Beyond the Tape

by Marie Cassidy

The Number One bestselling memoir from Ireland's former state pathologist

In 1997, Dr Marie Cassidy arrived in Dublin from Glasgow. There to discuss a possible deputy state pathologist post with Professor John Harbison, instead she was whisked by police escort to a Grangegorman murder scene. There was no turning back.

She became Ireland's State Pathologist from 2004 until 2018, her image synonymous with breaking news of high-profile cases - a trusted figure in turbulent times.

Here, with the scalpel-like precision and calm authority of her trade, Marie shares her remarkable personal journey from working-class Scotland into the world of forensic pathology, describing in candid detail the intricate processes central to solving modern crime.

She recounts her work following the tragic deaths of Rachel O'Reilly, Siobhan Kearney, Robert Holohan, Tom O'Gorman and others - along with the Stardust exhumations and lesser known cases from her long career - outlining the subtle methods by which pathology and the justice system meet.

Beyond the Tape is a unique behind-the-scenes journey into the mysteries of unexplained and sudden death - by turns poignant, stark and deeply compelling.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Biography, Crime, Memoir, Irish Literature, Science

Audible Audio

First published October 1, 2020

Reviews

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this to a certain extent; it’s an interesting look at what is an unusual job and Dr Cassidy herself is a truly inspirational woman.
Having said that, a lot of it was a bit off-putting, there are chapters just about different ways people are killed and how the bodies look afterwards. I’m interested in true crime but I think that’s a step too far, even for me!
She does talk through some well known crimes from a pathologist’s perspective, which was definitely more in my area of interest and I loved listening to her speak (I’d advise getting this on audio), as she has a really calm and steady voice.
Her empathy for victims really shows through in this book and honestly I feel Ireland has been very lucky to have her doing what is a such difficult job with such thoroughness and dignity.

[Vicky Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel bad for saying it, but I’m glad to be finished this book. Not because it was gruesome (it really wasn’t) but because it was so technical and had no flow. Right from the start it feels like a college textbook with more space given to the procedures than to the deaths involved. While the topics were well divided into chapters they became repetitive and somewhat boring. The work Dr. Marie Cassidy did is no doubt inspiring, just less so the telling of it.

[Jo Spain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating first person account from Ireland's former State Pathologist. Incredibly useful for crime writing research! But also, just a really interesting look into what it takes to work in the field.

[Clodagh Ní Mh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an insightful book - but not for the faint hearted. I made it through Dr. Richard Shepard’s ‘Unnatural Causes’ pretty unphased but there is a level of emotion (perhaps based on relatability) in Dr. Cassidy’s book.

Sharing her experiences working in Glasgow and Ireland as well as her time working with the U.N, Dr Marie Cassidy shares stories of her many post-mortems, sexism she faced as a woman in an industry dominated by men and the varied (sometimes surprising) differences between the culture of death in Ireland and the UK.

The book also goes into the history of pathology as well as the relevance of other ‘ologies’ such as anthropology and entomology to forensic pathology.

[Regina Dooley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't find this book a good read, there was no clear focus on what the aim of the book was. It is very technical in parts and some of parts were difficult to read..

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am fascinated by anything medical, and particularly forensics. Whatever you think you know, you can always learn more, so I keep reading! Marie Cassidy is from Scotland, but moved to Ireland, and I learned some of the differences between countries in this area. It sounds like an interesting life, but I am still glad that I did not choose it myself!

[Ruthy lavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, informative and extremely well written.
As good as the exceptional books by Dr Richard Shepherd.
If you have any interest in pathology/medicine/forensics, this is a must read.

[Amber E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great to have an insight into the world of a state forensic pathologist, it was a good account of the reality of this as a career as opposed to what we see on television. However, despite the book being separated into chapters, I felt the story aspect of this book didn’t flow well. This made it a little difficult to follow in parts, even though the stories in themselves were interesting. As a book, it may be a little gory for anyone who isn’t regularly exposed to death, so maybe not a good bedtime read unless you’re of a hardy disposition!

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I HATE to say this as I have such admiration for Dr. Cassidy and her field of work but I was a little disappointed by this offering.

I feel that her story would have benefitted immensely had she used a ghost writer. The main problem being the overall flow of the book. We are taken off on one or two (if not more) tangents in the middle of chapters and brought back again. The timeline is very scewed as well, we are in 1997 then 2015, then a little paragraph about 2001 and so forth. It feels like there was no planned structure to this book. It reads as if we are following Dr. Cassidy's non - linear trains of thought - one minute she is writing about a case and then it's as if she suddenly remembered something else and had to write it down.

