Burke & Hare

by Terry Newman

This is the story of the infamous nineteenth-century Scottish grave robbers who weren't Scottish and didn't rob graves. They were actually Irish, and as robbing graves to supply the needs of Edinburgh's anatomists proved to be rather hard work, they just took to murdering people-usually their neighbors-for profit. In collaboration with their common-law wives, they set about supplying corpses for Dr. John Knox, an eminent Scottish surgeon, with considerable enthusiasm and gusto. The play follows their business exploits from small beginnings, through their days of peak output, and on to the final reckoning-set against a world that is becoming recognizably modern.

Genres: Audiobook

Audio CD

First published October 3, 2017

Reviews

[refgoddess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading references to the anatomists and early serial killers (from Mary Roach's Stiff to the Peter Grant series and the Golden Age of British Mysteries.) So this discovery was quite fun. I don't know if it is only a screenplay or if it is also a book. I listened to it because Martin Jarvis is one of the readers, and I adore his voice. It's a gruesome tale, but quite funny in this version.

[Jneigum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am unsure if this is originally a screenplay or novel. I listened to a screenplay version read by a full cast. I found it quite amusing and even chuckled out loud a few times at the absurdities and cliches.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook