Book Club (Sept-Oct 2026): What The Dead Know
The next crimeHQ Book Club selection is What The Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator by Barbara Butcher. Live Q&A with Barbara Butcher on October 21, 2026 at 8p ET!
When Barbara Butcher was early in her recovery from alcoholism, she found an unexpected lifeline in a job at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in NYC. As only the second woman ever hired for the role—and the first to last more than three months—she became a vital force in the world of forensic science and criminal investigations.
Over the next two decades, Butcher worked thousands of cases: gruesome homicides, suspicious suicides, heartbreaking scenes involving underage victims, and complex mass casualty investigations. In her unforgettable account, she invites readers into the gritty, high-stakes world of crime-scene investigation, from the autopsy room and morgue to tense moments at active crime scenes. Along the way, she uncovered how confronting death every day gave her a new perspective on life—and ultimately saved her from becoming a statistic herself.
In vivid, darkly humorous prose, Butcher recounts how she narrowly avoided a boobytrapped suicide scene, and how, during 9/11, she and her colleagues worked tirelessly to identify victims using scraps of clothing, DNA, and the memories of grieving loved ones. Her honesty, resilience, and sharp wit make this a standout in the genre of first responder memoirs and women in law enforcement.
AUTHOR BARBARA BUTCHER WILL JOIN CRIMEHQ FOR A LIVE Q&A ON OCTOBER 21 AT 8PM ET. RSVP HERE →
Don't miss Barbara on CrimeCruise 2026 this November 18-22; there is a limited number of cabins still available!
