The Resurrectionist

by A. Rae Dunlap, Tom Kiteley (narrator), HarperNorth (publisher)

Death is only the beginning…

'Breathtaking … A new talent [in] the field of gothic historical literature' NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS

'Devilishly macabre … As dark as a midnight graveyard' PATRICE McDONOUGH

'Hauntingly gothic, intimately told, and wickedly, wonderfully grotesque' MARIELLE THOMPSON

In this gothic, twisty debut historical novel, a young medical student is lured into the underworld of body snatching in 19th-century Edinburgh … and unexpectedly falls in love.

1828. James Willoughby arrives in Edinburgh with empty pockets a dream of studying surgery. Desperate to scrape together fees for the city’s leading anatomy school, he strikes a deal with Nye MacKinnon, a dashing young dissectionist who shows James a way into this elite academic realm … via the cemetery.

James descends with Nye into the underground ranks of the Resurrectionists – men infamous for stealing fresh corpses and selling them to professors as anatomical specimens. Before he knows it, they are caught up in a life-or-death scheme as rival gangs of snatchers compete in a morbid race for power and prestige. And as James and Nye lock eyes across graves and dissection tables, they soon realise that they yearn to be more than partners in academic crime …

The Resurrectionist is a thrilling tale of queer love, murder, and the grisly origins of modern medicine.

–

A “BEST NEW HORROR NOVEL OF THE MONTH” – ESCAPIST MAGAZINE AND BOOKBUB.COM

A “MOST-ANTICIPATED NEW QUEER BOOK OF THE MONTH” – BOOKRIOT

Genres: Historical Fiction, Horror, Gothic, Historical, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Audible Audio

First published December 24, 2024

About the author

A. Rae Dunlap studied film and Victorian literature at Northwestern University and spends her days as a trailer editor at Disney, bringing to life the magic of the world’s most influential storytellers for audiences everywhere. She lives with her husband in a small mountain town in California and can be found online at ARaeDunlap.com.

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a historical fiction debut novel by A. Rae Dunlap. If you enjoy twisty gothic tales set in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1828, then this may be the book for you. It pulls from true crime of the period with some real people, including criminals, being featured in this fictional story of a dark period in Scottish history.

James Willoughby, as the third son of a landed gentry family, is too physically inept to join the military and abandons his studies at Oxford to pursue a dream of studying surgery in Edinburgh. The city’s university offers everything he desires except the change to work on a human cadaver. To do this, he must join a private school in Surgeon’s Square. Without the necessary funds, he strikes a deal with Aneurin (Nye) MacKinnon for half tuition in return for helping him without realizing that Nye is a body-snatcher. With rival gangs and unsavory characters mixing with pioneering medical procedures and the pursuit of science plus a forbidden love for the time-period, there’s a combination of fact and fiction.

James tends to have physical ineptitude, wants a sense of belonging, yearns for a purpose, and is a loyal friend. He’s also a driven student, somewhat innocent, and an advocate for justice. The other characters are well-defined.

Besides great characterization, the world-building was fantastic. From James’s room at the inn to the surgery center to scenes of gore and violence, it was easy to visualize. The blend of true crime and historical fiction had me researching this time-period to find out more about the true crime aspect of this story and the body-snatching business of the time. My biggest quibbles with the book were that I felt the writing style was somewhat formal and sometimes this resulted in more telling than showing. While many have classified this as a historical mystery, I didn’t get the feel that there was much of a mystery. It was more of a straight historical fiction novel to me. Other threads woven through the story include friendship, academic exploits, power, concepts of morality, class divisions, and treatment of women.

Overall, this was an entertaining story that had great characterization and was very atmospheric. The author’s note and the discussion questions are worth reading and thinking about them.

Kensington Publishing and A. Rae Dunlap provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for December 24, 2024.
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My 3.98 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has, for the longest time, been fascinated by Penny Dreadfuls, crime stories set during Victorian England and story's featuring the morbid topic of resurrection men and the emergence of medical sciences in the 19th century, I completely adored this story ❤️

James, as the third son of modestly landed family, is aware that the avenues available to him to build a financially stable life for himself are few and far between. Following the death of his father, James leaves his education at Oxford to move to Edinburgh to pursue his passions is the surgical sciences. However, in order to get his foot in the door for the opportunities he needs, James finds himself agreeing to an arrangement and learning more than he bargained for regarding the underbelly of the surgical schools, and more pressingly, the procurement of their medical specimens.

James was just a wonderful protagonist, his journey of naivety and innocence being stripped away from him as he falls further into the immoral underbelly of resurrectionist work mirrors the readers journey alongside him. This book really had some great elements of a coming of age story and it was wonderful to watch James come into his own over the course of his adventures and become more confident and assertive in himself.

