Thank you to NetGalley/Kensington for the e-ARC!

3.5 rounding up. It's a gothic gay dark academia! What more could I want? A little bit as it turns out, but I'll get to that.

This story follows James on his journey to becoming a doctor against his family's wishes. Along the way, he meets Nye and becomes willingly tangled up in the business of snatching bodies from fresh graves. It's gritty, gross business, but it pays well.

James is, I'm not going to lie, a bit of a boring character to follow, especially at the beginning. He's not a bad character and I did enjoy seeing his morals rearrange as he gets into the business, but I found myself more interested in Nye, to be honest. And the gentry stuff always loses me, but that's a personal preference.

The writing was very good. It was pretentious throughout and occasionally overwritten, but I think it was appropriate since James was the one telling the story. The atmosphere was nice and gothic, with plenty of gore and guts. As someone who works in a hospital laboratory and often sees blood and body parts (so many amputated toes...) I wasn't bothered at all. But if you don't like hearing about autopsies, maybe pass on this one?

The plot was on the meandering side. It didn't drag, but there's a lot going on in the synopsis and it takes a while to get to some of the points (Burke and Hare, mostly). The romance was a little quick to spark but sweet (and all fade to black, if that information matters to you). The mystery part really wasn't a mystery, and it wasn't particularly thrilling either. More like it was there and gone, like an extended cameo that I wasn't very impressed by because I'm not a true crime girlie. It might do more for someone else.

So it's not really a mystery, not a thriller, and only partially a romance, but it's definitely a historical dark academia.

This book was unlike anything I have read.

An interesting mix of true crime and historical fiction, this book is perfect for readers that enjoy dark academia. Set in the 19th century Scotland, a medical student is introduced into the world of body snatching. First, I had no idea such a thing was true! The author incorporates true historical characters which I enjoyed.

I had a hard time with pacing and the writing may be a bit more formal than I like. I felt the romance was a nice touch and I liked how it was a detail and not the driving plot.

I will say that I was interested so much that I immediately had to Google search and learn what I could about the true history that inspired this book!

Please read the author’s note at the end!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC!

I was immersed straight from the start. Definitely one of my favourite historical fiction novels I’ve read this year. So enthralling and gothic with a pinch of dark academia!

a dark and atmospheric historical debut novel, following a young man and his journey of studying surgery in 19th century schottland. dunlap pulls inspiration from real life events and people from schottlands darker period. perfect for all true crime fans.

I was looking forward to this book. The description, tags, and cover gave the impression of a dark thriller. The Resurrectionist seemed to be well-researched historical fiction at the beginning.

Unfortunately, it quickly fell into contemporary prose and too cutesy for me YA female-gaze MM romance with giggling. Nothing in the spoiler-heavy book description prepared me for that.

“It is what it is,” used three times at last count. Current slang jars me out of historical fiction. The comparison to The Alienist is far off the mark.

The characters were flat, and the main character was excessively naive. His insecure inner monologue became uncomfortable to read. I didn’t believe in him as a medical student. Perhaps the author intended him to play the formerly always-female ingenue. If so, she succeeded at that, complete with extensive rhapsodizing over a crush.

The Resurrectionist reads like a decades-ago gothic romance featuring an innocent young woman running afoul of bad men–mixed with poor attempts at humor and a bit of historical crime. I didn’t expect body snatching to be played for laughs. It's not even dark humor, it's slapstick.

The concept had potential. There are many recent releases with insightful portrayals of LGBTQIA+ characters, and others with excellent depictions of historical crime. I wanted to like this book, but it was a disappointment.

These characters didn't come across as remotely real, particularly as young men experiencing desire for another man, even leaving aside the ahistorical tone and language.

I made two efforts to finish it, but I've had more than enough of the florid gazes and opal eyes: DNF at 40%.

Thank you, Kensington Publishing for the e-ARC via NetGalley for consideration. These are my unbiased opinions.

The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap is an enthralling historical novel that brings the grim world of 19th-century body snatchers to vivid life. Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1828, the story follows James Willoughby, a naïve yet determined young man who abandons his sheltered life at Oxford to pursue his dream of studying surgery. The city’s renowned university is a beacon of medical progress during the New Enlightenment, but James soon discovers that to truly advance in his field, he must gain hands-on experience with human cadavers—a luxury he can’t afford.

