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Unnatural Causes

Gripping true stories from the Sunday Times bestselling forensic pathologist

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Unnatural Causes

Written by: Richard Shepherd
Narrated by: Richard Shepherd
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Meet the forensic pathologist, Dr Richard Shepherd, in the true crime book of the year - brought to you by Penguin.

'The dead do not hide the truth and they never lie. Through me the dead can speak . . .'

He solves the mysteries of unexplained or sudden death.
He has performed over 23,000 autopsies, including investigating some of the most high-profile cases of recent times; the Hungerford Massacre, the Princess Diana inquiry, and 9/11.
He has faced serial killers, natural disasters, 'perfect murders' and freak accidents.
His evidence has put killers behind bars, freed the innocent, and turned open-and-shut cases on their heads.
Yet all this has come at a huge personal cost.

Written and narrated by Dr Richard Shepherd, Unnatural Causes tells the story of not only the cases and bodies that have haunted him the most, but also how to live a life steeped in death.

'Puts the reader at his elbow as he wields the scalpel' Guardian

'Fascinating, gruesome yet engrossing' Richard and Judy, Daily Express

'Fascinating, insightful, candid, compassionate' Obersver

 Medical Professionals & Academics True Crime Crime Murder Law Inspiring Forensics
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What the critics say

Unnatural Causes gives a sense of the toll that dealing with so many dead bodies takes. It's a very human book that looks at the cases he has been involved with, from the Hungerford massacre to the murder of Stephen Lawrence
An unputdownable record of an extraordinary life
One of the most fascinating books I have read in a long time. Engrossing, a haunting page-turner. A book I could not put down
Fabulous . . . The UK's top pathologist investigating high-profile deaths such as that of Diana, Princess of Wales
Puts the reader at his elbow as he wields the scalpel
Insightful, candid and compassionate
Fascinating, gruesome yet engrossing
Heart-wrenchingly honest
Darkly fascinating
A deeply mesmerising memoir of forensic pathology. Human and fascinating
All stars
Most Relevant
I couldn't stop listening. This book was truly fantastic look into the life of forensic pathology and I highly recommend it to those who even have the slightest interest in death.

Exceptional

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At the beginning I wanted to return it. After I could t and I got to the second chapter it started getting good. He actually goes into details which is great. He keeps you interested throughout the book.

I recommend it.

Very good book

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I bought this on a whim and wow it was SO interesting, without being too graphic or shocking. I loved hearing about how his work and personal life overlapped, and it was interesting to hear about his PTSD struggle. I learned so much. I wish he had more books on audible. He's also a great narrator.

I Wish He Wrote More

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I thoroughly enjoyed reading this informative and entertaining book. Dr. Shepherd provides information about what happens when one dies ‘unexpectedly’ as well as the stories behind the cases he worked on throughout his illustrious career. It was certainly book that I had trouble putting down and would highly recommend to anyone interested in the subject matter.

A must read!

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I loved that Dr. Richard Shepard read his own audiobook - it was evident that he added a lot more meaning behind the words because they were his own.
Then book itself is well-written, interesting, and it covers some tough cases (i.e., shipwreck victims, emergency services, SIDS infants, etc.). That was astoundingly fascinating, expressed in respectful ways, and well worth a listen.

At the risk of sounding insensitive, I wasn't prepared for the amount of personal narrative there was - surrounding his family dynamics and personal journey of self-discovery (in terms of his patterns and brief mention of PTSD). But, we're all allowed a way to express ourselves.

Definitely worth the time, but know it can be a touch personal.

A Very Personal Story, Surprisingly

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