The Final Diagnosis: Obscure cases of death, disease & murder

by Cynric Temple-Camp, John Voce (Narrator)

The 'if' of death is certain. The 'when' is unknown. It is the 'why' that really gets people's interest ...

From a rare and deadly amniotic avalanche to a victim of roasted peanuts ... The bestselling author of The Cause of Death and The Quick and the Dead returns with more stranger-than-fiction stories of death, disease and murder—as well as new perspectives on high-profile cases, including the disappearance of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope, the trial of Mark Lundy, and the ill-fated journey of Ansett Flight 703.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Medical, True Crime, Crime, Science

Audible Audio

Published June 5, 2024

About the author

Originally from South Africa, pathologist Dr Temple-Camp spent the early part of his career in war-torn Rhodesia examining the dead and dying. He came to New Zealand in the 1970s and has since worked on over 2000 cases.

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written with warmth and respect. And definitely interesting.

[Emily Carter-Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but not as good as his first.

[Rachael Merwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very waffle. Couldn’t finish

[Blair Donkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author sets out to write in the empathetic semi-fictional narrative style and achieves it. A very interesting first hand insight into the very varied daily work of a pathologist. I particularly appreciated the quotes from literature at the end of each chapter that captured the essence of each chapter often quite poignantly.

There’s a real humility in the writing and how the author portrays his patients, colleagues and the many others met in the course of his work. While there is humour it is not the overly dark humour so often found amongst health professionals.

While of particular interest to a NZ audience and especially other individuals in healthcare I think it would definitely have broader appeal.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could honestly just read stories from Temple-Camp forever. Despite this being his third book about life as one of New Zealand's best pathologists, I still eat up this book as much as the first.

Temple-Camp's storytelling abilities just keep you hooked. He makes what seems like the most mundane story and spins it into a tale you just have to hang on every word. He truly makes the world of pathology sound like the most intriguing job in the world.

If you love his others books, The Cause of Death and The Quick and the Dead, you will love The Final Diagnosis just a much.

[Natalie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly intriguing!

[Noelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the narrator of the audiobook wore the mic in his stomach bc all I heard was his gastric grumbling for 10 hours

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Gail Scoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting! Not a lot of depth or pull to the book but easy read and some intriguing theories.

[Alex Freedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Final Diagnosis by Cynric Temple-Camp, a former pathologist working in forensics, explores various different deaths that he explored. It dives into the stringent methods forensic workers take to uncover causes of death, and poses some thought into the motivation behind the murder. A collection of short stories, each death is followed by the thought process taken to discover the truth about the passing, allowing for some interesting insight into the world of forensic science. Temple-Camp emphasises the psychological motivations behind murder and the emotional turmoil that can lead individuals to extreme actions. For example, he writes, “In moments of passion, the line between sanity and madness blurs,” illustrating how intense emotions can cloud judgement and lead to impulsive, violent behaviour. This quote encapsulates the theme of how ordinary circumstances can spiral into chaos, underscoring the fragility of the human mind when confronted with overwhelming feelings. These quotes serve to deepen the reader's understanding of the cases discussed and highlight the intersection of forensic science and psychology. They also create a narrative that encourages reflection on the darker sides of human nature, prompting readers to consider how easily emotions can lead to irreversible decisions. Through these insights, Temple-Camp not only reveals the technical aspects of forensic pathology but also paints a vivid picture of the emotional landscapes that often accompany violent crimes. Through these insights we can understand just how strange the human mind is; it can form highly complex plans yet still feel like there is nowhere else to go. There are many scenarios we are prompted with by the news and other media, which dive into the heinous actions of the person, yet never truly establish the why. It is important that we understand how humans are motivated to do horrible things in horrible circumstances.

[Nicola Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another fascinating book by Cynric Temple-Camp. The cases he shares are compassionately told, and they are a fascinating look at what happens in the investigation of a death from a pathologist’s perspective. A variety of cases are covered, and the way that they are conveyed makes it very easy to read - it’s very conversational, which helps with the sometimes gruesome subject matter.

