The Wages of Sin: A compelling tale of medicine and murder in Victorian Edinburgh

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Headline, Jun 1, 2017 - Fiction - 288 pages

An irresistible mystery set in 1890s Edinburgh, Kaite Welsh's THE WAGES OF SIN features a female medical student-turned-detective, and will thrill fans of Sarah Waters and Antonia Hodgson.

'Historical fiction doesn't get much more delicious or original' Damian Barr

'This powerful novel combines a disturbing look at late Victorian attitudes towards women and morality with a satisfying murder mystery' Sunday Express


Sarah Gilchrist has fled from London to Edinburgh in disgrace and is determined to become a doctor, despite the misgivings of her family and society. As part of the University of Edinburgh's first intake of female medical students, Sarah comes up against resistance from lecturers, her male contemporaries, and - perhaps worst of all - her fellow women, who will do anything to avoid being associated with a fallen woman...

When one of Sarah's patients turns up in the university dissecting room as a battered corpse, Sarah finds herself drawn into Edinburgh's dangerous underworld of bribery, brothels and body snatchers - and a confrontation with her own past.

What readers are saying about THE WAGES OF SIN:

'Sarah Gilchrist is a brilliant lead character. Atmospheric and evocative. Well worth a read'

'A fascinating exploration of how women were treated in Victorian times, enveloped in a dark murder mystery. It kept me guessing and kept me wanting more. One of my favourite historical fictions ever'

'A punchy, feminist page-turner with a wonderful sense of atmosphere'

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About the author (2017)

KAITE WELSH is an Edinburgh-based journalist and author. Her writing has appeared in the Guardian, the Daily Telegraph and the New Statesman and she makes frequent appearances on BBC radio and television. Kaite has been shortlisted for both the Scottish New Writers Award and the Moniack Mhor Bridge Award, and most recently she is the author of The Wages of Sin.

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