The Coffin Confessor: Some Last Wishes Don't Go Quietly to the Grave

by William Edgar

‘That’s when I stood up, told the best mate to sit down, shut up or f**k off. That the man in the coffin had a few things to say.’

Imagine you are dying with a secret. Something you’ve never had the courage to tell your friends and family. Or a last wish – a task you need carried out before you can rest in peace. Now imagine there’s a man who can take care of all that, who has no respect for the living, who will do anything for the dead.

Bill Edgar is the Coffin Confessor – a one-of-a-kind professional, a man on a mission to make good on these last requests on behalf of his soon-to-be-deceased clients. And this is the extraordinary story of how he became that man.
Bill has been many things in this life: son of one of Australia’s most notorious gangsters, homeless street-kid, maximum-security prisoner, hard man, family man, car thief, professional punching bag, philosopher, inventor, private investigator, victim of horrific childhood sexual abuse and an activist fighting to bring down the institutions that let it happen. A survivor.

As a little boy, he learned the hard way that society is full of people who fall through the cracks – who die without their stories being told. Now his life’s work is to make sure his clients’ voices are heard, and their last wishes delivered: the small-town grandfather who needs his tastefully decorated sex dungeon destroyed before the kids find it. The woman who endured an abusive marriage for decades before finding freedom. The outlaw biker who is afraid of nothing . . . except telling the world he is in love with another man. The dad who desperately needs to track down his estranged daughter so he can find a way to say he's sorry, with one final gift.

Confronting and confounding, heartwarming and heartbreaking, The Coffin Confessor is a compelling story of survival and redemption, of a life lived on the fringes of society, on both sides of the law – and what that can teach you about living your best life . . . and death.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography, Book Club, Death, Autobiography

304 pages, Trade Paperback

First published July 2, 2021

About the author

William Edgar

Bill Edgar is the one they call ‘The Coffin Confessor’ - he’s a successful businessman, counsellor, author and one of Australia’s leading private detectives, who’s known for doing what most lawyers, accountants and professionals won’t, can’t or fear: speak the truth of those silenced. - Penguin bio

Reviews

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite quote about reading is from Kevin Ansbro, "A book should grab you by the lapels and kiss you into tomorrow." The Coffin Confessor grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I listened to it on audiobook and it is narrated fabulously by the author, Bill Edgar.

Edgar is one of the top private investigators in Australia and he was asked by a dying man to interrupt the eulogy that would be given at his upcoming funeral. Edgar obliged and became a "funeral crasher" by sharing what the deceased "in the box" wanted to say but never did. Some of these true stories are sad and poignant, while others are somewhat crazy.

Edgar shares his childhood which included horrific child abuse. His early adult years were incredibly challenging as well.

Highly, highly recommend, with the warning that there is vulgar language and very troubling details about child abuse.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine you are dying with a secret. Something you’ve never had the courage to tell your friends and family. Or a last wish, a task you need carried out before you can rest in peace. Now imagine there’s a man who can take care of all that.

Bill Edgar is a Private investigator turned professional 'funeral crasher' from QLD Australia. Known as the Coffin Confessor he provides a ‘last requests’ service on behalf of his soon to be deceased clients. In Bill’s own words “I reveal secrets of the dead at their funerals”.

I really enjoyed this. It was a good mix of the Author's story and the stories of his clients. Some parts of Bill’s personal story are confronting and difficult to read. But ultimately I found this book incredibly thought provoking and very funny. I definitely recommend 👌🏻

TW: child abuse, pedophilia, rape, suicide.

[Natalie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A totally unexpected entertaining, thought-provoking and funny read.

'The Coffin Confessor' is part biography and part extraordinary day-job experiences. The retelling of how Bill Edgar came to be the funeral crasher was entertaining and amusing- I so wish there had been more of these snapshots throughout the book! There are some hilarious anecdotes, some that are heartwarming and then a whole lot of really bizarre situations. I can see why Hollywood is interested in this one!

I was caught off guard in relation to the harrowing childhood the author experienced and the struggles to establish himself as an adult. The backdrop is my hometown, so it was fascinating to see it through the author's eyes. There were a few places where the time-jumps threw me a little, but it came together nicely.

Definitely, a worthwhile read and I would imagine the movie version will be very funny (warning - language is not for the faint-hearted).

