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Ambrose Parry

The Way of All Flesh (A Raven and Fisher Mystery, 1) Hardcover – October 2, 2018

by Ambrose Parry (Author)

4.3 1,632 ratings

Book 1 of 5: A Raven and Fisher Mystery

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Edinburgh, 1847. City of Medicine, Money, Murder. Young women are being discovered dead across the Old Town, all having suffered similarly gruesome ends. In the New Town, medical student Will Raven is about to start his apprenticeship with the brilliant and renowned Dr Simpson. Simpson’s patients range from the richest to the poorest of this divided city. His house is like no other, full of visiting luminaries and daring experiments in the new medical frontier of anaesthesia. It is here that Raven meets housemaid Sarah Fisher, who recognises trouble when she sees it and takes an immediate dislike to him. She has all of his intelligence but none of his privileges, in particular his medical education. With each having their own motive to look deeper into these deaths, Raven and Sarah find themselves propelled headlong into the darkest shadows of Edinburgh’s underworld, where they will have to overcome their differences if they are to make it out alive.

Book 1 of 5

A Raven and Fisher Mystery
Print length

416 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Canongate Books
Publication date

October 2, 2018
Dimensions

6.25 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
ISBN-10

1786893789
ISBN-13

978-1786893789
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Exceptionally good.” ― ―Guardian

“Utterly compulsive.” ― ―Sunday Mirror

“Mystery plotting at its highest level.” ― ―Spectator

“Ingenious.” ― ―Scotsmans

About the Author

Ambrose Parry is a pseudonym for a collaboration between Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman. The couple are married and live in Scotland. Chris Brookmyre is the international bestselling and multi-award-winning author of twenty-one novels, including Black Widow, winner of both the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year and the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year. Dr Marisa Haetzman is a consultant anaesthetist of twenty years’ experience, whose research for her Master’s degree in the History of Medicine uncovered the material upon which this novel was based. @ambroseparry

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Canongate Books; Main edition (October 2, 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1786893789
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1786893789
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.51 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,397,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9,207 in Historical Thrillers (Books)
- #12,928 in Historical Mystery
- #16,576 in Murder Thrillers

Customer Reviews:
4.3 1,632 ratings

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4.3 out of 5

1,632 global ratings

5 star		52%
4 star		31%
3 star		12%
2 star		3%
1 star		2%

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Margarita Rosa

Entertaining!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 15, 2021

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I enjoyed this first book of a new series featuring rash but compassionate apprentice physician Will Raven and brilliant and intrepid young maid Sarah Fisher, both part of the household of the renowned Dr Simpson in late 1840s Edinburgh. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of medical procedures and available medicines of the time, intertwined with a compelling story line. While I was pretty sure “whodunnit,” I was nevertheless intrigued by how the storylines would be concluded. I am looking forward to reading the second book.

2 people found this helpful

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fRayyan

Gripping from beginning to end

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 7, 2018

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The first book I have read of this author. And how much I loved it. History, knowledge in early study of medicine, mystery, bit of romance, all are here. My only complaint is the book ends so abruptly.

4 people found this helpful

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Patrick A. Mead

Accurate in every detail and thrilling, too

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 10, 2019

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This paints an accurate picture of the Edinburgh of the 1700s.-1800s. SO well done -- class-ism, prejudice, ignorance, pre-science clashing with science...and a great mystery. Can't wait for them (it's a husband/wife team) to write more.

2 people found this helpful

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Placentia Girl

Blend of history of science with a spellbinding story

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 1, 2020

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It was fun to visit 19th century Edinburgh with its contrasts between the gentry of New Town and the rougher life around the Castle.

2 people found this helpful

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deanxc

Outstanding period novel

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 22, 2019

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Well written, great attention to detail, and delicious suspense. Characters were quite believable and well constructed within the historical context.

Wonderful read.

2 people found this helpful

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Bonnie

Fun

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 22, 2018

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Very enjoyable, light read. Especially fun if the reader is familiar with Edinburgh.
I would absolutely read a sequel (or two).