The plot takes an unexpected turn when James forms a dangerous alliance with the charismatic but morally ambiguous Aneurin “Nye” MacKinnon, a dissectionist with a unique talent for anatomy and a deep obsession with knowledge. Nye’s proposition to help James gain surgical experience quickly spirals into a harrowing journey into the world of body snatching. As the story progresses, James is slowly drawn into a web of deception, violence, and moral compromise, becoming an unwilling accomplice in the theft of freshly buried corpses from churchyards. This practice, known as resurrectionism, serves as the backbone of the novel’s dark, yet riveting, plot.

What truly stands out in The Resurrectionist is the way it balances its grim subject matter with moments of humor and humanity. James’s internal conflict about the morality of his actions adds depth to his character, and his evolving relationship with Nye—ranging from colleagues to close friends, and ultimately lovers—is both believable and heartwarming. The tension between them, as well as the exploration of their contrasting motivations, makes their bond one of the book’s most compelling aspects.

The novel’s richly detailed world-building also deserves praise. Dunlap’s extensive research into the era’s medical practices, the anatomy schools of Edinburgh, and the infamous Burke and Hare murders, makes the historical setting come alive. The reader can almost feel the damp, dark streets of Edinburgh and the foreboding atmosphere of the medical dissection rooms. Dunlap’s ability to seamlessly weave historical accuracy with narrative tension is truly impressive, ensuring that both history buffs and fiction lovers alike will find much to appreciate.

Supporting characters, including the duplicitous Burke and Hare, are equally well-developed. These antagonists add a layer of menace to the story, and their ruthless drive for profit and power brings a sense of urgency to the novel's final chapters. The political intrigue, combined with the increasingly dangerous stakes, keeps the reader on the edge of their seat, especially as the rival gangs of body snatchers vie for control.

The Resurrectionist is a beautifully written novel that deftly explores the ethics of scientific progress, the complexities of friendship and love, and the lengths people will go to in order to achieve their goals. It is a dark, thrilling, and surprisingly humorous read that showcases Dunlap’s impressive storytelling and research. The blend of historical intrigue, complex characters, and high stakes makes this a book that will linger long after the final page is turned.

The Resurrectionist, A Rae Dunlap’s historical fiction debut opens with such verve that it will draw readers in immediately. A lively narrative that more than hints at the mayhem to follow as it foreshadows narrator James Willoughby carting a corpse through the streets of Edinburgh in a wheelbarrow. The Resurrectionist is set in the early 19th century and medical study was booming in the Scottish city. The need for bodies led to a trade in fresh corpses and rise of the body snatchers, or ‘resurrectionists’ as they liked to style themselves.
When The Resurrectionist opens, third son of a wealthy family James Willoughby, gives up his Oxford studies to move to Edinburgh and study medicine. There he finds the best way to study anatomy is not through the university but in one to private medical schools. Only straightened financial circumstances lead James to need to find money and that draws him into the world of the body snatchers, and particularly a man called Aneurin and his gang. It is Aneurin who brings James into the trade but also provides him with a philosophical justification for the dark work that they do.
The Resurrectionist is a fascinating period of medical history and Dunlap fills the narrative with period detail and actual characters from the time (the Afterword helps disentangle the fictional from the non-fictional). This includes the infamous pair of Burke and Hare, who are famous as body snatchers but found more direct ways of sourcing their wares than digging them up from graveyards. Dunlap manages to work their true story into that of James and Aneurin to build to a page-turning second half.
Central to this book working so well is the character of James and his narration. Because on top of everything, The Resurrectionist is also a coming-of-age story. James gets deep into a dark world but in doing so learns about himself, finds a purpose, finds love and manages to pull himself out from under the shadow of his family. There are elements of his life that feel a little like wish fulfillment, but Dunlap earns enough good will to make it all work.
Overall, The Resurrectionist is a great piece of gothic-styled historical fiction. Dunlap explores a fascinating, if a little macabre, time and place and in doing so exposes some of the very real characters who peopled it. And she does this through an engagingly flawed main character who provides readers with a justifiable entrée in this world and a reason to stay and see how it all works out.

This book was a total cover request and I'm so glad I did. I really enjoyed this story so much I'll be buying a copy as a holiday gift to myself. I really enjoyed the characters, story line and world.

