An avid reader, Stephen's knowledge of Crime Fiction is fairly extensive, with The Golden Age is his greatest interest.
Set in 1849 Edinburgh, the second book by the writing partnership of Ambrose Parry again features the home of (the discoverer of Chloroform and celebrated medical expert), Dr James Simpson of 52 Queen Street.
Edinburgh is in the grip of epidemics of fevers and cholera centered on the Old Town, a fetid, poverty stricken and very overcrowded area. This grand old city is suffering from food shortages due to the failure of the potato crop and the attendant infectious diseases resultant in deficient diets.
The medical profession is at full capacity dealing with the crisis. The city has a proud history of achievement in the field of medicine with great improvements made in medical diagnosis and medical education. It is during this period that women are first allowed to study and qualify to practice medicine.
Simpson's protege Will Raven is back to work as his assistant and Sarah Fisher (now Mrs Banks), is working as a general medical help in the surgery. Raven has been travelling around Europe studying modern medical methods employed on the continent. Sarah has a determination to learn as much as she can from Dr Simpson in the hope that she may be able one day to practice medicine herself.
While death is all about with the epidemics there is also a murderer calmly dealing out death without drawing any suspicion, skillfully woven into this narrative.
Raven returns to Queen Street to find Simpson's medical standing & reputation being damaged by malicious rumours about the death of one of his patients. The rumours appear to be supported by some of Simpson's rival medical practitioners. It becomes clear to Raven that he must try to uncover the truth about these rumours. He can only do this with Sarah's help. Why did the patient die and why have other cases died in a similar manner?
This intricate plot with has the motif of a love story intertwined with the psychology of the mass murderer; making it a tremendous page turner. There is the characteristic Victorian atmosphere of manners, etiquette and position together with the stark realities of the wealthy and elite, often living only yards away from the poorest of wretches struggling to survive. There's intelligence and mastery in the writing, a classic evocation of Victorian Edinburgh of wealth and class side by side with the desperate and destitute.
