What do you think?
Rate this book
Second Life
This "smart and darkly glimmering story, a hold-your-breath thriller written in finely wrought prose, and a book that will spark a hundred conversations about risk and love and the dignity" follows one woman's search for her former best friend--into the underworld and beyond (Lauren Groff, New York Times bestselling author of Fates and Furies ).
Elena Kelly was a body broker or "corpse wrangler," and when she was working, she was one of the best in her field. But Elena got too ambitious--cut too many corners and too many ethical (and legal) safeguards. After running afoul of the law and medical profession, triggering a huge scandal in Louisville, Kentucky that quickly went national, she lost everything.
Now humbled and on a strict, three-year parole, she works as coroner's assistant in Danville. Though still trying to come to grips with her regret and guilt, she is unexpectedly drawn into the search for her former best friend's missing body. Elena knows what can happen to a body that goes "missing," how it can be salvaged and used indiscriminately for spare parts, and she endeavors to seek salvation in finding Lia and bringing her body home, as complete as possible. Her desperate search drags her back to the underworld of the dead and pits her against a new and nefarious corpse wrangler--one more talented and deadly than she ever was.
Pulling back the curtain on those who exist on the edge of the medical profession, the ones who remove skin and tissue and bones from the dead, for use by surgeons, medical students practicing technique, cosmetic surgeons, medical equipment companies and science labs, Second Life thrillingly and philosophically explores our obligation to protect the dead and examines what happens when we--literally--leave the land of the living.
Elena Kelly was a body broker or "corpse wrangler," and when she was working, she was one of the best in her field. But Elena got too ambitious--cut too many corners and too many ethical (and legal) safeguards. After running afoul of the law and medical profession, triggering a huge scandal in Louisville, Kentucky that quickly went national, she lost everything.
Now humbled and on a strict, three-year parole, she works as coroner's assistant in Danville. Though still trying to come to grips with her regret and guilt, she is unexpectedly drawn into the search for her former best friend's missing body. Elena knows what can happen to a body that goes "missing," how it can be salvaged and used indiscriminately for spare parts, and she endeavors to seek salvation in finding Lia and bringing her body home, as complete as possible. Her desperate search drags her back to the underworld of the dead and pits her against a new and nefarious corpse wrangler--one more talented and deadly than she ever was.
Pulling back the curtain on those who exist on the edge of the medical profession, the ones who remove skin and tissue and bones from the dead, for use by surgeons, medical students practicing technique, cosmetic surgeons, medical equipment companies and science labs, Second Life thrillingly and philosophically explores our obligation to protect the dead and examines what happens when we--literally--leave the land of the living.
- GenresFiction
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 13, 2015
2 people are currently reading
350 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 29, 2016
This book had a great plot, and kept me interested for hours. The characters were well developed, and many of the twists I didn't see coming. Overall, it was a great thriller.
The only downside to this novel-- and I fully recognize that this is a matter of personal taste-- was that it omitted important types of punctuation from the text. I was really confused at the beginning of the book because there weren't quotation marks, and there also were confusing comma and period usages.
The only downside to this novel-- and I fully recognize that this is a matter of personal taste-- was that it omitted important types of punctuation from the text. I was really confused at the beginning of the book because there weren't quotation marks, and there also were confusing comma and period usages.
March 16, 2015
I received free copy as a first reads winner.
In reviews I don't really like to give away the entire plot of the story, it tends to ruin the story for others. I have never read a book like this before, I didn't even know there was such a thing as "corpse wrangling." With that being said, I actually really enjoyed this book. There is mystery and suspense that keeps you hanging on. The overall tone is easy to follow and the subject matter, I found to be original. Definitely a good read.
In reviews I don't really like to give away the entire plot of the story, it tends to ruin the story for others. I have never read a book like this before, I didn't even know there was such a thing as "corpse wrangling." With that being said, I actually really enjoyed this book. There is mystery and suspense that keeps you hanging on. The overall tone is easy to follow and the subject matter, I found to be original. Definitely a good read.
June 29, 2016
Disturbing look into body and parts donation plus a thrilling mystery! Fast paced plot with twists and turns kept me turning pages!
May 6, 2015
Very interesting premis, creepy, stealing and selling body parts. Quick read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews