Where to Start with E.S. Thomson
If you are new to E.S. Thomson’s historical crime fiction, the absolute best place to begin is with Beloved Poison, the first novel in the Jem Flockhart series. Because the series features a deep, overarching narrative regarding Jem’s hidden identity, her past, and her evolving relationship with architect Will Quartermain, reading the books out of order will spoil major character developments. Starting at the beginning allows you to fully experience the crumbling, atmospheric setting of St. Saviour's Infirmary and understand the stakes Jem faces as a female apothecary living as a man in a highly restrictive Victorian society.
For readers who prefer supernatural fiction, you can dive straight into her seasonal ghost stories written under her real name, Elaine Thomson, starting with Hawthorn: A Scottish Ghost Story.
The Jem Flockhart Series in Order
The Jem Flockhart novels follow a linear timeline where publication order matches chronological order. The series is celebrated for its gothic atmosphere, rich sensory details, and chillingly authentic depiction of 19th-century medical practices. Here is the recommended reading path for the main series:
- Beloved Poison (2016): Set in 1850 London at the decaying St. Saviour's Infirmary. Jem Flockhart, an apothecary who conceals her biological sex to practice medicine, must solve the mystery of six tiny coffins containing miniature rag dolls and human bones discovered in the hospital's chapel. This book introduces her loyal friend, the architect Will Quartermain.
- Dark Asylum (2017): The story shifts to Angel Meadow Asylum, where a prominent doctor is found dead, his head brutally trepanned. Jem is called in to examine the crime scene and quickly finds herself untangling the dark, experimental realities of Victorian psychiatry.
- The Blood (2018): Taking place in the seedy docks and subterranean sewers of London, the mystery begins with a body found aboard a ship, covered in white clay. The investigation forces Jem to confront her own past and the murky criminal underbelly of the shipping trade.
- Surgeons' Hall (2019): Jem and Will travel north to Edinburgh. Set against the backdrop of the city's famed medical history, Jem is forced to confront old ghosts and investigate horrific secrets hidden within the walls of Surgeons' Hall.
- Nightshade (2021): Back in London in 1851, Jem decides to renovate her physic garden, only to excavate two skeletons buried beneath a nightshade plant. As a new string of murders occurs where victims are found with nightshade stuffed in their mouths, Jem and Will must track down a killer linked to her family's botanical past.
- Under Ground (2023): Set during the terrifying London cholera outbreak of 1854 and the construction of the Metropolitan Underground Railway. When a throat-torn body is found in a brothel and an innocent man is accused, Jem and Will embark on a frantic search through the city's damp, newly dug subterranean tunnels.
The Ghost Story Quartet (Writing as Elaine Thomson)
In addition to her historical crime novels, the author writes supernatural fiction under her own name, Elaine Thomson. This project is structured as a quartet of standalone ghost stories, each centering on a different seasonal turning point in the year:
- Hawthorn: A Scottish Ghost Story (2025): Set in an isolated, wind-swept Scottish location, this novel serves as the autumn installment of the quartet, drawing on dark folklore and classic gothic themes.
- Saltwater: A Midsummer Ghost Story (2026): The summer installment of the quartet, focusing on coastal hauntings, midsummer folklore, and supernatural secrets.
Anthologies and Short Stories
If you want to read E.S. Thomson's shorter fiction, look no further than the Bloody Scotland anthology. Published in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, this collection showcases stories by top Scottish crime writers set at famous historical sites.
- "The Quality of Mercy" (in Bloody Scotland, 2017): E.S. Thomson's contribution is a atmospheric short story set at the historic Stanley Mills in Perthshire, blending crime fiction with rich architectural heritage.
What to Know Before You Start
Before you plunge into E.S. Thomson’s books, keep these helpful elements in mind to enrich your reading experience:
The Ph.D. Connection
Elaine Thomson holds a Ph.D. in the social history of medicine. This academic expertise directly shapes the Jem Flockhart series. The details about surgery, herbalism, dissection, sanitation, and the horrific state of Victorian hospitals are historically accurate and highly vivid. Readers sensitive to graphic descriptions of medical procedures and bodily decay should be prepared for a very visceral, gritty reading experience.
Jem's Identity and the Victorian Era
Jem Flockhart is a woman who lives, dresses, and works as a man. In the 1850s, women were barred from practicing medicine or running apothecaries. Jem inherited the business from her father and must maintain this dangerous deception to survive. The books handle her identity with great nuance, highlighting the immense social restrictions of the era.