A story set in Scotland already has some positive bias from me, but I really did like this book. This was one of the books that I feel was most impacted by my reading slump as it has took me forever to read despite knowing I liked it.

I liked the true crime element but it ultimately seems unnecessary, the book being bout grave diggers alone was exciting enough. I feel adding Burke and Hare just added a little bit of something that wasn’t really lived up to.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington publishing for the ARC

'The Resurrectionist' follows young medical student, Elijah, who becomes entangled in the world of grave robbing and the pursuit of scientific knowledge. Dunlap's storytelling explores themes of morality, ambition, and the blurred lines between life and death. The ideas within this book linger in the mind long after the final page is turned.

19th century Scotland, James Willoughby has chosen a life different than that expected of him and has enrolled in medical school. Medical schools don't provide many opportunities to work with corpses so private surgical schools have popped up around the city, but where are they getting the bodies from?

I absolutely loved this book, as a medical student myself it was fascinating to see a loose retelling of the history of medical schools in Scotland. Dunlap has done a fantastic job at creating a story that will appeal to a wide variety of readers. It is a dark, macabre story that is perfect for fall or winter reading. This book is still awhile from coming out but I have already recommended it to many people and have ordered a physical copy for myself.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

"You must understand that just as actions have consequences, just as laws have repercussions, progress has a cost."

The premise is very attractive - the descend of a terribly innocent Medicine student into the criminal world of corpse trafficking as a mean to advance cientific progress. A dark period of History indeed, with bases to discuss all kind of topics, from the way "undesirable" people are exploited by the more privileged in every way, shape and form, to the conflict between progress and religion in society. None of this is discussed in depth, mind you, but at least the bases are there for the reader to think more in their own time.

And then at the middle point, this story turns into an action-packed romance in which they might as well be trafficking with bottles of rum instead of the bodies of the recently deceased in direct opposition of their loved ones' will.

Is this a fun, exciting read? Yes!

Is this historically accurate, including the portrayal of several real people? No idea.

Are the good guys very very pretty, and the bad guys very very ugly, disabled or have big noses? Sadly yes, I guess the author got so far into ye olde style of writing that morals got lost on the way.

I recommend this book for people looking for a thrilling story of crimes and romance, not so much for people looking for deep philosophical reflections nor morbid gore.

I am not your typical romance reader, and I don't often reach for historical fiction. Upon reading the first few pages I was surprised by how dense the writing was and at times the word choice felt superfluous. But, I did read the entire book and I cannot say I didn't enjoy. The romance between James and Nye was sweet and not overdone, and the actual industry of body snatching was interesting to explore.

This was such a fun, neat little book! I loved the plot, the characters, the deviousness. Unfortunately, there were definitely times that it felt like it dragged on and on. I don't necessarily need to be locked in to every fraction of every second of a single action. This made the whole reading experience fluctuate wildly between being totally engaged to eyes glazing over page after page.

I would like to thank the Publisher for approving me for this ARC, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Walk the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland in 1828 with a group of rowdy semi-pose gents who are all set on becoming the world’s foremost name in Science. When James Willoughby shows up on the scene, he quickly realizes that the rain-drenched streets lead to more than just the foremost education in this age of New Enlightenment. He finds all he could desire at the city’s uni, except for a human cadaver. There are just not enough bodies to go around. For one of his own, James has to join one of the private schools in Surgeon’s Square. Being a man of means who has fallen on hard times thanks to his recently deceased gambler father, James strikes a deal with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, the charming young dissectionist. Adventure ensues, opening James’s eyes to a world of science and wonder, opportunities and crime, and danger the likes he’s never seen before.

The Resurrectionist first caught my eye because the cover is a beautifully done sepia-toned drawing of a human ribcage, spine, and pelvis. There is a webbing of what could easily be mistaken for veins entwining the bones, but on closer appearance are the skeletal brambles of roses. Then I read the book. It had me groaning at the protagonist’s bumbling naivety. I was laughing at the sauciness of Edith, though being the lone female character with any bit to the story was a bit disappointing (yes, I know this is a historical peace but still).

The growth of James from naive and gullible to nearly fully realized was great. His inner world was relatable and understandable befitting his circumstances. And what to say about “Nye” in relation to James? The romance would have been perfect if it had been a little more consistently focused on, instead of being dropped and picked back up here and there - I would have been fine with it even if it hadn’t been behind doors.

Overall, a well done novel! I would recommend this one to anyone who likes historical fiction, murder mysteries, and medical thrillers. Have a strong constitution before cracking The Resurrectionist open! Four and a half stars of five.

