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Morgue
In this clear-eyed, gritty, and enthralling narrative, Dr. Vincent DiMaio and veteran crime writer Ron Franscell guide us behind the morgue doors to tell a fascinating life story through the cases that have made Di Maio famous-from the exhumation of assassin Lee Harvey Oswald to the complex issues in the shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.
Beginning with his street-smart Italian origins in Brooklyn, the book spans 40 years of work and more than 9,000 autopsies, and Di Maio's eventual rise into the pantheon of forensic scientists. One of the country's most methodical and intuitive criminal pathologists will dissect himself, maintaining a nearly continuous flow of suspenseful stories, revealing anecdotes, and enough macabre insider details to rivet the most fervent crime fans.
Beginning with his street-smart Italian origins in Brooklyn, the book spans 40 years of work and more than 9,000 autopsies, and Di Maio's eventual rise into the pantheon of forensic scientists. One of the country's most methodical and intuitive criminal pathologists will dissect himself, maintaining a nearly continuous flow of suspenseful stories, revealing anecdotes, and enough macabre insider details to rivet the most fervent crime fans.
292 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 449 reviews
November 1, 2022
This is a 10 star read. The author, one of the Grand Old Men of pathologists, medical examiners, in the US, deconstructs some famous (and not so well-known) cases without the front-page headlines designed to influence us emotionally into wanting a court to find guilt in a suspect just because they ought to be guilty!
The first case is Trayvon Martin.
to be continued. But it never was!
The first case is Trayvon Martin.
to be continued. But it never was!
March 1, 2017
This book is kind of a mishmash of cases, some famous, some not well known. I much preferred the book Working Stiff.
What really bothered me was the author's clear racial biases in writing about the Trayvon Martin case. "Martin's parents endorsed a petition on Change.org called for Zimmerman's arrest and it got 1.3 million "signatures"; Reverend Al Sharpton and the rest of the racial-grievance industrial complex showed up to stir the pot...." " President Barack Obama elevated the case to a presidential issue when he said, "Trayvon Martin could've been me thirty-five years ago," and "If I had a son he would look like Trayvon" as he called for nationwide "soul-searching." Instead of tamping down the rage, the president fueled it."
The term "racial-grievance industrial complex" is sarcastic and insulting.
What really bothered me was the author's clear racial biases in writing about the Trayvon Martin case. "Martin's parents endorsed a petition on Change.org called for Zimmerman's arrest and it got 1.3 million "signatures"; Reverend Al Sharpton and the rest of the racial-grievance industrial complex showed up to stir the pot...." " President Barack Obama elevated the case to a presidential issue when he said, "Trayvon Martin could've been me thirty-five years ago," and "If I had a son he would look like Trayvon" as he called for nationwide "soul-searching." Instead of tamping down the rage, the president fueled it."
The term "racial-grievance industrial complex" is sarcastic and insulting.
May 21, 2016
I love puzzles, it is the reason I read mysteries. Trying to put the clues together, see what fits, what doesn't, try to figure out the killer. Of course that is armchair detecting, the mysteries are often not real, plus I am notoriously bad at it.. The cases in this book are very real. DiMaio has worked on some of the biggest cases there are.
The Trayvon case is the first presented and of course it was all over the news. Lee Hare ey Oswald and the conspiracy theorists who insisted that Oswald was not the man in the grave. There is one that I just had to skim, the case was horrific and descriptions graphic, three boys killed in Kansas. . Other cases of baby killers are presented and lastly he takes a look at the supposed suicide of Van Gogh.
All are interesting if you are curious about true crimes. He explains how and why he does what he does. His family background, his education and his professional qualifications. All incredibly well presented, easy to follow. A man that has truly made a significant difference in the lives of many, whether they know it or not.
ARC from Netgalley.
The Trayvon case is the first presented and of course it was all over the news. Lee Hare ey Oswald and the conspiracy theorists who insisted that Oswald was not the man in the grave. There is one that I just had to skim, the case was horrific and descriptions graphic, three boys killed in Kansas. . Other cases of baby killers are presented and lastly he takes a look at the supposed suicide of Van Gogh.
All are interesting if you are curious about true crimes. He explains how and why he does what he does. His family background, his education and his professional qualifications. All incredibly well presented, easy to follow. A man that has truly made a significant difference in the lives of many, whether they know it or not.
ARC from Netgalley.
June 10, 2016
Within the first chapter I started disliking the author. His views as seen in different chapters are a bit outdated and his judgemental attitude to certain people just made it worse. The cases themselves were interesting but he gives you the very basics of the case and leaves out a lot of information. I really wanted to like this book but it was not for me.
March 23, 2016
Despite DiMaio's claims that being a forensic pathologist is nothing like we see on tv, this book is filled with some of the most sensational cases of his career, and read somewhat like a tv/movie script at times. The writing fits very much into the true crime genre, lurid and bloodily detailed. While the processes he reveals to us are undoubtedly also those applied to the everyday corpse, what the audience gets here are the ones that stand out. Child murders abound.
None of the above was criticism, the book is fascinating. We get a little bit about the man himself, but each chapter is mostly a run through of how the American justice system works, based on the process of a single, specific case. If anything, there isn't as much detail about the morgue bit of the operation as I expected. DiMaio focuses on how evidence is evaluated/used/misevaluated/misused by the agents of the law, and his role in providing an alternative opinion. The work could have been 10 times as long and i'd still be interested. The incredible popularity of shows like 'Making a Murderer' indicates i'm not the only one mesmerised by the ways in which the law/justice/revenge/punishment is carried out within society. So much 'evidence' is built on human interpretation, subject to mistakes, or outright manipulation. Quite thrilling to read about, or watch. Perhaps not if your involvement is a little closer than a book or screen...