And Nye...what a wonderful love interest, I am completely weak for him. Smart, charming, capable and mercurial. Completely unscrupulous, a mad butcher and a rogue in matters of business, yet earnest and loyal in matters of the heart. My heart hurt for him as we found out more about his back story, and see the lens that it provides James for his own understanding of his relationship with Nye and the power dynamic that exists there despite Nye's on bravado and confidence. Nye and James' relationship just really worked for me. Its worth noting that this is fade to black, so you'll be disappointed if you're after something with some spice.

This is ultimately, at its core, a reimagining of the fascinating true crime case of Burke and Hare, and despite the number of movies and books I've consumed on this topic, I thought that this was a fun and fresh take on a case that has long captured people's morbid imaginings.

There is so much potential here for a sequel and I hope to every deity listening that this won't be the last the author writes of James and Nye's lives and adventures.



(the planets really aligned this week to give me some wonderful reads ❤️)

[K.J. Charles]

A historical novel with romance set amid Edinburgh's Resurrection Men at the time of Burke and Hare.

It's a glorious setting for a Gothic romance--two bodysnatchers/anatomists falling in love over plundered graves and eviscerated bodies! Unfortunately, it has not been well edited. A lot of misused words, repetitions, and internal inconsistencies, as well as stylistic issues, and dangling plot threads, all of which really added up and kept jolting me out of immersion. That's a shame because the romance has so much potential (and could have sung with a better edit) and the concept is brilliant fun, and I don't know why the publisher wouldn't make a bit more effort on a debut when putting so much weight behind design and marketing. Not impressed by HarperKensington here [duh, Harper North is the UK publisher; makes far more sense that it didn't get editorial oversight from a Brit]; not fair at all on the author.

[Teru · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ressurectionist was kind of tailored to my exact tastes, and I managed to pick it up at the most perfect time!

James is an aspiring medical student, arriving in Edinburgh to begin his educational journey to become a physician, alongside many of his peers who share his desire to be part of the new scientific approach. It’s the year 1828, and private anatomical schools are at their peak, offering a much more personal approach to the study of the wonders of the human body. James joins one of such schools, and there he happens to meet Aneurin, a mysterious doctor’s assistant - and this meeting sets James on a course he never would’ve thought possible for himself.

The atmosphere is absolutely impeccable - historical Edinburgh, medical studies in private anatomy schools, macabre yet utterly fascinating body-snatching business... and the time of Burke and Hare? Sign me the fuck up. The writing was brilliant, fitting the time period while being approachable, and the pace caught me in its clutches and didn’t let go until the finish line.

When it comes to the genre, it’s... historical love story? With some suspense and crime-solving thrown in? I definitely would’ve appreciated a stronger mystery element, but if you’re not familiar with Burke and Hare, I suggest you don’t do googling, and the mystery will probably be there for you!
I absolutely loved the romanticization of the medical studies, of the utter fascination of being at the time of great discoveries of the workings of the human body - which comes hand in hand with experiments that might seem tasteless at best, deplorable at worst, but... well. I’m very much a pragmatic about it, let’s just say. I loved everything about the setting. 😩

Now, the love story. James and Aneurin (or Nye, that’s much better, can’t stop reading his name as aneurysm xD) were SO DELIGHTFUL! I didn’t expect the romance to grab me by the throat, but it kinda did?? From the first sparks of tentative attraction/intrigue to full-blown adoration and affection, it all made me MELT!
If your darling doesn’t take you grave robbing sorry, body snatching, it’s time to raise your standards, guys 😤

I loved James’ character development from the naive but passionate boy born into a wealthy family, appalled at any perceived lack of manners, to a steadfast man who’s sure of himself and his loyalties. Nye is a true bullshitter, quick-witted and cunning, a bit of a madman - and an utter marshmallow! His seemingly cold exterior hides nothing but soft goo, and I didn’t expect it, but oh my god he’s so precious, my heart! 😳
The combination of sweetness and macabre dark humor between them was SO ADORABLE, and I loved everything about it.

Now, how about a sequel? Any London murders happening around 1829 or so, hm? 👀

Thank you to my dearest angry axolotl for this quite accidental BR 🖤

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really hoped to love this book, and while I was able to enjoy it, it was a bit of a struggle. There are certainly things I enjoyed, so let’s focus on those, first. The whole concept is one I really appreciate; it is a fun piece of history to play with. By superimposing these two outsider identities, queerness and being a body snatcher, never mind the contrasts between the class and social status of the various characters, there is a great opportunity for commentary about how society works and what is expected of different individuals. I don’t think those opportunities are exploited as much as they could be, but the ideas are definitely floated about. Additionally, while there is a part of me that is frustrated by the nonchalance of the queer awakening in this story, I also appreciate it for that, as well. There is no self-torture or denial, there is never anything other than this feels right and so I am going to follow that instinct, and I appreciate that. I would have liked a little internal conversation, some sort of reckoning or acknowledgment, especially given how dangerous it was to be queer at that time, which is brought up later in the story, and that never really happens, which was disappointing. I don’t need hysterics and self-damnation, but it felt like we got little internal shift or recognition of something quite monumental. Still, I found myself appreciating how little drama this occupied in our character’s mind.

