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A review by literarylily
Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepherd
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
5.0
I don't read a lot of non-fiction, so my enjoyment of this one really took me by surprise. It deals with many difficult subjects, but I feel that Dr Shepherd handled them well. I enjoyed how he delved into the science without leaving non-medical readers behind, and gave the historical basis of why certain causes of death were or were not commonly given at different times.
I found it fascinating hearing about how the world of forensic pathology changed throughout the course of his career, how that impacted him and the field as a whole. He was very human in his recounting of various cases, being open about his struggles and failures.
It is a well-balanced read, both between his personal life and work, and talking about famous and every-day cases. Other authors may have relied too heavily on the cases readers would recognise (such as Stephen Lawrence or the Marchionness disaster) but Dr Shepherd made the unknown cases just as interesting and really showed the full picture of his work.
It is a difficult read at times, but so so worth it. This is a unique insight into a career that remains glamourised and mystified by modern tv shows, shedding light on what it is really like and the effects the career can have on those that stick with it.
I found it fascinating hearing about how the world of forensic pathology changed throughout the course of his career, how that impacted him and the field as a whole. He was very human in his recounting of various cases, being open about his struggles and failures.
It is a well-balanced read, both between his personal life and work, and talking about famous and every-day cases. Other authors may have relied too heavily on the cases readers would recognise (such as Stephen Lawrence or the Marchionness disaster) but Dr Shepherd made the unknown cases just as interesting and really showed the full picture of his work.
It is a difficult read at times, but so so worth it. This is a unique insight into a career that remains glamourised and mystified by modern tv shows, shedding light on what it is really like and the effects the career can have on those that stick with it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Racism, Self harm, Blood, Police brutality, and Suicide attempt