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
None of the above was criticism, the book is fascinating. We get a little bit about the man himself, but each chapter is mostly a run through of how the American justice system works, based on the process of a single, specific case. If anything, there isn't as much detail about the morgue bit of the operation as I expected. DiMaio focuses on how evidence is evaluated/used/misevaluated/misused by the agents of the law, and his role in providing an alternative opinion. The work could have been 10 times as long and i'd still be interested. The incredible popularity of shows like 'Making a Murderer' indicates i'm not the only one mesmerised by the ways in which the law/justice/revenge/punishment is carried out within society. So much 'evidence' is built on human interpretation, subject to mistakes, or outright manipulation. Quite thrilling to read about, or watch. Perhaps not if your involvement is a little closer than a book or screen...
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2016
By the end of the first chapter, the author, a white male forensic pathologist, dismisses the entire Black Lives Matter movement. As if the systemic profiling of black people by the police is just a figment of our imaginations. It's infuriating. And with George Zimmerman trying to auction off the gun he used to shoot Trayvon Martin, the last thing I want to hear is that forensic findings cancel out racial bias.
May 27, 2018
There is no way in hell I can finish this book. The very first chapter is about Trayvon Martin and leaves a sour taste and icky feeling in my soul. We get very few details on the case but most of the chapter is shit-talking and blaming everyone from the victim himself to former president Obama for fanning the flames. And ingratiating of himself as an expert. God give me the confidence of a (mediocre) white man.
The next chapter begins with a family tree of doctors and I just can’t after the emotional wreck of the first. I hate self-flattery, and self-insertions without warranted cause. Give me proof, don’t give me courtroom or media drama unless you intend to disprove their or prove your point backed up by irrefutable evidence.
After Michelle McNamaras careful and considerate language which shows respect for victims and (dismissed) suspects alike, this feels like the very opposite. There are scores of books on forensics out there, I feel like I can skip this one.
The next chapter begins with a family tree of doctors and I just can’t after the emotional wreck of the first. I hate self-flattery, and self-insertions without warranted cause. Give me proof, don’t give me courtroom or media drama unless you intend to disprove their or prove your point backed up by irrefutable evidence.
After Michelle McNamaras careful and considerate language which shows respect for victims and (dismissed) suspects alike, this feels like the very opposite. There are scores of books on forensics out there, I feel like I can skip this one.
May 17, 2016
A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The renowned forensic pathologist, Dr. Vincent Di Maio and veteran crime writer, Ron Franscell take readers behind the morgue doors to offer eye-opening and compelling stories through a series of cases.
Medical examiners have an important job - to determine how and why a person died. In legal terms, the cause and manner of death. The cause is the disease or injury that killed the deceased—a heart attack, gunshot wound, a disease, or a car crash. The manner is one of four general ways a human can die—natural causes, accident, suicide, or homicide—plus a vexing fifth: undetermined.
A huge fan of NCIS, CSI, Law and Order, and other similar TV shows, movies, and books surrounding crime, forensic science, pathology, and medicine-- we all are fascinated by the mystery and puzzles surrounding death.
With MORGUE A Life in Death by Dr. Vincent Di Maio and Ron Franscell readers receive the important realities, not just the fictional glamour; what really happens, exploring the truth and hidden dramas of the human condition. The challenge of piecing together the puzzles and mystery---to seek the truth. The best non-fiction, reading as an intense fictional account.
“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” --Ernest Hemingway
“In the end we simply cannot determine the facts beyond a reasonable doubt if we don’t let capable, skilled professionals use their special knowledge to explain difficult technical issues to juries. Juries can embrace it, or ignore it, but they must hear it.”
Even with all the technology, a good forensic pathologist’s best tools are his hands and brain. Reasoning is still our most powerful forensic tool. DeMaio became a doctor to help people. There is a big price to pay for the career.
Computer and various forensic sciences are booming with more exciting developments to come, by the human factor is woefully lagging. Their education alone would cost around, $170,000. The average salary of a medical examiner is just under $185,000 a year; a deputy chief or chief ME $190,000-$220,000. Their salaries are much lower than those of their hospital-based pathology peers - $335,000 yr. Be prepared to go the journey.
From the irregular hours, weird smells, emotional traumas, unhelpful patients, images what will never be erased from their brains, exposure to disease, lawyers, cops, trial testimony, bureaucrats, and budgets drearier than a morgue cooler. More forensic pathologists are needed—without them there are fewer autopsies-- investigations suffer, and evidence is lost or overlooked and crimes unsolved.
Insightful and intriguing Broken out in clear insightful short story chapters:
• Foreword – Dan Jan Garavaglia
• One: Black and White
o Florida teen, Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman
• Two: Why Incision
o 40 years of work-DiMaio’s intriguing background
• Three: An Empty Nursery
• Four: Bombed Beyond Recognition
• Five: Digging up Lee Harvey Oswald
• Six: Monsters Among Us
• Seven: Secrets and Puzzles
• Eight: Death, Justice, and Celebrity
• Nine: The Ghosts of West Memphis
• Ten: The Curious Death of Vincent Van Gough
• Epilogue: At the End of Things
Medical examiners bear a heavy burden to reach an unbiased, fact-based, scientific conclusion, no matter what a dead person’s family, friends, enemies or neighbors wish it to be. "The truth." Their job is more than the dead. The living can go to jail, and lives can be saved from viruses and germs. Innocence can be determined. Questions answered, suspicions authenticated.
From conspiracy theories, supernatural explanations, and mythology. Forensic science is not magic or alchemy, even though complex technology and intricate research can take curdled blood, bullet fragments, bone shards, and flakes of skins and them into justice. The tiny bit of truth that death leaves behind. Truths, not always welcome by many.
The absorbing exploration will fascinate crime buffs, enthusiasts, scholars, and those interested in the overall criminal justice system. Morgue will make you appreciate the struggles and challenges of this highly respected profession.