The characters were on the right path to me, but didn’t quite get there. They weren’t bland, but they did feel like they slipped into easy archetypes or expectations. Nothing they did really surprised me, I should say. I think if we had spent more time with his other friends, who we only get bits of here and there, we could have seen more sides of the characters and let them feel more lived-in and robust. Still, they didn’t bore me, and I think we did see a decent amount of character growth in James, even if the trajectory was expected.

I think what really made the book hard for me, though, was the writing and plotting. Now, the writing and plotting weren’t bad, but they just didn’t work for me. Firstly, I really didn’t like that the narrator broke the fourth wall to address the reader, and more than once. This immediately created a sense of artifice that I think harmed my investment, because it didn’t add anything or change the stakes in any useful way. But in addition to that narrative framing, the writing felt too eager for me, maybe a little twee, and because of that slightly tortured. For instance, there were words italicized in what felt like every paragraph, and I am sure it wasn’t that many, but it certainly felt that way. Both dialogue and narration, there were just italics running around all over the place and it made everything feel a little forced. Additionally, there were some language choices and turns of phrase that felt belabored. A few of that, sprinkled throughout, adds style and tone and I really appreciate it. Here it was just too much, too often. I do get the point, the whole story is from the point of view of a character who has a very specific upbringing and history and education, and he thinks in these kinds of florid, too-smart-for-his-own-good kind of turns of phrase. I like it when the writing style does some of the character-building work, but they were overly frequent enough to distract me.

I think part of my issue, to be fair, is that this story is far more YA than I had anticipated. The plot is very simple, and each obstacle comes up and then is mostly solved right away before moving on, with only minimal lingering effects. Even the deadly obstacle alluded to in the description is barely an important plot point, it is introduced very late in the story and solved readily. So, the plotting feels very much like it sets something up and then knocks it down, I didn’t feel anything lingering in any meaningful way throughout the whole book. Everything was tidy and convenient, which made it less interesting to me. The book actually borders on cozy, with very brief on-page violence near the end but otherwise nothing happens on the page in any titillating or violent ways, which just made everything feel really safe. For a story about a queer man—at a time when being queer could get you handed—who steals bodies from graves. I never really felt any danger in the story. The florid writing and sequential/episodic plotting combine with this to just feel far less complicated and messy and deeply intriguing than the premise and characters held the promise of being. Which, I think, is fine. Like I said, it feels like a YA, almost cozy exploration of a macabre topic. While the writing and plotting didn’t work for me, there was a clear style that might be exactly what others are looking for in this book. While I think everything could have been turned up a little—from character depth to more intricate plotting to introducing actual feelings of dread or danger, physical or emotional, that lasted more than a page before being resolved—and that would have made the book more appealing to me, there is a definite competency in the authorial voice and decisions.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lizzy S]

what if you were GAY and BROKE and had to STEAL CORPSES with your SEXY AND FLIRTY TA

[cam 🍂 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ☆

What a stunning debut! The writing was incredibly immersive and so beautiful that I was immediately drawn in. I loved the way the author took the real life events surrounding the Burke and Hare killings and included their own fictional elements while still staying true to the goings on of the time.

Maybe it’s my love of science and true crime that caused it, but I couldn’t help but support them excavating these bodies in the name of research. Aneurin, who is the assistant of the famous Dr. Malstrom, painted such an exquisite picture to make one not view these body snatchings as crimes, but as a way to revolutionize the medical field, the effects trickling down to other aspects of life.

The romance between James and Aneurin was so cute! It didn’t take away from the mystery at all; but was rather just another thing to love about the story! Aneurin, along with his band of body snatchers, greatly contributed to James’s character development and I loved seeing him come into himself.

I’m finding historical fiction to be a genre I enjoy and I can’t wait for more people to read this! If you like gothic writing, macabre settings, hilariously dramatic characters with a little romance, then this is definitely the book for you. Dunlap definitely outdid herself and I’m excited to see what else she delivers in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington publishing for this arc in exchange for a review!

⤷ Fave quotes/lines:

• ’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.’

• Aneurin’s eyes raked across my face, and I had the uncomfortable sensation of being dissected without so much as a single incision. At long last, he responded. “I can’t tell whether you’re stupider than you seem, more naive than I’d come to believe, or so intentionally obtuse as to be a rare and volatile combination of the two.”

• “You came to Edinburgh because you were looking for the face of God and couldn’t find it in your Bible. Don’t cast blame on me if His true appearance is not the one of beatific serenity you’d been deceived into believing. This is the face of Progress, James. Don’t you dare look away.”

