Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for the ARC. This is my honest review.

An incredibly fun, spooky, chaotic romp through turn of the century Scotland. I loved the juxtaposition of two serial killing real historical figures against our poor sweet MCs.

I loved this book, I thought the character development was done well. The story wasn't the best I've ever read, but it was still throughly enjoyable. It's so nice to see LGBTQIA characters in all settings, not just rom coms.

this was a surprising delight. I think reading the authors note after made it even better. I didn’t even realize that some of the characters were real. also love historical queer romance

Dunlap serves up a juicy helping of graphic human anatomy exploring how surgical acumen was gleaned in 19th-century Edinburgh, which is how medical student James Willoughby fulfills his dreams of becoming a first-rate surgeon. He and a gaggle of like-minded students scramble for places under anatomist Dr Malstrom, who spots James’s ability with a scalpel during an initial demonstration. However, when James comes up short on the tuition fee, he makes a deal with surgical assistant, Nye MacKinnon, to keep watch over the sexton’s surveillance of the kirkyard, directly beneath his lodgings, while Nye supposedly tracks thieves! Everything runs smoothly until Nye scrambles through his window one night with a freshly exhumed corpse, bringing James face-to-face with some repugnant facts about the unscrupulous events he has implicated himself in. Chastising his naïveté, he distances himself from Nye, but when his sister cuts off his allowance, he must either forgo his education or succumb to becoming a digger.

The attraction between James and Nye provides a lightly erotic sideline to a plot which focuses primarily on the skullduggery involved in the advancement of medical science. James is many things – an avid student, skilled surgeon, friend, lover, and fellow body snatcher, entreating his ‘dear reader’ to empathise with his choices. I enjoyed the company of the charismatic Nye as much as James does.

The Resurrectionist weaves around the Burke and Hare murder spree which culminated in 1828. This macabre, skin-crawling gothic includes well-researched details on how to snatch an interred body without leaving a trace, should you wish to know! Edinburgh’s backstreet taverns, gambling dens, and bawdy houses seep with a malodourous grime, and for each turn of the page the imagination is fed something even more ghastly, although it never feels gratuitous. Dunlap draws her story to a nicely open-ended denouement, perhaps not for the squeamish, but expertly pulled off.

This has such an interesting vibe and definitely falls into this historical horror genre that can be hit or miss for me. This one was fine, but historical novels are always a risk since they generally aren't my favorite genre. I think the narrator had a super strong presence and I enjoyed reading from his perspective even when he was making questionable decisions. There are a ton of people who I know will love this book, but it was just okay for me based on the writing style and historical aspects. I was looking for something a bit more horror than historical. I'm still giving it a high rating though because I think a lot of people will love this and it's just a me problem because of the genre.

From a certain station in society, James Willoughby sought to pursue his educational passion in medicine despite his family’s demands, but upon arriving in Scotland circumstances change and James partners with Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon to delve into the underground world.

“What unholy abomination has been wrought here?”

Narrated in first person, the story begins with the focus on James and his acclimation to his new surroundings. Being a bit naïve and posh for his new associates, James stands out yet he adapts due to his mutual interest in anatomy. Yet, as complications arise in the community, James and Nye discover there is more than just scientific pursuits at play

From the beginning, I was intrigued with the characters and the measures medical institutions had to take to teach students. The banter between James and Nye was amusing and their connection was a driving force in the book. The Resurrectionist would appeal to those seeking coming of age story set against a macabre historical fiction crime account.

This book was such a delightful, fun, and well researched dive into the art of body snatching for medical research in early 19th century Edinburgh. There were no fewer than 5 times that I found myself laughing out loud and ‘tittering off the deep end’ along with the two main characters. As always, I’m very particular about historical fiction and its ability to transport you to the time, and I felt this one did a wonderful job of it. Coupled with all the medical knowledge that needed to be in line with the current research of the time, a coming of age romance, and a true crime basis-this book is a gem. I hope there is a sequel! Most of all, I enjoyed the writing style, and being with the narrator all the way through. My only critique would be that the end seemed to be in a bit more of a hurry than the beginning, but then again no one likes a book that needlessly drones on and on. Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. 5 stars.

Publishing date: 24.12.2024 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC. My opinions are my own.


TLDR: Gothic, romantic, a little slow to start, and also full of dead bodies

I have many thoughts about this book, and this review is not going to be coherent so strap in.

The setting and the atmosphere of this book? Oh I loved it dearly. It was so gothic and so London I simply couldn't believe it. I was envisioning dingy brick buildings, a light drizzle, dark streets lit up by too few street lamps, the smell of petrichor in the air, and of course people dressed in suits and simple gowns. The whole time reading I was somewhere completely different than where I was really sitting. I felt like a spectator to the spectacle in front of me.

The characters ... Hit and miss. There is a very clear distinction between the main characters and the side-characters. Some weren't fleshed out at all and had only their name to go by. Some had attempted "fleshings" but were still somewhat flat and bare. This is a little nitpick only, I wish more people in the background had more going on for them.

The romance? Oh hell yeah. It had the perfect amount of "we don't care who catches us in the act", but also "ohmygod we are going to be hanged if anyone sees us". A good blend of companionship and desire. These two were so good together. The moment the relationship was "estabølished" I was hooked. Stunning work.

The story itself had a hard time actually catching me in the beginning I fear. I was waiting for things to happen, things happened, then it didn't really carry on anywhere. It kept this strange pace almost throughout the whole book. Except for the final 20% or so, that's where the story took a more exciting turn. For me at least. Maybe the pace fits others fine, but I wish it was more focused or had more events scattered throughout. Another nitpick truly.

All in all, I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the book. Really enjoyed the time I got with it. Highly recommend to those who like the "walk in a graveyard" vibe. 4.5 stars, stunning read.

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.

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.