Content Warnings:
Major
Death, Gore, Medical Content, Blood
Moderate
Homophobia, Outing, Violence
Minor
Murder, Kidnapping

Consistently witty, always well-researched, and immersed in the literary conventions of the period it's aping, "The Resurrectionist" is a treat for anyone looking for a light, enjoyable historical read. I have some quibbles - the character of Edith really didn't need to be here, and her presence added nothing but an extra chapter's worth of easily resolved conflict; the author leans a little *too* hard on the Victorian mindset at times, leading to a conflation of ugliness (and IRISHNESS! Can't trust them) with evil - but all in all, I had a great time. I was also tickled by the author out and out admitting that the Aneurin character (would "Aneurin" really shorten to "Nye?") was directly modeled on Aneurin Barnard, especially since I clocked that a few pages after he was introduced. I was going to praise the heavy use of italics as a nice period-appropriate touch, but upon reading the author's note, I think they might just really love italics in general. Well, it worked for the book!

*actual rating: 4.5 stars rounded up

Wow! What an incredible debut novel! I was intrigued to read this bc of the comparisons to Dana Schwartz' <i>Anatomy<i/> duology, and it delivered everything I wanted and more! Historical fiction with a touch of queer romance that didn't overshadow the plot, dark academia, humour, horrors (of the world and coming-of-age), and elements of true crime and history woven thoughout. The writing was so well-done, I will definitely be pre-ordering a physical copy; I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next!

DNF at 31%. I requested this ARC because of the comp for Dana Schwartz's Anatomy: A Love Story, not realizing that it also mentioned The Alienist. This book is harder crime fiction than I enjoy, and after getting to a gory scene, I have a feeling that I won't enjoy more. 3 stars to be neutral.

James has floundered a bit, but he's finally decided to leave his theology degree at Oxford to study medicine and surgery at Edinburgh's renowned medical schools. It's a bit more rough than he expected, but he finds some friends and starts to take some expensive classes at a private school where he'll actually get to work with a real cadaver. To pay for the tuition, he agrees to be a lookout for some hush hush dealings by the graveyard. Little does he know that the teacher's assistant for whom he works is actually breaking into graveyards to steal corpses.

I DNF'ed the book soon after James discovers just how bloody this whole business is. The description says there's going to be serial killers and gay stuff, but I haven't gotten there yet. I had expected this to be similar to Anatomy, another book about an aspiring doctor who gets caught up in graverobbing in Edinburgh, but if I got scared off from James's first shock of gore, I think the actual murderers are going to be sadistic, and I'm not into that.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for this ARC. While I didn't enjoy it, I'm sure that the right reader will.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. I really enjoyed it and would rate it a 3.5/5 stars.

Many thanks to Kensington Publishing for a complimentary eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

The Resurrectionist tells the story of James Willoughby, scion of a noble house fallen on hard times, who leaves the hallowed halls of Oxford to study medicine in Edinburgh, birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment. Plucky, determined, and good-natured, James finds himself in surprising company when he turns to body-snatching to help him afford the costs of private anatomy classes.

This book has it all: romance, intrigue, skullduggery, true-crime, historical fiction, dark academia, coming-of-age, you name it! I found this book enormously enjoyable to read, especially having recently travelled to Edinburgh and learned about the sordid tale of Burke and Hare. James is perhaps too good to be true -- he is so generally good-natured and of good character -- but his journey of personal development and realisation is something to which everyone can relate. I was transported back to Edinburgh through the descriptive prose and the tension was palpable as the stakes grew higher and higher! I am shocked to learn that this was Dunlap's debut novel because there is such confidence and maturity in the writing style. This would make a great read for a Hallowe'en book club.

4.5/5

This was a very enjoyable read, and I genuinely appreciate the author's efforts to fully immerse the reader into the atmosphere of the story. I found both main characters to be interesting and likeable, which was a pleasant surprise - to be honest, I was a bit scared I wouldn't like James at first.

I would have liked to get to know the other characters a bit more, but I understand that the length of the story is limited. It did disappoint me a bit to see how the only relevant female character was used as a plot device, specially given that (for obvious historical reasons) everyone else in this novel is a man.

However, I still am very pleased with this book. The descriptions, both of the spaces and the medical procedures, were so atmospheric you got immediately transported. I was rooting for the main couple from the beginning, and I really enjoyed how certain things didn't have to be explicit for the reader to understand. Overall, I really recommend this one!

It's hard to imagine that something can be both macabre and cute, but that's the best way I can describe The Resurrectionist. I picked it up for the promise of a dark and twisty gothic, only to be completely blindsided by the sweetest romance I've read all year.

The writing style matches and enhances the atmosphere of 19th-century Europe. Dunlap makes use of a broad vocabulary in a way that encourages you to love language. It’s decadent and flowery, but not burdened by unnecessary words.

The Resurrectionist is not marketed as the start of a series, but I hope with my whole heart that we see more from these characters. James and Nye are exquisite. They have a Sherlock and Watson vibe that could lend itself to their reappearance.

