Really enjoyed this one. Interesting, good plot points, good protagonist and antagonist.

The description of this book had such promise and I truly wanted to like it: a murder mystery involving a 19th C woman studying medicine in Edinburgh, Scotland. I enjoy Victoriana, I'm interested in medicine, and I like a good mystery. But awkward plotting and fuzzy characterization got in the way. We are a third of the way through the book before hints about main character Sarah Gilchrist's past finally take shape, and then it's not clear if the actual injustices done to her hurt worse than the unkind sniping of her fellow women medical students. (If this is a "feminist mystery" why in the world are the other women so patently awful?) The mystery itself is VERY slow to develop, and Sarah's impulsive and poorly thought-out efforts to investigate are eye-rolling: barge into a brothel to ask the madam to fund a burial? Accuse a professor of outrageous behavior to his face? Make accusations about another professor to his wife, Sarah's only friend? Venture unaccompanied into opium dens and illicit boxing matches? (The author repeatedly brings up the topic of hysteria in women, but Sarah's actions might actually fit that bill.) Too bad.

I really wanted to like this a lot, but it seemed poorly edited. At one point it seems like a (very minor, dead) character's name changes, and sometimes actions proceed from other actions not actually present on the page in a confusing way that made me go back and re-read to see if I had missed something or what. That all being said, I'm pretty much here for any 19th-century woman doctor book with a slow burn romance, so probably 2.5 stars rounded up. There is nothing really original about this, but I will probably read the next one anyways.

I'd be happy if peppy Sarah Gilchrist gets a series, even if I worked out some of the twists pretty quickly. Part mystery, part study of what it was being a free minded woman in late 19th century "The Wages of Sin" makes perfect read for a lazy afternoon or longer train ride.

In the 'Wages of Sin' we are introduced to Sarah Gilchrist who has been sent to live relatives in Edinburgh after her parents send her away after being labelled a "fallen woman" alongside her determination to become a doctor.

As a first year medical student we follow Sarah as she navigates her medical studies in a society that refuses to accept that women are equal to men and have ambitions that are not marriage and children. When a former patient is found dead Sarah delves into Edinburgh's darker side to find the truth, however her best intentions may not be enough.

Sarah Gilchrist is a strong character who refuses to be labelled by society and fights society to show them that she is more than what society and her family have labelled however she is also not perfect. She is naive and though well intentioned she gets things wrong and that there are consequences for those around her.

Throughout the book we learn Sarah's history and the treatment of women in Victorian society, through medical and familial interventions, of which some are barbaric but were considered at the time the nest medical science.

Please be aware that this book covers dark topics such as rape, mental health and substance abuse in a period of our history where societal and medical views are much different to ours today. Kaite Welsh challenges these views through her array of characters from those who are staunch supporters of the oppressive societal rules to those who question the role of women and that there is no difference between what men and women can achieve.

This book reminded me of my love for historical crime fiction. Kaite Welsh has a way of writing that had me reading this book in one sitting and picking up the sequel as I was closing the first book.

Definitely a wonderful choice for my first book of the new year.

And upon my third reread I can say that I still love with all my heart.

As a feminist who lives in Edinburgh, studied history at Edinburgh Uni and has a fascination for Victorian medicine, this book sounded perfect.

The plot of this book was enjoyable, if somewhat tropey. I had an idea of who Lucy’s killer was and desperately hoped I was wrong, however you are kept hanging until the last moment when all revealed. The plot pacing was somewhat skewed, with the first portion of the book being rather fast paced followed by a slow middle and then a fast paced ending.

My favourite character in the book was Elisabeth and I hope we get to see more from her in the next book in the series. I felt the characters were believable, however I do wish some were fleshed out a bit more (such as Sarah’s uncle). There is a small mention of LGBTQ+ relationships but not enough to categorise the book as LGBTQ+.

The research that has gone into this is commendable. It is a pet peeve when authors fail to capture Edinburgh in all it’s drizzly glory, but Welsh managed it. The layout of the University and it’s history were described in fantastic, accurate detail - her settings and descriptions are brilliant and it truly feels like you’re walking along with Sarah on the cobblestones of my city.

One issue I had with Wages of Sin however was the characterisation of sex work. I understand that in historical fiction it may feel that some paths are already set out for authors but fiction offers the chance to change and twist them into something new. I felt uncomfortable with some scenes where demonising sex workers seemed to come so easy to the characters and I very much wish it hadn’t.

Other than my issues with the treatment of sex workers and the sex industry, I did enjoy this novel. For a debut and the start of the series, Wages of Sin felt like a good introduction to the eerie, atmospheric world of Sarah Gilchrist. I will be interested in the next book and will keep up to date on it’s publication.

In 1892, the University of Edinburgh began to admit female medical students. The pushback from both faculty and the male student body was immense. Indeed, society itself looked down on these women as unfeminine and broken. Enter Sarah Gilchrist, banished from London after bringing scandal to her family name. Cut adrift and dependent on the good graces of Scottish relatives, Sarah is determined to make her own way as a female physician. In order to get practical training, Sarah volunteers at a charity infirmary in the slums. The work is hard, and the prejudices of society are increasingly difficult to bear. However, Sarah is doing well with her studies and her work until one day she recognizes the corpse in her anatomy class as her patients at the infirmary. . .

I always like a good historical fiction, and this one did not disappoint. Welsh does a great job of demonstrating the fine line these medical pioneers would have to walk between Victorian propriety and their dreams of higher education. The hypocrisy of their male counterparts is also brilliantly illustrated. Welsh also does well with her main protagonist, Sarah Gilchrist. The lasting physical and mental trauma from her “scandal” feels very real. While you may occasionally want to reach through the page, shake her, and yell “think before you speak,” she is overall a very sympathetic character. The mystery aspect of the book was well paced, with the requisite red herrings and plot twists.

Fans of historical murder mysteries will find a lot to like in this book, which feels like the first of a series. Historical fiction or murder mystery fans in general will likely also enjoy the book.

An advance copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Wages of Sin will be available for purchase on March 14th, 2017.