3 people found this helpful

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William Kenyon

Fix the formats and double check them before you publish

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 7, 2018

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I have no idea if the content /story of the book is good or not, because the kindle edition of the book is so messed up that the print is illegible in places. What a waste of money.

5 people found this helpful

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damppebbles

The Way of All Flesh

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 3, 2019

The Way of All Flesh was written by Ambrose Parry (also known as Christopher Brookmyre and Dr Marisa Haetzman) and was published by Cannongate Books in paperback format on 30th April 2019. I received a free eARC of this book from NetGalley but that has in no way influenced my review.

What an absolutely wonderful historical mystery this is! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t read enough historical fiction. I loved the setting (a dank and foggy Edinburgh in the 1840s), I loved the characters and I loved how wonderfully descriptive the writing is. I was completely immersed in the story and I relished every single moment of it.

Medical student, Will Raven, acquires an apprenticeship with the renowned obstetrician, Dr James Young Simpson. He is certain a life of riches awaits him and hopes his association with the esteemed Professor will ensure a line of wealthy patients queue up outside his door seeking his services in return for great financial remuneration. Arriving at 52 Queen Street in a bloody and battered state Raven soon realises that not everything is as he first hoped and is aghast when the good Doctor is called to a less-than-salubrious abode and waves off payment. Raven was sure he would be treating wealthy ladies from the New Town and living the high-life on the doctor’s coattails.

When the doctor and Raven witness a young woman’s contorted body being pulled from the docks Raven is reminded of his friend, Evie and how her body was discovered in a similar horrifying state. Could the deaths be connected? And what could cause the bodies to contort in such a way? Raven enlists the help of Sarah Fisher, the doctor’s housemaid and together they try to solve the mystery before more young woman lose their lives in such a horrific manner…

There’s so much to this book. Yes, the mystery element plays a part but there’s so much more to it than that. The characters are just wonderful. I loved both Will and Sarah. Will is a little priggish at times but he can be forgiven as his heart is in the right place, no matter how it initially seems. I adore Sarah and I loved how ahead of her time she is. Wanting to break down those gender and class divides – it’s clear to the reader that she does not want to settle for her lot and her intelligence and thirst for knowledge is an inspiration (unfortunately it just doesn’t *quite* fit into 1840s Edinburgh life). Brilliant characters and I am thrilled to hear they will return in a second book.

Dr Simpson’s quest to ease the pain and trauma of childbirth for his patients by discovering a new anaesthetic, therefore replacing ether, was a fascinating sub-plot which I thoroughly enjoyed. There are some scenes in the book which are a little on the gory and upsetting side but these tend to relate to medical procedures and just the way situations were dealt with in the 1840s.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes, and I’m very much looking forward to the second book in the series which is out this Summer. I loved how wonderfully atmospheric the writing is. I loved the characters and can’t wait to see how they develop in future books. A great historical read and one I heartily recommend.

I chose to read and review an eARC of The Way of All Flesh. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

2 people found this helpful

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Spicewalker

Brilliant characters and what a story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 31, 2018

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I don't read a lot of historical fiction but there was something about this story that intrigued me, possibly down to the writing team behind it, but also just the sound of the story. Having been very fortunate to hear a couple of readings from the book at Bute Noir early last month, including hearing the pair talk about the book and how it came to fruition, I knew I'd made a wise choice. As soon as I started to tuck into those opening pages I was gone, lost in a world of 19th Century Edinburgh inhabited by the delightful Dr Will Raven and Sarah Fisher. And believe me, lost is the right word as in no time at all I was twenty-five percent of the way through and tearing through the story in what felt like a blink of an eye.

The story opens in intriguing fashion. We meet newly qualified Raven on the eve of his starting an apprenticeship with the esteemed Dr Simpson. As we quickly learn, Raven is not typical of the type of men you would associate with the practice of medicine, his history, and immediate present, a little checkered, the company he appears to keep and to attract, of the less salubrious variety. From the opening we get a taste of what is to follow although no hint as to what may have happened, as Raven discovers the body of a young woman, previously of his acquaintance, who appears to have suffered a horrific death. Sadly it appears that she is just one of many, and what follows is the slow uncovering of foul play on the streets of Edinburgh, a truth that Raven, assisted in no small part by Dr Simpson's housemaid Sarah, is determined to uncover.