An opportunity was also missed to dig a little bit deeper into the woman herself. Dr. Cassidy leads such a fascinating life but she barely scratches the surface with regards to her personal life. I wanted to know more about her, more about her decision to become a pathologist, more about the high profile cases she investigated.

An OK and interesting read but frustrating as it had so much more potential. I have massive respect though for this woman and the incredible and invaluable work she did throughout the course of her career.

I loved Dr. Richard Sheppard's autobiography 'Unnatural Causes' if you are looking for something similar.

[Shauna Doherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book hoping to learn more about dr marie cassidy but felt the book just went on and on with so many technical explanations about the post mortems she done that i didnt really learn much about the woman herself dissapointing read overall

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight into the life of Dr Cassidy and some of the deaths she investigated.
I thought more details would be given on her life and a greater insight and more specifics into the various cases she’d worked on,but I guess under the circumstances,this couldn’t happen.

[Briana Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overview: First person account of Dr Marie Cassidy, the Irish State Pathologist.

Likes: Different to any other book I have read, great narration on audio read by the author herself, both humorous and harrowing at the same time, real life stories and examples throughout, interesting, insightful, makes you think and reflect throughout

Dislikes: Overly technical at times and missing a natural flow. It felt quite disjointed and I missed what the exact aim of the book was.

Recommend For: Anyone with an interest in forensic investigations and medicine.

Favourite Quote:
“Life is short and that seems to be on people’s minds quite a lot these days. We have entered the era of the bucket list. No longer is it sufficient to tell anyone who wants to listen, or even cares, that you are thinking about a fancy five-star holiday. No, every proposed trip is now qualified as ‘It’s on my bucket list.’ Really? If you want to go on safari, see the Northern Lights, surf off the Maldives, or whatever, save up, drop into the travel agent or book online. We don’t care. Why should I feel inadequate about preferring a week in Blackpool to a week in Bali? And as for ‘experiences’, bungee-jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, swimming with sharks, are you off your head? That is a guaranteed bucket list, a ‘death wish’ list. Show your videos to someone who cares. Does anyone? If you want to do something useful, look after people, even those you don’t know, listen to them: you may be very interesting but others are too in their own way – and, above all, be kind.”

[Emer Ní Conchúir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting read. I'd highly recommend if your interested in Pathology or true crime. Wouldn't recommend it if you're squeamish

[Maureen Boyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Learned so much about pathology. Marie has a witty sense of humour. Highly recommend

[Laura Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and devoured it in 3 days.It is fascinating.I love the way it's written in a simple form,from beginning to end way with everything explained in between.I particularly loved learning about the early history of the coroner,how pathology came about and how forensic science has blossomed over the year's.
Dr.Marie Cassidy is a woman to be admired & you get the feeling she has the utmost respect for the deceased and their families.
Obviously there are parts of this book that are not for the faint hearted but death is part of life too and I highly recommend this book to everyone.Dr.Cassidy's authentic and witty personality make this book together with her experience and knowledge an extremely brilliant book to read.

[Sinead Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting read. Lots of technical information and has a tendency to wander in the telling. Not for the faint hearted

[Mairead Mulcahy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard going. Obviously the subject matter is tough, but the style felt like it couldn't strike the right balance between informative and conversational. So it juddered along in fits and starts for me.

[theirishbooklover]

Shocking, Intense, Real.

I was absolutely fascinated in this book when I read it. Of course, many of the cases talked about within this book were absolutely shocking but the way in which they were handled was fascinating. Dr. Cassidy is an amazing role model.

It can be hard to realise that the cases within the pages of this book are actually real. I do recommend a very light read after this book as it can be intense. If you have any interest in non fiction, crime or medicine, I would definitely recommend it.

I bought a signed copy from Easons but Dr. Cassidy reads the audiobook herself so I definitely think that would be a great way to read it as well. No rating as it is a non fiction book.

[Shane Colton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really disliked this book. I read it quickly in about 3 or 4 days only cuz I kept hoping to turn a corner and it would get better or just to complete it. I found the book to ramble on quite abit and jump from one case to another meanwhile my brain was elsewhere as I was uninterested. It is a clunky read, lots of big words and medical terminology and found myself googling them often. I think the book has been marketed by booksellers to the mass reader but really this book is a niche book which would appeal to people with an interest in medicine or science. While the book is quite long, basically we learn nothing about Marie cassidy as a person or her private life which I feel is a miss.

[Ciara H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book.
Marie Cassidy tells her stories with grit, openness, honesty, and truth.
She describes the systems of Ireland and Scotland clearly and without jargon

This book is not for the faint-hearted but that's obvious when you consider her role as State Pathologist .

