Working Stiff

Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner

By: Judy Melinek MD, T. J. Mitchell

Narrated by: Tanya Eby

Just two months before the September 11 terrorist attacks, Dr. Judy Melinek began her training as a New York City forensic pathologist. With her husband and their toddler holding down the home front, Judy threw herself into the fascinating world of death investigation-performing autopsies, investigating death scenes, and counseling grieving relatives. Working Stiff chronicles Judy's two years of training, taking listeners behind the police tape of some of the most harrowing deaths in the Big Apple. Lively, action-packed, and loaded with mordant wit, Working Stiff offers a firsthand account of daily life in one of America's most arduous professions. The body never lies - and through the murders, accidents, and suicides that land on her table, Dr. Melinek lays bare the truth behind the glamorized depictions of autopsy work to reveal the secret story of the real morgue.

©2014 Dr. Judy Melinek and Thomas J. Mitchell (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Far from the magic we see on TV, Working Stiff describes forensic pathology in the real world. The book is a compelling and absorbing read." ---Kathy Reichs, author of the Temperance Brennan 'Bones' series

Dead Body Soup!

This book is very interesting but be forewarned. It is not for the faint of heart. There are in-depth descriptions of dead bodies, mangled and marred by accidents, suicides, criminal activity, or just plain old time. That is, they weren't found right away. Ever wondered what happened to a decaying body? No, I didn't either, but now I have an idea! Some of the author's depictions of autopsies come with an interesting story, others are just about the autopsy. It is interesting how cause of death is determined--or not determined. It was unsettling to learn of how often the NY law enforcement were uninterested in learning a death might be non-accidental because they were just too lazy to do a criminal investigation. Ugh.

I found the 9-11 story fascinating in a ghoulish way. Actually, most of the book was ghoulish, but that didn't make it bad. You just have to be prepared for what is being presented.

I was taken aback when I first started listening to the author's description of her autopsies, which were presented in great detail and with great glee. Then, I had to remind myself the glee was coming from the narrator, not the author. The author is a medical doctor and the narrator is versed in chick-lit books, for heaven sakes! How does that compute? And once again, there were those renditions of buffoonish male voices. I knew I would persevere and keep on listening but am left wondering who picked this narrator for a very serious topic and why? Does an author have any say in the matter? I can't believe Melinek was very happy when she listened to her own book.

(As to my review title, this has always stuck in my mind. A very rude co-worker once asked her cubicle neighbor, who brought in an apparently aromatic ethnic soup for lunch, "What are you eating? Dead body soup?" Ugh, again.)

Worst voice ever

The voice was like nails on a chalkboard. I could not get through and I really wanted to.

Gory, Yes, But Clinically So

What made the experience of listening to Working Stiff the most enjoyable?

The narrator's voice worked very well with the material. She paced it wonderfully and injected sensitive topics -- and some of them really are difficult to bear without wincing -- with the right tone and delivery.

What did you like best about this story?

I appreciated that the author knew where and how to provide a break from the sometimes very emotionally intense subject. Having grown up with nurses and first responders, it seemed an appropriate treatment of the same. She does address child abuse and the attacks on 911, and these were toward the end of the book, despite the fact that her career in New York began just a few months prior. In this way, she was able to -- for lack of a better way of explaining it -- give a sensitive, yet wholly real explanation of the events as she experienced them.

Which scene was your favorite?

To say that any one of the scenes was a "favorite" is to perhaps be irreverent. These are dead people we're talking about, after all. Let's just say that some were especially fascinating, and some were downright sad, and others made me very angry... and none of it made me want to stop reading.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

"Death in the City That Never Sleeps"

Any additional comments?

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning about the workings of the human body. You will learn things from this book. Also, if you've ever watched a crime show on TV and wanted to know how much of it was hokey, this book will set you straight.

amazing story of a medical examiner!

This was an amazing story of a medical examiners experiences while living in new York city. the stories aren't for the squeemish. I'm pretty tough when it comes to gore, but there was one story that even made me cringe. the narrator spoke quickly but it worked for the tone that I assume the author was trying to portray (i.e. fast talking new yorker). overall excellent story and excellent narration. 5 stars

Good book but bad reader

The reader does a males voice in a deep voice that is absolutely cringe worthy...and constant