The Resurrectionists

Name: The Resurrectionists
Price: 12.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781947570122

✍️ Michael Patrick Hicks

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$12.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A historical horror novel about a Black veteran fighting grave robbers in early New York.

Hicks explores the intersection of medical ambition and occult practice in early America. Salem Hawley uses his military experience to protect his community from resurrectionists who steal corpses for sinister purposes. The plot centers on the danger posed by these exhumations to the Black cemetery and the wider society. The narrative highlights how the theft of bodies fuels a conspiracy that endangers the new nation's existence.

Key Themes

resurrectionist crimes post-revolutionary America occult arts

Literary Context

The story is set in New York City shortly after the American Revolution, when the science of medicine advances while corpse procurement remains illegal. It examines the tensions within a fledgling nation where racial dynamics and emerging scientific practices create fertile ground for supernatural horror.

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

Colson Whitehead · H.P. Lovecraft · Silvia Moreno-Garcia

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Horror Fiction

🏛 High Fever Books 📅 2019 📖 156 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781947570122

📝 Description: The Resurrectionists

Michael Patrick Hicks presents a historical horror narrative set in post-Revolutionary New York. Salem Hawley, an African American veteran who secured his freedom through service to the colonies, finds himself entangled in a violent conflict that transcends traditional warfare. The story unfolds during a period when medical science advances rapidly, yet the procurement of cadavers remains a criminal act. Resurrectionists operate openly, stealing bodies from cemeteries while women vanish from the streets, meeting grisly ends elsewhere. Hawley is driven to action after his friend’s family suffers grave robbery. He must confront the wave of exhumations plaguing the Black cemetery, unaware that these thefts facilitate darker occult arts. The resurrectionists seek power that threatens not only local stability but the fledgling American Experiment itself. Hicks grounds this supernatural threat in the grim reality of early nineteenth-century urban decay and racial tension. The narrative follows Hawley as he battles both human grave robbers and the esoteric forces they serve. This book suits readers interested in historical fiction blended with supernatural horror and tales of post-colonial struggle. It may not appeal to those seeking light comfort or purely contemporary settings. The story relies on the specific tensions of New York City during its early republican years, where science and superstition collide. Hawley’s personal history as a free man adds depth to his resistance against these dark forces.

💎 Our verdict on The Resurrectionists

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Hicks delivers a potent blend of historical fiction and supernatural horror, effectively grounding eerie threats in early nineteenth-century New York. The narrative excels at weaving medical ambition with occult practice, creating a tense atmosphere where grave robbing facilitates sinister arts. Salem Hawley’s journey offers a compelling lens on racial tension and post-colonial struggle, highlighting the danger posed by exhumations to both the Black cemetery and the wider society. The book suits readers interested in historical settings blended with esoteric horror and tales of community defense. It avoids contemporary tropes, relying instead on the specific tensions of its era. While not for those seeking light comfort, it rewards audiences who appreciate grim urban decay and the complex intersection of science and magic in a fragile new nation.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

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Why this book is worth reading

Readers drawn to the fusion of historical fiction and supernatural horror will find this narrative compelling for its unique perspective on post-colonial struggle. The book offers a visceral look at early nineteenth-century New York, grounding eerie supernatural threats in the tangible realities of racial tension and urban decay. It appeals to those interested in how medical science and occult arts intersected during America's republican years. By following Salem Hawley’s battle against grave robbers and their esoteric masters, the story provides a tense exploration of power dynamics and community protection. It is ideal for audiences seeking depth beyond simple scares, valuing the specific historical context and the dangerous conspiracy that endangers the new nation's existence through the theft of bodies.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Hicks delivers a potent blend of historical fiction and supernatural horror, effectively grounding eerie threats in early nineteenth-century New York. The narrative excels at weaving medical ambition with occult practice, creating a tense atmosphere where grave robbing facilitates sinister arts. Salem Hawley’s journey offers a compelling lens on racial tension and post-colonial struggle, highlighting the danger posed by exhumations to both the Black cemetery and the wider society. The book suits readers interested in historical settings blended with esoteric horror and tales of community defense. It avoids contemporary tropes, relying instead on the specific tensions of its era. While not for those seeking light comfort, it rewards audiences who appreciate grim urban decay and the complex intersection of science and magic in a fragile new nation.