Pages & Pressings

“They danced in this way, the mad scientist and his assistant, as they desecrated the body and pulled aside tissues to discover the secrets of life and death”

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC!

Release date: June 2, 2026

Suspenseful, dark, and thrilling! The Laboratory Assistant was impossible to put down.

Set during the Russian Revolution, the story follows Mariya Sokolva, the eldest daughter of deceased General Vladimir Sokolva and Regina Sokolova who has come down with tuberculosis. Mariya finds herself having to take care of her two younger sisters and her ill mother while working at a shoe factory that pays barely enough to get by. After her sister Sofia recommends Mariya to a doctor under the pretense that Mariya has medical experience, Mariya begins working with the ecclectic Dr. Nikolas Rodin, a scientist working on a cure for tuberculosis. Amidst the rising political tension between the Russian government and the Bolsheviks, Mariya and Dr. Rodin become close as they work towards a cure. His brilliance comes with a price and Mariya must make tough decisions as the family breadwinner while managing her complicated relationship with Nikolas.

The dread and suspense in this book were so palpable, I found myself audibly gasping and the eerie atmosphere was so well done, it had me uneasy the entire time. I finished this book in two days because I couldn’t stop reading. I think it’s very commendable when a book can have you feeling such intense emotions, especially when it’s a standalone. Being able to convey every emotion in such a concise (less than 400 pages) book, is a feat in itself.

The only negative thing I can say is that this book suffers from the ambiguity being a little too ambiguous at times. Most times it offers an explanation within the next page or so, but one of the big themes in particular surrounding mental health struggles is one I wish we could thoroughly understand a little more. Taking the book as it is at face value, this is a minor concern because everything else was so well done.

I do love all of the characters and their relationships. The theme of loyalty among the characters is so strong, and it is the perfect undercurrent to the political unrest they have to live through. The main characters move as such a united front, and it was so enjoyable to experience. Each of the main characters were unique, I love when we see such vastly different personalities all join together for a common cause. The character work here was absolutely brilliant.

I would recommend this book especially around the spooky Halloween season, as this book was dark, mysterious, and almost gothic in nature. This is definitely going to be one of my top historical fiction/historical romance recommendations from now on!