Corrupt Bodies: Death and Dirty Dealing in a London Morgue

by Peter Everett

Must-read memoir of managing a morgue, dealing with death and murder to chaos, corruption and organised crime.

In 1985, Peter Everett landed the job as Superintendent of Southwark Mortuary. In just six years he'd gone from lowly assistant to running the UK's busiest murder morgue. He couldn't believe his luck.

What he didn't know was that Southwark, operating in near-Victorian conditions, was a hotbed of corruption. Attendants stole from the dead, funeral homes paid bribes, and there was a lively trade in stolen body parts and recycled coffins.

Set in the fascinating pre-DNA and psychological profiling years of 1985-87, this memoir tells a gripping and gruesome tale, with a unique insight into a world of death most of us don't ever see. Peter managed pathologists, oversaw post-mortems and worked alongside Scotland Yard's Murder Squad - including the case of the serial killer, the Stockwell Strangler.

This is a thrilling tale of murder and corruption in the mid-1980s, told with insight and compassion.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Crime, Memoir, Death, Science, Audiobook

288 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2019

Reviews

[Petra X]

The author, commenting on the selling of body parts from Southwark mortuary, says that it's not so much the dead rest in piece as much as they rest in pieces. Morbid sense of humour that!
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Shades of Burke and Hare! I can't hardly believe what I'm reading. A corrupt asst. Superintendant of Southwark mortuary found guilty of selling body parts like brains for medical students, corneas for transplant etc, and stealing money, jewellery etc from corpses, getting bribes and pay-offs from funeral directors for getting them business from the families, all kind of things. And when the author exposed this, and it went to court, so many people, including policemen is that a surprise? were charged.

The author lost all his friends in the business and was no longer welcome in the Mortuary Association. Tax inspectors checked mortuary employees everywhere for the previous 10 years and vast sums had to be paid to them for undeclared income. One man said to the author that thanks to him, he'd lost 25% of his income...

This book is as relevatory about the business as The Secret History of Food: Strange but True Stories About the Origins of Everything We Eat was about food which I read last week. This is great, I'm on a roll here!

[Ruthy lavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Shocking, harrowing, and very honest auto-biographical account of life and death in London’s largest mortuary in the 80’s.
Brutally graphic at times.
Very well written and a strangely compelling read.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested about the mortuary business, start with this book. It is sensitively written - i.e. not too gruesome! The audiobook is well narrated (not by the author).

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting account about cases in a south London Morgue which enjoyed reading about the process of PM

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A shockingly honest look at mortuary corruption in (predominantly) 1980s London. This was a really eye opening memoir of sorts, the author discusses how he ended up working in the death industry and what his typical days involved before launching into tales that sound like something out of any good gangster movie.

I was fascinated to learn about some of the crimes featured in this book, albeit at times there were some particularly difficult stories to digest, such as those involving the very young or very old.

The book ends on a pleasant, hopeful note. I’m glad the author has found peace within his career and when he looks back on his time exposing the horrendous levels of corruption, he should be proud of his relentless push for justice.

[Emilie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love a book about bodies. Every book I read brings me closer to being a forensic anthropologist, I don't know what it is about the problem solving of working out who someone was and how their life came to an end but it fascinates me. The book was a really interesting insight into the field, before DNA, and how they went about cases was so incredibly different. The level of corruption with stealing from bodies or selling body parts was staggering but I'm sure I shouldn't be too surprised, it's in every business, especially in the days before cameras and technology. Good read and approachable even for someone not in the field but maybe a bit too much detail if you're not used to learning about bodies as a 'non person'.

[Alina Rozhkova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Подсела на истории от патологоанатомов, судмедэкспертов и врачей. Какой год, такие и книги читаю

[Gem ~ZeroShelfControl~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was, on paper, completely the book for me. And it didn’t disappoint. It didn’t span that long of a time period, mainly the early 80s, but it showed the gritty side of things before all the rules and laws we have now. If you like true crime, this shows the other side of things and it’s truly very interesting. Now off to research how I can work in a mortuary

[clumsyplankton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting read

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant telling of a successful career working within a mortuary and the death industry covering all the corruption, politics and drama that befalls any work place.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. Told well too.

[Marylyn Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought it was great. Utterly fascinating .
Slight discrepancy though when he said a labourer would earn just £40 a week in 1986! I guess he didn't move in those circles..