JDCMustReadBooks
The renowned forensic pathologist, Dr. Vincent Di Maio and veteran crime writer, Ron Franscell take readers behind the morgue doors to offer eye-opening and compelling stories through a series of cases.
Medical examiners have an important job - to determine how and why a person died. In legal terms, the cause and manner of death. The cause is the disease or injury that killed the deceased—a heart attack, gunshot wound, a disease, or a car crash. The manner is one of four general ways a human can die—natural causes, accident, suicide, or homicide—plus a vexing fifth: undetermined.
A huge fan of NCIS, CSI, Law and Order, and other similar TV shows, movies, and books surrounding crime, forensic science, pathology, and medicine-- we all are fascinated by the mystery and puzzles surrounding death.
With MORGUE A Life in Death by Dr. Vincent Di Maio and Ron Franscell readers receive the important realities, not just the fictional glamour; what really happens, exploring the truth and hidden dramas of the human condition. The challenge of piecing together the puzzles and mystery---to seek the truth. The best non-fiction, reading as an intense fictional account.
“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” --Ernest Hemingway
“In the end we simply cannot determine the facts beyond a reasonable doubt if we don’t let capable, skilled professionals use their special knowledge to explain difficult technical issues to juries. Juries can embrace it, or ignore it, but they must hear it.”
Even with all the technology, a good forensic pathologist’s best tools are his hands and brain. Reasoning is still our most powerful forensic tool. DeMaio became a doctor to help people. There is a big price to pay for the career.
Computer and various forensic sciences are booming with more exciting developments to come, by the human factor is woefully lagging. Their education alone would cost around, $170,000. The average salary of a medical examiner is just under $185,000 a year; a deputy chief or chief ME $190,000-$220,000. Their salaries are much lower than those of their hospital-based pathology peers - $335,000 yr. Be prepared to go the journey.
From the irregular hours, weird smells, emotional traumas, unhelpful patients, images what will never be erased from their brains, exposure to disease, lawyers, cops, trial testimony, bureaucrats, and budgets drearier than a morgue cooler. More forensic pathologists are needed—without them there are fewer autopsies-- investigations suffer, and evidence is lost or overlooked and crimes unsolved.
Insightful and intriguing Broken out in clear insightful short story chapters:
• Foreword – Dan Jan Garavaglia
• One: Black and White
o Florida teen, Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman
• Two: Why Incision
o 40 years of work-DiMaio’s intriguing background
• Three: An Empty Nursery
• Four: Bombed Beyond Recognition
• Five: Digging up Lee Harvey Oswald
• Six: Monsters Among Us
• Seven: Secrets and Puzzles
• Eight: Death, Justice, and Celebrity
• Nine: The Ghosts of West Memphis
• Ten: The Curious Death of Vincent Van Gough
• Epilogue: At the End of Things
Medical examiners bear a heavy burden to reach an unbiased, fact-based, scientific conclusion, no matter what a dead person’s family, friends, enemies or neighbors wish it to be. "The truth." Their job is more than the dead. The living can go to jail, and lives can be saved from viruses and germs. Innocence can be determined. Questions answered, suspicions authenticated.
From conspiracy theories, supernatural explanations, and mythology. Forensic science is not magic or alchemy, even though complex technology and intricate research can take curdled blood, bullet fragments, bone shards, and flakes of skins and them into justice. The tiny bit of truth that death leaves behind. Truths, not always welcome by many.
Forensic science can see what ordinary humans often cannot, but science isn’t enough. As the author stresses, they need these credible and honorable people to explain it all. They interpret science for true justice to happen. The bedrock of justice. It does not change its story or, misremember what it saw. Honestly and candidly what we need to know, even when we want it to say something else. See and interpret.
The absorbing exploration will fascinate crime buffs, enthusiasts, scholars, and those interested in the overall criminal justice system. Morgue will make you appreciate the struggles and challenges of this highly respected profession.
JDCMustReadBooks
February 27, 2017
Ten real life case studies from the personal files of one of the most infamous forensic pathologists. Called to revisit many cases, both old and new, Dr Vincent Di Maio, medical examiner, became an expert on gun shot wounds and has preformed over nine thousand autopsies. Told in 10 vignettes from Trayvon Martin to Lee Harvey Oswald to Vincent van Gogh, Dr Di Maio has played a part in detailing his findings, when at times his findings contradicted what law enforcement claimed and was unpopular with both the victim families and the media. Dr Di Maio's claim is truth above all. He takes no side, he just relates the facts as found in the autopsy.
February 3, 2016
I received this ARC in exchange for a truthful review of the book.
I have a natural interest in all things forensic, and found the subject matter to be compelling before I received the book.
The instant I began reading it (yesterday), I was loathe to put it down. I finished it in under 24 hours, and also managed to sleep and work part of that time ;).
It was utterly gripping! In addition to being a fascinating look into a world I can only imagine (and, in fact began imagining in childhood with Quincy, M.E. and Sherlock Holmes stories), it is also extremely well written, and engaging.
The doctor and forensic pathologist author has a very approachable manner and writes in an almost conversational way for someone with his extensive technical background.
The aspect I found most compelling was his need to tell the forensic truth, rather than pandering to the "sides", of some very high-profile cases he details in this book. Some of the truths were ones I was expecting. Some were decidedly not. But in every case, his arguments were based solely in the evidence.
Read this book with a mind open to facts, and prepare to be fascinated.
An absolute must-read for anyone who has an interest in forensic science, CSI or SOCO work, or simply, what it must be like to be a Medical Examiner.
5 stars.
I have a natural interest in all things forensic, and found the subject matter to be compelling before I received the book.
The instant I began reading it (yesterday), I was loathe to put it down. I finished it in under 24 hours, and also managed to sleep and work part of that time ;).