If you're a fan of historical fiction, gothic horror, or coming-of-age drama with a macabre twist, The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap might just be your next great read. Here's what makes this novel stand out:

🌌 Setting & Atmosphere

Set in 19th-century Edinburgh, the book immerses readers in the eerie world of body-snatching, vividly recreating the grittiness of medical schools, graveyards, and the notorious Burke and Hare murders. The detailed depiction of culture, clothing, and society brings the era to life.

🔍 Themes & Plot

This story masterfully explores the intersection of science, morality, and crime during the advancement of medical knowledge. At its heart is James Willoughby, a privileged but aimless young man navigating his coming-of-age journey amidst the shadowy world of body-snatching, science, and romance.

💫 Character Dynamics

The evolving relationship between James and Aneurin (Nye) is a standout, blending humor, tension, and mutual growth. James’s transformation from a directionless youth to someone grappling with complex moral dilemmas adds depth to the narrative.

🌟 Highlights

Meticulous historical detail enhances authenticity.

Dynamic character development, particularly the chemistry between James and Nye.

A balance of dark themes with moments of humor and wit.


🌀 Room for Improvement

Some reviewers desired more gradual development of the romance and mystery elements.

The evocative writing style, while immersive, can feel overly verbose at times.


🎯 Who Will Love This Book?

Fans of gothic horror, historical fiction, medical history, and true crime will find The Resurrectionist captivating. The nuanced LGBTQ+ representation adds another layer of appeal for readers seeking inclusivity in historical settings.

As always, the Author's note at the end is the perfect note to finish on.

The story and history of body snatching in the Enlightenment is one that fascinates many, but I don't think it is explored very often with this much care in fiction. Not only is the revelation quite the character forming moment for the protagonist, but it's also a reality check for the reader.

James, the narrator, starts off as a bit of a daydreaming rich boy who has floated along for most of his life. The counterbalance offered by Nye makes for both eyerolling and endearing moments. Not only are they perfect companions, they're truly necessary for each character's personal development arc.

The thriller aspect of the plot was a great addition to the second half of the book. The mix of coming of age with crime is not one seen often, but after this novel I will say it deserves more attention!

Lots of fun - love that the whole idea came off of Lore by Aaron Mehnke. Examines the line between the grotesque and science, delightful multifaceted characters, spunky conversations. Already recommended it to a friend.

⭐️4.5

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for this arc! The atmosphere was perfect for a winter read and mystery elements only added to it. It was a brilliantly crafted debut novel that had me hooked from the beginning and now I only wish I could’ve been in Scotland reading this. Also, the romance was completely heartwarming and provided a break from all the crimes committed lol. The story had excellent descriptions of the surrounding setting that made everything so easy to visualize and fully immersed me into the story.

I would only wish for a build-up towards the romance as it was quite expected from the first meeting. Additionally, there were some mystery elements but it was more straight-forward than I would've hoped for. It would've been even better if the characters were oblivious to who was committing crimes since it would've added more suspense and ultimately led to a larger surprise factor when they figure out the source of the crimes.

Though, I would still highly recommend this!

Have you ever wished for a story about Sherlock Holmes and Watson as overtly gay criminals? Then this is the book to pick up. The Resurrectionist by A. Rar Dunlap is a fantastically eerie gothic horror set in the body-snatching scene of 19th-century Scotland. Posh James Willoughby, the main character, moves to Edinburgh to begin his medical training at the University but then gets tangled up in the underground business of body-snatching- that is, stealing dead bodies from graveyards and selling them to the medical schools to be used as cadavers. Aneurin, or Nye, is the man to introduce James to this world, and to James’ own taboo proclivities.

One of this book’s strengths is how well it was researched. Dunlap’s evocative descriptions of culture, clothing, and all five senses transport the reader to her setting, which range from gruesome dissection labs to raucous hole-in-the-walk pubs. In the author’s note, Dunlap states that the institutions in the book and many of her side characters, notably the serial killers Burke and Hare, were real people connected with body-snatching and the medical profession in 19th century Edinburgh.

Also, I was convinced by the attraction and ensuing “companionship” between James and Nye, although I expected James to go through more of an internal struggle with his attraction to Nye. Even he does state that his family and profession would disown him for betting gay, he doesn’t really go through any denial about it or try to restrain himself. The relationship between him and Nye just happens naturally like any straight relationship would.

