Book Review: The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Perry

The Way of All Flesh by Ambrose Perry
Release Date: August 30, 2018
Publisher: Cannongate Books
Pages: 448 pages
Source: NetGalley

Description from GoodReads: “A vivid and gripping historical crime novel set in 19th century Edinburgh, from husband-and-wife writing team Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman

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.”

Entertainment Value: 5
Characters: 4.5-5
Voice: 5
Plot: 5
Overall: 5 stars

Will Raven gets the opportunity of a lifetime, just after receiving a devastating blow.  Even as he moves into his new position and future, his past is chasing him and he chases answers.  This book brings history to life without sugarcoating it!

I love a good historical mystery!  And this was a great historical mystery.  I loved Sarah – her ambition and gumption!  If you were a fan of Mercy Street and lamented its cancellation – this is its Scottish cousin!  Plus some mystery!  It was really good historical fiction, with lots of facts mixed in and plenty of atmosphere-setting, but it didn’t drag.  It was rich in detail and took you back to Edinburgh in 1847, but you weren’t meandering in the streets – you were racing down them! 

The Way of All Flesh felt like an amazingly realistic trip into the past, showing the gritty underbelly of society’s view of women of all stations, poverty, the primitive quality of medicine… But it was full of the hope of development and change!  I truly loved it.

You need this book if you are a fan of historical fiction, mystery, women’s fiction… It reminded me a bit of Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood as it was historical fiction that dealt with a lot of facts and sometimes the uglier side of history.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!