★★★★★ Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman make a compelling double act — warm, funny, and deeply knowledgeable — and their conversation at The Stand offered a vivid look into how two very different professional worlds combine to create the Ambrose Parry novels. What emerges is not just a discussion about writing, but a portrait of a partnership built on curiosity, respect and shared fascination with Edinburgh’s medical past.
They began by talking about their joint pseudonym, Ambrose Parry, and the decision to write under a single name. Haetzman spoke candidly about the challenge of learning to write fiction from scratch, especially alongside Brookmyre, whose crime novels — including the Jack Parlabane series — have shaped Scottish genre writing for decades. Their reflections on blending voices, negotiating differences, and discovering a collaborative rhythm were honest and often very funny.
Haetzman’s background as a consultant anaesthetist, and her extensive research for her Master’s degree in the history of medicine, form the backbone of the Ambrose Parry world. Brookmyre described how her academic work captivated him, ultimately inspiring the pair to set their novels amid the medical innovations and moral complexities of 18th‑century Edinburgh. Their first book, The Way of All Flesh, appeared in 2018; their most recent, The Death of Shame, was published in mid‑2025. The series now includes five main novels and two digital novellas.
One of the highlights was their discussion of Dr Will Raven and his mentor, the pioneering obstetrician Dr James Young Simpson. Their anecdotes about Simpson’s early chloroform experiments — including its use at dinner parties — drew delighted laughter from the audience, illustrating the strange blend of danger, discovery and social eccentricity that fuels their fiction.
Brookmyre touched briefly on his solo work, offering sharp insights into his writing style and how it shifts when working within the Ambrose Parry framework. But the real pleasure of the event lay in the interplay between the two of them: Haetzman’s precision and historical depth paired with Brookmyre’s wit and narrative instinct.
This was an engaging, warm‑spirited hour with two writers who clearly love their craft and each other’s company. The audience responded in kind, enjoying a conversation that was as charming as it was informative.
A thoroughly enjoyable event — one that deserves to be repeated.
Reviewed by Jacqueline Sharp