It was utterly gripping! In addition to being a fascinating look into a world I can only imagine (and, in fact began imagining in childhood with Quincy, M.E. and Sherlock Holmes stories), it is also extremely well written, and engaging.
The doctor and forensic pathologist author has a very approachable manner and writes in an almost conversational way for someone with his extensive technical background.
The aspect I found most compelling was his need to tell the forensic truth, rather than pandering to the "sides", of some very high-profile cases he details in this book. Some of the truths were ones I was expecting. Some were decidedly not. But in every case, his arguments were based solely in the evidence.
Read this book with a mind open to facts, and prepare to be fascinated.
An absolute must-read for anyone who has an interest in forensic science, CSI or SOCO work, or simply, what it must be like to be a Medical Examiner.
5 stars.
April 19, 2025
Öncelikle çevirmeni İlayda İlik’e çok teşekkür ediyorum. Bu kadar mı akıcı çevrilir dedirtti bana.
….
Kitap iki yönlü etkiledi beni. Hem sarstı hem de hayran bıraktı. Neredeyse her bir dakikası suçsuz geçmeyen bir coğrafyada yaşayınca, kitapta anlatılan örneklerden sarsılmamak imkansız. Mesleğini iyi hekimlik şiarıyla yapan adli hekimlerin adaletin mihenk taşlarından olduğunu gösterdiği için de hayran oldum. Ülkemizde bunu yapan adli hekimlerin var olduğunu bilmekte oturduğum yerde sırtımı dikleştirdi.
…
Ölümün içinde yaşamını var eden kişi Dr. Vincent Di Maio, bir adli tıp hekimi. Yazarak bir kitap haline getirilmesini sağlayan da Ron Franscell. Yazar bir şeyi çok iyi başarmış. Kalemini hep suç ekseninde tutmuş. Suça toplumun yaklaşımını mahkeme salonlarına kadar anlatmış ama konunun eksenini Dr. Vincent Di Maio’ya hiç kaydırmamış.
…
Kitabı bana öneren sevgili Kaptan Huk’a çok teşekkür ediyorum. ❤️
….
Kitap iki yönlü etkiledi beni. Hem sarstı hem de hayran bıraktı. Neredeyse her bir dakikası suçsuz geçmeyen bir coğrafyada yaşayınca, kitapta anlatılan örneklerden sarsılmamak imkansız. Mesleğini iyi hekimlik şiarıyla yapan adli hekimlerin adaletin mihenk taşlarından olduğunu gösterdiği için de hayran oldum. Ülkemizde bunu yapan adli hekimlerin var olduğunu bilmekte oturduğum yerde sırtımı dikleştirdi.
…
Ölümün içinde yaşamını var eden kişi Dr. Vincent Di Maio, bir adli tıp hekimi. Yazarak bir kitap haline getirilmesini sağlayan da Ron Franscell. Yazar bir şeyi çok iyi başarmış. Kalemini hep suç ekseninde tutmuş. Suça toplumun yaklaşımını mahkeme salonlarına kadar anlatmış ama konunun eksenini Dr. Vincent Di Maio’ya hiç kaydırmamış.
…
Kitabı bana öneren sevgili Kaptan Huk’a çok teşekkür ediyorum. ❤️
April 20, 2016
This pick was a bit outside my norm, as I don't venture too much into non-fiction areas for entertainment. But this is what I love about the Goodreads forum-through my friends I get to see who's reading what and expand my horizons into new territories!
I'm a huge fan of the show Forensic Files, I think I have watched every one that has ever been made. It's this love of the how and why of forensics that made me reach out to grab this book from NetGalley.
Vincent DiMaio is a renowned Forensics Pathologist and has been involved in many high profile cases. In this book he does share a bit about himself along the way, but the majority of the chapters are dedicated to the cases themselves. Painting a picture of what the victim's last day was like, slowing drawing you in and sharing the evidence (or sometimes lack of) and how the evidence is used to help tell the rest of the story.
I really did enjoy this behind the scenes look at some of these familiar cases and outcomes, but did find myself wishing that it had just gone even a bit further into the forensics piece. There was a lot of emphasis on police procedures and how it can affect how evidence is used/not used instead of peeling back more layers as to how forensics helped solve the crime.
But all in all this was a really good sneak peak behind the scenes and I highly recommend for all police procedural, thriller and mystery fans!
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a huge fan of the show Forensic Files, I think I have watched every one that has ever been made. It's this love of the how and why of forensics that made me reach out to grab this book from NetGalley.
Vincent DiMaio is a renowned Forensics Pathologist and has been involved in many high profile cases. In this book he does share a bit about himself along the way, but the majority of the chapters are dedicated to the cases themselves. Painting a picture of what the victim's last day was like, slowing drawing you in and sharing the evidence (or sometimes lack of) and how the evidence is used to help tell the rest of the story.
I really did enjoy this behind the scenes look at some of these familiar cases and outcomes, but did find myself wishing that it had just gone even a bit further into the forensics piece. There was a lot of emphasis on police procedures and how it can affect how evidence is used/not used instead of peeling back more layers as to how forensics helped solve the crime.
But all in all this was a really good sneak peak behind the scenes and I highly recommend for all police procedural, thriller and mystery fans!
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2016
This book was fascinating.
Hats off to anyone that can do this work and not go crazy. I enjoyed this book immensely. Each chapter is a different case Dr. Vincent Di Maio has worked on or helped out with. Most (if not all) are high profile ones. Trayvon Martin, Lee Harvey Oswald , West Memphis Three, Phil Spector, and even Vincent Van Go. There are a few that involve babies and kids, so be warned if you plan on reading this one.
My only complaint, and it's a small one. I would have liked a bit more details on some of the cases, and of some of the more mundane things that a job like this entails. I also would have liked to hear some of the more "weird or odd" things that he has run across over the years as a forensic pathologist. You KNOW there has to be at least a few of those!