Now it is hard to discuss the book or its plot further that this, as to do so would give vital clues as to what is to transpire. Needless to say, as you discover the nature of Raven's chosen field of speciality, you may take a hint as to what you will discover in the coming pages, but not the who, the why and the how of it all. Despite the setting, the era in which the book is set, the story is truly compelling and the very nature of the patriarchal system and the sense of right and wrong which pervades the novel very authentic. Sadly there are truths in this book which still exist in society today, although thankfully the practice of medicine is decidedly less brutal. Can you even imagine having a limb amputated, deliberately I might add, without the aid of an anaesthetic or pain killer of any sort? Me either, but that is what you are faced with here.

I loved the characters of Raven and Sarah. Sarah is a woman very much ahead of her time, at least in the eyes of her peers and her 'betters' but reflective of the sentiment which was starting to prevail. A young woman who is capable of and who wants far more than her circumstances would allow. She is astute, very intelligent, and gets the best of Raven on more than one occasion, her tenacity and determination making me smile. There are certain feelings of inevitability to her actions as you know she will not be bested by a mere man, but still, I was rooting for her. As for Raven, he is a man of contradictions, but clearly one who is hiding something, a matter which is not revealed to the reader until you are one hundred percent on his side. And you will be as, despite his initial attempts at grandeur, he is a man who lacks the true pomposity of many of his peers and who is simply trying to get to the truth. Both are brilliant characters and make for a formidable and highly likeable pairing. I can't wait to meet them both again.

I am always concerned when reading historical fiction that there will be a tendency to make the language too flouncy or pompous, inaccessible in the way it is presented and, well quite honestly, off putting. Not so in this case. The story simply flowed and while feeling very much of the period, there was still a sense of pace and rhythm which made the reading experience highly enjoyable. Full of mystery and with moments of great tension, notably near the start and end of the novel where our hero Raven is in great peril, there is something about the read which had me completely engrossed and it is kind of hard to tell you why.

It wasn't particularly dark, although in terms of story and the truth of history it makes for grim reading. It wasn't the thrill of the chase unless you count a couple of emergency carriage rides across Edinburgh to attend to women in labour. Whilst there are moments of mirth, it isn't that it was a particularly funny read either. I think it boils down to good, old fashioned, bloody brilliant story telling. Nothing more nothing less. This book comes highly recommended from me.

28 people found this helpful

S. Naomi Scott

An eminently readable whodunnit set in mid-nineteenth century Edinburgh.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 9, 2019

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For those who don’t already know, Ambrose Parry is the pseudonym of husband and wife writing team Christopher Brookmyre and Dr. Marisa Haetzman. He’s a veteran crime writer specialising mostly in the tartan-noir genre, while she’s an experienced consultant anaesthetist with a background in the history of medicine, and together they’ve written a pretty damned good historical crime thriller set in mid-nineteenth century Edinburgh.

The Way of All Flesh is the first book to be released by the duo, and ostensibly centres around the mysterious deaths of a number of prostitutes and women of low station in the city. Leading the investigation is Will Raven, newly appointed assistant to Dr. James Simpson, eminent obstetrician to the poor and wealthy alike, who is drawn into the mystery as a result of his connection to one of the first victims, Evie Lawson.

What follows is, in many ways, a classic whodunnit. The cast of characters is slowly revealed, and the pool of suspects is gradually filled out with a suitable mix of objectionable and suspicious types. Will is joined in his investigation by Simpson’s housemaid, Sarah Fisher, who rails against the expectations placed upon her due to her sex and strives to become more than just a domestic servant. Between them they eventually piece together the clues, leading them to a final confrontation with the killer. But that’s not all this book has to offer.

The true strength of this book is its attention to detail. Will Raven and Sarah Fisher may be wholly fictitious characters brought to life solely for this novel, but many of the other characters involved in the narrative were very real. Dr. James Simpson was a real obstetrician, and arguably the man most responsible for the discovery and introduction of chloroform, and inspector James McLevy was an Edinburgh detective whose own writings may in part have inspired the creation of Sherlock Holmes. This attention to detail also comes through in the descriptions of Edinburgh itself, especially as it pertains to the medical schools the town was famous for at the time, making the whole an engrossing page-turner of a narrative.