This book is a little different to his previous two. There’s little in the way of stories from his childhood or early years as a pathologist, but he does share some other interesting stories. Firstly, the chapter on Covid19 and how he & his team worked during the lockdown was really interesting - seeing the ways that they had to work around restrictions makes you glad that there are such intelligent & caring people working in the medical fields. The other stories were about some of New Zealand’s most notorious murder cases, predominantly two that everyone has an opinion on - the murders of Christine & Amber Lundy (Temple-Camp was involved in the investigation) and Ben Smart & Olivia Hope.

I found each case to be respectfully & factually described, the successes & failures in diagnosing were both written about. It feels strange to be saying that I enjoyed a book about death but this was equally entertaining and informative.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was really 3.5 if i wanted to rate it fairly. ironically, the entire section about murders and theories lost me, but the rest of it? anxiety-inducing, tense, intriguing and jarring hands down. i wouldn't recommend this book if you have a queasy stomach or you're a hypochondriac. where i /am/ a recovering hypochondriac, this was nothing short of exposure therapy for me. and good exposure at that. while it could be a bit drawn out at times, and the author can be a taaaad self-indulgent, this opened my eyes to a part of the medical field that goes unnoticed and unregarded much of the time: the lab. going forward, you'll never catch me complaining when the drs say "it'll be at least an hour wait for lab work" while in the er.

[Xanthi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to this on audiobook format. I know the author is South African and not a New Zealander but he lives and works in NZ, and yet the narrator gives almost everyone various British accents. I found that rather annoying.
The writing style is very conversational. Very chatty. That’s mostly okay though at times the author veers off in directions that don’t quite stick to the topic of pathology . I also found it annoying when he took various jabs at veganism, and made comments about vitamin B12 that didn’t tell the full story.
The most interesting chapter was about COVID-19 and how that affected his profession, particularly the demands and challenges it threw up for pathologists.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I prefer listening to these types of books as audiobooks because they hold my attention better and feel more like a podcast.

That said, I found the choice of accents by the narrator a bit confusing. The author is South African and mainly works in New Zealand, but everyone in the audiobook had British accents—it felt a bit out of place.

Some of the cases were really interesting, though the author mentions at the start that the book blends true events with fiction, so it’s not all a retelling of true stories.

[Emma Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first one, unfortunately.

I am a nurse and found most of the medical explanations boring, so they added nothing to the tales for me. I skipped through those bits.

As Cynric says in this book, Pathologists do a whole lot more than murders, but most people want to talk about the murders. I was here for the murder, and there wasn't enough murder in this book.

[Louise Nicholls · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read into what the human body is capable of revealing not only about your cause of death but also unusual health conditions. Very informative and entertaining at the same time. I really enjoy Cynric's writing style. If you enjoy this book check out his other two.

[Lucy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as great as the first couple of books. This one seems more wafflely, and more narrative than factual. I skimmed a lot as a result, and did not find that my attention was captured as much as the first two books.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 3.5 stars. I have worked in medicine for 40 years, so what I find entertaining in some of the things he discusses probably won't appeal to everyone. He does have a tendency to go off on tangents but I did find enough interesting material to keep me moving right along!

[Hannah Frew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating !

[Hayley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very waffly, couldn't hold my attention. Did not finish.

[sheerin · Rating 5 out of 5]

another slay by temple-camp as usual

[Keeley McGhie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Working in histology I couldn’t find a better book! Love the chapter on misdiagnosis!

[Lorelle Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read all three. The chapter on Covid 19 was really interesting, but I found the rest he waffled on a bit. I like his 2nd book the best.

[chelseawindleburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

quite good

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - Some interesting cases

[Deb Tysoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

worth reading

An interesting fact filled book. A recommended read for everyone interested in life and death. I certainly enjoyed the read!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating!

[Liz Dixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this as much as “The Quick and the Dead”

[Sophie Watkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn’t as good as his other books but still enjoyable enough

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like listening to a long winded doctor at a party.