• ‘How could anything be unnatural when our coupling felt as easy as breathing air? How could the life I’d found with Nye be anything other than a benediction, full of grace? How could Nye ever be less than everything?’

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

insane behavior all around - loved it

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Resurrectionist is set in Edinburgh in 1828.

We're following James Willoughby, who left a somewhat posh lifestyle in Oxford behind in order to pursue the study of surgery in Edinburgh, a city known to be a trendsetter in medical advancements.



The regular University isn't enough though. He wants to be able to work with human cadavers, for which he'll need to enroll in a private surgeon's school, the cost of which is sadly out of his price range.

Nevertheless, James is determined, and ready to strike any sort of a deal he can to become a student. Aneurin MacKinnon, a handsome young dissectionist, offers him the opportunity, but it comes at a cost, and James will have to work for it in ways he never could have imagined.



In short, this wasn't at all what I expected, but I still ended up really enjoying it. I expected Horror, but got more of a straight-up historical fiction story, heavy with interpersonal drama. Nevertheless, I was sucked in.

Admittedly, Historical Fiction isn't a genre I gravitate towards, but the rich gothic vibes of this definitely saved it for me. I was impressed.



James was a little naive, but that made him endearing. He was also determined and not afraid to put in the work. I was rooting for him to get everything he wanted, in spite of the world fighting against him in many different ways.

I also loved Aneurin, or Nye, who plays a big part in the story. He added a bit of dark intrigue. There were moments I couldn't quite figure him out, but enjoyed trying.

Overall, this succeeded in grabbing my attention, and although it's not something I would necessarily reach for if I had known more about it, I'm glad that I did pick it up.



Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I'm looking forward to checking out more from this author!

[reverie · Rating 5 out of 5]

where do i begin?

throughout any reader's journey, it's inevitable they find a spare smattering of books that speak to them on some sort of personal level. the characters? the story? the themes, the adventure, the excitement--it doesn't quite matter what does it for us all, merely that the love is there in the end.

this, my friends, is one such book to me. i'll be the first to admit the resurrectionist is no perfect thing. it is often obtusely overwritten, so much so that i'd read a few passes to friends for a good laugh. yet amidst the muck of purple prose (you get used to it after a chapter or so, honestly) is something beautiful.

i was captivated! the atmosphere. the plot. our characters, and the endless grime of it all. but above all? what i hadn't expected was for this book to be so romantic. i knew there was a love interest, sure. i figured our main character would share a few kisses through the chapters, spend a few nights tangled up in the sheets during small lulls before the plot kicked back up, but no.

i was wrong, and i have never been more glad for it.

for all it's damp earth, dead bodies, and general gloom... the resurrectionist is a love story. one that tore me apart, kissed me sweetly, and soothed me when i'd lost faith.

"And Nye. Every moment with him felt like a dream decoded, a riddle unravelled in a foreign tongue. Whether drinking by my side at the Pig, eyeing me appraisingly across the hall at Malestrom's, or splayed out casually in my desk chair recovering from the rigors of a dig, he was my North Star whenever the darkness of doubt threatened to envelop me. When I could not tell dreams from my wakefulness, he remained my touchstone and my Truth; a glimmer in his eye and a quirk of his lips were all that it took to make me feel manifest, whole, and worthy."

the moment i read that, i knew i'd never forget them. james is a charming main character. he's fun, engaging, and i'd gleefully read an entire series of books just to stick around in his head. but... nye? nye, my dear, you have skyrocketed yourself above the rest. you have forever earned yourself a place among my most beloved characters with your charm, your wit, your endless knowledge, your flair for dramatics and complete disregard for the law.

i want more. i need more. i will not be satisfied until i am once again up to my throat in grave soil, poking about some eviscerated corpse, or at the pig once more with james, nye, and the rest of their friends.

[Hester Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

With wit as sharp as a scalpel, and a plot as dark and twisted as the Edinburgh alleys in which it is set, The Resurrectionist is a thrilling debut that will have readers turning pages deep into the night.

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Soon!!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

what if we worked together to steal the bodies of the recently deceased from graveyards around the city in order to supply our med school with cadavers and we fell in love while evading arrest and the hangman’s noose? what then?

Bookstagram | Blog

[M Gregs · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book, but it fell sorely short of every single expectation it set for itself in its blurb. To elaborate:

First, the description promises that the action of this book is set against the backdrop of Hare and Burke’s terrorism of 19th-century Edinburgh. This is a bald-faced lie. Hare and Burke do appear in the book, but only for about 40 pages in what has to be one of the most random endings I’ve ever read. And let’s get this straight: I don’t really want to read about serial killers. But if your blurb promises that kind of atmosphere, it’s a really strange decision to leave any mention of these folks for a late-stage reveal that has essentially nothing to do with the rest of the plot.

