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Richard Shepherd

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Unnatural Causes Kindle Edition

by Richard Shepherd (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 20,876 ratings

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THE TRUE CRIME BOOK OF THE YEAR AND 18-WEEK SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER

'One of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Engrossing, a haunting page-turner. A book I could not put down' The Times, BOOKS OF THE YEAR
__________

Meet the forensic pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd.

He solves the mysteries of unexplained or sudden death.

He has performed over 23,000 autopsies, including some of the most high-profile cases of recent times; the Hungerford Massacre, the Princess Diana inquiry, and 9/11.

He has faced serial killers, natural disaster, 'perfect murders' and freak accidents.

His evidence has put killers behind bars, freed the innocent, and turned open-and-shut cases on their heads.

Yet all this has come at a huge personal cost.

Unnatural Causes tells the story of not only the cases and bodies that have haunted him the most, but also how to live a life steeped in death.

Thoughtful, revealing, chilling and always unputdownable, if you liked All That Remains, War Doctor and This is Going to Hurt you'll love this.

**Pre-order Dr Richard Shepherd's new book THE SEVEN AGES OF DEATH now**
__________

'Gripping, grimly fascinating, and I suspect I'll read it at least twice' Evening Standard

'A deeply mesmerising memoir of forensic pathology. Human and fascinating' Nigella Lawson

'An absolutely brilliant book. I really recommend it, I don't often say that but it's fascinating' Jeremy Vine, BBC Radio 2

'Puts the reader at his elbow as he wields the scalpel' Guardian

'Fascinating, gruesome yet engrossing' Richard and Judy, Daily Express

'Fascinating, insightful, candid, compassionate' Observer

Editorial Reviews

Review

Puts the reader at his elbow as he wields the scalpel - - Guardian

Fabulous . . . The UK's top pathologist investigating high-profile deaths such as that of Diana, Princess of Wales - - The Sunday Post

One of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Engrossing, a haunting page-turner. A book I could not put down - - The Times

Heart-wrenchingly honest - - Professor Sue Black, author of All That Remains

Unnatural Causes gives a sense of the toll that dealing with so many dead bodies takes. It's a very human book that looks at the cases he has been involved with, from the Hungerford massacre to the murder of Stephen Lawrence - - The Times (Books of the Year, 2018)

Partly an autobiography, but also a love letter to pathology. It's dignified and graceful and painfully honest about the human and emotional cost of so much time with the dead. Insightful, moving and mesmerising - - Marylebone Journal

Insightful, candid and compassionate - - Observer

Fascinating, gruesome yet engrossing - - Richard and Judy, Daily Express

Darkly fascinating - - Daily Mirror

About the Author

Richard Shepherd trained as a doctor at St George's Hospital medical school at Hyde Park Corner, qualifying in 1977 and then completed his postgraduate training as a forensic pathologist in 1987. He immediately joined what was then the elite forensic department at Guy's Hospital. He has been involved nationally and internationally in the forensic investigation of thousands of deaths from unnatural causes, from headline-making murders to mass natural disasters, and many sudden and unexplained deaths that his investigations showed were from natural causes or due to accidents. His skills and expertise still remain in demand around the world.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01N3S0OM4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin; 2nd edition (September 20, 2018)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 20, 2018
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3475 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 394 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #409,427 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #31 in Pathology Forensic Medicine
- #312 in Biographies of Medical Professionals (Kindle Store)
- #1,051 in Scientist Biographies

Customer Reviews:
4.5 20,876 ratings

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Amy M

Very Enjoyable!

Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2024

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Dr Shepherd, I enjoyed this book thoroughly. You taught me so much about forensic pathology and how it affected you personally as a human. You took us along an amazing journey across your entire career and it was fascinating. I applaud you for sharing your experience with PTSD, depression and slowly coming out of the darkness. Thank you for such a great book. I crave more!

Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2024

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Dr Shepherd offers an engrossing look at the lives of cadavers. First, I thank Dr Shepherd for various tidbits about death: that the abdomen decomposes first, and that babies are more likely to mummify than adults.

Shepherd also knows how to write, such as this sentence about the 9/11 coroners’ setup in NYC: “The bodies were treated with great respect and the trailers were kept clean and well ordered, the Stars and Stripes a reminder of the state and the containers of flowers a reminder of the people.”

Unfortunately, Shepherd frequently lapses into the passive voice, making for poor scene setting: “However, my denials were ignored and my protests taken as somehow incriminating.” Had Shepherd focused on his wordsmithing, I might understand how he became a forensic pathologist instead of a coroner (and why that difference matters). His quests to help corrections officers better learn to restrain prisoners might have formed a nice arc, rather than meriting a few pages at the outset and an occasional mention thrown in thereafter.

And perhaps, told in stronger words, his description of the privatization of forensic pathologists in the UK would have made sense to this American. I can’t fathom how the UK would ever need fewer forensic pathologists. Also, he taught at university? When did this happen?

