LJ Ross Chooses a Fascinating Memoir for February's Book Club
Northumberland-born LJ Ross is the bestselling author of the DCI Ryan murder mystery series. Each month, she shares an exclusive Book Club pick with Living North
Unnatural Causes
Dr Richard Shepherd
This month’s LJ Ross Book Club selection is a memoir from Dr Richard Shepherd, Unnatural Causes. Although my recommendations are usually fictional titles, I make the occasional exception to this general predilection for non-fictional tales whose narratives are so well written as to be stories in themselves. This is certainly the case here; for those who may not be aware, Shepherd is one of the country’s foremost forensic pathologists, with decades of experience caring for the dead during his eminent career, searching their bodies for causes of death and – as the title of the book suggests – discovering unnatural causes, too…
LJ’s Thoughts:
‘If you’re anything like me, you might wonder why anyone would wish to become a forensic pathologist. There, I said it! After all, much like the role of an undertaker, it’s a noble profession but not exactly one that children tend to aspire to when discussing options with their careers adviser at school. Well, Shepherd answers the question candidly at the outset of his book, speaking emotively about the loss of his mother while he was a child, and the effect that had on he and his family. Spurred into a clinical profession, he sought to understand the miraculous workings of the human body, and, specifically, what might cause it to stop working. Far from being a grisly re-telling of his cases, Unnatural Causes is a revelatory insight into a profession few of us truly understand; the sensitivity in which he writes reflects the respect he has for the dead and their families, and a natural curiosity – much like Sherlock Holmes – to find the truth that a silent witness may hold. The book covers so many interesting cases that have captured public attention over the years, and, when I listened to the audiobook (narrated extremely well by the author himself), I felt that I’d learned so much by the end of it. I thoroughly recommend this book to any reader who enjoys the work of Conan-Doyle, or true crime documentaries – this is one of the best.’
