Former death investigator Barbara Butcher recounts her 20+ years working for the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner in this memoir. Butcher describes death scenes investigation in detail, including her role in aftermath of 9/11, all while reflecting on her own past and struggles with addiction. This book is a great view of the life of a death investigator in a large city, and no gruesome details are spared. Butcher is an incredibly determined person with a no-nonsense attitude which came off overly strong throughout the book, almost comically so. I struggled getting past what read like exaggerated 90s crime drama acting, as if Butcher REALLY wanted to make sure we knew she was a tough NYC crime investigator with a chip on her shoulder, it was excessive. That being said, if you aren’t bothered by or welcome brash personalities, you will likely find the book enjoyable to read.