Finally, his experiments with meat, pillows, and knife wounds also eventually fizzles out. Why on Earth did he not apply for funding to create a lab devoted to splatter science? And why didn’t he spare a chapter to explaining (with diagrams) the basic science of knife wounds and blood splatter?

That aside, the Shepherd’s life removed comes full circle in the last 10%.

Helpful

Sotto voce

Unnaturally superb writing too

Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2018

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I read a review about Shepherd’s book in the London Sunday Times. I’m a sucker on the subject and bought the Kindle at an absurd price the same day.

The first thing I noticed is that Shepherd is one hellacious good writer. From the first sentence and paragraph, I was reading a gifted writer. The writing just gets better as you progress. He incorporates his family, related social and technical debates in time and place, and everyday details in an extraordinary effective manner. He traces an increasingly vile trial evolution into withering defense 'personal incompetence' strategies.

Shepherd grabs first sentence attention as he narrates his approach into Hungerford, England in his Cessna 170 in the current day. He has a panic attack. He writes one of the best written witnesses to an attack that I've seen in writing. Boom! He doesn’t call it a panic attack but that’s precisely what he describes I have the damn things at the strangest moments like this. After 30-some years as a leading forensic voice in some 28,000 autopsies, Shepherd begins here with his career recollection of his last visit to Hungerford.

Shepherd writes his images precisely … first cadaver, first autopsy, etc. Fantastic fidelity. His style transports you into the seen without notice.

A secondary theme is understanding the nature of "truth" and its perspective intensive demands to understand. "Truth" matures. Shephard is keen enough to notice the nuance.

Here’s a genuinely unique 5-star read that's on the way to best seller. Here is the story of raw yeoman work. Life. Death. The author has the master skill of the storyteller and forensic expert. It’s a rare combo to produce such a grippingly interesting read.

Surely among the years top non-fiction reads.

24 people found this helpful

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E

Fascinating

Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2024

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What an amazing life story. We owe people like this man so much respect for the care they show the dead. What a difficult career to pursue.

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Kindle Customer

Professional memoir meets personal issues

Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2020

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This book was an interesting read.
The documentation as regards his professional work, his patients, their stories and the processes behind his work is fascinating and really interesting. The author is very good at explaining his involvement in prestigious cases, and new processes in his field and I learnt a lot from reading this book, but I would argue there's a lack of responsibility throughout the book when he writes about things that didn't work out so well (his marriage, some difficult cases, etc)
I didn't particularly enjoy learning about his personal life, and the more he discussed it the more frustrated I felt with him (refer back to the ownership comment above).
I also felt uncomfortable when he was discussing colleagues of his and felt like he used this opportunity to complain about them.

6 people found this helpful

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Caroline Genius

Good book, poor quality

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2023

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The book is great. Enjoyed it throughout. However, I purchased the book “new” and it not only arrived a week and a half after it was supposed to, it arrived with scratched/peeling covers and torn pages. If I’m paying for a new copy of a book, I’d like to actually recieve a new copy and not one that clearly is extremely secondhand. For almost $20 this was very disappointing and I’m thankful it was not for a gift.

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Mary V.

A Fascinating Read

Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2023

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My interest in forensic pathology started when I was a little girl and the only reason I didn't pursue it as a career is because I later found out just how much schooling and training was involved. Nope, not for me.

I found Dr. Shepherd to be such a likeable person and a gifted author. I loved the way he wove his own personal life into the book and the story kept me on edge from page one. I'm an avid reader who rarely gives five stars to any book, but this one certainly earned them.

2 people found this helpful

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Robert Thompson

Refreshingly Unusual Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 17, 2024

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Dr Shepherd writes with penetrating insight about the life and world of a highly successful and popular Forensic Pathologist. His selection of cases is spot-on, providing salient and easily digested technical information along with more general observations.

His vast experience of the highs and lows of the profession and his hard-won ability to reflect upon his personal development, both professionally and as a human being, bring to the book an added - and most unusual - dimension, helping to elevate it to a position above the current slew of similar titles.

A thoroughly good read!

Naómi

Brilliant! Read it in one sitting!

Reviewed in the Netherlands on February 17, 2023

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We need more professionals like Dr Shepherd to share their knowledge! The forensic insights, pathology as a career and professional burnout - all beautifully captured in this stunning read.

Tina Sjöstrand

Besvikelse

Reviewed in Sweden on November 16, 2022

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Trodde boken skulle handla om rättsläkarens fall och sökandet efter dödsorsaker. Men ded är mer en biografi om författarens liv fända rån barndomen. Väldigt ointressant och jag läste bara typ en tredjedel.

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Hilary

Very interesting and honest insight into the work of a forensic pathologist

Reviewed in Germany on September 3, 2022

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Well worth reading this personal, detailed account of a career as a forensic pathologist. Not just about the job, also the effect it has on the family and the price paid for witnessing so many terrible ends to life.

TMM

Fascinating

Reviewed in Canada on August 21, 2020

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This was a fascinating look into the career of a forensic pathologist. The medical terminology wasn’t too hard to understand for a lay person at all and the details were embedded into the story. I found it interesting and not dry at all.
Excellent.

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