The Art of Dying by Ambrose Parry

In The Art of Dying, we return to Victorian Edinburgh, where, seemingly, no one is safe. Will Raven has returned from studying medicine in Europe and is eager to establish himself as a respected doctor, but is shocked to find someone is trying to ruin the reputation of his employer and mentor, Dr James Young. United with the brilliant Sarah Fisher, the doctor’s former housemaid and current assistant, they are determined to clear their employer’s name – which means diving back into a world Raven would rather leave behind. 

Will Raven and Sarah Fisher are fantastic protagonists, their relationship often one of challenge, banter, and confrontation even as they support each other. Raven fights against his own desires and decides what kind of man he wants to be, as Sarah chafes under the restrictions placed upon her as a woman in the medical world. While the first in the series, The Way of All Flesh, tackled the ways in which women were limited in Victorian Edinburgh, The Art of Dying explores how they break free of the roles assigned to them. Fast paced, confident, and entertaining, this is a gripping and twisty murder mystery through Edinburgh’s Old Town – fans of the writing duo Chris Brookmyre and Dr Marisa Haetzman’s debut novel as Ambrose Parry won’t be disappointed. [Sim Bajwa]