That being said, I liked them together. James and Nye’s relationship is filled with witty banter, longing stares, and steamy tension (although this is a closed-door romance. They are everything I wanted from the BBC Sherlock adaptation. And I wish that the spicy scenes did not immediately “fade to black” and simply imply their sexual encounters- but that is just a personal preference.

Another thing to mention is that I thought that the book summary was a little misleading in its mention of Burk and Hares involvement- they only come into the story at around the 70% mark. More inclusion, or at least allusion/foreshadowing to Burke and Hare’s activities would have made that part of the plot less “tacked on” to the end.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who likes gothic horror, gay historical novels, and/or is interested in the history of body-snatching.

Delightfully macabre and beautifully eerie, The Resurrectionist is a tale of crime and death and - perhaps most importantly - life in turn of the century Edenborough. 

James Willoughby is from a well-to-do family with dreams of studying surgery. He leaves behind his studies at Oxford and enrolls in one of the Scottish schools. All he needs is to procure a spot in one of the anatomy labs in the Surgeon's Square. When funds get tight, James finds himself making a grim deal with Aneurin MacKinnon, assistant to Dr. Malstrom and resurrectionist - a body snatcher who brings fresh life to the dead through scientific advancement in the field of medicine. 

What I loved most about this novel was the blend of fact and fiction and science. Dunlap draws on a string of sixteen real-life murders that took place in Edenborough in 1828 perpetrated by William Burke and William Hare, who sold the corpses to Robert Knox for dissection at his anatomy lectures. Knox and his gang had a monopoly on the body trade during the period, putting them at odds with Malstrom's school. 

James truly comes into himself as the story progresses. We start off with someone timid and unsure of himself, but he is, nonetheless, determined and willing to fight for what he wants. Disturbed by the actions of Aneurin, he still choses to get his hands dirty and dive headfirst into the dark underbelly of academia. Despite himself, he also finds himself developing feelings for the body thief. Their romance is taboo, much like the services they provide, but sweet. 

A novel about the dead that is full of life. Despite its dark themes and atmosphere, the characters and their interactions frequently had me chuckling and smiling. I highly recommend The Resurrectionist to fans of historical fiction, true crime, and the morbid. 

Thank you to Kensington Publishing, A. Rae Dunlap, and Netgalley for providing a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Resurrectionist by A. Rae Dunlap is a historical fiction coming-of-age novel that intersects with one of history’s most sordid true crimes. Following James, a well-bred but ultimately destitute student at one of Edinburgh’s medical universities, fate propels him into making choices that take him to the dark side of early modern medicine—body snatching. Against this dark and somewhat macabre background is a love story. James becomes deeply entwined with the Aneurin, an anatomist. James is now forced to attempt two double lives at once—one where he hides his means of income, and one where he hides the truth of his relationship with the school’s anatomist.

I loved the work that the author did in setting the scene and in creating a sense of place and time. The details of things like clothing, furniture, and room descriptions were all really wonderful in putting the reader in to the time period. The language wasn’t perfectly dated, but the visual atmosphere more than made up for it.

I also really liked the romance between the main two characters. It has a really cute “what if we stopped beating around the bush and Holmes and Watson were explicitly queer” thing that was subversive and refreshing. There was also a genuine sense of attraction and chemistry between the key players, which made it easy to care about.

Where I think this book didn’t fully live up to its potential was showing the tenuous balance of James’ double life. We would get a few reassuring sentences about him going to university lectures or what have you, but almost 95% of the content talks about his hidden activities. I think that giving a little more interaction with Charlie or Hamish would have given more tension to the balancing act. The way it’s written makes it seem quite easy going and as if there isn’t any difficulty in trying to hide his employment.

Personally I really enjoyed this book a lot. I thought the love story was engaging and that the historical medical studies plot was also really interesting and well told. 4/5 stars!

(Trigger warnings: gore, cadavers, medical dissections, and descriptions of anatomical specimens.)

Gothic horrors are quite popular these days and this one with a little mystery twist should fit right into the taste of enjoyers of this very dark, very mystic sub genre. This historical horror fiction set in 19-th century Scotland is written in a very enjoyable way, one could read it in one sitting. What I personally found interesting was the world building and the overall atmosphere that fits perfectly into misty cold fall days.

