This is number 3 in the historical crime series involving Dr Will Raven, doctor's assistant Sarah Fisher and their mentor Dr Simpson.

This was a surprisingly disappointing read, and as it was a book I bought new, I feel even worse about not enjoying it as much as I'd hoped to. This appears to have been well researched in the historical side of things and that I found to be rather interesting, but as for knowing who our killer is, well...I knew that answer not too far into the book. It was too obvious, even for me.Think about that title! THE WAY OF ALL FLESH. What is the way of all flesh? Is there a commonality in the behavior of all flesh? Is it a reaction of all flesh? Is it the growth or decomposition of all flesh? Or is it merely the greed of those with flesh? As I was reading this novel, it made me think more and more how powerful of a title this really is.

I must say, I found our two main protagonists to be very engaging, and descriptions of Old Edinburgh with it’s cobbled streets and dark and dirty alleyways, along with some really fascinating facts , lent great atmosphere to the proceedings. I will certainly read more books in this series. I'm really curious to see how relations between Sarah, Raven and Eugenie will develop. And whether Eugenie would join in solving mysteries with the two of them. I think she could bring another interesting element to their investigations. And remain hidden. I initially got the impression that Voices of the Dead was quite slow to reveal its purpose and direction, Raven and Sarah's involvement in the criminal investigation a little contrived for an apprentice doctor and a widow with medical ambitions. Both surely would have more on their plates than to do the work of the police for them. It did seem like Brookmyre getting on his high horse again about fraudster spiritualists and mediums without any apparent connection to the crime. As you can imagine, sleight of hand is involved in these targeted pseudo-sciences and you suspect that the author(s) are indulging in a similar game of bait-and-switch. And indeed it proves to be the case, the plotting perfectly balanced with revelations dropped with precision at the right places and times. Impressively so. A special mention for Gregor, who has become far more than the vicious thug his first appearance would have us believe. Dr Will Raven is somewhat frustrated with family life - his wife is heavily pregnant with their second child and he is finding it difficult to relate to, and cope with, his noisy young son. His wife wants him to set up his own practice, his speciality being gynaecology, rather than be junior to Dr Simpson as at present. Raven is somewhat reluctant to do this as it would mean being beholden to her father for funding. His assistant, Sarah Raven, dearly wants to become a doctor (impossible in 1853) and Raven is sympathetic towards her.Novelist Christopher Brookmyre: My life in five games". BBC News. 14 July 2014 . Retrieved 14 July 2014. These are atmospheric and gripping mysteries set in Victorian Edinburgh. In this book there is a woman who earns a living by 'caring' for unwanted babies, or selling them on. An old acquaintance from Will's medical school days is accused of murdering his father and although Will does not like the man he becomes embroiled in the case. Meanwhile Will and Sarah are unable to express their feelings for each other and their romantic feelings are continuing to upset and confuse those around them. It's not just the solid three main characters who I like more with each book, or indeed the lesser characters who are often surprising. A Corruption Of Blood” (ACOB) is a historical crime fiction tale by Ambrose Parry ad is the third book in the Dr Will Raven/Miss Sarah Fisher series. When they began writing the novel, Marisa already had many notes, fictionalized scenes, and narrative non-fiction. They didn’t intend on writing a crime at all, but one that looked at Will’s life as an apprentice as well as the professional temptations that are put in his way.

Marisa was the one that realized they were keeping themselves from making it a crime story and for no good reason either. Chris says that she has always had a lot of input on his other work, like coming up with the plot for his first novel, called “Quite Ugly One Morning”. Prominent in the discovery of chloroform is Dr. Simpson, a renowned and kindly physician who treats both wealthy and poor patients. His specialty is obstetrics and research into anaesthetics. Wii Raven is an impoverished young man, also in debt. Will has been taken on as apprentice by Dr. Simpson. He discovered the body of a prostitute, Evie, who he knew intimately but incurred a debt to obtain for her an honest position. He flees the scene when he observes the ghastly way in which she died which indicated a most painful death. Will is badly injured by a couple of brutal, criminal debt collectors.This is a crime thriller set in Edinburgh in the 1840's, when Edinburgh was leading the way in medical science. Murder most foul, an accusation, and a missing baby ACOB is a story that will keep the reader engaged from start to finish with a conclusion that is not only devilishly clever but also plain to see if you look closely enough (even with the customary red herrings, ACOB is another fine instalment in this great series…and I’m certainly looking forward to reading the next! Bedlam was released in 2013. The book has been turned into a video game, also written by Brookmyre. [8] Ambrose Parry [ edit ]

All Fun And Games until Someone Loses an Eye was the winner of the seventh Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction in 2006. The Crime Writers' Association Dagger Awards 2020" (PDF). The Crime Writers' Association . Retrieved 24 October 2020. Their first novel, called “The Way of All Flesh”, was released in the year 2018. It is the first of their “Ways of All Flesh” series of historical mysteries. Reverend Grissom from a local church is campaigning against the use of ether in childbirth. He believes the Bible verse: “in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children” and is advocating against the practice of ether. Also, the supposed sexual tension scenes that are thrown in to coincide with the love story don't fare well to me, they just caused a couple of eye rolls.I enjoyed the medical side of the book, however gruesome it all was, and I think these scenes were well written, but sadly, it wasn't enough. When further human remains are found, Raven is able to identify a prime suspect, and the hunt is on before he kills again. Unfortunately, the individual he seeks happens to be an accomplished actor, a man of a thousand faces and a renowned master of disguise.