Beloved Poison

Starred review from August 1, 2016
Rich atmospherics and a Dickensian portrayal of the underbelly of Victorian London elevate Scottish author Thomson’s superb whodunit above most other historical debuts. Jem Flockhart, an apothecary at St. Saviour’s Infirmary, has successfully passed herself off as a man in order to work alongside her father, continuing a family tradition in medicine that dates back a century. Meanwhile, the hospital governors have agreed that to sell the property to make way for a railway bridge, which necessitates emptying its graveyard, an unpleasant task delegated to junior architect William Quatermain. And, in the midst of that upheaval, one of the infirmary’s doctors is fatally poisoned, a crime that Jem believes is linked to her discovery of six tiny coffins, each containing a blood-stained doll. Some of the coffins are lined with papers with cryptic writing, including a reference to the date Jem’s mother died giving birth to her. Thomson excels in evoking the claustrophobic feel of the back alleys Jem must tread in search of the truth. The plot builds to a logical but surprising reveal. Agent: Jenny Brown, Jenny Brown Associates (U.K.).

July 15, 2016
The coming demolition of St. Saviour's Infirmary in Victorian London marks a decisive chapter for a young woman who's lived her entire life there as a man.Jem Flockhart has been raised by her apothecary father to follow in his footsteps in the crumbling ruins of the buildings due to be torn down to make way for a railway. It's been hard to hide her sex from others, and she's distressed when William Quartermain, the junior architect for the project, has to share her room. Hundreds of bodies have been discovered on the grounds, and it's Quartermain's job to remove them all. While she's showing Quartermain around, they find hidden in the chapel six tiny coffins, each with a doll inside wrapped in bloody cloth, along with bits and pieces of flowers and seeds. Curious about who made them and for what reason, Jem, who's slowly warming to Quartermain, joins his quest for answers. One person who won't be able to help is Dr. Bain, who's been collaborating with Jem on a book about poisons. When Bain is found dead in his home, Jem naturally suspects poison. The suspects include the infirmary's other doctors, many of whom hated Bain because of professional jealousy or due to his reputation as a womanizer. Jem also worries about her father, who hasn't been himself, perhaps because his brother is in the final stages of madness. The next to die is the wife of Dr. Catchpole, who was in love with Bain and accused her husband of killing him. Jem is sure she and Quartermain are clever enough to catch the killer, but she's not prepared for the horrors they will uncover and the extent of the malevolence they must overcome. A debut mystery chock full of mysterious doings, riveting historical detail, and so many horrifying anecdotes about the state of medicine in the mid-1800s that you can almost feel the evil miasma rising from the pages.

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Starred review from September 1, 2016

In 1850s London, Jem Flockhart works as an apothecary at the crumbling St. Saviour's Infirmary, built in 1135. Still, time marches on, and the hospital has been sold to be torn down to build a new railway bridge. Junior architect Will Quartermain is given the unpleasant responsibility of moving the bodies from the graveyard. Teaming up with Jem, with whom he is lodged, he finds six little coffins in the old chapel, each containing a wood puppet and dried flowers. As the two investigate, their discovery will unleash death and destruction and reveal some secrets (including Jem's). VERDICT Short listed for the Saltire First Book Award and the Scottish Arts Council First Book Award, this outstanding debut historical enthralls with its meticulously researched details of 19th-century hospitals; the result is a dismal portrait of unrelenting bleakness that will make readers grateful to be living in the 21st century. This is Showtime's Penny Dreadful, brought to life!

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