Kenneth McKenzie

Todd Harra

In this macabre and moving compilation of the most embarrassing, jaw-dropping, irreverent and deeply poignant stories of life at death's door, readers are given a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of morticians and funeral directors. Morticians have plenty of unusual stories to tell, from shoot-outs at funerals to dead men screaming and corpses gone missing. Some are frightening, others will move readers to tears. But one thing is certain: death drives people crazy!

Undertakers Spill the Dirt

Mortuary Confidential

Author and undertaker Todd Harra shares a fascinating and oft-surprising exploration of the history and meaning of funeral rituals. Why do we embalm the deceased? Why are funerals so expensive? Is there a reason coffins are shaped the way they are? Where does the tradition of viewing the body come from? Ceremonies for honoring the deceased are crucial parts of our lives, but few people know where our traditional practices come from—and what they reveal about our history, culture, and beliefs about death. In Last Rites, author Todd Harra takes readers on a fascinating exploration of American funeral customs—exploring where they came from, what they mean, and how they are still evolving. Funeral practices are always changing—sometimes due to technology, respect for tradition, shifting sensibilities, or even to thwart grave robbers. Here you’ll learn about the ancient influences for American rites, how the funerals of political figures and fallen soldiers shaped our practices, answers to the most puzzling enigmas about the undertaker’s craft, and much more. The American funeral continues to evolve. Today, many people are turning to approaches such as green burial, mushroom suits, Aquamation (flameless cremation), and even composting. Whether you’re planning a funeral service or are simply intrigued by the meaning behind American burial practices, Last Rites is an informative and compelling exploration of the history—and future—of the ceremonies we use to say farewell to those who have departed this world.

The Evolution of the American Funeral

Last Rites

Ken McKenzie

Mortuary Confidential does for the undertaker profession what Stiff did for cadavers--it manages to be as informative and heartwarming as it is irreverent and hilarious. This collection of real stories from morticians and funeral directors across America feeds mainstream readers' dark curiosity and sense of humor about "our world of death" with a behind-the-scenes glimpse into every conceivable facet from the people who touch it every day. From shoot-outs at funerals to dead men screaming and runaway corpses, undertakers have plenty of unusual stories to tell--and a special way of telling them. In this macabre and moving compilation, funeral directors across the country share their most embarrassing, jaw-dropping, irreverent, and deeply poignant stories about life at death's door. Discover what scares them and what moves them to tears. Learn about rookie mistakes and why death sometimes calls for duct tape. Enjoy tales of the dearly departed spending eternity naked from the waist down and getting bottled and corked--in a wine bottle. And then meet their families--the weepers, the punchers, the stolidly dignified, and the ones who deliver their dead mother in a pickup truck. If there's one thing undertakers know, it's that death drives people crazy. These are the best "bodies of work" from America's darkest profession.

Meet Tripp Clipper, army vet turned undertaker. He's got an eye for spotting trouble; when a sweet schoolteacher lands on his embalming table after steering her car into a tree, he knows something is off. Why does the victim of a car wreck show signs of strangulation? Clip follows the clues--and the deaths--piling up. But when his girlfriend gets kidnapped, things get personal. Now he has to solve the mystery and save Paula before he's the next one lying in the morgue.Long description: Tripp Clipper is at the top of his profession as an undertaker. Whether it's serving a grieving family with compassion or embalming a tough case, Clip is ready to tackle it. But his latest body is different. This case of accidental death is really a murder.Clip raises his concerns, but the coroner's office is unwilling to reopen the investigation. He's forced to let it go. But then the bodies begin piling up and Clip feels it's his duty to investigate. Trouble is someone doesn't want him poking his nose into these deaths. Clip isn't worried about his safety; as an army veteran, he's been trained how to handle himself in sticky situations. But when his girlfriend's safety is compromised, he has to make a choice between her life and the answers to his questions.Praise for Mortuary Confidential"These true mortuary tales are poignant--and suddenly, gaspingly, in-your-face funny." --Booklist "Curious, wildly honest stories that need to be told, but just not at the dinner table." --Dana Kollmann, author of Never Suck a Dead Man's Hand Praise for Over Our Dead Bodies"It's funny and poignant and, as you dig in, it's very, very addicting. Once you've started "Over our Dead Bodies," in fact, you'll like it to The End." --Long Island Pulse

Grave Matters

K. McKenzie

With humor and heart, Over Our Dead Bodies does for the undertaking profession what Mary Roach's Stiff did for cadavers, and, like Caitlin Doughty's Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? gives us permission to embrace our morbid curiosity. From the authors of Mortuary Confidential. Not knowing what to do, I sat on the church steps and waited. As the gravity of my failure began to well up in me, I began to cry . . . I HAD LOST THE HEARSE! From a dysfunctional family who turn their mother's wake into a full-blown riot, to funeral crashers looking for free meals, to a horse-drawn hearse taking the dearly departed for the ride of their afterlife, these accounts from actual undertakers will have you laughing, thinking, and gasping in disbelief. A literal graveyard of wild coincidences, slapstick humor, and touching moments, Over Our Dead Bodies explores the lighter side of the dead, the living, and the lone undertaker who has to make it all go as planned--even if it doesn't. "Charming and disarming . . . you'll see the 'fun' in funeral, humanity included." --Raymond Mungo, author of Famous Long Ago "Great fun. These guys can bury me any day." --Tim Cockey, author of the Hearse mysteries Praise for Mortuary Confidential "As unpredictable and lively as a bunch of drunks at a New Orleans funeral." --Joe R. Lansdale "Sick, funny, and brilliant! I love this book." --Jonathan Maberry "These true mortuary tales are poignant--and suddenly, gaspingly, in-your-face funny." --Booklist

Over Our Dead Bodies

Not knowing what to do, I sat on the church steps and waited. As the gravity of my failure began to well up in me, I began to cry. . . I Had Lost The Hearse! Funerals and the all the things that accompany them are traditionally somber, contemplative events in which the bereaved look to their undertaker to guide them through that most difficult of times. Of course, sometimes tradition gets thrown under the bus. From a dysfunctional family who turn their mother's wake into a full-blown riot, to funeral crashers looking for free meals, to a horse-drawn hearse taking the dearly departed for the ride of their afterlife, these accounts from actual undertakers will have you laughing, thinking, and gasping in disbelief. A literal graveyard of wild coincidences, slapstick humor, and touching moments, Over Our Dead Bodies explores the lighter side of the dead, the living, and the lone undertaker who has to make it all go as planned--even if it doesn't. Praise for Mortuary Confidential "Curious, wildly honest stories that need to be told, but just not at the dinner table." --Dana Kollmann, author of Never Suck a Dead Man's Hand "As unpredictable and lively as a bunch of drunks at a New Orleans funeral." --Joe R. Lansdale "Sick, funny, and brilliant! I love this book."--Jonathan Maberry, multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author of They Bite! and Rot & Ruin "These true mortuary tales are poignant--and suddenly, gaspingly, in-your-face funny." --Booklist

Todd Harra

Books

Your next favorite book is out there