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting and informative look at the corruption and daily activities of life inside a morgue.

I wasn't aware of previous morgue scandals, so this book was incredibly eye-opening as well as pretty horrific to read at times, too.

This book does a great job at highlighting how life is more important than work. And how putting yourself under too much stress can lead to mental illness.

Highly recommend for anyone interested in true crime or working inside a morgue. Very thought provoking.

[Gareth Houghtonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Peter Everett's time working at Southwark Mortuary in the 80s. The state of the thievery, corruption and incompetence he endured there is almost unbelievable. There was jewellery and money being stolen from the dead, body parts sold on the sly, bodies being mixed up, post mortems being rushed to earn top bonus, bribery, cover-ups...

Then there was the state of the building itself. Bad heating, bad lighting, rotten wood, faulty equipment, unclean work areas, no room to store bodies, cowboy builders...you name it. A combination of uncaring staff and the cost-cutting council just let things get worse and worse.

Peter tells the story of how he did everything in his power to turn things around, from exposing the thievery and corruption, to battling to get the building renovated. This made him a pariah amongst the mortuary industry, losing friends and respect from colleagues for doing the right thing.

He also tells some of his life story, about how he became fascinated with death, how it all affected his personal life, and he talks about some of the cases he worked on and some of the brilliant people he worked with. The whole thing could be made into a excellent TV series. There's plenty of drama, murder cases, interesting characters. It would be ace.

The book goes into detail about a lot of the deaths he encountered. Some of the murders he describes are horrifying. It's not all doom and gloom though, there's some snippets of dark humour in there too, just like you'd expect from a death worker. You have to laugh or you'll cry, right?

So yes, I enjoyed this one. I've always been fascinated with the subject of death and the industry. It was shocking to see how badly some of the mortuaries in England were being run and what was going on in the 80s. It wasn't even that long ago if you think about it. Thanks to people like Peter Everett, things are a lot better now and "the dead finally rest in peace."

[maria ✧ · Rating 2 out of 5]

i love all things morbid, but even that didn't save this reading experience.

the book feels choppy, and while there’s plenty of information in these 270 (or so) pages, everything feels too brief and too passing to make an impact. cases; experiences with the law enforcement; the corruption of the mortuary board; troubles with coworkers; the picture everett paints is chaotic, but not in a way that would make you want to devour the book to see where all of this chaos will lead. of course it speaks to the way life working at a mortuary is, but something about how it was formatted into a book just didn’t work. maybe the distinction between chapter themes should’ve been clearer? who knows.

i respect everett’s experience and the things he’s been through, but sadly this did not impress me.

[Chris McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book truly fascinating. I felt like I was in the mortuary with Peter!
I just could not leave this one alone until I was finished, finding every opportunity to do a few more minutes - totally hooked and shall recommend to friends.

[Adam B · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easygoing, fascinating read about the goings on of a mortuary, where I spent most of my younger years growing up.

The place, not the mortuary.

Recommended.

[Georgia Linkeviciene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting read about corruption in the 80s in mortuaries, I love books like this and find them fascinating

[Daryna Bondarenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corrupt Bodies by Peter Everett had been sitting on my shelf for a long time. I first heard about it from a nurse in Kharkiv, who recommended it to me. The book is a memoir of a morgue manager, but it’s not just about grim cases—it’s also about humanity, philosophy, and the deeper meaning of life and death.

Everett shares the story of mortality with honesty and depth. He writes about corruption, difficult colleagues, mistakes, and the everyday reality of working with death. Yet within this, he shows the balance between life and death—a kind of dualism where compassion and respect for the dead guide his work. His gentle approach to helping the deceased leave this world is moving.

What struck me most is how Everett stood up against corruption, often on his own. Through his writing, I could feel his struggles, his strength, and his determination. To me, this book is also about leadership—Everett is strong, passionate, and courageous. While reading, I found myself wishing him everything his heart desires and hoping that he lives fully, not just in his dreams but in reality.

Ultimately, this book reminded me that it is not the dead we should fear, but the living. Death is unavoidable, but what matters most is how we live our lives—and how we face the moment when we must leave it.

