Full of intriguing cases and interesting facts about the body in health and disease. Also reassuring that modern forensic techniques and the skills of pathologists can stop miscarriages of justice. The author is very frank about his own health troubles and honest over how he doesn't always follow health guidelines.

I reached the mortuary and saw a couple of police cars were there already…a group of detectives and the coroner’s officer were hovering in their scrubs outside the post-mortem room…everyone hates that moment when they see the baby.” The Knife’s Edge: The Heart and Mind of a Cardiac Surgeon RTC - 10 star book, absolutely outstanding, and now this one. These autopsies, spanning the seven ages of human existence, uncover the secrets not only of how a person died, but also of how they lived.From the bestselling author of Unnatural Causes comes a powerful, moving and above all reassuring book about death as it touches our own lives - how to understand it, how best to postpone it, and, when our time comes (as it must), how to embrace it as the last great adventure. It included snippets of his personal ailments, reminding us that doctors are just as human as each one of us despite being preempt with knowledge of the diseases that indulging in vices like alcohol, cigarettes and etc could bring. Yet, most of us are addicted to it and couldn’t bring ourselves to quit. He even admitted that he had a little alcohol problem in the later years and refused to seek help while living in self denial. The heart-wrenchingly honest new book about life and death from forensic pathologist and best-selling author of Unnatural Causes , Dr Richard Shepherd.

But above all, Shepherd’s book was memorable because of his infectious delight in the look and feel of the inside of the human body and his painterly ability to make the bits of offal inside our bones seem suddenly rather beautiful. He humanised the pathologist, showing us not the broad-brush figure of TV crime drama who delivers a broadside of wry quips to demonstrate their detachment, but somebody possessed by death, and leaving the reader to decide how far this was admirable or alarming. An absolutely brilliant book. I really recommend it, I don't often say that but it's fascinating' Jeremy Vine, BBC Radio 2

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This book compared to the last offered more statistics and data, and explanation of the process of why and how, certain diseases or external factors kill our corporeal form. For example, carbon monoxide poisoning. Its odourless and the case cited was of a teen couple pulling their bbq pit into their tent to warm themselves, a seemingly innocent gesture, the fire may appeared blowed out but it was still burning inside and releasing the harmful odourless gas, ultimately poisoning both campers. This case strikes a bit close to home as I personally know of someone that died of carbon monoxide poisoning from an old leaky gas heater while they were asleep. Its the most memorable and personal chapter for me and it might sound a bit insensitive but I felt slightly assured to know that they weren’t in pain when they passed. Through twenty-four of his most intriguing, enlightening and never-before-told cases, Dr Shepherd shares autopsies that span the seven ages of human existence, and have taught him as much about the marvels of life as the inevitability of death. Well, Doc, It Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time!: The Unexpected Adventures of a Trauma Surgeon - very good, review to come, As a medical detective, each autopsy he carries out is its own unique investigation, uncovering the secrets not only of how a person died, but also of how they lived. An absolutely brilliant book. I really recommend it, I don't often say that but it's fascinating Jeremy Vine, BBC Radio 2