£5 Please note that this digital event will be available live and will also be available to view up to (and including) Thursday the 6th October.

Ambrose Parry, the dazzling husband and wife writing team of Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman, will deliver the Masterclass keynote address. As well as the three spellbinding books in the Ambrose Parry series – The Way of All Flesh, The Art of Dying and A Corruption of Blood – they also have the vast experience behind Chris’s 25 novels to impart. Whether you’re keen to learn the secrets of meticulous research – and how to judiciously use it – or want to hone your ability to plot, draw characters, or keep your reader on the edge of their seat, Chris and Marisa can help.

Please note that this event is the keynote lecture only of Bloody Scotland’s Masterclass. Ticket details HERE

My Thoughts on A Corruption of Blood:

A Raven and Fisher Mystery: Book 3 – McIlvanney Award Finalist 2022

Edinburgh, 1850. This city will bleed you dry.

Sarah Fisher is keeping a safe distance from her old flame Dr Will Raven. Having long worked at the side of Dr James Simpson, she has set her sights on learning to practise medicine herself. A notion everyone seems intent on dissuading her from.

Across town, Raven finds himself drawn into Edinburgh’s mire when a package containing human remains washes up on the shores of Leith, and an old adversary he has long detested contacts him, pleading for Raven’s help to escape the hangman.

Sarah and Raven’s lives seem indelibly woven together as they discover that wealth and status cannot alter a fate written in the blood.

Set in 1850’s Edinburgh A Corruption of Blood is a pacy thriller with medical undertones. I absolutely LOVED the opening of this novel:

‘A book is already written before the reader casts an eye upon the page. Its tale creates the illusion of uncertain outcome and myriad possibilities, when in truth all of its events are predetermined, unfolding in an ordered sequence that cannot be altered, only observed. Was this also true of each human life? Were our fates decided even before we were pulled screaming into the world: dictated by provenance and circumstance, by what our forebears could or could not grant us, and by what they were unwittingly forced to pass on?’

How incredible is that? It may in fact be one of the best openings I’ve read in a long time. This novel is a haunting and enthralling gothic tale that had me guessing throughout. Beautifully descriptive, I adored how the authors made excellent use of the senses to pull me into this story. I’ve only read one of the previous two books in this series but I didn’t feel lost so I’m confident in saying that it is easily read on its own.

Another thing I enjoyed was how the women were strong, determined and often very vocal despite the time period. It was refreshing as I think it is often more focused on the bias/patriarchy and this just made it feel more real, though the other elements were also present.

The subject matter will not be for some, child death is not an easy topic to write about, but in no way was it gratuitous. I found the mix of fact with fiction absolutely compelling and adding to the authenticity. It was fascinating and I found myself jumping to google to find out if things were true!

A Corruption of Blood is emotive, captivating and unputdownable. I was invested in the characters, Will Raven and Sarah Fisher especially as they are such a great duo – admiration, attraction and conflict ever present between this pair. The time period was fascinating as was the medical side – I didn’t feel overwhelmed as the information was delivered so even I could understand it!

Would I recommend this book? With every ounce of my being I would! Dark, twisty, utterly fascinating and pacy, I can’t wait to read the next in this superb series! On a final note, I just want to wish Marisa and Chris the best of luck for the McIlvanney Award 2022 and congratulate them on becoming a finalist!