I’m fascinated by real life tales of forensic pathology but in my experience there are two types of author: the pathologist who has fascinating experiences but can’t write well and the pathologist who is also a great raconteur. Fortunately here, Blumenthal is the latter. He has worked in South Africa for many years and his tales and insights are fascinating. We hear about what happened when people die, how ‘every contact leaves a trace’ and how pathologists piece together the truth to inform the living. Some of the causes of death he writes about are much more common in Africa - snake bites, lightning strikes - but others are more universal. I also loved hearing about how the pathologist can spot a murder disguised as a suicide. The last section of the book is more spiritual and is about living one’s life in the best way. This felt fitting from someone who had learnt so much from the dead. In summary, I thoroughly enjoyed this. It’s graphic and unsparing, but fascinating.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and Jonathan Ball Publishers. I love reading books on forensics and jobs within that area. It just fascinates me - though working in a mortuary is not something i’d fancy doing. This is such a detailed insight into forensic pathology. It’s not just about the cases but the ins and outs of every little thing that happens when performing an autopsy. It’s so interesting to read about how different and difficult it can be to do this job in Africa - i’ve read about mortuaries in the UK so this was a completely different insight for me! There’s so many things to be considered before starting an autopsy that I didn’t know about. Like, in cases where the deceased has been exposed to radioactive material, consulting with radiation experts to determine if it’s safe to do an autopsy. I honestly did not know that INCA (instantaneous neurogenic cardiac arrest) was a thing! Examples of this: a guy playfully tweaking his girlfriend’s neck on the dance floor and she drops dead, a grandmother kissing her grandchild and applying pressure to the child’s neck causing them to die instantly - honestly i’m mind-blown that this can happen. Something else that I found fascinating is that you can hang yourself/strangle someone with toilet paper! I just loved this book, so interesting and detailed without feeling like a textbook. I’m definitely getting a physical copy when it’s released!

I can normally tell if I’m going to like a book within the first few pages, and by the time I’d read the introduction, I definitely knew this one one of those books that wouldn’t have to win me over. I enjoyed it from the get go and I love the authors writing style which made it for very easy and entertaining reading. With books like these, there’s always a bit of danger of them being slightly morose, morbid and macabre but Autopsy carries this off very well. I won’t lie and say it’s a unicorns and fairies account of his life and career, and the methods of autopsies are explained, which some may find for gory reading, but then again I don’t think those with a nervous exposure will be picking this book up anyway! As long as readers are prepared for the subject of this book, I don’t think anyone will find the contents too much and the author does a fab job of maintaining respect and decency throughout. Which is definitely a great element in books like these! I am massively non squemish though and have worked as an anatomical pathology scientist so I can’t say I get icked out very easily! The way the author tells his accounts of his work are as pure and respectful as it can be when writing about death and the way harrowing tales and different method of deaths and murder stories were told was done brilliantly. Reading the authors experiences was so insightful and I found the whole thing so so interesting. I had no idea of the differences between forensic pathology in Africa and the ones in the U.K. (of which I had previously read more books about) and it was hugely fascinating. From the types of crimes only found in that region, to deaths typical in Africa and even the threats to the personnel carrying out this profession. I didn’t get chance to feel the least bit bored with this book as I found the pages flew by and I was so interested in everything the author had to say. I also adored the way the author ended this book and it was so uplifting, life affirming and a beautiful way to end the experience of reading this book. It was like a pep talk for the living with lessons from the departed. It was done so well. All in all, I just really enjoyed this book and it flew by!

Having worked in the medical profession myself, I was looking forward to reading Autopsy. I thought it was pitched very well, well written and straight forward and clear descriptions. The differences in working in a modern city with every device to hand and in underfunded rural regions was brought out very well. The nature of the autopsy in Africa is different in many ways; tales of crocodiles, tigers, ostriches and lightning strikes, always portrayed with respect. Altogether an interesting read. The las portion of the book is musings on life and death and the lessons the author has learned throughout his career. A dedicated and thoughtful man. Thanks to Jonathan Ball and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

I real insight into a medical field rarely talked about. I found this book interesting and full of information while still being personal and respectful. A great read.