year’s releases and there are a few reasons why. They are based on real historical figures, and medical history, packed full of rich details that give an authentic air and are superbly plotted down to the finest detail! This is a series I would happily reread over and over and I believe that ‘Voices of the Dead’ is the best one yet. Normally, I don't like a plot that concerns spiritualism but this one was very much on the side of doubt and them having to prove it was not showmanship etc.

I felt this book’s main theme was evolution and whether a person can really change for the better. We see the evolution of medicine/ science but also an evolution in Will in particular. He is now at the end of his apprenticeship, married to Eugenie with one son James and another child on the way. Eugenie is pressuring him to open his own practice but Will is struggling to cope with his new role as husband and father. We are reminded of his progression from poor means to where he is now and that he was regarded as a dangerous individual. The readers see this reflected in another character who emerges on a new path. Sarah is looking to evolve and be accepted and therefore is open to new ideas like mesmerism.

The mystery aspect of the book is quite gory and refers back to the days of Burke and Hare and the resurrections. Body parts have been found scattered round Edinburgh in the Surgeons Hall, Greyfriars Kirk and various residences. Raven and Sarah become involved like always and are soon scurrying around the city ferreting out clues!

Such a brilliant book! Let me know if you pick it up.