Overall though, a very enjoyable read.
Hats off to anyone that can do this work and not go crazy. I enjoyed this book immensely. Each chapter is a different case Dr. Vincent Di Maio has worked on or helped out with. Most (if not all) are high profile ones. Trayvon Martin, Lee Harvey Oswald , West Memphis Three, Phil Spector, and even Vincent Van Go. There are a few that involve babies and kids, so be warned if you plan on reading this one.
My only complaint, and it's a small one. I would have liked a bit more details on some of the cases, and of some of the more mundane things that a job like this entails. I also would have liked to hear some of the more "weird or odd" things that he has run across over the years as a forensic pathologist. You KNOW there has to be at least a few of those!
Overall though, a very enjoyable read.
January 16, 2020
On the lunchbreaks at work, you can often find people reading and every now and again one of their books might catch your eye. A work colleague of mine was reading Morgue: A Life if Death and it sounded interesting especially since lately I have been back on a death buzz as such after reading a few more mysteries and a non-fiction book written by a ME called Do My Cats Eat my Eyeballs ? which was questions about death. I have always been fascinated with the forensics side of death and always thought it would have been an amazing career to have gone into though of course I have a weak stomach, so I wouldn't have been able to handle all the gross smells etc. In this book, we follow through the career of Dr. Vincent DiMaio and some of the famous cases that he has worked on from the shooting of Trayvon Martin when he was killed by George Zimmerman. I remembered hearing this case as it made the news in New Zealand and then when the book THUG - The Hate U Give was released it made me think of the case again, to historical cases like the Martha Woods infanticide case - reading this one shocked me as I can never understand why people would kill babies but as I read it, I understood her craziness and how she was killed to play the hero and the role of the "so-called perfect mother" to the Killer Nurse as well. Then onto one of the most famous cases of all time - the shooting of JFK and the exhumation of Lee Harvey Oswald and the conspiracy that he was a Russian Doppelganger named Alec - when I was in Dallas in 2013 with one of my best friends - we stood on the X and saw Dealy Plaza, so reading this section brought back some memories and I was like I've been there.
Morgue: A Life in Death was the perfect read for those who love forensics as it was half memoir and half murder cases etc. The perfect mix of storytelling.
March 13, 2016
I picked up copy of Morgue: A Life in Death by Dr. Vincent DiMaio on the recommendation of a friend who has a few of his books in her collection of creepy murder mysteries and true-crime novels. Written in collaboration with novelist and true-crime writer Ron Franscell, Morgue details the history of modern-day pathology and forensics. Covering topics from the forensic crime shows that solve the mystery within an hour to the little-known politics of forensics to some of DiMaio’s most famous cases, the book is overflowing. But, it also takes time to tell the story of how DiMaio, a boy raised in Brooklyn to a long family line of physicians came to be one of the foremost criminal pathologists of our time.
They begin the book with the infamous murder of Trayvon Martin, a young black man shot by a neighborhood watch enthusiast, the consequent angry protests, the uproar covered in great detail by the press, Martin’s autopsy, and the trial with DiMaio’s expert testimony. It doesn’t add any new information concerning the young man’s death but the book opens up the topic of how public opinion, human emotion, and forensic science don’t always come to the same conclusion. As DiMaio states, “I don’t know what’s in a human heart.”
He tells fascinating stories of autopsies he performed. Some cases quite famous, like that of Lee Harvey Oswald and eccentric music mogul Phil Spectre, some not so well-known but equally fascinating like that of the tragic death of a little boy and the man wrongly convicted of his murder. He ends the book with the case of Vincent Van Gogh. One hundred and twenty-three years after the tortured artist’s death, DiMaio is called upon for his expertise in gunshot wounds.
It’s a fast read. DiMaio and Franscell’s writing is adequate and do get the point across. Their recreations of dialogue, possibly taken from transcripts, possibly authors taking liberties, are the weakest part. However, the anecdotes illustrating each case, DiMaio’s insight concerning his field, and the details of the autopsies are where the book really shines. The man has taken part of in some very famous cases. And for a man who can take one look at a photo and tell the defense their client is innocent, this guy is a qualified expert.
I recommend it for true-crime enthusiasts and non-fiction readers.
They begin the book with the infamous murder of Trayvon Martin, a young black man shot by a neighborhood watch enthusiast, the consequent angry protests, the uproar covered in great detail by the press, Martin’s autopsy, and the trial with DiMaio’s expert testimony. It doesn’t add any new information concerning the young man’s death but the book opens up the topic of how public opinion, human emotion, and forensic science don’t always come to the same conclusion. As DiMaio states, “I don’t know what’s in a human heart.”
He tells fascinating stories of autopsies he performed. Some cases quite famous, like that of Lee Harvey Oswald and eccentric music mogul Phil Spectre, some not so well-known but equally fascinating like that of the tragic death of a little boy and the man wrongly convicted of his murder. He ends the book with the case of Vincent Van Gogh. One hundred and twenty-three years after the tortured artist’s death, DiMaio is called upon for his expertise in gunshot wounds.
It’s a fast read. DiMaio and Franscell’s writing is adequate and do get the point across. Their recreations of dialogue, possibly taken from transcripts, possibly authors taking liberties, are the weakest part. However, the anecdotes illustrating each case, DiMaio’s insight concerning his field, and the details of the autopsies are where the book really shines. The man has taken part of in some very famous cases. And for a man who can take one look at a photo and tell the defense their client is innocent, this guy is a qualified expert.
I recommend it for true-crime enthusiasts and non-fiction readers.