Second, the description insinuates that the reader, like the narrator, will be captivated by the body-snatcher Nye. Bold claims for a character who is basically a male manic-pixie archetype. There’s literally nothing captivating about any of the characters, including and especially the two male leads. They were both narcissistic, pompous brats, and I took no pleasure at all in reading about either of them.

Finally (there’s more, honestly, but I can’t be bothered to keep this going much longer), the description promises vibes, and name drops the likes of M.L. Rio. But here’s the thing: vibes are born from good writing, and the writing here was amateur at best. The author over-used italics to the point of hilarity, made barely a passing effort to imitate 19th-century writing and speech (anachronisms abound!), and either didn’t have an editor or employed a poor one. I knew I was in trouble from the first chapter when a character refers to a piece of luggage as “the beast,” and the author couldn’t figure out how she wanted to handle this moniker. Within the span of three paragraphs, the piece of luggage is referred to as beast (twice), The Beast, and The Beast. It’s like the author was trying out different ways to talk about this piece of luggage in real time and then forgot to go back and change it to its final incarnation in editing (it’s The Beast, by the way. No italics. And sadly we have to read about it several more times.).

I feel bad because this is a debut, but there was truly nothing substantial here for me to latch onto, and I ended up skimming the final third of the book. I’ll will end by noting that this book felt far more YA than the premise suggested, so perhaps a younger audience might find more worth within its pages than I.

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd like to thank Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this book prior to release.

If you enjoy Penny Dreadful, morbid things, Frankenstein, the show Dodger? you will LOVE this story.

You have a young gentleman who wishes to pursue science instead of wealth and law. With little to no means, he ends up working for some grave-robbers who snatch bodies for various classes / schools to use in their demonstrations. Meanwhile, the leader of them (and the assistant to his teacher) he starts taking a fancy to.

I was craving a turn of the century m/m morbid tale and this delivered. I loved the narrative voice of our protagonist, I loved the relationship with our graverobber (Nye is absolutely charming, and a total #darkbabe), and the world was a familiar one with elements that could exist in real life.

When it ended I got sad that I feel we could have more with them, and I hope to get more? More shenanigans and higher stakes in London, please?

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A naive young medical student joins a group of body snatchers who supply cadavers to medical schools in Edinburg. They eventually run afoul of a competing group of snatchers, apparently based on a real life infamous duo.

If the blurb had warned me that this is a romance novel I probably would not have selected it. Because of the romance and the way that the two main characters are depicted, the book had a lightness to it that didn’t seem to fit the subject. The world asl seemed somewhat underpopulated. There are only 2 female characters, and they get to be victimized in different ways. The actual grave robbing descriptions were interesting (although gross), but that is only a small part of the book. Medical science was also a very small part of the book. This wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t what I expected.

[Desiree Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unexpected content (in reading the End Notes first.) Should have been disclosed as an LGBT book.

[Ярослава · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

James seems fated to be the disappointment of his whole family (look how he's introduced! look! it's🤌: 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). 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:

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.

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: 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. 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.

[Heathers_readss · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The resurrectionist” is a historical fiction that deep dives into the true crime surrounding the murderous duo Burke and Hare

The book is full of real life people/characters and you can tell the author took a lot of time to do thorough research prior to writing the book.

I enjoy reading thrillers with a medical component such as medical students and autopsies and you get plenty of that in this book.
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There was also a little side plot including romance themes between the protagonist and a love interest which gave the plot an extra layer but didn’t go to overboard or overshadow the rest of the story.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing, Rae Dunlap and NetGalley for the EARC!

Publish date: December 24th

[Alyson Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book knowing only that it involved Edinburgh (a favourite place of mine) and Burke & Hare. That was enough to get me interested, but the story kept me hooked. The characters herein are so well put together, coupled with the way the author seamlessly adds world building, supplies a story that makes for an exciting novel.
Having never read a book with two MMC who are in a relationship before, I have no basis to state wether this aspect was dealt with appropriately, but I feel it was handled with care and consideration, leaving a description of an evolving relationship. I really enjoyed this book.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, I am wonderfully, blissfully blown away! This was such a beautiful read! What more could an avid reader of horror, medical jargon and the occasional romance novel want?! This was pure perfection to meet these elemental desires.

A timepiece for 1828 written so perfectly that it submerses you wholly into the world created by Dunlap. How on Earth is this a debut?! The finesse of this beautiful story is just so wonderful and I had such a divine time. Wait to fall head over heels for a wonderfully created character, Nye. He is so vastly intelligent inside the lab and on the streets. It seems no matter the situation or predicament, he is always masterfully equipped to resolve and move forward. He meets our main character, James, through his determination to become a surgeon of great aptitude, and that means finding knowledge outside of the University in the anatomy lab of Malestrom's. His position which he hopes to gain, is rewarded through other means which wonderfully propels the story forward. What a wonderful adventure these two find themselves in for the vocation you will discover with the medical mind and witty heart. I devoured the scenes with all the details one would hope to find brimming with correct references in the medical field. The romance was just beautifully intertwined. There is a dark moment in the story, where true horrors rear their ugliness and the characters rise to chivalrous acts that can only win the hearts of the readers.

