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    The Education of a Coroner: Lessons in Investigating Death
    The Education of a Coroner: Lessons in Investigating Death
    The Education of a Coroner: Lessons in Investigating Death
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Education of a Coroner: Lessons in Investigating Death

    Written by John Bateson

    Narrated by Kirby Heyborne

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    About this audiobook

    Marin County, California is a study in contradictions. Its natural beauty attracts thousands of visitors every year, yet the county also is home to San Quentin Prison, one of the oldest and largest penitentiaries in the country. Marin ranks in the top one percent of counties nationwide in terms of affluence and overall health, yet it is far above the norm in drug overdoses and alcoholism, and comprises a large percentage of suicides from the Golden Gate Bridge.

    Ken Holmes worked in the Marin County Coroner's Office for thirty-six years, starting as a death investigator and ending as the three-term, elected coroner. As he grew into the job-which is different from what is depicted on television-Holmes learned a variety of skills, from finding hidden clues at death scenes, interviewing witnesses effectively, managing bystanders and reporters, preparing testimony for court to notifying families of a death with sensitivity and compassion. He also learned about different kinds of firearms, all types of drugs-prescription and illegal-and about certain unexpected and potentially fatal phenomena such as autoeroticism.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHighbridge Company
    Release dateAug 15, 2017
    ISBN9781681687216
    Author

    John Bateson

    John Bateson was executive director of a nationally certified crisis intervention and suicide prevention center in the San Francisco Bay Area for sixteen years. He is the author of three previous books—The Last and Greatest Battle, The Final Leap, and Building Hope.

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    Reviews for The Education of a Coroner

    4/5

    59 ratings6 reviews

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    • 5/5
      An excellent audiobook, it was enjoyable from beginning to end. Far from being a simple memoir or a biography of a coroner, you also catch a glimpse of the history and the culture of Marin County. The individual cases were fascinating.
    • 3/5
      I was on board with this book until the last hour where for some reason the author felt the need to point out the gender of the “female prosecutor.” I don’t understand the relevance. From the sound of it the prosecutor was not great at their job but for some reason the gender was a big issue.

      Overall the book is okay. It was interesting to find out how the office and job works however there are a lot of irrelevant personal stories that kind of meander. The cases are at times heartbreaking. The book can drag in spots but it is eye opening.
    • 4/5
      Based on a copy provided by NetGalley

      I loved the book Working Stiff, so as soon as I saw this advertised as being in the "same vein," I was all in. My excitement has paid off nicely. The structure of the book follows the major cases of Holmes' career, but the narrative goes beyond descriptions of each case. In many ways, the text has the feel of an oral history. Bateson has done an excellent job infusing the narrative with character. Overall, I think this would be great to recommend to anyone interested in the medical field, true crime, and the human condition.
    • 5/5
      This is a fascinating look at a field I knew very little about. It is a mix of wonderful stories about famous, infamous and average people intertwined with background information on what a coroner is and does. I absolutely recommend it!
    • 4/5
      Ken Holmes worked in the Marin County coroner's office for most of his professional career. Beginning as a death investigator, he worked his way up to coroner, an elected position. During his career he handled all types of cases, from Golden Gate Bridge jumpers, to homicides to accidental deaths.This book outlines a wide variety of fascinating cases that he handles. Skipping the gory details, the book focuses on what happened to the decedent and how Ken handled the situation. I had a hard time putting this book down and found myself googling some of the cases. Overall, highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      ***This book as reviewed for the San Francisco and Seattle Book Reviews, and for Scribner via NetgalleyEducation of a Coroner by John Bateson tells the intriguing experiences of Ken Holmes, former coroner of Marin County in California. For forty-odd years, Holmes worked in the coroner's office, first as a death investigator, then later as assistant coroner and head coroner. Coroners are different than medical examiners. They are elected officials who may, or may not, as in Holmes’ case, be a medical doctor. If they are not, then bodies for autopsy are contracted out to mortuaries or hospitals. Through his stories, it is easy to see Holmes is devoted to the truth, and is a compassionate empath. Cases were pursued to the most logical conclusion, and some stayed open for years! As an independent agent, Holmes did not weigh favour to law enforcement or the courts. He followed the truth. There were cases he pushed as murder when others would have it not so, and other cases, such as that of Sammie in San Quentin, where he stuck to truth rather than exculpatory silence. It was so sad to realise how prevalent suicide is, especially from the Golden Gate Bridge. It was in part thanks to Holmes that sturdier protections were added to the bridge to discourage jumpers. Wolfram's story hit me hard. I fear dying, and no one being able to identify my body (or just not care…). It was heartening to learn he was finally identified. That family found resolution.I've always loved forensics. I was set to be a forensic anthropologist before health concerns put paid to that. It was a good thing, in retrospect. I would have long since burnt out. I think I'd love to meet Holmes just to sit and listen to his stories in person. Death captivates us all (says the person watching Most Haunted...), whether we acknowledge it or not. It is the ultimate unknown. Coroners and medical examiners dance that blurred line on a daily basis, becoming close friends with Thanatos. This book tells of murders, suicides, accidental death, and natural deaths. There is Sammie, the San Quentin prisoner, dead unnecessarily, Tupac, the rap star murdered too yoUng, overdoses like that of young River Phoenix, and more. Bateson is a masterful storyteller, making for captivating reading. Humour is, by necessity, threaded through the narrative. Mirth, bordering on gallows betimes, helps defuse the wiry coils of tension that confronting death winds in the body and mind.Referring to the FBI van as the 'Costco for forensics’ or noting that 'For one thing, Bertha was dead and not going anywhere until Holmes okay’d it, so she could wait’, injects levity into solemn situations, which helps when reading such weighty material, and is critical when confronted by it in the field, day after day. That lesson my group and I learned fairl quick!????? Highly recommended for those interested in forensics or memoirs.