The Resurrectionist

By: Meyering, A. R.

In 19th century Scotland, surgeon Edgar Price has only days to live. He has become host to a revenant that will corrode both his body and soul. Edgar's fatal mistake has not only doomed him, but also released six more of these malignant wraiths onto the world. In his remaining time, he has vowed to stop the revenants from claiming other victims. His perilous travels lead him to the Witches' Wood, a haven for a sisterhood of powerful enchantresses. There he meets Ainsley, a witch with a fiery spirit and strong distrust of outsiders. She too is racing against the clock to save her life and will go to any lengths to spare her lover Colleen from the grief of losing her. Despite their mutual dislike, Edgar and Ainsley find that the only way to traverse the twisted, otherworldly labyrinths that the revenants have created is to work together. Their mission becomes further complicated when Edgar begins to develop strong feelings for Fana, the guardian goddess of the Wood, in spite of Ainsley's forbidding warnings to stay far away from her.

Horror and fantasy intermingle in this imagined continuation to the true story of the Burke and Hare murders.

"A.R. Meyering's The Resurrectionist is a thriller firing on all cylinders. Lit by gaslights, haunted by the past and the long dead, the witchcraft, the protagonists, not to mention Scotland's turn of the century setting, will delight readers. Part high Romance, part supernatural thriller, The Resurrectionist dives into a rabbit hole of magic and secrecy that will keep readers flipping pages long into the night."

- Stephen Scott Whitaker, member of the National Book Critics Circle, author, and managing editor for The Broadkill Review

"The raw beauty of The Resurrectionist is more than the intricate world of hidden magic Meyering builds, or the complex characters, both good and bad, so easy to bond to and commiserate with. It's the very real and frightening possibility that such chaos can come of a single decision made in anger by an individual. At its heart, The Resurrectionist is about the power of choice and consequence, and the very real horror one can inadvertently unleash upon the world."

- Author Lisa Gail Green, author of The Gallows House

"The real-life story of the infamous body snatchers, Burke and Hare, is the inspiration for A.R. Meyering'sThe Resurrectionist, a sophisticated, lush, and engaging fantasy novel. It offers the perfect touch of Gothichorror, along with thought-provoking ideas, an elegant use of fantasy, and well-drawn characters whose humanity is the perfect counterpoint to the evil of their adversaries."

- Victoria Gilbert, author of the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series and the "Mirror of Immortality" series

"Meyering's world fluctuates between Barker-esque scenes and Dostoyevskian guilt-complexes with such ease that one wonders whether the 'The Resurrectionist' can function as a concise, thoughtful novel - but it does, and it's a bloody good time."

- Walker Zupp, Author of Martha

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1940233720
• ISBN13: 9781940233727
• Release Date: June 2020
• Publisher: Montag Press
• Length: 436 Pages
• Weight: 1.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

a blend of many genres, great read

I was approved to receive an e-Galley ARC of The Resurrectionist, authored by A. R. Meyering, cover design by Mateus Roberts, editor John Rak, from Montag Press and NetGalley, for review consideration. What follows below is my honest review, freely given. I rated this novel 4 stars. I thought this an ambitious blending of several genres, for anyone going in thinking this will be a straight medical historical fiction, maybe leave off, or go in with an open mind. The factual side of the story grabbed my attention initially, Burke and Hare. The time of our medical knowledge leaping forward was partly due to the fact of grave robbing. And murder. It’s fascinating, another example of the duology of man. Quickly the author reveals that this novel will be so much more than one genre, the story growing from a curious archaeological display that stayed in her mind. I just love this tidbit because it’s how I always imagine truly intricate works begin, as a thought that won’t go away. Historical fiction, folktale horror, supernatural horror, and dark fiction are all ways to categorize The Resurrectionist; it dips into all of those, weaving them together; I had more trouble keeping the son and father Hares apart then falling under the spell woven by the author. There are several POV throughout, and I find it interesting that Edgar, Ainsley, and Magdalena share the self-made stumbling blocks of becoming their full potential due to fear and loss. They represent the main MC of each genre blend, and share a similar character arc that is not obvious at first. It may not even be a thing, I may be seeing something that is not there. As I mentioned before, I did have some trouble when Hare was in the novel, telling the difference at times between if it was Hare the elder of Hare the younger. Not through its entirety, but for the first third of the novel; pretty sure it was reader issue. Overall I enjoyed this book, I wish Edgar had a little more medical story time, I think out of all the genres, that one got the least of the pie.