The chapters were a perfect length. The language used was just gorgeous. The prose was like the most comfortable day on the beach one could hope for. The ending was perfect, although I was momentarily hopeful for a sequel.

Thank you Dunlap, for sharing such a beautiful story. So wonderfully written. I do share a few of my favorite passages with wanting readers.

As a man of science I of course eschewed all beliefs in the supernatural and occult, but something about the jagged tombstones rising like ravenous teeth from beneath the frosted earth evoked an inevitable sense of foreboding. 5%

"A cut of meat is a cut of meat, no matter how you slice it." 13%

"You came to Edinburgh because you were looking for the face of God and couldn't find it in your Bible. Don't cast blame on me if His true appearance is not the one of beatific serenity you'd been deceived into believing. This is the face of progress, James. Don't you dare look away." 21%

We are members of the league of men who call ourselves not by the mantle of snatchers, but Resurrectionists. 34%

My eyelids grew heavy once more, and the face of my watch blurred as the vexing memories of the past were overwritten by the tender rhythm of my newfound life. My beloved slept peacefully beside me, and I dreamt. 68%

That said, the unique circumstance of being veritably surrounded by half dissected corpses did indeed raise the stakes, and I found myself pulling my punches more out of caution for the deceased than the concern for the living. 77%

At long last, when we could take the cold and rain no more, he led me through the emptying streets in the fading light, back to the warmth and safety of his chamber, and reminded me what it meant to be alive. 95%

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5 ⭐️
I loved this so so much. If you read Anatomy & Immortality by Dana Schwartz and loved them, you’ll absolutely love this one too.

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

✰ 3.75 stars ✰

“Our gaze met, and for a mere millisecond, I felt a crackle of pure energy between us--the sort of sensation one experiences just before the world turns resoundingly upon its head.

“For opportunity.”

I raised my glass before me. “Well then, Aneurin MacKinnon. To​ opportunity.”

Book 2, when? 👉🏻👈🏻

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Okay, that's not all I have to say, because, let's face it, when don't I have something to say? What I can say is that, starting The Resurrectionist - was a struggle. 😔 Struggle because I was stumbling over the over-usage of words that took out the simplicity of the story. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Granted, perhaps it was a writer's choice to evoke the olden classics feel of verbose dialogue and grandiose descriptive detail, heralding to that of the narrative being of one James, of sound mind and body, who has arrived in 1818 Edinburgh in the pursuit of scientific knowledge, 'for the awe of it all - to witness the miracle of the human form first hand' and to escape the burgeoning financial woes of his own family, along with their own disregard and contempt of his being. His studies offer him an escape from sailing through life devoid of consequence or meaning - yearning for a purpose, and 'for the first time in my life, here—at the University, at Malstrom’s—I feel that I matter.' 😥

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ And once I got into the swing of the story, ah, it was so worth it! Okay, one more critique about the writing, because, uff, it was so distracting! 😩 But, I do understand the reasoning behind it, hence, my slight willingness to be forgiving about it, however!

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The usage of italics was severely abused. I understand the need to emphasize certain words - to enhance their effect and meaning in expression and intention - I get it. I use that technique, myself. But, this - this was overkill. 🙅🏻‍♀️ I don't know if it is the case of an ARC, but the author really needs to tone it down, so that we can enjoy the story-telling! Because it was good. It was engaging, and the characters were likeable and the dynamics were well done. I don't want to be mean simply because of the italics, but I must! It was just too much, a lot more than necessary, and there has to be an alternative to get the point across. Please? 🤔

“Our motivation is not the value of the bodies we steal, but in the second life we give them; postmortem Prometheus, bringing fire to mankind.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ For I really did enjoy it otherwise. It was a very intriguing if not engaging debut that was easy to get immersed in, despite the conflicting narrative. 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ I loved how the plot built up - how circumstances led to James entangled with Nye and his nightly crew's excursions - how James' own feelings on said involvement faced its own wavering thoughts, before it finally was met with certainty and conviction that it was where he belonged. That it was not only financial desperation that he benefited from, but Nye's company, as well. The mystery and intrigue, along with the perplexity of their job was something I was familiar with before. 😥 But I was not aware of the true life crimes of Burke and Hare that added to the authenticity of the story. I liked how real life blended into fiction - how Nye and James' own close-knit circle was forced to clash with the unnatural depravity of the macabre that did in turn save them from a worse fate. Seeing them work in tandem - be on similar wavelengths, while tentatively approaching a relationship that was more than just partners and friends to something more... 🥲

