This book by a medical examiner in New York fairly reeks of formaldehyde—but in a good way. Melinek guides us through homicides and suicides and John Doe cases without glorying in gore and without losing respect for the dead. She brings us into the autopsy room on 9/11, when she takes on the unenviable task of processing and identifying baseball-size body parts, and she shares with us some interesting science and offers enough humor to counterbalance the necessarily grisly descriptions. Aficionados of medical forensics will learn plenty from Melinek while unlearning much of what TV cop shows tell us. And despite the subject matter, this is a comfortable, enjoyable read. Reviewed on June 17, 2021