[Anneliese · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I found this book rather poorly structured with a lot of chopping and changing between stories/themes and delving in and out of details which left the reader a bit confused at what Everett was talking about temporarily. However, after about 1/3 of the way through, the structure found its footing and it read a lot better. I enjoyed the tales and the accounts made by Everett and I became captivated by some of his experiences. This is a great book about Everett’s experience working at Southwark Mortuary and if it wasn’t for the initial confusing structure, I would have given it 5 stars.
However, the epilogue itself was definitely worth 5 stars, wise words of wisdom that I think everyone should read and consider. If this type of book isn’t for you, I at least recommend reading the epilogue to provide some reflection in such a stressed and money-fuelled world we live in.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are corrupt you have or are showing a willingness to act dishonestly in return for money or personal gain.

Yes, I started reading this yesterday afternoon & it was so damn good I may have just finished it!

Call it what you like but I have always been fascinated by murder, postmortem & true crime, so this, a true story of one man's dealings with life & death in one of London's busiest morgues fit the bill perfectly.
It's certainly opened my eyes to what goes on behind the scenes that we don't tend to find out about. Graphic in places, so may not be for the fainthearted.

Overall this was a very well written, eye opening, honest memoir of one man's journey as Superintendent of Southwark morgue during the 1980's.

[chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 / 5 stars

Gruesome and horrific, yet fascinating.

content notes:

◦ explicit: child death, death, gore, medical content, mental illness (PTSD)
◦ moderate: murder, police brutality, racism, suicide, violence
◦ minor: animal death, child abuse, domestic abuse, miscarriage

[zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book a lot; in the sort of guilty pleasure way. I will pretty much read any book on the death industry and this was interesting in a sensational/dramatic way.

[Rachel Noding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting details of the dirty goings within Southwark Mortuary (and others!) Not at all too gory or gruesome.

[Stefennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and sometimes shocking true account of what was going on in the UKs busiest "Murder" morgue. Well worth a read.

[Haley Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating insight into the workings of one of Londons mortuaries. Everett has managed to balance story telling and factual information brilliantly!

Some of the stories where quite shocking, as where the number of corrupt individuals working from the mortuaries right up to the executives.. but I suppose it is only shocking because it's not something we hear of everyday.. well done to Everett for fighting back!!

[andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

me ha dado fomo de trabajar en una morgue corrupta de londres ngl

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an interesting read. Lots of stories of different deaths, murders and inside turmoil in a London Mortuary. It was a page turner.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corrupt Bodies is a fascinating memoir of Peter Everett’s time as Superintendent of Southwark Mortuary, one of the UK’s busiest morgue’s, during the 1980’s.

Peter had always been fascinated by death but he was in his early thirties before landing a job as an intern at a hospital mortuary. Just six years later he was both honoured, and surprised, to be offered the position at Southwark but within days of his appointment he understood why the role had been so difficult to staff.

It wasn’t just that the mortuary more closely resembled a Victorian era ‘dead house’ than a modern medical facility with its rusting fixtures, grimy floors and poor ventilation. Nor that the workload was heavy and he was on call practically 24/7. Peter quickly discovered that many of the staff were corrupt, exploiting not only financial arrangements with coffin suppliers and hearse drivers, but also profiting from money, property and body parts stolen from the dead.

Exposing the corruption took Peter months, and earnt him enemies among his colleagues and the police (who served as coroners officers). The stress of these events, plus the steady increase in cases both banal and gruesome,several of which are outlined in the book, eventually took a toll, and Peter suffered a nervous breakdown.

Gripping, Intriguing, and disturbing I found Corrupt Bodies to be a compelling read about life and death.

[Atherly Sutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where do I start with the review on this one? It took me less than a day to read, I was hooked from the first moment, well written with respectful humour. It gave a fascinating insight into the industry and the impacts on the mental health of people working in this sector. It was detailed without being boring or overly graphic, it was honest and frank.

Everett shines light on the disgraceful activities going on behind the scenes in the funeral industry around the London area in the 1980s, from theft attributed to the mortuary staff, overlooked by the police working there, to scams and cons with funeral directors, and the difficulties Everett had when raising these with the superiors.

Everett also provides an insight into how he entered the industry, his fascination with the deceased leading him to his role, and how his position and dedication to the industry impacted his personal life.

It was an eye opener to the behind the scenes views that generally don't have light shined upon them. For individuals that enjoy reading this real life accounts of different industries, I would certainly recommend a read of this one.