[Kimmy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchased on the strength of previews in the press, and was not disappointed. The concept of a coffin confessor intrigued me: a person (me) who has already stated that my funeral will be invitation only, so that people I didn’t like when I was alive aren’t shedding their crocodile tears and eating their fill of tea and biscuits on my dollar. However: perhaps I could just engage the services of Bill Edgar.
This book tracks his sad upbriging (TW: child sexual abuse), life on the streets, inevitable jailing, and his path to where he is now: PI and Australia’s first Coffin Confessor. His anecdotes for his job are entertaining, and heartwarming, with a fair dose of the hah-hahs. Maybe we should just tell people what we think of them while we’re still alive? Maybe this is why I don’t have many friends. Sorry, Mr Edgar if I’m not likely to engage your services any time soon. I was pleased to see he was able to carry out wishes with dignity and little threat to personal harm (in one or two cases), and I’m sure that, based on my limited experience with the dying, people do have a ‘list’ to tick off so that there’s fewer regrets. He helps this peace of mind in the terminally ill.
A thread through the latter half of the book is his love for his wife and children, and the creation of the family he craved during his own childhood. His wife, in particular, has been able to see through the brash street kid to the heart that is there. A beautiful story on many fronts. 4.5 stars rounded up.

[Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life · Rating 3 out of 5]

*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr

**3.5 stars**

The Coffin Confessor by Bill Edgar. (2021).

Bill Edgar is the Coffin Confessor - a one-of-a-kind professional whose mission is to make good people's last requests. He crashes funerals, reveals secrets and helps with last wishes. This the story of how he became that man. Bill has been many things in his life so far: homeless street-kid, car thief, son of a gangster, max-security prisoner, professional punching bag, inventor, private investigator, family man, and a survivor of horrific childhood abuse. Now his life's work is to make sure his clients' voices are heard. This is a story of survival and redemption, of a life spent on the fringes of society, on both sides of the law - and what that teaches you about living your best life ... and death.

I actually find it very difficult to review a non-fiction book, particularly when it is a memoir/autobiography, but I'll try my best! Bill's job is certainly an extraordinarily unique one; I was hoping for more of the stories in relation to that however while there are some, the book concentrated more on Bill's childhood to early twenties. Bill has led quite the life so far, and some of his experiences (which include violence and sexual abuse) could be triggering for some readers. Some of the book's passages are fairly confronting and knowing that this actually happened makes for emotional reading. For readers that don't like profanity, be aware that the f-word is used a lot; I don't mind profanity but in some places it felt a bit forced and I wondered if Bill really goes into funerals and starts swearing like that...
I think a lot of people would be interested in reading this book and find Bill's journey quite fascinating.

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone has their secrets. Most people are buried with them.

I ordered this book from the library thinking it would be a bit of a laugh, really. The thought of someone rocking up to funerals and interrupting them with messages from the person inside the coffin struck me as kind of sacrilegious. It’s also a little bit awesome and potentially terrifying. A message from beyond the grave has the power to both comfort loved ones and to publicly call out people who deserve it.

The service I would provide to the dying was granting them one last wish, a way for the powerless to leave the world with their conscience clear and the slate wiped clean. A confession before the coffin. The Coffin Confessor.

The reasons the dying employed the Coffin Confessor were more varied than I’d expected. There were some that felt like cop outs, when I thought someone would have benefited greatly from saying what they needed to say to the other person face to face. Others were payback, pure and simple. But then there were the really touching and absolutely heartbreaking ones.

A last request - the thing someone can’t let go of when they’re out of time - is as unique as a fingerprint. Sometimes people seem genuinely surprised by what is most important to them, once it comes down to the wire. I know they surprise me.

The chapters focused on the individual stories of some of the people who have paid Bill to crash their funerals made me think a lot about regrets and what I need to do to make sure I have as few as possible when my expiry date arrives. I thought about the things I don’t want to leave unsaid and how I want to be remembered.

Maybe this was something people needed - a way to reclaim some agency over how our deaths are marked, the way we’re remembered.

What struck me most about Bill Edgar is his resilience. He was abused both at home and school, places that should have be safe, and then experienced homelessness, all before he was old enough to vote. He’s gone on to marry, have children, earn a living and is functional, a big ask for anyone, let alone someone who’s experienced the level of trauma he has.

The writing style had a real Aussie bloke feel to it and I liked that about Bill’s story. He’s not pretentious and neither is the way he tells his story. He’s a down to earth guy who’s survived almost unimaginable trauma and gone on to make a name for himself doing a job I’d never even heard of prior to reading this book. Not only that but Bill has also become an advocate for others who were abused at the elite school he attended.

