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Ambrose Parry is a pen name that belongs to Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman. The married couple writes historical fiction, although they couldn’t be more different from each other. Brookmyre is a bestselling and award-winning author.
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Order of Raven, Fisher, and Simpson Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Way of All Flesh | 2018 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Art of Dying | 2020 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | A Corruption of Blood | 2021 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | The Spendthrift and the Swallow (Short Story) | 2023 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Voices of the Dead | 2023 | Description / Buy |
Haetzman is an anesthetist with two decades of experience in the field. Their collaboration stemmed from Haetzman’s interest in James Simpson, who discovered chloroform. She enthralled her husband with stories of Simpson’s activities in 19th-century Edinburg.
At the time, the pair were surprised that past and present authors had largely ignored Simpson despite the opportunities for compelling drama his life provided. Initially, Haetzman was content to leave the first novel in the ‘Raven and Fisher Mystery’ series in Brookmyre’s hands.
After all, he was the writer. The couple met at the tender age of 17. Brookmyre was a stay-at-home father. Because promotional duties took him away from home, he restricted them to Mondays and Tuesdays.
When she decided to explore James Simpson’s life for her dissertation, Haetzman was immediately struck by his humility. Simpson was as comfortable in the poorest of homes as he was among the aristocrats who sought his services. The doctor was in awe of his efforts to ease suffering in surgeries.
But even with her mild obsession, Haetzman was more than happy to play a consulting role. She would provide the research and medical knowledge while her husband wrote ‘The Way Of All Flesh.’
But Brookmyre was uncomfortable with the arrangement because his wife had done too much work. Additionally, she had a perspective he could never hope to replicate. So they combined their talents under the ‘Ambrose Parry’ pen name and wrote ‘The Way Of All Flesh.’
The pair wanted to make the social history and medicine the primary focus. They rejected the notion of a crime novel that used Simpsom’s fascinating setting as an exotic backdrop. But as they refined the story, the novel took on a life of its own.
Haetzman was insecure. Her husband was an experienced writer. On the other hand, she knew next to nothing about storytelling. She was afraid of making a fool of herself. For his part, Brookmyre did not want to waste his wife’s time.
What if she abandoned her job for a publishing dream, and it failed? What then? Fortunately for their fans, the couple persevered despite these anxieties. ‘The Way Of All Flesh’ was merely the first novel in a series.
Interestingly, Brookmyre and Haetzman don’t write together. Brookmyre will assign each of them a scene before they go their separate ways. Haetzman tackles the heroine’s chapters while Brookmyre writes the hero.
Some people think Haetzman’s writing room is neat and organized because of her controlled approach to things, while Brookmyre is messy because he doesn’t mind writing by the seat of his pants. But the opposite is true.
Brookmyre’s room is incredibly pristine. Although he prefers to talk into a recorder while walking as opposed to sitting at a computer. Haetzman is the scholar. So naturally, her room is a fire hazard because of all the piles of papers.
Best Ambrose Parry Books
Haetzman and Brookmyre collaborate effortlessly because they have a shared vision and passion. Therefore, disagreements are rare. Parry’s best books include:
The Way Of All Flesh: Will Raven was excited about apprenticing under Doctor Simpson. Simpson was unlike any medical expert Raven had ever met. His home was a hive of activity, hosting the richest and the poorest patients under the same roof.
Raven couldn’t wait to bask in Simpson’s glory. But a series of murders had taken the wind out of his sails. Several young women were found dead in the Old Town, and Raven was determined to find out why.
Sarah Fisher, a housemaid, disliked him from the moment they met. But Raven couldn’t ignore her intelligence. Together, they will wade into Edingburg’s underworld.
The Art Of Dying: Edinburgh stands at the forefront of modern medicine. And yet, patients are dying en masse, and no one knows why. Raven, Simpson’s protege, is fighting to control the darker aspects of his nature.
Meanwhile, Sarah, a former housemaid, wants to expand her medical knowledge in a society that doesn’t respect her kind.
The pair must join forces to protect Doctor Simpson when a whispering campaign tries to blame him for a suspicious death.
When Does The Next Ambrose Parry book come out?
Ambrose Parry doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is Voices of the Dead and was released on September, 26th 2023. It is the newest book in the Raven, Fisher, and Simpson Series.