Resurrectionist

The tag-line for this series "You don't send a gentleman to catch vermin. You send Hawkwood" and that about says it all, really. It's action-packed, if somewhat patterned in it (open in the middle of the scene, go back to show reader how we got there, rinse and repeat with the next scene change). It's great at evoking the atmosphere - particularly the smell - of that era of London's history, and a touch graphic with the violence but not overwhelmingly so (it's certainly not disgusting or gross as other reviewers have said). Hawkwood's a great character, both dark and likeable, as is the supporting cast, with quick-witted dialogue, a maintenance of suspense and barely a wasted page to break the pace. The historical context of the books is also well done; McGee has done his research. Cliches are laid on thick, though I noticed this less after the first 100 pages, and I would have preferred less whip-lash changes in point-of-view, but other than that, this is fast-paced historical action with few flourishes but lots of getting-it-done prose, and I'm looking forward to checking out the others in the series, particularly to see more of Hawkwood's backstory.

This is the second book in what ,at the time of writing ,is a two book ,ongoing series about Matthew Hawkwood ,a London policeman in the second decade of the nineteenth century .It would be preferable to have read its predecessor ,"Ratcatcher" before embarking upon this novel but this is by no means essential . The theme this time around is grave robbing and body snatching ,thriving trades in Regency era Britain ,trades which flourished due to the demands of the Medical profession which needed a regular supply of cadavers for training medical students and which was only allowed to use the bodies of executed murderers prior to 1832 and the passing by Parliament of the Anatomy Act which reformed the whole system The book opens with the escape from the notorious lunatic asylum ,Bedlam ,of one Titus Hyde who makes his getaway by killing a clergyman and assuming his identity ,after first disfihuring the corpse .Hyde then -still posing as a clergym,en -stages his death in a fire .Hawkwood is unpersuaded by the "death" and continues to track Hyde down .Hyde is a brilliant but crazed surgeon whose incarceration in Bedlam is due to his experimentation on French soldiers during the ongoing Peninsula war in Iberia ,his actions being in violation of accepted miltary protocol.He is persuaded that via surgery and electricity he can bring life to the dead ,especially his deceased daughter.To secure a regular supply of bodies Hyde enlists the aid of the notorious bodysnatching gang lead by the thuggish Rufus Dawney . Hawkwood -aided by his former miltary colleague ,the redoubtable Nathaniel Jago and others .confront him in an exciting and quite graphic climax This is not a horror novel but does have several scenes which require a strong stomach and border on the Gothic-especially one where Hawkwood and his cohorts find an underground chamber where bodies are being melted into tallow for candles and soap.(This -like all of the book has a strong factual basis ,the research being exemplary) This is not for those who like the "country house ,crinoline and lace" school of historical fiction but if you like a strong plot ,a bit of edginess and crisp ,unfussy writing with a hero who combines Sharpe and James Bond then you will enjoy this book .I most emphatically did.

I must admit, the first thing that attracted me to this book was the title. I am a historian and have been interested in bodysnatching for a number of years (studying, not actually partaking in it!) so was interested in this historical novel immediately. I had not read the first novel but once I had read a few chapters, I realised that did not matter. You can come to this book without having read Ratcatcher. But you will definitely want to purchase the first book after reading this one. The hero is extremely appealing and the historical background excellent. I don't want to give away too much as I like to read a book with little knowledge as possible of the overall plot - makes it more exciting. What I will say is this book is about bodysnatching and the Napoleonic Wars but it is more than that too with its general portrayal of life in England in the nineteenth century. The overall tone of writing is masculine and there are parts that will suit male readers more than female readers. But the value of both sides is it makes for a good read regardless of gender. Fantastic!

Bow Street Runner Matthew Hawkwood is called to Bedlam. A prisoner has escaped by murdering a Reverend who came to visit, flawing his face and using it as a mask in order not to be recognized. Hawkwood tracks the prisoner down and watches as he dies in a fire, but doesn't really believe the man is dead. Author James McGee tells the story of Resurrectionists, the men who provide corpses to medical schools, and of politics. He does not paint a picture of the genteel aristocratic residents of the period but depicts the sights and smells of the slums of London and it's not pleasant. There are points where the story almost crosses the line into horror but the author never quite crosses that line. Hawkwood is a character about whom we are learning little by little. The story is intriguing and really becomes exciting when his friend Jago comes on the scene. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but liked this even better. It's not for the feint of stomach, but it's a really good read.