I’d call Bill an inspiration but I suspect he wouldn’t like that word very much and I don’t want to get decked by him. 😃 So instead I’ll just say that this book surprised me in the best possible way. I can’t imagine our paths ever crossing but if they did I’d be honoured to have the opportunity to sit down with Bill and have a chat with him.

Death comes for us all, but not all of us remember to make the most of the time we have. Out of everything I’ve learned along the way, that’s the only hard and fast rule.

Content warnings include death by suicide (including methods used), emotional abuse, mental health, physical abuse, sexual assault and suicidal ideation.

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This guy had an awful , dysfunctional childhood and the abuse he suffered was heartbreaking and the fact that he pulled himself out of that to become a decent member of society ( after having a few hiccups along the way ) is a real credit to him .
He’s found his niche and he does it well , but I very quickly tired of hearing stories of confessions by people too weak of character to sort out their own affairs . Also , swearing usually doesn’t bother me but the constant f bombs just make this bogan and trashy .
I struggled to finish it. I listened to it as an audio book and the narration ( by the author) was at best , extremely amateur.

[Renée · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely fascinating, entertaining and thought provoking. I didn’t want this book to end.

[Angelique Simonsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to give this a 5 because it's just a really interesting and at times harrowing. I found some parts about Bill's life extremely triggering and very difficult to read and the other chapters about the actual job were a welcome relief.

[Joanne Hattersley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’d seen the cover of this book on Amazon as I scrolled through new releases. I’d debated whether it was something I wanted to read, especially considering I’d lost my mum this year. Was the subject matter a little too depressing? But the title intrigued me. So, I bit the bullet, so to speak, and ordered it. Was I glad I did!!!!!

The coffin confessor title says it all. He is just what he says on the book, he confesses the secrets of those in the coffin. The things they’ve always wanted to say. The things they daren`t say. He is the voice of those departed. You have something to say, he`ll say it. You have something you want removing from your house that you don’t want family to see, he’ll fix that. You want someone to help you fulfil a last wish, he’s your man. He is, as reviews say, "the man who has no respect for the living, who will do anything for the dead."

The book grabbed me for two reasons. The first being the job he does. I mean, who does that job? Has anyone ever heard of someone being a ‘coffin confessor’? It’s a one of a kind profession, not something you pick up from the telephone book!
The second reason I loved the book, was the intricacies of his life. This man has literally been to hell and back.

William Edgar has worn many hats in his life. He’s been the son of one of Australia’s most notorious gangsters, homeless street-kid, maximum-security prisoner, hard man, family man, car thief, professional punching bag, philosopher, inventor, private investigator, victim of horrific childhood sexual abuse and an activist fighting to bring down the institutions that let it happen. He has been all of those and more but what he is, is a survivor.

By wearing all those hats in his life, he was able to understand first hand, that there are people that fall through the cracks, everywhere that you look. He wants to help those people. Whether it be the grandfather who needs his tastefully decorated sex dungeon destroyed before the kids find it. Is it the woman who endured an abusive marriage for decades before finding freedom. Can he help the biker who is afraid of nothing . . . except telling the world he is in love with another man. Being a parent, can he assist the dad who desperately needs to track down his estranged daughter so he can find a way to say he’s sorry, with one final gift.

This is one of the most confronting and heartbreaking books I’ve ever read. Yet, at the same time there is a heartwarming side. You find yourself cheering for this man. You want this prison hardy, car thief to come good.

William Edgar tells his story in a beautiful way. He doesn’t ask for forgiveness for any of the things he’s done. He doesn’t want compassion for what he’s been through. The writing directs you to look inward at yourself and realise whatever happens, there is always light there to find.

[Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone's ashamed of something. When your grandmother told you to always wear clean underwear in case you were hit by a bus, she wasn't just speaking literally. If you were to die, without warning, wouldn't you want someone to be able to care of your dirty laundry?