I like her, her personality shines through, she is a woman of great intelligence, wisdom, sensitivity, compassion, and humanity. And I'd say she has a wicked sense of humour!

[Eire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, although, like others, I did find that the author tended to flit back and forth between time periods, making it difficult to keep up at times.

I also found basic things such as sentence structure could have been improved. Sentences were often long or missing punctuation. Given that Marie is not an author by trade, that is not surprising, but these are things the editor should have caught. Perhaps a more experienced editor would have made for a coherent read.

[Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

More 2.5 than 2. Found the book very technical in places and read more like a college text book. Parts of it were interesting and she obviously writes with great passion about her subject but found it hard going at times and found it could done with a lot of editing as it was all over the place. She would be discussing one case and then jump to discuss another case and then loop back and finish her point in relation to the original case. This got to be very annoying after a few times.

[Thelma Gabbett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very repetitive bit boring actually

[Siobhán Lucid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Persobal preference but this was soooooo technical I wanted to hear more about how she came here how she juggled her career. Eye opening but a super hard read

[Shell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An endlessly interesting and informative book. Marie starts out as a medical student, but faints at the sight of fresh blood and finds herself more suited to working with those who have already died. It's the kind of book you could read a chapter of and put down for a while and be able to pick it up again and enjoy one more. I, however, couldn't leave it alone. I note some people have marked it down for lack of the true crime element and I would say that it does focus more on the scientific details on the table in front of her, rather than the whole crime story leading up to the deaths. One incredible case is a partial old skull brought up in a fishing net off Ireland and the description of how it was matched to a person who had gone missing many miles away. She doesn't give much away about her own personal life and does discuss child deaths a couple of times if that would be upsetting you might want to look out for, and skip over those small parts. If you have even a passing interest in the many ways people end up on the Autopsy table, both accidental and more sinister, then this is the book for you.

[Aaron O’Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this insight into the work of the State Pathologist and of forensic pathology more generally.

While other reviews have referenced the frequent moving between specific cases and general aspects of the work in quick succession, I personally quite enjoyed the style.

What was particularly refreshing about the book was Dr. Cassidy’s humility and commitment to professionalism in her role. While clearly an expert in her field, she frequently referred to human fallibility.

More than anything what I really enjoyed about the book was the empathy and human decency demonstrated by Dr. Cassidy in her work.

“If you want to do something useful, look after people, even those you don’t know, listen to them: you may be very interesting but others are too in their own way - and, above all, be kind.”

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beyond the Tape: The Life and Many Deaths of a State Pathologist by Dr Marie Cassidy was published October 1st with Hachette Ireland and is described as ‘a unique behind-the-scenes journey into the mysteries of unexplained and sudden death – by turns poignant, stark and deeply compelling.’ I recently watched Dr. Marie Cassidy interviewed on The Late Late Show (an Irish chat show) and was completely taken aback by the gravitas, the poise and the humour of this Glaswegian doctor that we had all become familiar with on our TV screens up to very recently, but in a very different guise. The news camera zoomed in on Dr Cassidy, more oft-times dressed in protective white gear, entering crime scenes that would invoke nightmares in most of us. Having now written her memoir, Dr Marie Cassidy takes the reader on quite a detailed journey, with the most fascinating insights into her professional career as a pathologist, working in some very horrifying environments.

“Death is not a headline or an obituary notice, it is something that will happen to us all. I have witnessed death in all its guises. This book is an attempt to enable you to see with my eyes, to walk carefully in my footprints beyond the police tape.”
– Dr Cassidy via The Bookseller

Beyond the Tape is not a book for the squeamish and most definitely not a book to be read while eating. There are disturbing scenes of quite a graphic nature so be prepared. It is, however, a compelling and very unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes ‘exposé’ of pathology and all it’s workings from the perspective of this true power-house of a woman.

Dr Cassidy brings the reader back to her days in Glasgow, recounting her entry into pathology and her later encounter with Professor John Harbison, who was the Irish State Pathologist to precede her. Not a career choice for many but one that Dr. Cassidy excelled in for many reasons. Her humanity and empathy, with a focus on always discovering the truth, made her a powerful force to be reckoned with. For many of us, the idea of working in this field repulses but for Dr. Cassidy, her sleepless nights were not filled with ‘mangled bodies and zombies attacking me’ but her continued search for the truth.

