Mistress of Death Review: ‘Spoiler Alert: You’re Going To Die’

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cover80249-mediumWhile mortality isn’t necessarily a fun topic to think about, sometimes there’s a book that makes it just a bit more fascinating and a touch less macabre. In the new book Spoiler Alert: You’re Going to Die, Korttany Finn and Jacquie Purcell give you the real facts behind death. Finn and Purcell met on a parenting chatboard, and after a series of “ask me anything” type questions it became quite evident that Purcell’s knowledge as a Deputy Coroner needed to be shared with the world in order to clarify a wealth of misinformation distributed daily by pop culture.

Spoiler Alert: You’re Going to Die introduced me to a few different things that I was unaware of before:

  • Coroners are elected officials, and as such are subject to change. However, the people who work under the Coroner can be hired and fired just like any other job.
  • “Death Poop” is a very real thing in which people who are experiencing heart attack symptoms die on the toilet when they confuse their symptoms with needing to defecate; think Elvis.
  • Using a seatbelt incorrectly is just as bad as not wearing one at all.
  • Most suicides don’t actually leave notes.
  • If someone dies in a hospital, medical equipment and devices are left attached to the body to rule out malpractice.
  • Bodies are given a final sew up with a stitch called “the baseball stitch,” as it is the same stick used to create a baseball.
  • Autopsies are usually scheduled from 2 hours, but can last anywhere from 45 minutes to 5 hours depending on the situation.

Spoiler Alert: You’re Going to Die is a great book to clear up misconceptions about coroners, death, and what happens when the body ceases to live. The book even details what happens during an autopsy and when one is done.  The Q & A format allows the reader to feel like they are asking the questions, rather than just listening in. Each aspect of the book is treated respectfully, but has a conversational tone as if you were discussing death with a good friend.

Whether you read about death for fun or are just curious about what happens after the body ceases to live, Spoiler Alert: You’re Going to Die is a great place to start.

Spoiler Alert: You’re Going to Die is now available from Booktrope Publishing.

 

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