Right so straight off the bat this is a book that could be extremely triggering for some readers. Discussions of death and dying aside Bill Edger has been through a lot in his life and does not pull punches in the discussion of it. Towards the end of the book, there is a quote "Victims of abuse — sexual, physical or mental — can remain victims or they can become survivors. It's their choice, but I can honestly say the empowerment from deciding to be a survivor is like no other.
I'd encourage any victim to own it. Use it to better yourself. Don't sit in silence." (p. 227). Owning it is what he's done but he does not pretend to be anything he isn't. He isn't an innocent, he wasn't an innocent in some of his actions. But he did do what he had to in order to survive. The problematic themes for readers are familial abuse (physical, emotional and sexual), neglect, molestation, suicidal ideal and varying forms of illegal activity. If you can make it through the first four chapters you're through what I personally consider the worst of it (this does include not being about to use his own name).

I'm not here to judge Bill Edgar's life or any of the events in it or his life choices. This is review is going to focus as much as possible on the book itself, the writing, the story selection and the organisation. As Edgar proves himself to be quite an effective writer there will be a quote dump at the end of this review. One thing I picked up on while reading is The Coffin Confessor as a piece of writing is it won't travel well. International readers (with the exception perhaps of New Zealand) may struggle to understand pop culture, geography and linguistic references that aren't well explained/ expanded upon. There is a lot of assumed knowledge. That said the bikie ban is kinda explained, as are bikies themselves as in their position in Australian society. The organisation of the book is quite smart. It starts with 'It's Your Funeral' a Coffin Confessor story, then alternates between coffin confessor stories and Bill's life for the rest of the book for twenty-nine chapters total. It's a smart way to write the book it allows for a reader to get a breather between moments of gut-punch and betrayal.

On the Coffin Confessor story selections, which if I'm honest is why I picked this up. There is plenty of variation between the stories. The first one is the one who started it all, Graham, his first client. The quote that is easily associated with him at that point is... "Excuse me, but I'm going to need you to sit down, shut up, or fuck off. The man in the box has a few things to say." (p. 2). Graham's story is one of pure love between a couple, it is protection. Christine's confession is so beautiful and so different from Graham's but it is still about love. Mary's perfect scorched earth tactics made me smile. I did like the inclusion of denied requests, that display of morality while meeting some people halfway on their final wishes. A couple of the stories rightfully made me a little weepy, Tom and Pam in particular. While all seem to hold an overarching theme of truth to self at long last or to death they all feel a little different, with Bill allowing each deceased to seemingly have their own voice even in his book.

Bill lived on the street for a few years. We are shown a couple of the rare kind souls along the way that potentially help save him. Prevent him from becoming so much worse. Michael holds an interesting place in Bill's heart. One of his few friends in childhood, one of the few people he trusted Michael died in a reasonably awful way. "He had such a good life, and it seemed so unfair that he would be the one to lose it. So I kept him alive, in my own way, and I've been talking to him ever since." (p. 81) I would guess Michael is part of how Bill (or Scott as he was then) got through living on the streets. What Bill Edgar does do very well is show how one person, one chance meeting can forever alter the course of your life. In his case, that chance meeting came when he was 16, with the love of his life Lara. By the time they were 18, they had a son, Joshua, three years later daughter was Candis born. These are the three people that he lives for, the three people that truly keep him on the straight and narrow. It was Lara's words that acted as a talisman while he was in prison. "'Bill, if you give up on yourself, you give up on us,' she told me when she came for a visit. 'It things aren't going well, just dust yourself off and get the fuck up.'" (p. 202) It is the want to keep his son from following in his and his father's footsteps that kept him truly focused. It is truly as simple as wanting to provide a better life for his wife and kids. Also, Lara is a brilliant woman. I like her spine, she really did give up everything for him. And he is ever grateful for her.