July 22, 2021
Os casos são bem interessantes, e o assunto me interessa muito, então tinha tudo para eu gostar desse livro, afinal, ver um legista contando histórias e segredos me parecia bem interessante. O ego dele é enorme, até tava disposta a relevar, mas para um legista esperava um pouco menos de juízo de valor. Ele faz uns comentários bem nada a ver e racistas. Se ele fosse uma pessoa menos podre talvez teria gostado mais.
April 20, 2018
Racist trash.
July 29, 2020
It could be an amazing book, maybe my favorite, but I couldn't ignore the racism in the first chapters.
Read
July 27, 2016I don't know why I read these books--I always think I'll find them informative, but they usually just have the same case stories and just make me really paranoid. You'll like it if you're into this stuff and read every book on the subject that comes out. I found it pedantic and it made me wonder why medical examiners seemingly have such large egos?
Regardless, a few of the case stories were interesting and I did read it through in one evening.
Regardless, a few of the case stories were interesting and I did read it through in one evening.
March 10, 2023
Trochę było mi nudno. Liczyłam na naprawdę fascynującą lekturę o lekarzu medycyny sądowej - jego pracy, trudnościach z nią związanych. Owszem, to właśnie dostałam, ale w zdecydowanie zbyt małej ilości. Autor w sposób bardzo rzeczowy i nieco przydługi pokazuje historię osób, które pojawiły się na stole sekcyjnym. Odnosiłam wrażenie, że autor nie do końca skupił się na głównym temacie tej książki. Pod koniec książka bardzo mi się dłużyła, a przez pełne szczegółów historie miałam wrażenie rozmycia tematu, trochę zagubienia i znudzenia. Ogólnie książka była w porządku, ale brak mi zachwytu nad nią.
November 23, 2017
This book is written by a forensic pathologist who has worked on some high profile cases in his career. I'm not sure I would have started by saying I was the one who got Zimmerman off in the Trayvon Martin case, though. He explains that he says it like he sees it and people often don't like it, especially if people feel a murder is racially motivated. This, then, is my introduction to Vincent Di Maio. His expert opinion on some of these high profile cases will go against the grain - many times.
There were some interesting stories in the book - the exhumation of Lee Harvey Oswald, the West Memphis Three, Phil Spector, even Vincent Van Gogh. What he says the evidence shows is not always accepted or believed.
A funny blurb in here is when he says his deviated septum has prevented the smell from getting too overwhelming!
So, I thought this book was okay. I learned about some crime cases from history. I learned that forensic pathologists are woefully underpaid and therefore scarce. The writing is a bit dry but the details are good.
There were some interesting stories in the book - the exhumation of Lee Harvey Oswald, the West Memphis Three, Phil Spector, even Vincent Van Gogh. What he says the evidence shows is not always accepted or believed.
A funny blurb in here is when he says his deviated septum has prevented the smell from getting too overwhelming!
So, I thought this book was okay. I learned about some crime cases from history. I learned that forensic pathologists are woefully underpaid and therefore scarce. The writing is a bit dry but the details are good.
July 21, 2020
No no no no....I was just finished watching the innocence files on Netflix. Many of the heartbreaking stories of prisoners..mostly Black, all poor...featured malfeasance or incompetence by medical examiners as one of the biggest factors causing their incarceration. So I reach way back on my TBR list for some reading material. A coincidence that this should be next on the list. I get a sinking feeling when the name Trayvon Martin pops up on the first page. The author was the state medical examiner for that shining example of unbiased and squeaky clean criminal justice, Texas. (Yes I'm being facetious). He comes out of retirement to work with the Zimmerman defense team.
The author describes Trayvon as almost 6' and intimidating. He was 5'11' and 153 lbs. I'm 5'10" and 185 and in my entire life intimidated no one. He says the murder was a purely local non-story until "the racial grievance industrial complex showed up to stir the pot". He says when Obama said that Trayvon "could have been his son" he, "Instead of tamping down the rage , the president fueled it".
The author also quotes Zimmerman's police interviews as fact. Too bad Trayvon is not around to give his side of the confrontation story.
The Dr. spends a good amount of page space trying to convince us that his conclusion are purely the result of unbiased scientific methods. Thou doth protest too much!
In one telling aside the good doctor says how surprised he was that the prosecutors did not call up a rebuttal witness to his shoddy conclusions. As were we all. I've read a number of tellings of the T. Martin story. All most all take the prosecutors to task for 2 things. Making the woefully unprepared girlfriend, Dee, the star witness and not bringing other forensic pathologist to rebut this doctors easily disputable conclusions. (How do you (T.M.) beat a man half to death, as the dr. alleges, without having any marks or bruises on your hands and just 2 tiny scratches on the victim? Have a broken nose (G.Z.) which is miraculously pushed back into place and is not noticed by emt's? Get shot in the heart(T.M.) above the "victim" but get found on the ground with your hands underneath your back? You stay alive just long enough to throw yourself into that position!)
I still believe in science. In forensic pathology. In criminal justice. Early on the author lays his bias bare (racial grievance industrial complex!! That's a new on on me!) . Why did the author who called it an unremarkable local story feel the need to come out of retirement to be part of Zimmerman's defense? I smell bullshit. I smell racism, systematic racism...
The author describes Trayvon as almost 6' and intimidating. He was 5'11' and 153 lbs. I'm 5'10" and 185 and in my entire life intimidated no one. He says the murder was a purely local non-story until "the racial grievance industrial complex showed up to stir the pot". He says when Obama said that Trayvon "could have been his son" he, "Instead of tamping down the rage , the president fueled it".
The author also quotes Zimmerman's police interviews as fact. Too bad Trayvon is not around to give his side of the confrontation story.
The Dr. spends a good amount of page space trying to convince us that his conclusion are purely the result of unbiased scientific methods. Thou doth protest too much!
