The Unquiet Heart

A Sarah Gilchrist Mystery

Kaite Welsh

In this sequel to the acclaimed The Wages of Sin—and once again set in moody fin de siecle Edinburgh—Sarah Gilchrist finds herself trying to prove her fiancé’s innocence in the midst of his murder trial.

Edinburgh, 1893.

Sarah Gilchrist has no intention of marrying her dull fiancé Miles, the man her family hope will restore her reputation and put an end to her dreams of becoming a doctor, but when he is arrested for a murder she is sure he didn’t commit, she finds herself his reluctant ally.

Beneath the genteel façade of upper class Edinburgh lurks blackmail, adultery, poison, and madness, and Sarah must return to Edinburgh’s slums, back alleys, and asylums as she discovers the dark past about a family where no one is what they seem, even Miles himself.

It also brings her back into the orbit of her mercurial professor, Gregory Merchiston—he sees Sarah as his protege, but can he stave off his demons long enough to teach her the skills that will save her life?

Kaite Welsh is an Edinburgh-based journalist and critic and the Literature Officer at Creative Scotland. She writes a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph and makes frequent appearances on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour. She was included on the Independent on Sunday’s 2015 Rainbow List, which recognizes the 100 most influential LGBTI people in the UK. In 2014, Kaite was shortlisted for both the Scottish New Writers Award and the Moniack Mhor Bridge Award.

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Endorsements & Reviews

"A nicely constructed historical mystery. Although Sarah causes a scandal by assisting an anatomy professor in the dissection of a cadaver without a chaperone present, she uses both her medical knowledge and her detection skills to try to save her fiancé from being hanged for a double murder." Marilyn Stasio New York Times Book Review

"Captivating. This excellent mix of historical mystery and romance should be recommended to fans of Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey's Victorian mysteries." Booklist (starred)

"Richly evocative. Sarah’s plight is an infuriating one indeed, and readers will cheer her every step of the way." Publishers Weekly

"Welsh depicts Victorian Edinburgh and 19th-century medicine with impressive authority." Kirkus Reviews

"Just like the first book, the combination of a murder mystery and social injustice in The Unquiet Heart are equally interesting to read about. The Sarah Gilchrist series is one that I highly recommend to readers who love historical fiction that deals with the suffragette moment." Fresh Fiction

"Welsh is a skillful writer. She has created a likable protagonist with a purpose, a dilemma, and lots of curiosity to distract her." Historical Novels Review