Book of the Day: “Unnatural Reasons. Notes of a forensic expert "- what hides the body

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

One of the most respected forensic scientists in the UK talks about himself, his work and the cause of death of Princess Diana.

Dr. Richard Shepherd has worked for 30 years as a pathologist and participated in the most high-profile and important cases - for example, in the investigation of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York.

In 2016, he was diagnosed with PTSD. And two years later, he wrote a book about his unique experience, which was enthusiastically received both in the author's homeland and far beyond its borders. In 2019, it was published in Russian.

Over the course of his long career, Dr. Shepherd has performed over 20,000 autopsies. He had to face the bodies of victims of natural disasters, mass terrorist attacks, serial maniacs and diseases.

And it was his word that was the last when it was necessary to find out from what a person died. It depended on Shepherd whether the killer would go to jail and whether the innocent would be acquitted. And in accidents, the death of one often led to the possibility of survival for many, because the expert not only determined how a person died, but also saw how this could have been avoided.

Most people are attracted by Richard's involvement in high-profile events, such as the autopsy of Princess Diana after a car accident. But the doctor himself admits that often the least known and curious at first glance case turns out to be the most interesting and confusing.

In his autobiography, Shepherd reveals all the ins and outs of the life of a forensic scientist - starting with why he chose such a difficult profession and how long and thorny his path to recognition was, and ending with how the work affected his health and what happened to his loved ones. And of course, the author writes a lot about autopsies, without omitting the most shocking details.

On the one hand, the book may seem vile and depressing, but on the other - honest and real. Many years of experience allows Dr. Shepherd to analyze how the examination has changed, what progress has been made and what mistakes were made.

The reader, unprepared for bloody and cruel revelations, may find the book not the most suitable for leisure. But it is undoubtedly informative and useful, because it speaks about our body. Whatever a person tries to hide, it will not hide anything. The main thing is to know where to look for answers to questions.

Shepherd himself that people should know about death and how it happens. It was the daily closeness to her that taught him to love and appreciate life. And with his book, the author calls every reader to this.