Note: I recently finished two non-fiction books that paired well with it: *Cabinet of Curiosities* by Aaron Mahnke and *Impossible Monsters* by Michael Taylor. Having read them helped me appreciate some of the historical references sprinkled throughout.

Thank you, A. Rae Dunlap, Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for my advanced review copy. My opinions are my own.

The Resurrectionist is out December 24th, 2024

Plot - 5
Writing and Editing - 5
Character Development - 5
Personal Bias - 5
Final Score - 5

Thank you to the author,publishers and everyone else involved the privilege of reading this book in exchange for a honest review.
This book surprised me in more ways that one. Some good,mostly good some bad. None of the bad is really is more than preference in the end so it really won't impact the rating all that much.
First of all I did read the acknowledgments , I found it really interesting the author found out about this topic through a podcast and was immediately given muse by it. This lead to a very in my opinion strong sense of theme and vibes. I will say when looking for gay romance I normally look for gay guy writers . As a gay man I really am looking for that authenticity in the work, but I was truely enamored with the way the love interests are written. I saw in the acknowledgements that this book wasn't intended originally to be a romance but you could have fooled me. It was delightful. I tend to be a more stoic reader, more quiet unphased...but I was kicking my feet like a tween. It did leave me wanting more, where the intimacy was there it was so well done. I think it could have even been non fade to black and it would have retained its sweet earnestness. I really liked the depiction of friendship and family. I think.it could be quite healing to for those dealing with the pressure of a family that doesn't want them for who they are finding their place in the sun.
Now I will say this it was gross at times and I loved it for it. The story didn't hold back in my opinion on the horrific imagery but also stayed respectful of the people who were killed or bodies ansconded. Even with the horror it still felt hopeful.
It also felt very educational it inspired me to watch a couple videos on the real history of it all. It was really fun to learn some of those people in the story were real folks.
I will say I did find the pacing at times to be little off and there was a mild amount of repetitiveness of wordage. Which didn't really bother me personally but worth noting. Also personally spoiler ahead! I didn't like how a certain character became a cop. Just a personal opinion though. I will be adding a physical copy to my shelf for shore.

Oh my god I devoured this book. I finished it in a single day because I didn’t want to put it down. I didn’t think it was going to be bad or anything, but I still didn’t expect it to be as good as it was.

Thrillers and body horror stuff usually aren’t my thing, but there’s a perfect balance of it to really create the setting and immerse you in that world without it becoming too grotesque or unbearable. The writing was really good, I loved the characters, and I *really* loved the romance between James and Nye. It felt like a very realistic progression and managed to be this big interesting thing I was rooting for without distracting from the actual plot.

Hold onto your cravats! A. Rae Dunlap’s The Resurrectionist is a wild ride through the creepy history of 19th century medicine, with a pair of real life serial killers added into the mix.

James Willoughby, our loveable, anxious, naive protagonist dreaming of becoming a surgeon is forced to dive into the grimy world of body snatching to make ends meet. His ethics are questioned constantly, and it does make you ponder how far you’d be willing to go in the pursuit of knowledge.

Enter Aneurin MacKinnon, the mysterious dissectionist whose motives are as murky as the Thames after a storm. The banter between these two is highly entertaining, dripping with sarcasm and quips that will make you chuckle. Don’t be afraid of the MM romance angle, this is closed door and adds a beautiful layer to the story.

The portayal of this grim landscape is so vivid, you can almost smell the decay and I absolutely LOVED this book! The pacing, humour, and twists and turns will keep you engaged and hungrily reading into the night. The Resurrectionist is a brilliant dive into the darkness of medical history and the horrors committed by Burke and Hare - unhinged, unsettling and utterly unmissable.

Big big thank you to Net Galley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC

I really struggled with this book in the beginning, I almost put it down a few times but I ended up pushing through and started to enjoy it when things picked up. Recommend if you’re a fan of the gothic atmosphere!

4.5/ 5 stars
"we are members of the league of men who call ourselves not by the mantle of snatchers, but resurrectionists."

let's go back many years to a place where graves get robbed for the sake of learning medicine. that is where this story takes place.

when reading the summary of this book, I was intrigued. mostly due to the time in history when this book takes place. the book was easy to read and the plot was good to follow. while it may start a little slow, the pace picks up quite nicely later on. some characters could be given some personality, although the thought of using characters based on history-based stories made up for it.

The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap is a fantastic debut, a historical true-crime adjacent story, with a beautiful love story running through the spine.

The book shines with authenticity - you can tell that the author did a great deal of research into the time period and the history that has inspired this story. The author's note goes into detail about what is real and what was embellished, but from page one, I felt transported to Edinburgh in the 19th century. The story moves along at a quick clip, and what I loved about it is that the romance is additive to an already compelling story. The romance adds depth, but the story itself is fully baked and very satisfying.

This is a great entry into the historical fiction space, and I think it will appeal to fans of many genres! Looking forward to reading more from the author!

5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC.