4.5 Rounded up and I'm only taking away a half star for one reason but that reason is a big spoiler but it involves the unaliving of a character that I felt was not fleshed out enough and seemed to be a bit in the fridging category.

OTHERWISE I really enjoyed this and thoroughly appreciated the author's historical notes at the end. James' story was beautifully done and his journey throughout the book is very relatable and his relationships of varying degrees with different characters helped to really mold the story. I could easily see this being a movie with how well it was visually represented in terms of prose and characterizations. The romance is just *chef's kiss* for my taste and while I do wish we had more going on at the end for the characters because I wanna see how it goes for them in the future...here's hoping there's a sequel of them helping develop criminal forensics? Please. Pretty please?

The Resurrectionist: A Twisty Gothic Mystery of Dark Scottish History by A. Rae Dunlap is an atmospheric and immersive read that will appeal to fans of gothic mysteries with a historical twist. The novel takes readers on a dark journey through Scotland’s eerie past, blending crime, folklore, and chilling suspense. Dunlap’s writing excels in creating a vivid, moody setting that perfectly complements the story’s unsettling nature. The desolate landscapes and historical backdrop give the narrative a haunting feel that lingers long after the last page is turned.

The characters are interesting, though some lack depth, and the dialogue can sometimes feel a bit stiff or overly formal, which detracts slightly from the immersion. That said, the twists and turns of the mystery are satisfying, and the author does manage to deliver a few genuinely unexpected surprises, which will keep readers intrigued until the very end.

While not without its flaws, The Resurrectionist is still a solid read for anyone who enjoys gothic fiction with a touch of historical intrigue. If you can push through some of the slower moments, it’s an enjoyable and atmospheric tale that offers a gripping look into Scotland’s shadowy history. Dunlap shows promise as a storyteller, and I look forward to seeing where her future works take readers.

An absolute delight!

I love that this book isn't just one thing. Part romance, part historical fiction, part dark academia, and part mystery; it fits itself into so many different genres. It gave such similar vibes to a show I am obsessed with, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘋𝘰𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳, but make it GAY!

Speaking of the romance, I expected there to be a lot more push and pull between them. However, once their romance was sparkled, the flame never went out. I was pleasantly surprised and equally giddy because of that. Not a downside at all.

This was such a fun read! It had me googling things such as "when was Jack the Ripper active?" and "what was the process of preparing a body for burial in the 1800s?"

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It was fun historical horror, with a coming of age romance subplot that I didn't know I wanted. The characters are fun and quirky (I'm looking at you, Nye) and they felt well fleshed out.

I was expecting just a LITTLE more darkness and gore from this one, given the subject matter (grave robbing, 1800s anatomy schools, murder), so it definitely felt a little more lighthearted to me.

That being said, this is a great read and I'd highly recommend it, especially if you love historical horror. It was both entertaining AND informative!

<b>Dunlap's debut novel explores early Edinburgh surgical schools, questionable methods of obtaining study subjects, a main protagonist's surprisingly believable entrée into body snatching, a forbidden love, and serial killers, and I was in for it all.</b>

I've heard comparisons drawn between A. Rae Dunlap's <i>The Resurrectionist</i> and Caleb Carr's <i>The Alienist,</i> a suspenseful novel about the evolution of forensic science that I adored reading years ago, and while the books are quite different, I can appreciate the favorable association.

Dunlap's debut novel is dark, twisty, gothic, and it's set in 19th-century Scotland as fictionalized versions of real-life serial killers Burke and Hare are terrorizing Edinburgh.

James Willoughby is a naïve young medical student whose family fortunes have taken a negative turn, leaving him with a passion for studying medicine but no resources to pursue schooling. He becomes drawn into the underworld of body snatching when he seeks paid work to fund his studies--and begins to understand (and assist with) the process of obtaining cadavers for his surgery study. Ultimately, terrifyingly, his activities lead him to run into the cadaver-producing killers Burke and Hare.

Dunlap does a wonderful job of bringing a spooky, fascinating underworld of Edinburgh to life, while also exploring the burgeoning surgery and medical school experience, and, against all odds, building the somewhat-reasonable-feeling case for James's horror-turned-acceptance on the subject of mining graveyards for bodies to study.

At the center of <i>The Resurrectionist</i> there's a hesitant friendship, then a meaningful, playful, and poignant relationship between James and his "handler" (which is affected by the complication of societal intolerance for gay relationships in this period), plus the mystery of the disappearances of community characters, and an elaborate, amateur, exciting group attempt to catch Burke and Hare.

I love Dunlap's writing and the way the story was crafted. I'm definitely in for reading this author's future books!

I read this title courtesy of NetGalley and Kensington Books.

THE RESURRECTIONIST is in a very mannered writing style quite in accord with the period in which it is set [1828 Bath, England, and Edinburgh, Scotland: the era of infamous criminal "Resurrectionists" Burke & Hare!]. Although this type of subject lends itself irrevocably to Horror, this novel pursues a more lighthearted approach, leavened as it is with subtle humor and populated by a severely hapless protagonist, whose self-focus and determination lead him quickly into dangerous and disreputable paths.

this book surprised me!! it gave off Frankenstein vibes meets anatomy:a love story! I didn’t realize this was Dunlap debut book! I will definitely be reading more by this author!!

If this quote doesn’t sell you then idk what will!! :

“Yet I must insist that in the end, this is not a story about Death. It is perhaps a Life story, or even, yes, a Love story. It is the story of how I clawed my way from the decay of a crumbling legacy into the modern era of Reason and Science. It is the story of how I escaped the prison of archaic superstition to the freedom of enlightenment. It is the story of how a rose can blossom from even the bloodiest soil, of how light can grow from shadow, how love can grow from despair. “

🎵die 4 you by perfume genius & ill be good by james young

thank you NetGalley for the arc!!

I never thought I would enjoy a book about grave robbing so much!!

James wants to be a doctor and his family is just barely keeping him at oxford but he ditches the oxford life to join in on the exciting world of surgery.. To get into a much coveted program... he needs to pay but he strikes a deal with Nye and when everything goes tits up... He ends up a body snatcher... science comes at a price.

It was an interesting read. I finished it before christmas and it had to sit with me for a while. I couldn't decide if the writing was dry or whether it was cleverly done and I sided with it was done on purpose to make you think and I actually love it more now and I did when I finished.

I liked the way the characters all had an interest vibe to them and they shouldn't have worked well together but the writing was so well done that it made sense when it should not have.

Dang I am sold! I need more books like this.

4.5 stars

Thank you @kensingtonbooks for my gifted copy.

This was an entertaining close look into history at a time when bodysnatching was needed for doctors to learn how to treat people and cure certain diseases and conditions and was quite the flourishing business in Edinburgh right when James travels there to study medicine. He was quite the intricately written character with so many side, from promising young doctor in training, looking to pay his own way after his family loses their fortune, to budding bodysnatcher, diving into the darker world of death and returning alive and knowing what he wants his future to be. Hence, the resurrectionist tie-in.

I enjoyed most of the book, though sometimes the proper english felt a bit stilted, and while I loved the detail into the graveyard snatching, as well as the dissections and medical learnings, I was sad that the Burke and Hare part only was really in the last little bit of the book. I would not have minded more of that story. Though I really liked the relationship of James and Nye, which was a nice sweet touch to all the darkness. For a debut, it was well done and I did like this story.

I am rounding up from 3.5 because part of what I didn't love, is more of a personal issue than the fault of this book.

If you're a fan of Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone, or Murder Your Employer, then I think you'll love this one. It has the same sense of humor and writing style as the two aforementioned books. This was classified as both historical fiction and horror, and I'm just not getting the horror aspect. It is macabre and dark at times, but it's not giving me that gross, chilling factor that I've come to expect from horror.

I loved the relationships in this book and they were a bright spot in dark themes.