As promised a quote dump
• "'You're on,' I told Graham. 'Fuck that guy. I'll crash your funeral service and tell him how it's going to be.'
'Do you think that's out of line?'
'It's up to you,' I said. 'It's your funeral.' — This is a conversation with Graham, the first of Bill's Coffin Confessor clients. It is just effective. (p. 8 )
• So when someone else got in touch within a week, asking me to interrupt another funeral, it struck me as more than a coincidence. It got me thinking that maybe there was something here. Maybe this was something people needed - a way to reclaim some agency over how our deaths are marked, the way we're remembered. — I think this is why the whole idea of a Coffin Confessor appeals to me. It's that idea of being remembered and marked on your terms. For a generation of women, this is their last chance to claim their agency. (p. 39)
• It's not that I have a problem with authority. I wouldn't even say I'm suspicious of it. It's more a matter of encountering, nearly every day in my life, authority that has been granted to the wrong people. Preachers, teachers, parents, police - anyone who claims authority is someone who believes that, for whatever reason, they have the right to tell someone else how to live. — This is just one of those really good points. (p. 99)
• This is what gets to me about some branches of Christianity. They worship Mary as a deity, make a woman one of their key religious figures, but then don't see women as worthy of equality on earth? What's that about? I've a low tolerance for bullshit and hypocrisy in any organisation, and a lot of time churches are overflowing with both. — Oh how had I never put two and two together and realised this? It's such a great point. (p. 117)
• I had just turned seventeen, still only a kid, but they sent me to Boggo Road, a colonial-era prison so notorious for cruelty and brutality that they would shut it down in 2002. These days they run ghost tours of the place. — This must be so surreal, being able to take a ghost tour of the prison you were incarcerated in. It's interesting when Bill describes it, it sometimes comes off as sounding like a poorhouse or at points a debtors' prison. (p. 154)
• People will tell you that we all make choices and that we deserve to be where we end up now. well, sure, but some people never get a choice. Some people are forced into those choices. Humans aren't fucking produce to be put in a basket and sorted by type. — This kinda feels like the point of the whole book in a way. (p.162)
• What a fucking shame. It was like that movie, Brokeback Mountain, only Brokeback Biker, I guess. Brokeback Gold Coast. Sad for Rod, of course, and his lover, but sad as well for all the other dudes still living in the closet because they were scared of how those around them might react. — Rod has an interesting story. It's so very Australian and tied to culture and awful Bikie laws. I really like this as the way to show cultural evolution. (p. 197)
• I guess the lesson is never underestimate your loved ones whiles they're still around. They're probably more interesting people than you think. — This is after a confession that involves a sex dungeon. It just made me laugh. (p. 242)

I do recommend this book if it looks like something that would interest you. It gives you a look at how others have lived. It is a reminder that regrets are there, that life and love are not to be ashamed of, the lengths people go to improve themselves. While the themes are heavy-hitting the writing is not, it is readable. It is written simply as facts but with the reflection that age brings when looking back at childhood. Thrown in are some brilliant anecdotes from his adult life while he was working in Cairns (Jimmy Barnes, Val Kilmer). There is closure to a degree on the one major scandal Bill was involved in, molestation by staff at the Southport School. It's not a full stop more an acknowledgement that he and the terrifying number of other boys who were abused and have come forward are working through their trauma together. All in all, it is a satisfying read, especially if you leave your societal expectations and judgement at the door.

My whole life up to that point had made me into the kind of bloke who does not give a fuck about what people think of him. There are a few things I do care about: my wife, my kids and those who can't look after themselves. After all - if we can't trust those closest to us, what chance do we have in life?

A representative gif:

[Chloesbookiewook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may be the most heartbreaking and beautiful book I have ever read and I think I will think about it all the time. It's the kind of book that just sticks with you!!

Bill Edgar's childhood is utterly heart breaking to hear and I work in child protection. His resourcefulness to live and to make something of himself is inspiring. This Is actually such a surprisingly good read! I am sobbing through almost every chapter.

I loved the authors personality and humour and despite some of the dire content, this shone through a lot. It is truly remarkable the life Bill has made for himself despite his start in life and every adult he should have been able to trust, failed him as a child.

Hearing of everyone's stories was beautiful and hearing Bills remarks of meeting them and the privilege of this was beautiful.

Please note TWs for this book - death, funerals, child abuse, CSA.

[Bek Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought I was going to read a book about one thing bit I got to read a book about multiple things which I didn’t entirely expect, however it was an enjoyable, entertaining, sometimes sad and shocking read.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing life story and philosophy to live by

[Demi Noakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very heavy at times but not in a way that dwells in it.

[Boy Blue · Rating 2 out of 5]

The old bait and switch. I opened this book expecting to read about people's dying wishes and the man who brought them to life. Unfortunately, the book contains a lot of the latter and not a lot of the former. This is largely Edgar's memoir particularly focusing on the abuse he suffered as a child and how that trauma rippled through his life. It's a tough life.


The few clients he confesses or cleans up for are pretty much what you'd expect, gay bikie, gay housewife, atheist child, man with a sex dungeon. Sadly, there's not a huge amount to learn from them. Except tell your secrets earlier and you'll have a happier life.

The best lesson in the book comes from a random man Edgar tries to steal a car from.


"Sorry is just a word for someone who doesn't have control over their life."


