Tag: death

‘How to Solve a Murder’ by Derek and Pauline Tremain

I’m a huge fan of crime novels and have always been interested in the truth behind the fiction! This seemed like the perfect opportunity to find out a bit more about forensic investigation from people who have spent their careers in the field – thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was published on 21st January, 2021.

I’d already read the book ‘Unnatural Causes’ by Dr Richard Shepherd (who worked with the Tremains and who wrote the foreword for this book). I was hoping for more of the same – an insight into the cases that shaped a fascinating career choice. This book is much more about the forensic techniques than the actual cases, but it was still interesting.

The book mainly covers Derek Tremain’s career from a 15 year-old student technician at Gordon Museum (a museum of medical specimens) to working in Guy’s Hospital’s forensics department to setting up his own company dealing in body mapping of wounds for legal trials. It’s an interesting story, gruesome at times, and gives a lot of information about tests for various conditions carried out post-mortem. There’s some humorous anecdotes amid the gory details – Pauline’s coffee-making story being a very odd but funny moment!

Most of the story is told by Derek, but there are sections narrated by Pauline too – she worked at the forensics department in a secretarial role that took her way beyond the regular job. Indeed, she tells of crime scenes and mortuary visits which are interesting. However, it is difficult to tell from the layout of the book who is ‘speaking’ as the electronic version doesn’t make it clear and the perspective changes from Derek to Pauline between paragraphs sometimes.

Overall, this is an engaging read for those interested in forensics. It is perhaps a little too detailed in terms of testing procedures at times – I’d like to hear more about the cases that the Tremains worked on – but I enjoyed this and read it in a day.

Header photo with thanks to Bill Oxford on Unsplash.

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‘A Tomb With a View: The Stories and Glories of Graveyards’ by Peter Ross

This book was one of the huge number published on 3rd September and one that I had pre-ordered because I had heard such good things about it. This turned out to be money extremely well-spent!

I realise that a book ostensibly about death, graveyards and memorials isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I urge you to trust me on this one.

This book is actually so much more about life than death – Ross explores some brilliant life stories and – over the course of the book – speaks to lots of people who speak passionately about graveyards, memorials and the rituals surrounding death. These range from someone who manages and cleans remote war graves for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, makers of memorials, those who tend graveyards, those involved with burials of all forms, historians overseeing ossuaries and people mourning their own lost loved ones. All are fascinating and passionate about their topics, their stories at once moving and often humorous or quirky.

Ross has sought out a whole range of stories around his central theme of graveyards – the book is more than Ross visiting tombs and telling the stories of the occupants. Instead we hear of unmarked graves for babies, a witch, a prostitutes’ graveyard finally being recognised by the church, groups of volunteers fundraising to save burial grounds, Karl Marx cookie-cutter souvenirs, conscientious objectors and so much more. All of life is here.

As much as death, life and the people left behind are the focus and there are moments of joy and comfort here as well as grief and tragedy.

Although Ross’ role in this book is to illuminate, to interview, to document, he is also a brilliant guide through the diverse topics that the book covers. He writes beautifully and is unafraid to ask questions or seek out the unusual – a bit like a Louis Theroux of graveyards! It is clear that he is hugely invested in the stories he is telling and the stories are thoughtfully and respectfully told. It never steps into the realms of the mawkish or distasteful.

Reading about all these people united by the theme of death was an incredibly intense experience, but one I found ultimately and profoundly comforting. There was a real sense of the cycles of life, the respect for the dead and the care for the living that was strangely uplifting.

I highly recommend this book – it isn’t depressing or a tourist’s guide to graveyards as you may expect. It is life-enhancing, always fascinating and beautifully-written.

A (fairly rare!) five stars from me.

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‘Dear Reader’ by Cathy Rentzenbrink

This lovely book is out this week – it really is one to savour and return to repeatedly!

I love books and I love books about books! This one is partially a series of book recommendations, part autobiography of Rentzenbrink’s life around books and part meditation on the function of books in our lives.

Rentzenbrink intersperses elements of her own life story with discussion of the books that helped her to get through or make sense of it all. Some of that life story is sad, especially the event of her brother’s death which became the focus of her own book. However, it’s also uplifting as she finds meaning and support and inspiration from the pages of the books she reads which, ultimately, sees her rising through the ranks at Waterstone’s and into a writing career.

The books she discusses are varied and interesting, from the childhood comfort of an Enid Blyton book to the Julian Barnes books that inspired her to take a new path in life.

Overall, if you love reading then there is much to enjoy here. Reminders of books that you have read and enjoyed. An interesting autobiography. Recommendations on books by genre. Lots of bits that will make you nod in recognition. The sense that you have found one of your book tribe! Personally, I found this a comforting and engaging read that made me reflect on the books in my own life.

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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Header photo with thanks to Aung Soe Min for sharing their work on Unsplash.

‘Death by Shakespeare’ by Kathryn Harkup

A book read with my English teaching hat on today! This was published in May 2020.

First of all, I should say that I'm an English teacher who reads fairly obsessively about Shakespeare.  I'm no expert, but I've read a lot and know some of the plays in more depth than I'd really think is healthy!  I loved the idea of this book as it promised to combine Shakespeare with the medical realities of the deaths he wrote about.

Although some of the book was familiar ground for me, this would be a fabulous book for someone coming fairly fresh to the topic.  It gives a lot of historical context about the Elizabethan and Jacobean worlds and also talks a lot about what Shakespeare's audiences would understand about death and illness.  It covers a whole range of the fictional deaths and also relates them to the historical records (as far as can be ascertained from some pretty unreliable sources!)  From the cannibalism of 'Titus Andronicus' to the suicide-by-snake of Cleopatra, from the multiple poisonings in 'Hamlet' to the faking of death in 'Romeo and Juliet' - it's all here and packed with interesting detail and speculation.  It also delves into some of the less-performed plays which is really fascinating, and explores some work by Shakespeare's contemporaries.

I'd recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Shakespeare, the history of medicine or the Elizabethan/Jacobean period.  I honestly thought there wasn't much new that anyone could tell me about 'Hamlet', but I was proved wrong!  An engaging and entertaining read!

I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Photo by Samantha Hurley from Burst