Of course, the title is a play on words, the cover tells us this much, and we know the position of a Medical Examiner is no ordinary job that one does just to get by. There has to be a passion for science, a medical degree, and, in the case of Judy Melinek, M.D., a notable compassion for the human condition. “Working Stiff” possesses an underlying emotional current that makes it by no means a ridged compilation of cases but a biographical memoir, which immerses us in Dr. Melinek’s “rookie season” at the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). A laymen when it comes to medical science, I was engaged by Melinek’s presentation. She invited me into her world and left me feeling, in the end, as if counseled on the death of a distant relative who had no one else to speak for them. That is the compassion underlying the science, speaking for the dead, and bringing some closure to the grieving. So, no, not pure science, but also wonderfully human as Melinek shares pieces of her personal life. She grants perspective on forces driving her choices, her wisdom during this early period of her career, her father’s suicide, and that deeper core sense of responsibility as a civil servant. Glimpses into her private life with her husband and co-author, T.J. Mitchell, allow for the human connection. We relate to the fact that Melinek is a wife, a mother, a native New Yorker... Understanding for the non-linear presentation of the work arrives when we reach the section on 9/11. It is graphically moving and a reminder of the human toll of that horrific terrorist attack. September 11, 2001 occurred just weeks into her fellowship at the OCME. The arrangement of the book allows the reader some preparation, experience in the “pit” and basic knowledge concerning the death of the human body. Had the timeline remained linear, the scene might have pushed readers away or would not have engaged them as deeply. It is that slight familiarity, granted in previous chapters, that allows for a heightened visual sense of the scene, the horror of it physically and emotionally. Working Stiff works at the levels it needs to. It is moving, genuine, fascinating. In a tweet about reading the book, I thanked Dr. Melinek for writing it. For those curious about medical sciences and law enforcement, it is a memoir not to be missed. S.M. Tolhurst

Thank goodness there are people who can do this kind of work. If you have ever wondered what really happens to a human body in an unnatural death (and don't we all), this book will allay your curiosity and then some. She manages to successfully walk the line between professional detachment and empathy, so the book doesn't make the reader feel icky (for lack of a better word). It does show just how remarkable and resilient the human body is, but at the same time how fragile it can be. This is a rare book that I can read and re-read...after I get it back from the friend I lent it to.

I loved this book. All the details of autopsy, sharing the personal side of the examiners life, and the details of 9/11.

What a great educational and delightful narrative of why Medical Examiners are such an important part of medicine and criminal justice and why we need more of the Judy Melineks in the profession and more T.J Mitchell’s to tell their stories.

I liked the details of the autopsies being performed. Hated to put the book down. Defiantly would recommend to others

"Staying alive is mostly common sense", Judy Melinek tells her husband, TJ, after he complains that listening to her daily stories of her work as a Forensic Pathologist, will cause him to wear gloves and a mask when he is out in public. Certainly the stories, Judy shares can be gruesome and cause one to wonder how they will die. After all, a pathologist gives you the last physician exam you will ever have. Judy Melinek, the author, along with her husband, TJMitchell, gives us the story of her life as a Medical Examiner, or Forensic Pathologist in New York City. Here, she learned at the hands of some of the best pathologists in the world. Judy and TJ met at Harvard where they both graduated. Judy went on to study as a surgeon in a prestigious hospital in Boston. What this experience taught her was that she would be forever tired, and working as a surgeon under these conditions is dangerous to us, her patients. After taking a year off to bring her son into the world, she studied as a pathology resident in California, and then went to the Medical Examiner's office in New York City. All of Judy's stories were exhilarating and informative, but the most unbelievable and realistic experience was after the 9/11 disaster. Each body and each body part, no matter how small, had to be examined. Judy relates the organization required and the skill set necessary to get through this trying time. The other point that Judy makes quite well, is that a autopsy is a medical discovery. You need to want to be a detective. One of the most important parts of the job, is communicating with the family. You are delivering the news on how a love one died. Some relatives are disbelieving, some don't want to know the truth. But, your word is the last word. Judy discusses her mentors, and what she learned under their tutelage. The stories are sometimes funny but always filled with the knowledge that comes from someone who truly knows their profession, and is probably one of the best. I am a health care professional, so all of the stories describing the autopsy were informative, and brought me back to my anatomy and physiology years. For others, this detail may be too much, but I advise you skip over the parts that may disturb you, and concentrate on the stories. These are stories of the humans who inhabited the bodies that turned up in the Medical Examiner's Office. Dr. Judy Melinek gives us a rare glimpse into this world. I read this book during the Robin William's suicide, and Judy discusses her father's suicide and her reactions, which I found very helpful and filled with a daughter's memories. This book is well written, from Judy and her husband, TJ's perspectives. Memorable. Recommended. prisrob 08-15-14