Thank you so much to Kensington Books and NetGalley for a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

James Willoughby is excited to leave his pompous, social climbing family in London to pursue his dream of becoming a physician. In Edinburgh, he enrolls in the college and quickly finds that if he wants to get any practical experience (that is, learn anatomy not from a textbook but by dissecting human cadavers), he must join one of the private anatomy schools. After an interruption in finances, he joins a body snatching crew led by the dashing Nye, and finds himself ensconced in a dangerous yet exciting new life.

This book can only be described as rollicking fun. I was rooting for James and Nye, despite disagreeing with what they were doing, and the romance was so sweet. The friendships, the capers, the love story, and the cameos of actual historical figures within the narrative all combined to create a delightful reading experience. If you liked Anatomy: A Love Story, you will enjoy this book. And I think the way it ended left the possibility of a sequel open...

The Resurrectionist was fun and dark. I loved the seeing the relationship blossom, which I didn't expect. The writing was well done and the characters were flawed but lovable. While there were plenty of dead bodies, there wasn't really any gore, so I think this book would be suitable for many levels of readers. A dark and sordid tale, but filed with adventure and love and scalpels!

This was reminiscent of Anatomy, but Gay 🤌🏻 slow burn to a big ending. If you enjoy a good morbid period piece this one is for you. It was delightfully dark, gothic, and romantic.

4.5 stars

James Willoughby was eager to pursue his dream of becoming a surgeon in Edinburgh, the heart of medical advancement. But financial strain forced him to take an unexpected job with Aneurin (Nye) MacKinnon—one that dragged him into the dark, shadowy underbelly of the industry.

While the subject is dark and macabre, the book is light and amusing. It’s fascinating learning about the underground business and the personnel involved.

It was nice seeing how James evolved and pushed himself outside his comfort zone. Nye was my favorite with his enchanting personality and useful skill sets.

The Resurrectionist is a story of aspiration and self-discovery. It would appeal to readers who enjoy historical fiction in dark academia setting.

If you’re in the mood for an atmospheric queer historical fiction, dark academic comedy (I just made that up), true crime mash up, this one is for you my friends. It’s 1828 Edinburgh, Scotland, when we encounter James Willoughby, who has more than disappointed his posh family by abandoning his Oxford studies in order to become a surgeon. He enrolls at university, only to discover he will not have the one thing he was willing to sacrifice everything for - the chance to work on a human cadaver. It is only the private and pioneering surgeries of Surgeon’s Square that will allow the “desecration.” But what’s a man to do? How about team up with the handsome and brilliant dissectionist Aneurin “Nye” Mackinnon, who offers him a place in renowned Dr. Malstrom’s surgery, if only he will assist in the acquisition of their demonstration subjects?

Inspired by the criminal case of Burke and Hare, The Resurrectionist has family drama, forbidden love, gore, body snatchers, and deadly rival gangs. Dive into the real world that revolutionized medical science, where life was truly stranger than fiction.


Many thanks to the author @AReaWrites, @KensingtonBooks, and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this eArc.

I love a queer gothic horror read, especially one based on a part of history I find fascinating. This did not disappoint and was entertaining and well-written, covering a lot of ground. I would recommend it to others who enjoy this genre. Thank you for the advanced copy read!

This had a very slow start and I made it about 55% before DNFing this book. The writing was beautiful, I’m just a mood reader with a short attention span so I need super fast paced stories to grab me.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with The Resurrectionist but what I found was a remarkably cozy, historical coming of age story, despite the gruesome nature of the characters’ work.

I really enjoyed the main character’s voice. They felt very chipper and jaunty and earnest, endearing themselves to the reader. I think their voice is what gave the story so much of its cozy feel.

The relationships built over the course of the novel felt earned through the storyline and the ending ramped up remarkably to give a strong finish.

Overall a fun time.

3.75 out of 5

Very hard to tell that this is a debut work, because it is wonderful. The time setting, the characters, the initial place of the story. So good. Also the cover of the book is so unique

This book is interesting in the true crime nature, but I found it really hard to get into. It was a good blend of fact and fiction and the actual writing of the story was good, if not slow and a little draggy in parts. I found the romance between James and Nye adorable and I loved that it was a queer aspect brought into what would have been a rather dangerous time for this to happen.

Thank you to the author for a chance to review.