Autopsies

by Geoff Symon

Overview

Want to add an autopsy that won't kill your story? Death swings its scythe in every genre, from family funerals to crime scenes to creatures that won't stay buried. This user-friendly, illustrated reference digs into all things posthumous and postmortem.

Presented as a research manual for the experienced writer, this "Forensics for Fiction" title offers practical approaches and realistic details by covering:

• Terms and techniques used during autopsy procedures
• Different postmortem professionals and their specialties
• The stages of decomposition in different environments
• Methods used to estimate the time of death
• Case studies in which autopsies cracked the crime
• Examples of how to use autopsies in any popular genre

Whether you're writing about dissection or resurrection, this guidebook covers it all from cadaver to slab as an easy-to-understand resource for dead-on storytelling.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781945043154
Publisher:	Evil MasterMind, LLC
Publication date:	12/01/2017
Series:	Forensics for Fiction
Pages:	220
Sales rank:	650,388
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.46(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements xi

Preface xiii

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

• History 4
• Coroners vs. Medical Examiners 8

Chapter 2: Autopsy Basics 15

• The Body’s Journey 16
• Forensic Autopsy 17
  
  • Purposes of a Forensic Autopsy 18
  • Remains Identification 28
  • Final Medical Examinations 34
  
  
  
  
• Clinical Autopsy 35
• Psychological Autopsy 37
• Second Autopsy 39
• Reports 41

Case Study 1: Ryan Jenkins – Implanted Evidence 45

Chapter 3: The Autopsy – External Examination 53

• Vocabulary 54
• Personal Protective Equipment 57
• The Autopsy 57
• Intake 58
• Radiology 62
• Odontology 63
• Anthropology 65
• Entomology 67
• External Examination 68

Chapter 4: The Autopsy – Internal Examination 71

• Gaining Access 71
• Organs 77
• Head Dissection 88
• Closing Up 94
• Lab Work 96
• Autopsy Report 99

Case Study 2: Beverley Allitt – False Angel 101

Chapter 5: Decomposition 111

• Environmental Variables 112
• Autolysis and Putrefaction 113
• Saponification 118
• Mummification 119
• Bog Bodies 120
• Skeletonization 121

Chapter 6: Time-of-Death Determinations 123

• Witness Window 124
• Decompositional Changes 125
  
  • Livor Mortis 126
  • Rigor Mortis 130
  • Algor Mortis 135
  • Potassium Release 138
  
  
  
  
• Stomach Contents 139
• Entomology 140

Chapter 7: Writing Your Autopsy 145

• The Body’s Basic Interrogatory Menu 146
• Autopsy by Genre 151
• Considerations for Fictional Autopsies 158
  
  • Spatial Awareness 159
  • Bloody Mess 160
  • Glamour Shots 160
  • Tick Tock, Doc 161
  • Come to Odor 161
  • Bug Out 163
  • Secret Identity 164
  • No Body is Nobody 165
  
  
  
  
• Quick References 166
• Closing Thoughts 172

Glossary 175

Bibliography 193

Index 195

About the Author 201

Editorial Reviews

"Written with the perfect blend of information, sensitivity, and humor, Geoff Symon's Autopsies is
a must-have research tool for any writer or anyone who simply wants the real story on what happens in
the morgue. Real-life examples, illustrations, and do's/don'ts make this the most accessible, approachable research text I've encountered in my twenty years of writing crime fiction."
- Karen Rose, New York Times, USA TODAY, London's Sunday Times, Germany's der Spiegel, and the
Irish Times bestselling author

"Whether it's crime scenes, sensational cases, or the ins and outs of autopsies--Geoff Symon is my go to guy. He makes learning about forensics both fascinating and fun. Everything he writes is an autobuy for me."
- Dee Davis, award-winning, bestselling author

From the Publisher