Ambrose Parry

“Voices of the Dead” is by Chris Brookmyre and Dr. Marisa Haetzman, who write under the pseudonym Ambrose Parry. In 1853, Edinburgh resident Dr. Will Raven and his wife, Eugenie, have a little boy and are awaiting the birth of their second child. Raven is rarely at home because he is busy working with his mentor, Dr. James Simpson, a skilled obstetrician who pioneered the use of chloroform as an anesthetic. In addition, Raven finds fatherhood challenging and has difficulty relating to his irritable young son. Meanwhile, Sarah Fisher, whom Will was once interested in romantically, aspires to become a physician, but is prevented from doing so because of her gender. For now, she is Dr. Simpson’s capable assistant.

In the mid-nineteenth century, mesmerism aroused the public’s interest. Sarah, who believes that this practice might have therapeutic applications, is intrigued by Dr. Harland Malham, a self-styled mesmerist who claims that he can relieve people’s pain. Will dismisses Malham as a charlatan who takes advantage of gullible individuals. The story’s dramatic core involves the efforts of Raven, Dr. Henry Littlejohn (a police surgeon and assistant pathologist), and Detective James McLevy to track down a killer who disposes of his victims’ remains in a particularly gruesome manner.

Although the previous novels in this series were provocative and compelling, this one is cluttered with too many confusing and implausible subplots. It takes the sleuths quite a while to identify the tale’s villain, a psychopathic predator who has a penchant for arson as well as murder. When Brookmyre and Haetzman wrap up their lengthy work of fiction, they leave a few issues unresolved, presumably to be dealt with in the next installment. “Voices of the Dead” has its share of flaws, but the authors effectively depict the mood and values of the Victorian age, with its blatant sexism, class prejudice, and obsession with spiritualism.… (more)

This book had been on my Tolino for a long time and as I wanted to read another historical thriller, it came at just the right time.

1847: Edinburgh is shaken by a brutal series of murders of young women. All the victims have died in the same gruesome way. At the same time, medical student Will Raven takes up a position with the brilliant and renowned obstetrician Dr Simpson, in whose house ground-breaking experiments with newly discovered anaesthetics are regularly carried out. Here Will meets the inquisitive housemaid Sarah, who, however, gives him a wide berth and quickly realises that he is carrying a dark secret around with him. Both have very personal motives for wanting to solve the murders. Their investigation leads them into the darkest corners of Edinburgh's underworld and only if they manage to overcome their mutual dislike will they have a chance of making it out alive.… (more)

"The Way of All Flesh," by Chris Brookmyre and his wife, Dr. Marisa Haetzman, who collaborate under the pseudonym Ambrose Parry, is set in Edinburgh in 1847. The young hero, Will Raven, is the penniless product of a dysfunctional family. Although he has limited prospects, Will is studying medicine and much to his relief, has landed a position as an apprentice to the acclaimed Dr. James Simpson. Highborn expectant mothers are willing to pay a handsome fee to be cared for by the well-regarded Dr. Simpson. Unlike many of his peers, this physician is neither self-serving nor greedy; he regularly offers his services to the poor for free.

Alas, Will Raven is a troubled young man with a penchant for getting into trouble. After a close friend, Evie Lawson, begs him for two guineas, he unwisely borrows it from a "cut-throat usurer" named Flint. Will has no means to repay the loan, and when it comes due, Flint's violent henchmen come after him. In addition, when Will discovers that prostitutes are dying under mysterious circumstances, he launches his own investigation to find out who is killing them and why. Another key character is an intelligent and outspoken housemaid, Sarah Fletcher, who is interested in anatomy, chemistry, and pharmacology. At first, Will and Sarah grate on one another's nerves, but they later join forces to foil a cold-blooded villain.

Parry’s Edinburgh is a place of "public decorum and private sin, city of a thousand secret selves." Moreover, doctors and surgeons in the mid-nineteenth century did not consistently follow the dictum, "Do no harm." In their eagerness to concoct new potions--including a safer and more effective anesthetic--some practitioners experimented on themselves and others, heedless of the dangers involved. The authors explore the evils of greed, sexism, and religious intolerance, and emphasize that, in those days, there was an unbridgeable gap between the privileged classes and the lowborn who were mired in poverty. The plot incorporates a touch of romance and a promise of further adventures to come. Will is just beginning to realize that he must rein in his tendency to lash out if he is to become a mature and competent person worthy of respect. "The Way of All Flesh" is a bit too long and concludes with a predictable and melodramatic finale. Nevertheless, this is a compelling and colorful novel, the descriptive writing is first-rate, and Parry whets our appetite for the next installment in what promises to be an absorbing series.
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In "The Art of Dying," by Ambrose Parry (a pseudonym for the husband and wife team of Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman), Dr. Will Raven returns to Edinburgh after spending a year abroad, with stops in London, Paris, Vienna, Leipzig, and Berlin. During his travels, Raven learned a great deal from renowned medical practitioners and teachers, enjoyed the company of a beautiful older woman, and had a violent altercation with an armed assailant in a dark alley (Will admits that he has a "perverse appetite for mayhem"). Now a fully licensed physician, Will has been hired to assist his mentor, Dr. James Simpson, a fine diagnostician who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology. The generally well-regarded Simpson pioneered the use of chloroform as an anesthetic. Unfortunately, there are prominent individuals who have been spreading ugly rumors about him in an effort to tarnish his reputation.

This sequel to "The Way of All Flesh" is as evocative, intense, and compelling as its predecessor. Parry demonstrates that there was a huge chasm in Edinburgh between the haves and have-nots. Furthermore, although physicians had made strides in their understanding of anatomy and disease, many patients still died because of infections, botched operations, and "relentless purging, blistering, and bloodletting."

The authors seamlessly combine a variety of engrossing plot elements: a sadistic nurse reveals details of her sordid past and heinous crimes; Raven is desperate to free himself from the clutches of a moneylender whose thugs keep stalking him; much to Will's surprise, the feisty and brilliant Sarah, a former housemaid and close friend, has moved on with her life. Parry also explores such themes as the importance of social status, and the desire of some women to flout convention by seeking to fulfill themselves professionally and personally. This tale has a Dickensian cast of characters and evocative settings that transport us to a bygone era. "The Art of Dying" is an intense and compelling work of historical fiction, as well as a morality tale. Parry implies that, although no one is born evil, under certain circumstances almost everyone is capable of deplorable deeds. "Every true demon was once a child, one that knew fear and suffering."… (more)