“Do you not see that all we have done, I have consented to do? This is my will, Nye. My truth and my reason, it’s all with you.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ And can we talk about James and Nye? Because I do want to talk about how they defined be gay, do crime. At first, I thought James' object of affection would be someone else, but then, I realized how it could not be anyone but this 'red-blooded Scotsman with an entirely unpronounceable Welsh name,' whose easy-going charming nature thrummed with an impulsive nature and thrived on the scientific wonders yet to be discovered. ☺️ They were so sweet together - 'tender, patient, and endlessly joyful' - something so earnestly fervent in not only expressing their attraction and affections for each other, that I could not help the smile that spread across my face during their scenes. In a way they are two peas in a pod - so very passionate about medicine, the human anatomy and the desire to add more to medical research.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Nye was so accommodating and helpful with James. Even when he put him in impossible situations, I loved seeing James just lighten up with him. ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 Even with the morbid act of grave digging for the advances of research, it was nice to see James' opinion change and then steadily accept it for what it was. 'Aneurin had transformed his world from monstrosity to marvel and I felt the veil lift from my eyes, leaving me lucid and nearly blinded by its poignant truth.' It was not even a hot and cold dynamic, but something so cute. 🫠🫠 I loved how James felt comfortable to be as open with Nye. I loved that scene when Nye felt challenged by him - how he then made James see the light. The trust and confidence they felt with each other - the comfort they sought and the gravitational pull they then just felt between the two - despite the fear of being found out - the subtle skirting of their own palpable flirting - 'it could never be unnatural. It was as easy as breathing.' 🥹🤍🥹

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I did find it kinda hypocritical, though, when Nye reacted in a particular scene that made me wonder why he does not share those similar thoughts when excavating bodies that well, did not really deserve to be exhumed, let alone used for their purposes. Perhaps in later years, we might have a chance for this train of thought to be explored. 🤷🏻‍♀️

“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.”

Like I said, book 2 when? 👉🏻👈🏻

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Because I was so sad to see it end! 😭 There was still so much left to tackle, so much more that I am curious about and how things will fare for the two of them. 💛💛 I know that as medical research progresses, The Resurrectionists will cease to exist, but I was not ready to part ways with James and Nye. That questionable future makes me want to know for sure if they will survive what is yet to come. 🥺

*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[heptagrammaton · Rating 2 out of 5]

. . . He did not turn to look at me, but at least he smiled, though his eyes remained full of tears.
   At long last, when we could take the cold and rain no more, he led me through the emptying streets in the fading light, back to the warmth and safety of his chamber, and reminded me what it meant to be alive.

In a way that is pleasingly symmetrical and entirely accidental I am capping off my reading for 2024—more or less— the way I started it: with a gothic YA romance set in mid-19th century Edinburgh with its macabre body-snatching scene, told from the perspective of an idealistic protagonist with medical aspirations and an aristocratic background. In fairness to The Resurrectionist I liked it more and think it an overall better book than Dana Schwartz's Anatomy: A Love Story, all memory of which has sloughed off my brain like sheets of sooty snow off a roof after an early thaw, so make of that what you will.
   A. Rae Dunlap's The Resurrectionist is, in contrast, an atmospheric read. As a narrator, young James Willoughby's voice possesses much of the (over?)wrought lacy and exuberant style that is characteristic to period writing — it may understandably grate on some readers as melodramatic, but I personally find it fitting for the setting and easily charming.
   Dunlap's prose can be in places r(/R)romantic and grippingly cinematic (e.g. the quote at the beginning of this review), but in others the phrasing stumbles into clichés and bland verse: Aneurin leaps through a window like an "avenging angel", and his eyes are described as (content warning for a literal stereotype star of bad fanfiction writing hot takes) "mesmerising orbs".
   Speaking of Aneurin McKinnon – resurrectionist, medical assistant, talented anatomy illustrationist and gay mess – he cuts quite a Sherlockian figure. (The jury is still out if this iteration of The Great Detective knows about Galilean geocentrism, but he certainly knows about Galileo's laws of classical mechanics and their applications, and he will rub it in.) The narrative climax features him struggling against adversity in a fight scene delightfully reminiscent of the much-memed boxing match in 2009's Sherlock Holmes. I wish there was more of that.
   Speaking (apropos awkward phrasings elbowing their way up to you on the train) of narrative voice: halfway through the book, a side character calls him by the nickname Nye, and James's narrative immediately switches to exclusively without an ounce of invitation or hesitation or an em dash in the internal dialogue, which I found to be disorientating and baffling, and a switch made utterly unnessary by the literary perspective already framed in the language of reminiscence. You can be consistent in your narration. If James had gone something like This is Nye, soon to become the beloved companion of my life. But, for now, I knew him as Mr. McKinnon, unreadable at the back of Malstrom's dissecting chamber. that would have been, dare I say, kind of cute. So, why? w h y.
   Speaking of pacing: the plot gets going the way you break down, slowly and then all at once, possibly gratuitously hurting a loved one in the process.