Despite the heavy topic material it's a quick read. I'm disappointed Edgar didn't go into how sport which he was supposedly brilliant at (even got him a scholarship) was taken away from him and how that affected him. Especially considering his wife was also a brilliant athlete and she seems to have abandoned her Olympic dreams for him. Not to mention the role sport plays in Australian society.

I also feel he missed a trick. He went from not being able to read or write well into his adulthood and now he's a published author. That deserved a mention.


Despite the massive hurdles life has thrown at him, Edgar seems like the Australian definition of a Good Bloke.

[Ian Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE COFFIN CONFESSOR by Bill Edgar
I’d wanted to start this book, had a feeling I might find it interesting. Turns out that was something of an understatement.
It’s yet another harrowing tale of an abused child whose mother was a gambling addict. His grandfather sexually abused him, when he told his mum she belted him and told him not to tell lies; when he told his grandma the same thing happened. It went downhill from there, despite the fact he was so good at soccer he was sponsored into a leading Queensland school, run by a religious organization. You can guess what happened there; both the sports teacher and the priest he went to tell.
I couldn’t stop shaking my head at how cruel life had been to the author, wanted to find a way to help him, to do anything. Of course, just a few years ago abuse was ritualised in so many places and adults refused to believe children, so it went on. Only in very recent times have things started to change, though victims still suffer irreparable damage.
He once had a friend, his first and only. He came from a rich household though, but at least the author managed to get a decent meal now and then before his friend went skiing in Switzerland and tragically never came back.
It was amazing how he managed to survive in the school in spite of the fact that he was dyslexic. He’d decided to leave home and used to sleep in the school in the beds of pupils who wanted to go out and party all night but didn’t want to get caught during the odd late night head count.
When that gig finished he went to live on the streets, already with some knowledge of how it was done but that expanded rapidly. Sleeping in moored boats, theatres etc. became routine. You also had to know how to find food and, not unnaturally, that encouraged theft just to survive.
Trying to better himself he went to another school. Simply rocked up in a class after stealing a uniform and said he was a new pupil. Amazingly, he got away with it for a couple of months.
However, the big change happened when he met his future wife at a pool. She was a potential Olympic swimmer and forever doing laps. They were smitten and, despite naturally strong objections from her family, they ended up together with two children. What they went through (prison terms for him, isolation for her while she cared for their first child) would make a book on its own.
However, Bill is a worker, not afraid to turn his hand at anything and six years as a doorman at the biggest nightclub in Cairns set him up finally before he moved back to the Gold Coast.
There he did many different jobs, private investigator among them, but none as interesting as the name of the book. At one stage he addressed the abuse he had received at school because a football legend, Peter Jackson, had suffered the same fate and committed suicide. Down the track it was learned that 133 boys had been abused in the TSS school, eight of whom had committed suicide. The school, as is their wont, went into denial mode. Further enquiries found that the teacher was still teaching at another school.
At one stage he was asked to read out something at someone’s funeral, the someone being the person who’d asked him to. Turns out there’s a whole unexplored niche market there and Bill has achieved fame and, to a lesser degree, fortune, as a man who gets rid of things people don’t want their family and friends to know about or reads out the truths about their lives at the funeral, often to the family and church’s embarrassment, bearing in mind he’s a devout atheist, probably why I related to him.
Bill Edgar is, if nothing else, a fighter, both literally and, if called upon, practically. He’s bravely forged his way ahead despite things that would derail most of us. There’s so much more in this book I haven’t touched on. I was gripped by it and, if you can handle the “F” word, I’m sure you will be rivetted as well.

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Memoir is always difficult to comment on, so I tend to focus on the writing and what I expected versus what was published.

I expected more depth into the "coffin confessor" stories, but it soon became apparent to me that this is merely a small part of the author's life and therefore probably doesn't warrant an entire book on its own. And to be honest, I don't get why people would bother hiring somebody to do this. I just look at it as a waste of money for what, is many cases, seems to be pettiness.

Most of the book is about the author's childhood and teen years, then skipping into his early twenties as well. No denying he experienced a range of trauma, and kudos for getting through that. But if the author is trying to tie that in with the "coffin confessor" title, I'm not sure it's a fit. And, for that, this didn't meet my expectations.

Putting all that aside, the writing gives a sense it was not ghost written, but there are clever ghost writers out there. It's not the best written memoir but it's highly accessible to a wide audience.

