Forensic pathologist Ryan Blumenthal works in a world few people are ever exposed to . . . the mortuary. He spends his days among the dead, uncovering how they died and whether a crime was committed.

To date, he has performed over 13 000 autopsies.

In Trace, Ryan takes readers behind the scenes of some of the strange death scenes he has attended, such as a shallow grave beside a river where a body was found with an amputated finger. He also shares rare and unusual cases, including a man who may have died from autoerotic asphyxia and a suspected poisoning that turned out to be a shooting. His work has brought him face to face with many kinds of unnatural deaths, including those caused by lightning strikes, wild animals, muti killings, and even a solitary wasp sting.

Through it all, Ryan sees himself as a voice for the voiceless, striving to bring justice to the dead and truth to their loved ones.

As a medical detective of the modern world, forensic pathologist Ryan Blumenthal’s chief goal is to bring perpetrators to justice. He has performed thousands of autopsies, which have helped bring numerous criminals to book. In Autopsy he covers the hard lessons learnt as a rookie pathologist, as well as some of the most unusual cases he’s encountered.

During his career, for example, he has dealt with high-profile deaths, mass disasters, death by lightning and people killed by African wildlife. Blumenthal takes the reader behind the scenes at the mortuary, describing a typical autopsy and the instruments of the trade. He also shares a few trade secrets, like how to establish when a suicide is more likely to be a homicide.

Even though they cannot speak, the dead have a lot to say – and Blumenthal is there to listen.

As ’n eietydse mediese speurder het die forensiese patoloog Ryan Blumenthal al derduisende outopsies uitgevoer wat tot die arrestasie van ’n groot aantal misdadigers gelei het. Dit is sy groot doel en strewe om oortreders aan die pen te help ry.

In Outopsietafel beskryf hy van die moeilike lesse wat hy as ’n jong patoloog moes leer en hy vertel van die ongewone en dikwels grusame sterfgevalle wat hy al teëgekom het. Hy het gedurende sy loopbaan byvoorbeeld al etlike hoëprofielsterftes hanteer, sterftes weens natuurrampe en ook mense wat deur weerlig of wilde diere gedood is.

Blumenthal bied ’n fassinerende blik op alles wat agter die skerms gebeur by die lykshuis. Al kan die dooies nie praat nie, het hulle nogtans baie om te sê – en Blumenthal is daar om te luister.

A hair-raising account about the ins and outs of practising forensic pathology in Africa As a medical detective of the modern world, forensic pathologist Ryan Blumenthal's chief goal is to bring perpetrators to justice. He has performed thousands of autopsies, which have helped bring numerous criminals to book. In Autopsy he covers the hard lessons learnt as a rookie pathologist, as well as some of the most unusual cases he's encountered. During his career, for example, he has dealt with high-profile deaths, mass disasters, death by lightning and people killed by African wildlife. Blumenthal takes the reader behind the scenes at the mortuary, describing a typical autopsy and the instruments of the trade. He also shares a few trade secrets, like how to establish when a suicide is more likely to be a homicide. Even though they cannot speak, the dead have a lot to say - and Blumenthal is there to listen.

Locard’s Exchange Principle underpins all forensic science and holds that the perpetrator of a crime will bring something to the crime scene and leave with something from it.

Forensic experts use this principle daily to catch murderers and assailants. In Risking Life for Death, South African forensic pathologist Ryan Blumenthal offers a master class in this singular forensic technique based on real-life case studies. With more than twenty years’ experience in the field, Blumenthal explains how to look for clues and traces, and how what he does not find at autopsy is often more important than what he does find. In other words, the absence of evidence can sometimes be of greater value than the presence of evidence.

His account also highlights the dangers forensic pathologists are exposed to daily. As they try to unravel the puzzle of someone’s death, forensic pathologists often face life-threatening infections, toxic gases and the hazards associated with high-profile cases – in effect, risking their life to solve someone else’s death.

An understanding of Locard’s Exchange Principle can help you become a medical detective in your own life, can help you be a happier person and can even provide you with a better philosophy for growing older, Blumenthal argues.

Set in Ancient Africa, this is the Story of a Butterfly. This is the Story of a King, a Prince and a Girl. This is the Story of Revenge, Love, Adventure, Death, Freedom and Randomness. This is the Story of a Butterfly...

Set in Ancient Africa, this is the Story of a Butterfly. This is the Story of a King, a Prince and a Girl. This is the Story of Revenge, Love, Adventure, Death, Freedom and Randomness. This is the Story of a Butterfly...

Set in a small village in the heart of Africa, this is the story of a sacred rain beetle. When a boy carelessly kills one of these precious beetles, its death will bring disaster not only to him but on his entire tribe. Generations later, a beautiful woman brings an amberamulet to show to a famous professor. Entombed within this amulet is the well-preserved body of a rain beetle. It would be no more than an intriguing curio, except that this rain beetle is not quite dead....This latest tale from Ryan Blumenthal (author of The Seed) weaves past and present together to bring a shocking conclusion. ryan Blumenthal is a forensic pathologist and sleight-of-hand magician from South Africa

Set in legendary Africa, deep in the bushveld, this is the story of a seed. Its succulent red fruit fascinates the local tribal elders. However, when it causes tragedy, the seed becomes prohibited and knowledge of it is fiercely defended. When modern-day forensic anthropologist, Professor Sherwood, stumbles across the seed - grasped in an ancient skeletonised hand - his curiosity is roused and he starts to seek answers in forbidden places. However, when it causes tragedy, will Sherwood's curiosity be worth the price? This is the story of how people come to believe the impossible. This is the story of how people mythicise what they cannot understand. This is the story of a seed. RYAN BLUMENTHAL is a forensic pathologist and sleight-of-hand magician from southern Africa.