   This is a fine and fun novel, but it really needed a more exacting editing hand. (Not pointing fingers at the author, editor or publisher; this is a systemic industry-wide issue, symptomatic of deeper pathologies of late stage capitalism and the media we consume.)


{This is a review of an advanced reader's copy, generously provided by the publisher and NetGalley, and this reviewer has tried their best to not be either positively or negatively biased by that in their indurate grouchiness.}

[Kaila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Resurrectionist is a well-written, enthralling historical fiction that takes us into the lives of medical professionals who get caught up in the art of body snatching. These body snatchers do not see themselves as grave robbers but as resurrectionists, working towards advancements in medical science for the benefit of all mankind. In this book we follow James Willoughby, a newer resurrectionist stemming from a well-off family, and his story of how he came into body snatching, his love for medical science, and of course, him finding love and himself along the way. Throughout the read, we touch on topics of medical science and its advancements, moral ambiguity, self-discovery, and, of course, romance (same sex, which was taboo and illegal at the time). The author has done a wonderful job creating an atmospheric setting, making the reader feel like we were in 19th century Edinburgh. As far as the writing, it was impeccable and gave a poetic feel, and it also flowed nicely with a steady, even pace. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and would highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and A. Rae Dunlap for this captivating ARC!

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grave robbers - but they aren't stealing the jewels and goods but the bodies for medical research!

I really liked James, our main character. I found his naivete endearing and his enthusiasm contagious. The band of merry thieves that he's brough into were so interesting and I found the historical information about medical school and research fascinating. I liked how we got to see two sides of the coin and shown 2 ways these schools worked. I found the audio narrator was fabulous - I could just imagine James and his endeavors and I even chuckled a few times.

I don't read a lot about body snatching for medical research and I found this to be a fun adventure of a story. I enjoyed it!

[❁lilith❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for access to the eARC, as well as Kensington Publishing

After a small slog of less than amazing reads in a row, this book was a most welcome surprise. I cannot overstate how much I adored our main character, James, and his 'friend'/'assistant' (iykyk), Aneurin. They really make the entire book work so well. I also enjoyed the setting - an early 1800s moment is always appreciated and the vibe was very much on point - and the focused upon medical and graverobbing aspects were continuously interesting. But it definitely was their relationship that kept me oh so invested, every time they're on page together it is just so hard to stop reading. Their dialogue was amazing, and the way they become even closer throughout the book as they try and avoid the law, other graverobbers, and the attacks of high society is amazing to read.
I would absolutely read another book in this world but I also love the idea of this one as a standalone, as I think the story was wrapped up very well in the end.

A very high 4 stars

[Laura]

DNF 55%

You know what, I'm gonna quit while I'm ahead with this one.

I really dislike James (MC) who is the 1st person narrator for this one and here's why:

For example, on page 9

"His accent sounded civilised enough- London or thereabouts at least"

It's just rude saying that everyone from the North (where I'm from) sounds a bit feral. Some people might call me sensitive and petty but his views have stopped me from enjoying this.

I kept reading in the hopes that the character would develop and that the romance with Aneurin aka Nye would save it but alas I was disappointed on both fronts.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Stars

A mix of multiple genres, I found it entertaining and fun.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if we held hands inside the dead body we’re dissecting for science <3

This was actually so delightful, I wasn’t excepting it to be so humorous and romantic considering the subject matter. We follow James, a posh former Oxford boy who arrives in Scotland eager to become a man of science. Edinburg has become the hotspot for scientific enlightenment and he is excited to learn the skills of a physician. Unfortunately, his new life and education are threatened when his family’s financial struggles are revealed. Desperate to earn some coin to continue paying his board and tuition, he stumbles upon the underground world of body snatching. Brought into a crew by a handsome dissectionist named Nye, he begins to learn the process of procuring cadavers for the various schools around town. But when new competition comes to town, all of their jobs— and possibly lives— are in danger.

The romance is in this book was way more prominent than I was expecting and I’m not even mad about it. James and Nye’s relationship was a perfect sweetness against the darker backdrop of this story. Taking ‘be gay, do crime’ to a whole new level. I always love stories that pull from actual historical events and figures. I hadn’t known anything about Resurrection Men or Burke and Hare before reading this so it was fascinating to get a glimpse at this period of time. Lots of scientific things that went directly over my head but was interesting anyways.

I will say, I do wish the Burke and Hare storyline had been introduced a little sooner. It felt kind of squished into the later portion of the story, making its impact fall a little flat. That tension and mystery would have served the story better if it played a larger role. Also (slight spoiler) choosing to kill off the only female character was,,, a choice.

Overall this was a humorously dark historical fiction which some mystery and romance that kept you wanting more. I had a great time!

Thank you for the Netgalley Arc!