<i>My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

James seems fated to be the disappointment of his whole family (look how he's introduced! look! it's🤌: <i>my father never had particularly high aspirations for me, so the fact that I was able to underwhelm him so completely was quite the accomplishment indeed</i>). A younger son, he's expected to go into the military, but is uniquely ill-suited for that career. The family comes up with an alternative option: the clergy. James manages to thwart even those expectations:

<blockquote><i>it quickly became clear to me that life in the Church could never suffice. As ill-suited as I was to be a leader, it was evident that I was a considerably worse follower, and uniquely repelled by both mundanity and tradition. Classics bored me, rhetoric confounded me, and the few Theology lectures I attended failed to ignite wonder.</i></blockquote>

He does have an intellectual passion though: medicine. Edinburgh is the place to be in the 1830s if you are really serious about having a front-row seat for the advancement of medical science and for learning through hands-on experience rather than rote memorization of outdated texts. So off to Edinburgh James scarpers, whereupon he discovers ever new and exciting ways to disappoint his family: digging up graves to procure specimen for the study of anatomy! disregarding the marriage plot that his family concocts for him! entering a relationship with his employer (who's both male and lower-class and Scottish--I'm not sure which point is more scandalous here)!

If you are into the history of body-snatching, chances are you will enjoy this. (This sordid episode in the history of science was my niche interest for about 15 minutes--to the point where I could see one plot twist in this novel coming because I remembered the victim's name--so I greatly enjoyed the grisly logistics of this trade, etc.) If you don't have residual fondness for the Burke and Hare debacle and don't enjoy verbose faux-archaic prose (which I love with a passion, but still found certain passages overwritten), then this might be not for you. It's somewhat hard to tell what the book's load-bearing structure was supposed to be, plot-wise. Is it a history novel about the murky borderlands between two eras and two regimes of knowledge, the weird combination of enlightenment and gothic horror? It seems to posit so: <i>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.</i> But ultimately, that doesn't seem to be the focus. Is it a Bildungsroman? While some of the trappings of the genre are there, James doesn't have any dilemmas and doubts and character growth. Is it a romance? The romantic subplot doesn't start until ~50% in, with little setup prior to that. Is it a murder mystery? Burke and Hare don't show up until ~70% in, and the investigation, such as it was, felt very rushed and perfunctory. I still enjoyed it because I have a morbid fascination with this story, but the pacing and structure did feel a bit odd.

The cover was first what really drew me in - I love health and anatomy. Once I read the blurb where it said it's about the dark world of medical schools, body snatchers, AND it's queer?!.. heck yes I was so in.

It's set in Scotland in the 1800s, which is very cool, albeit not a typical era I'm drawn towards. But as the romance blossomed and the story went on, I realized it really was the perfect setting for the book. I loved the romance, the coming of age journey and it was a lot funnier than I was expecting! Sometimes some plot lines didn't always connect, so it wasn't a full home run for me, but I do think this will be a book a lot of people enjoy!

Thank you Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was captivated by this right from the start. The prose is lovely; straightforward yet vividly descriptive. It felt a little like reading a classic, like a Holmes and Watson tale, but perhaps a little less stuffy.

This book has elements of both a thriller and horror, yet it somehow manages to feel almost cosy with injections of humour throughout. Or perhaps I’m as mad as the characters in this story.

James is a brilliant POV character. Watching everything unfold through his eyes, being inside his mind as his worldview started to shift, feeling the same thrill he felt while completing his work, was all-encompassing as a reader.

Nye is such an enigmatic colleague, friend, partner in crime and lover. He’s witty and charming and morally grey as heck. He’s utterly wonderful and I couldn’t help but fall for him alongside James.

I LOVED the mesh of history and fiction. Burke and Hare fascinate me, as does the evolution of medicine during the 19th century. Having all these nods to real history nestled amongst this fictional story was a real joy.

I highly recommend this if you’re interested in true crime, history, and/or historical gays.

loved this. it took me a while to read (thanks law school) but every time i picked it up i couldn’t put it down. the characters flew off the page. even though it was a quick read o was so invested in james, nye, and even smaller characters like malstrom, mary, and charlie. such an interesting subject for a book (grave robbers) and i just thought it was perfect. fantastic for the other three fans of the artful dodger tv show.