In one telling aside the good doctor says how surprised he was that the prosecutors did not call up a rebuttal witness to his shoddy conclusions. As were we all. I've read a number of tellings of the T. Martin story. All most all take the prosecutors to task for 2 things. Making the woefully unprepared girlfriend, Dee, the star witness and not bringing other forensic pathologist to rebut this doctors easily disputable conclusions. (How do you (T.M.) beat a man half to death, as the dr. alleges, without having any marks or bruises on your hands and just 2 tiny scratches on the victim? Have a broken nose (G.Z.) which is miraculously pushed back into place and is not noticed by emt's? Get shot in the heart(T.M.) above the "victim" but get found on the ground with your hands underneath your back? You stay alive just long enough to throw yourself into that position!)
I still believe in science. In forensic pathology. In criminal justice. Early on the author lays his bias bare (racial grievance industrial complex!! That's a new on on me!) . Why did the author who called it an unremarkable local story feel the need to come out of retirement to be part of Zimmerman's defense? I smell bullshit. I smell racism, systematic racism...
March 27, 2016
Being an Medical Examiner sounds like a cool job. Digging around in dead folks always sounded interesting to me. But I bet there's a lot of paperwork. Morgue: A Life in Death is about DiMaio's fascinating career as an ME (don't worry, he doesn't talk about the paperwork).
DiMaio's career was sounds like it's from one of those crime fiction novel serials that, some how, always find our lead in some high-profile case. And by book 20 in the series you can't help but think "Come on, no one's career deals with THIS many big cases". Except DiMaio's did. And that's one reason this book worked so well. DiMaio didn't just examine big stories as an outsider and write about them. This were actual cases he worked on. And boy, he worked on some doozies. Cases run the gambit from Trayvon Martin to Lee Harvey Oswald, from Vincent van Gogh to Phil Spectre. Each case is written about with respect without being sanitized. DiMaio included enough detail to keep the reader informed and knowledgeable without the stories feeling bogged down in facts.
If you have any interest in non-fiction or true crime, please pick this one up. Heck, the Trayvon Martin case ALONE makes this book worth a read. But I think that once you read that case, which is the first case in the book, you'll continue on to devour this book as quickly as I did.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
DiMaio's career was sounds like it's from one of those crime fiction novel serials that, some how, always find our lead in some high-profile case. And by book 20 in the series you can't help but think "Come on, no one's career deals with THIS many big cases". Except DiMaio's did. And that's one reason this book worked so well. DiMaio didn't just examine big stories as an outsider and write about them. This were actual cases he worked on. And boy, he worked on some doozies. Cases run the gambit from Trayvon Martin to Lee Harvey Oswald, from Vincent van Gogh to Phil Spectre. Each case is written about with respect without being sanitized. DiMaio included enough detail to keep the reader informed and knowledgeable without the stories feeling bogged down in facts.
If you have any interest in non-fiction or true crime, please pick this one up. Heck, the Trayvon Martin case ALONE makes this book worth a read. But I think that once you read that case, which is the first case in the book, you'll continue on to devour this book as quickly as I did.
**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
April 20, 2016
Fascinating look into the world of forensic pathology and the role it plays (or doesn't play) in our justice system. I found it particularly interesting that we have only about 500 forensic pathologists working in the US. Even more so that the incredibly outdated "coroner" system (an elected position in which you require zero medical background or training) is still running rampant.
This book delves into some high profile and highly disturbing cases, and I feel like I should mention there are a few that focus on very very young children so, be aware of that. Getting a behind the scenes look into the more factual aspects of these cases that oftentimes people simply don't want to hear makes you want to be a more objective observer when things like this happen. It touches on the role the internet and social media now plays in stoking the "outrage machine" and the effect it has on high profile cases.
I highly recommend this book if you're a lover of true crime, the books Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers , Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory or other books that feed your morbid curiosity.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book delves into some high profile and highly disturbing cases, and I feel like I should mention there are a few that focus on very very young children so, be aware of that. Getting a behind the scenes look into the more factual aspects of these cases that oftentimes people simply don't want to hear makes you want to be a more objective observer when things like this happen. It touches on the role the internet and social media now plays in stoking the "outrage machine" and the effect it has on high profile cases.
I highly recommend this book if you're a lover of true crime, the books Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers , Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory or other books that feed your morbid curiosity.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2016
Dr. Di Maio offers a unique glimpse into a dying profession: forensic pathologist. He discusses his career and some of the high-profile cases he has worked on. From testifying in the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman trial, to exhuming Lee Harvey Oswald, he’s been involved in some of the most controversial forensic mysteries of our time. Since he is a specialist in gunshot wounds, he is called upon to consult in many unusual cases, including the murder trial of Phil Spector and even the historical case of Vincent van Gogh. The saddest and most chilling accounts concerned serial baby murderers. But because of his professionalism and the nature of his work, Di Maio maintains a cool indifference, not because he doesn’t care, but because he understands that a dead body is just a husk. And while his purpose is to determine cause of death, his ultimate goal is the pursuit of truth and the deliverance of justice to a victim. I found this to be a highly-engrossing and fascinating read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via the Goodreads First Reads program.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via the Goodreads First Reads program.
July 25, 2016
This was a very gritty and unforgettable book about examining death. The cases such as Travon Martin,and Lee Harvey Oswald was captivating. The authors tone is this book was very haunting and chilling. From the reader's perspective,you can tell that they tried to remain as unbiased as possible. It was a very hard book to get through.
Honestly,I could not have the career that these people did. Too many personal opinions will clash with my profession. Unfathomable,and unparalleled,this book would trigger every emotion.
Kudos to Dr. Vincent Di Maio and Ron Franscel for a very detailed but enriching story about death in the life of victims.
Honestly,I could not have the career that these people did. Too many personal opinions will clash with my profession. Unfathomable,and unparalleled,this book would trigger every emotion.
