#working stiff

“Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Makings of a Medical Examiner” by Judy Melinek, MD and T.J. Mitchell

Rating: 5/5 LGBTQA+? Nope Genre(s): Non fiction, memoir, mortuary science Enoby Approved: Yeah Read This Book If You Like: mortuary science, medical examiners, autopsy, morbid things, dark humor, memoirs Don’t Read This Book If You Can’t Handle: first person narration, in depth discussion of death bodies and the things that happen to them as they decompose, discussion of suicide,  9/11 and it’s aftermath, murder/suicide and it’s aftermath

I unapologetically loved this book. I couldn’t put it down, and I am the type of person who can’t watch the CW or R-rated movies because needles, blood, and gore gives me anxiety attacks. Apparently, I can read about it just fine, and this book was filled with the best sort of dark humor and many interesting tales of death and decay.

There was a section on the mortuary aspect of post-9/11 that was absolutely fascinating, and the detail to which the narrator remembers the cases--down to tomato plants and toenail polish--is absolutely astounding. Dr. Melinek and Mitchell write a seamless tale that frankly discusses suicide, death, decay, murder, the human body, and autopsy and mortuary science brings those all together. 

I may be temporarily deaf in both ears, but this Tuesday is shaping up nicely.

The Revivalist Series by Rachel Caine

Working Stiff

Two Weeks Notice

Terminated

The past few years have brought more and more death and friends leaving us way too young. It finally shut me down really bad for months last year.

The way I process is the need to understand and study. I saw a talk by Dr. Judy Melinek online and immediately ordered her book, which chronicles her two years of medical examiner training. It’s incredibly graphic and sad, and some chapters took me a while to process (especially the one on what her work was like when 9/11 happened—she was there).

Krieger combines a corrupt city with a protagonist who will risk himself for his principles but—literally—won’t starve himself for them, creating an engaging take on the classic tale of a flawed PI walking mean streets. Continue reading Working Stiff: A Frank Leland Mystery by Bill Krieger