I don't know if I'd recommend this. There are certainly unique parts to this story, which may interest readers.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Coffin Confessor - William Edgar
For a $10,000 fee, the former debt collector from Queensland, will turn up at your funeral and say whatever you want him to say.
A dying friend asked Bill to interrupt his funeral and stop the religious ceremony that would’ve had him turning in his grave
Soon through word of mouth, Bill was helping the dead rest in piece, by letting them get the last word.
This book isn't just a book filled with funny stories, it also a narrative of Bill's life, the abuse, neglect and his spiral into what the world expected him to be and how he turned his life around. It's a great book and an unexpected little gem.

[Lydia Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess that I only choose this book because I liked the cover and the title while flicking through my libraries selection. But when I started listening to the story I realised I had heard of this gentleman and his work before.

It is the story of his upbringing, raw and confronting, laced with stories of his work as the coffin confessor, giving a voice to the departed. This work he obviously does with the utmost respect for them.

I appreciated his story, and respect how hard he has worked to get to where he is today.

(Listened to the audiobook)

[Ally Marov · Rating 5 out of 5]

”Once I learned to accept what had been done to me, I started to move on. A few people told me, ’It fucking happened, deal with it, get over it.'
No, I won’t get over it. But I will deal with it. I will expose it. Because the more I tell my story, the more it helps other people”.

✨5 stars✨
⚠️TRIGGER WARNING BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK/REVIEW: child sexual abuse, grooming, suicidal ideation, death⚠️

I first came across Bill Edgar on the SBS Insight episode on Deathbed Confessions. Intrigued by his line of work, I thought to myself;
”imagine if he wrote a book about all of the requests he’s taken”.

A couple months later, I came across this book while doing shopping at Big W. Intrigued, I decided to buy it.

It was on my TBR for a good few months before I decided to make it the Alyssa’s Self Audible Book Club pick for September.

The book begins with the story that started it all.

Edgar was working with a man named Graham, investigating a financial claim. He also had cancer and didn’t have much time left.
After a conversation about death and the afterlife, Edgar replied jokingly that if Graham wrote his own eulogy, he would crash his funeral. A few weeks later, Graham took him up on the offer… and I’ll leave it at that 😂.

The book is written in dual timeline, going from his childhood, growing up on the streets, even serving time in prison, to the present where he mentions other funeral crashes and deathbed confessions/requests.
I really commend him on his bravery to speak out about his experience of CSA and hope that it inspires more men to come forward with their own stories and seek the help that they need.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book! It was one of those reads that I couldn’t put down or if I did, I constantly thought about the next time I was going to pick it up again.

He has also written a second book which goes into more depth about the kinds of confessions that people have before they pass on. I will look forward to reading that next! ☺️✨🌻

[Naomi'sBookObsession❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first audio book I've ever listened to. I was worried I would be easily distracted, but boy was I wrong! An autobiography like this had me so absorbed that I was distracted from doing everything else! What a remarkable and inspiring man! That book had me both laughing and crying and completely in utter awe of this person's survival skills, creativity, morals, ability to help others and being self driven even from a young age, no matter what horrendous evil and hardships life brought him. This story has made such an impression on my heart and soul and will stay with me forever!

[Kaitlan Sharpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a well written and interesting book. The author has lived a colourful life and his job would have to be one of the most amazing and rewarding jobs I’ve ever heard of.
Such an eye opener and makes you think of what really matters to you.

[KJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling. Death asking us to live well.

[Sharon Fraser]

Didn’t enter my mind that someone could do this as a career.
I actually think it’s a great idea, some people need this to happen for them. Who knows I may consider it myself !

[Rachel England-Brassy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an audiobook listen and was okay, but for me it doesn’t live up to all hype. However I love the idea of a coffin confessor.

[Hannah Lienert · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible story, loved it!!

[Rachael Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly honest and very touching. Was an absolutely inspiring read.

[Grainne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to this as an audiobook and found it vvv interesting. So sad in parts and also fascinating about prison life. Engrossed from the beginning

[Carlee Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting. Raw. No Bullshit.
I was unable to put this book down!
Written so well.
So much emotion and such a wild ride.
What an unreal idea!
Made me think of my own death and what I would want and what I’d be ashamed/proud of.



To the author: Thank you for speaking out on your personal abuse and helping others have courage to speak out as well. You must be so proud of the life you’ve built.