“When I lose sleep it’s because I’m processing my postmortem findings and trying to make sense of them. I feel a tremendous responsibility to get things right, not only for the deceased person but also for their family. The worst diagnosis I can give to a family is that the cause of death is ‘undetermined'”
– Dr Marie Cassidy

Throughout her career in pathology, Dr Cassidy witnessed seismic shifts in the way forensics was developing. New technologies heralded in techniques and equipment that allowed for greater accuracy and ultimately better results. She refers to how, in 1985, when she became a forensic pathologist, DNA was not used to make identification, whereas today it is such a vital and important component to achieving a greater level of accuracy.

I was particularly fascinated with Dr Cassidy’s involvement with the UN and the uncovering of mass graves in war-torn countries. She became part of a team involved in assisting with the identification of the dead. A mammoth task with ‘the numbers so overwhelming that we thought we would never be able to identify all the remains recovered’. Dr Cassidy’s portrayal of the scenes she witnessed are incredibly disconcerting, surrounded by a very unpredictable political climate and rudimentary facilities.

“Nothing could have prepared us for the work we faced. Walking toward the dilapidated building, the stench from the mortuary was overpowering and, due to the lack of washing facilities, we smelt of rotting corpses for the whole time we were there. Despite the working conditions and an overwhelming sadness due to what we witnessed, we had a common cause: to identify the deceased in the hope of bringing justice to them and to their families. That was what it was about for me. Giving the body back to the family”
– Dr Marie Cassidy

Dr Cassidy recounts many tragedies from both her time in Glasgow and in Ireland. I was familiar with many of the Irish cases, reminded of the faces we saw, of both victims and perpetrators, on our screens and newspapers at the time. There is one case that she recalls, in 1992, near Glasgow where the body of a young woman, a student, was discovered. One particular paragraph, where Dr Cassidy writes about the postmortem, carries great emotion evoking a huge sense of loss.

“This was not normal. We were gathered around her, as if trying to keep her safe. It was too late for that”

Beyond the Tape is an impressive book. It is a memoir of quite an extraordinary person. Every chapter brings something new and, although unsettling, a compulsion to keep reading. Dr Marie Cassidy is a passionate individual, one who strongly believes in the black and white of right and wrong, with the caveat that one realises the limits of one’s expertise. Stick to what you know using the necessary facts to support your claims but be willing to accept that there will be times when you will get it wrong. Words we should all adhere to.

Beyond the Tape in many ways is quite an unusual read, almost like The Dummies Guide to Pathology. It is a book that I have no doubt many crime writers will closely analyse and digest due to the very informative nature of its contents.

Unique in every way, Beyond the Tape is a very insightful and important book, one that disturbs and compels in equal measure. Not for the faint of heart, it is a fascinating and riveting look at the life of a pathologist who very much left her mark on society, Dr Marie Cassidy.

[Ciara K · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting tale and it was nice to read non fiction for a change. I always like true crime but this was a nice change as it wasn’t all crime related death either. Marie Cassidy is an interesting character and having watched some interviews and shows on TV with her I thought a book might be intriguing, and that it was. Her tone throughout felt as if you were just speaking to her or listening to her on TV. It was easy to follow and so much of it was interesting. The physical examinations, legal sides (court rooms), dealings with gardaí, figuring out whether it was murder or accidental death. All of it was enjoyable to read and her personality really came across well. I definitely would recommend this book

[Anne-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy ‘insights books’; insights into the working world of others, careers I would never have thought to train for. This novel opens with a historical account on the emerging role of ‘the coroner’ and explains how the ‘public house’ came to double as undertakers in Ireland (I often wondered about this). Interestingly, it also mentions that the earliest recorded postmortem is the homicide of Julius Caesar!

It presents a detailed explanation of the neutrality or non-bias position of the forensic pathologist, clarifying that while their evidence may be important in court cases, they stick strictly to the science and leave it up to the courts to deal with the morality aspect. When conducting postmortems, there are generally four triggers for death: accident, suicide, homicide or natural. The role of the pathologist is never to assume, and she illustrates a percentage of cases that appear as suicide, but are in fact, homicide. When it is a homicide, the primary injury is often obvious, but it is the minor injuries, (bruising, cuts, abrasions, drag marks) that tell the story of what happened. Nurses also notice minor details and note them on medical records, which the pathologist will review for clues. Also interesting is the explanation on retrospectively establishing the time of death, using measures based on rigor mortis and livor mortis, though temperature and climate may vary these processes. It is quite fascinating to read about the science of analyzing a body to uncover what happened in a crime. For example, the technique of body mapping, where every cm of the body is covered in a piece of labelled tape, which is removed and analyzed for DNA, to understand where victim was touched or handled by the perpetrator, to retrace the story of what may have happened.

Overall, a good read, but a little repetitive in parts, I had the sense that a further edit may have tightened it up some more.