The Specimen

Walk carefully, lest you become a part of Dr. Burnett’s collection…
1826. Isobel Tait finds herself, by chance, staring at a tiny human heart floating in a jar. It should be of little consequence; Dr. Burnett is renowned for his collection of oddities and medical specimens, and this, a juvenile heart with a damaged mitral valve, is not the strangest thing on display. Except that the condition is rare, and that Isobel’s young son, who has been missing for months, suffered from the ailment.
A phantom pulse beats in Isobel’s ears. She knows something here isn’t right.
Missing persons cases are all too common in Edinburgh, where people simply vanish like mist. But Burnett is obsessed with his specimens – how far would he go to acquire a new one? Determined to investigate, Isobel joins his staff as the keeper of his collection. What she’ll unearth, though, is far worse than any of her nightmares…
Based on true crimes, The Specimen is a mesmerizing story about one woman’s search for truth and vengeance in the darkest of places—where the deadliest secrets lie hidden in plain sight, on a freshly dusted shelf.

Events For The Specimen

Nov 23, 2024:  6:30 PM

Iron Dog Books, Vancouver BC

 

Dec 14, 2024:  12-4PM

Cafe Books Canmore AB

 

Dec 23, 2024:  12:00 PM

Writers’ Guild of Alberta Controversy@Noon 

 

Images from The Specimen

This book is one of my favorites so far. The story is so close to my heart (analogy aside) and I feel such a connection to the characters and the world they inhabit. Writing The Specimen was an incredible experience—visiting Edinburgh, touring museums, poring over books, histories, maps, paintings and photographs. When I encountered plot problems, the characters always helped me write a way out. I’m not sure exactly how to convey the experience, but this short slide show captures some of the moments along the way.