A Corruption of Blood

This is a second trip into Victorian medical history from the husband and wife team of Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman. The duo cover lots of ground here, from surgical advancements in the nineteenth century, to the opportunities for women in that world, to the criminal underworld of Edinburgh, to a tragic romance, and an ever increasing death toll. They juggle all these balls well, with my interest kept throughout, and the various plotlines dovetailing neatly. The research is obviously thorough, but always worn lightly as the pages keep turning. It's a fast and gripping read, recommended for all fans of historical crime fiction.