If you dive into this book expecting the humour and absurdity of Brookmyre’s earlier books then you’re going to be very disappointed. Likewise, if you’re expecting something dark and noirish, like his more recent works. The style and approach employed here are very different to anything of his I’ve previously read, and this is almost certainly down to Dr. Haetzman’s involvement. As a team, the two of them have produced an eminently readable whodunnit, and while the formula may not be particularly original, I’d still say it’s worthy of a four star rating.

11 people found this helpful

Gary H.

If I'd known this was Christopher Brookmyre, I would not have bothered....

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 13, 2019

Verified Purchase

Felt like an afternoon drama, lots of the worst kind of melodrama, ludicrous characters and nonsense storytelling with a happy ending pinned on.
A cast of dozens, mostly doctors who, are indistinguishable from each other. An enormous amount of research every sentence of which is shoe horned in, mostly early medical procedures that are there to make you wince. Maybe you don't read this if you are pregnant.
Echoes of Buchan, Dickens, and Conan Doyle, but not in a good way. I had real trouble finishing this and am no better for having done so, as the reveal of the murderer of the "Hoors" is utter nonsense.
Overblown rubbish, two authors hiding behind a pseudonym.

13 people found this helpful

Targaid

A nom de plume for a reason

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 6, 2022

Verified Purchase

I've been a fan of the author since his first book under his own name. I loved the biting wit and the anarchic edge to his earliest stories.

All of which are missing both in his more recent works and here. Being of an entirely different oeuvre I can see why the pen name has been adopted for this series. As this sort of tale goes it's well enough done. The Victorian era Edinburgh being well described and the story using its period to create a well drawn mental image of the city.
I did spot the villain fairly early on, though and it's all just a bit pedestrian. It's like watching a BBC period drama. Lots of attention to detail, good performances from the cast and healthy sprinkling of stereotypes that just manage to avoid the viewer rolling their eyes at the familiarity. It's all just a little too much to the formula, though. The humour and the sarcasm and the life of real people suppressed through a veneer of Victorian manners. Or what we tend to think of as how olde time folk spoke and behaved. Whilst there is a need for that I wish someone would break that staid mould just a bit and I thought this author might. Sarah is the nearest character to managing that and one can hope that will develop through the series.
Otherwise it's all just a tad same-old, same-old. Enjoyable enough whether that's your thing or even if it's not. Your time will pass happily enough and if you're a fan of this sort of period drama I'm sure you'll love it.

One person found this helpful

Rebecca

A meander through historical Edinburgh...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

A meander through historical Edinburgh....

This was a lovely surprise read that took me back in time on a meander through historical Edinburgh. To a city in 1847, when medicine was a new science and murder was rife.

Living near and working in Edinburgh, this book for me provided a lovely contrast of the Edinburgh of now to the Edinburgh of then. Now, walking down some of the streets, especially in the Old Town at night, I can almost imagine Will Raven dashing through the dimly lit cobbled closes.

This book was chosen for book club and I was a bit worried it was going to be slightly on the gory and gruesome side, given the title of the book. However, it wasn't as gory or graphic as I initially feared, although there was a few gory scenes throughout.

I liked the two main characters, Will and Sarah, Will's housekeeper, and liked the idea of them working together as a team to uncover the mysterious apparition of bodies found on Edinburgh's streets.

Will was a complex character and appeared to be a bit of a lovable rogue with an endearing past, whilst Sarah appeared a strong female character with an air of confidence and tenderness. Although I liked Sarah, I did feel that her character could of been more involved in the solving of the crimes. I was also expecting perhaps a few more murders or corpses to turn up.

Overall though this was a great book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It was a great escape into historical murder-driven and medicine-discovering Edinburgh.

One person found this helpful

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The Way of All Flesh (A Raven and Fisher Mystery, 1) Hardcover – October 2, 2018

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