Books › Working stiff
Working stiff
272 pages
A fascinating, unflinching, and surprisingly warm look behind the morgue doors that strips away the Hollywood gloss of forensic science.
What it feels like
Reading this memoir feels like shadowing a brilliant, no-nonsense mentor through the most intense days of her life. The pacing is brisk and propulsive, driven by the relentless rhythm of a New York City morgue and the sheer variety of cases that land on the autopsy table. Despite the inherently grim subject matter, the mood is rarely oppressive; instead, it is infused with a deep, respectful fascination for the human body and a wry, survival-mechanism humor. The prose is sharp and clinical when detailing forensic science, yet softens into profound empathy when discussing the victims and their grieving families. It is a gripping, eye-opening experience that will delight science buffs, true crime fans, and anyone with a healthy dose of morbid curiosity, offering a sobering but ultimately life-affirming perspective on mortality.
- Mood
- fascinating
- somber
- gripping
- reflective
- Tone
- wry
- clinical
- empathetic
- matter-of-fact
- candid
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the reality of death · bearing witness to tragedy · work-life balance in extreme conditions · demystifying forensics · mortality and grief
- The writing
- Clear, accessible, and unflinchingly detailed, balancing medical precision with conversational warmth and dark humor.
- The arc
- Moves from wide-eyed professional curiosity through the overwhelming trauma of a national tragedy, ultimately landing on a profound, grounded appreciation for life.
- Who it's for
- Readers with a strong stomach and a morbid curiosity who appreciate science, true crime, and behind-the-scenes looks at unusual professions.
Content notes
- graphic medical descriptions
- death and dying
- 9/11 trauma
- suicide
- child death
- gore
About the book
"The fearless memoir of a young forensic pathologist's "rookie season" as a NYC medical examiner, and the cases--hair-raising and heartbreaking and impossibly complex--that shaped her as both a physician and a mother. Just two months before the September 11 terrorist attacks, Dr. Judy Melinek began her training as a New York City forensic pathologist. With her husband T.J. and their toddler Daniel holding down the home front, Judy threw herself into the fascinating world of death investigation--performing autopsies, investigating death scenes, counseling grieving relatives. Working Stiff chronicles Judy's two years of training, taking readers behind the police tape of some of the most harrowing deaths in the Big Apple, including a firsthand account of the events of September 11, the subsequent anthrax bio-terrorism attack, and the disastrous crash of American Airlines flight 587. Lively, action-packed, and loaded with mordant wit, Working Stiff offers a firsthand account of daily life in one of America's most arduous professions, and the unexpected challenges of shuttling between the domains of the living and the dead. The body never lies--and through the murders, accidents, and suicides that land on her table, Dr. Melinek lays bare the truth behind the glamorized depictions of autopsy work on shows like CSI and Law & Order to reveal the secret story of the real morgue"--
"The fearless memoir of a young forensic pathologist's "rookie season" as a NYC medical examiner, and the cases--hair-raising and heartbreaking and impossibly complex--that shaped her. Just two months before the September 11 terrorist attacks, Dr. Judy Melinek began her training as a New York City forensic pathologist. With her husband, T.J., and their toddler, Daniel, holding down the home front, Judy threw herself into the fascinating world of death investigation--performing autopsies, investigating death scenes, counseling grieving relatives. Working Stiff chronicles Judy's two years of training, taking readers behind the police tape of some of the most harrowing deaths in the Big Apple, including a firsthand account of the events of September 11, the subsequent anthrax bio-terrorism attack, and the disastrous crash of American Airlines Flight 587. Lively, action-packed, and loaded with mordant wit, Working Stiff offers a glimpse into the daily life of one of America's most arduous professions, and the unexpected challenges of shuttling between the domains of the living and the dead. The body never lies--and through the murders, accidents, and suicides that land on her table, Dr. Melinek lays bare the truth behind the glamorized depictions of autopsy work on shows like CSI and Law & Order to reveal the secret story of the real morgue"--
Description from Open Library.
Books like Working stiff
See why they match
How not to dieJan GaravagliaA morbidly fascinating, tough-love guide to staying alive, delivered straight from the autopsy table.
Five Days at MemorialSheri FinkA harrowing, meticulously documented descent into a crisis where the boundaries of medical ethics and human endurance collapse.
StiffMary RoachA delightfully morbid, laugh-out-loud funny exploration of the bizarre and noble things our bodies do after we die.
Port MortuaryPatricia CornwellA chilling, high-stakes forensic thriller where cutting-edge medical technology uncovers a uniquely cruel enemy.
PostmortemPatricia CornwellA chilling, detail-rich descent into the morgue where cold science meets the visceral terror of a relentless predator.
ScarpettaPatricia Daniels CornwellA dark, clinically precise descent into the minds of killers and the burdened forensic experts who hunt them.