Kudos to Dr. Vincent Di Maio and Ron Franscel for a very detailed but enriching story about death in the life of victims.
June 25, 2020
"Forensic evidence is the bedrock of justice. It doesn't change its story or misremember what it saw. It doesn't cower when a mob gathers on the courthouse steps. It doesn't run away or go silent out of fear. It tells us honestly and candidly what we need to know, even when we want it to say something else."
What a truly engrossing in depth look into forensic pathology. Some of the cases covered are very troubling, but its comforting to know that skilled professionals can help serve justice. Highly recommend!
What a truly engrossing in depth look into forensic pathology. Some of the cases covered are very troubling, but its comforting to know that skilled professionals can help serve justice. Highly recommend!
May 15, 2019
I think I would have liked this more if he focused on his worst or most interesting cases instead of name dropping all the "famous" cases he was involved in. This includes testifying for the defense in the Trevyon Martin case. Yes, I know he only did it because his investigation of the materials fit with what the defense was wanting to prove. I think he was trying to be edgy and it drastically failed.
June 27, 2025
Listened to on audio.
I was captivated!
All the stories were interesting (some a bit too graphic, however).
Van Gogh was surprising, never heard that theory!
Trigger - violence to children!!!
I was captivated!
All the stories were interesting (some a bit too graphic, however).
Van Gogh was surprising, never heard that theory!
Trigger - violence to children!!!
April 28, 2016
I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley.
Ten Second Synopsis:
An in-depth look at forensic medicine in the context of the justice system. The author details his involvement in some high profile cases in which forensic evidence could be disputed.
There are a number of highly absorbing cases discussed in Morgue, both high profile, such as the death of Trayvon Martin, and otherwise. The interesting thing about this book in particular is that it addresses issues of forensic science as it relates to the law in the USA. While I have read other books about life as a coroner or medical examiner (chiefly Working Stiff by Judy Melinek and Spoiler Alert: You're Gonna Die by Kortanny Finn), none have explored how forensic evidence - and particularly, conflicting expert opinions about forensic evidence - can influence whether or not a person is convicted of a crime. The issues raised in the book regarding whether justice is actually done or simply seen to be done, can be uncomfortable to read about at times, but raises some heartily thought-provoking gristle on which to ruminate. The cases covered include suicides, murders, serial murders and historical murders and each is discussed in the context of the author's involvement in presenting evidence at trial or to further a case.
I did find that the author had a tendency to come across as a bit of a Judgey McJudgerson in parts of the book. He doesn't seem the type to suffer fools (or indeed anyone who knows less than he does on the subject of forensic medicine) gladly and is scathing in his view of so-called "armchair forensic detectives" who speculate on high profile cases with only the education of CSI type shows under their belts. He also makes plain his views on media and lobbyists using particular deaths, such as that of Trayvon Martin, to advance certain political or social causes, which, depending on which side of the fence you sit in these matters, could turn you off a bit.
Along with the high profile cases previously mentioned, there are some completely unexpected inclusions hiding in this tome. The exhumation of Lee Harvey Oswald to reassure (or possibly inflame) conspiracy theorists that the corpse buried in Mr Oswald's plot was, in fact, Lee Harvey Oswald is one of these. As is the utterly bizarre final chapter in which the author is called upon to speculate on the death of Vincent Van Gogh.
Despite some issues with the narrative style of the author that lessened my enjoyment of parts of this book, the majority of the cases and the information provided is deeply engaging and will greatly appeal to those "armchair forensic detectives" that the author so disdains. If you have any interest at all in forensic medicine and how forensic evidence can make or break (or manipulate!) criminal trials, then I would definitely recommend this book to you.
Ten Second Synopsis:
An in-depth look at forensic medicine in the context of the justice system. The author details his involvement in some high profile cases in which forensic evidence could be disputed.
There are a number of highly absorbing cases discussed in Morgue, both high profile, such as the death of Trayvon Martin, and otherwise. The interesting thing about this book in particular is that it addresses issues of forensic science as it relates to the law in the USA. While I have read other books about life as a coroner or medical examiner (chiefly Working Stiff by Judy Melinek and Spoiler Alert: You're Gonna Die by Kortanny Finn), none have explored how forensic evidence - and particularly, conflicting expert opinions about forensic evidence - can influence whether or not a person is convicted of a crime. The issues raised in the book regarding whether justice is actually done or simply seen to be done, can be uncomfortable to read about at times, but raises some heartily thought-provoking gristle on which to ruminate. The cases covered include suicides, murders, serial murders and historical murders and each is discussed in the context of the author's involvement in presenting evidence at trial or to further a case.
I did find that the author had a tendency to come across as a bit of a Judgey McJudgerson in parts of the book. He doesn't seem the type to suffer fools (or indeed anyone who knows less than he does on the subject of forensic medicine) gladly and is scathing in his view of so-called "armchair forensic detectives" who speculate on high profile cases with only the education of CSI type shows under their belts. He also makes plain his views on media and lobbyists using particular deaths, such as that of Trayvon Martin, to advance certain political or social causes, which, depending on which side of the fence you sit in these matters, could turn you off a bit.
Along with the high profile cases previously mentioned, there are some completely unexpected inclusions hiding in this tome. The exhumation of Lee Harvey Oswald to reassure (or possibly inflame) conspiracy theorists that the corpse buried in Mr Oswald's plot was, in fact, Lee Harvey Oswald is one of these. As is the utterly bizarre final chapter in which the author is called upon to speculate on the death of Vincent Van Gogh.
Despite some issues with the narrative style of the author that lessened my enjoyment of parts of this book, the majority of the cases and the information provided is deeply engaging and will greatly appeal to those "armchair forensic detectives" that the author so disdains. If you have any interest at all in forensic medicine and how forensic evidence can make or break (or manipulate!) criminal trials, then I would definitely recommend this book to you.
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