This excellent source for the armchair CSI enthusiast or the beginning forensic science student delves into the daily work of a medical examiner--from bodies containing hazardous materials to mass deaths. Miletich (independent scholar) and Lindstrom (freelance writer) present information in a straightforward manner, avoiding scientific and technical jargon. Chapters cover areas relevant to the investigation, including exhumation, mass fatalities, toxicology, and the future of autopsies. The book investigates a variety of deaths--from drugs, venom, and poison to suicide and trauma to hostile environments, gunshot wounds, hypothermia, bites (animal and human), sudden infant death syndrome, and self-immolation--along with their effects on the human body. The internal and external examinations of a decedent are opened up and explored in detail, as is the autopsy suite. Real-life cases (William Holden, Ted Bundy, Mary Jo Kopechne) and events (Katrina, World Trade Center and 9/11, and Jonestown) illustrate injuries or events leading to death. Information also is provided on forensic pathology training programs. Although this volume is not a scholarly source, it provides an excellent overview of the ways people meet their demise and how medical examiners determine the cause of death. A bibliography and indexes provide additional sources and information for readers. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, two-year technical program students, and general readers. K. Evans Indiana State University