I picked up this book as I lost my mum this year and still find it hard without her every day.

This memoir was beautifully and sympathetically written by by Kate who works in a hospital mortuary. She is surrounded by the effects of death every day and her insight and experiences resounded with me.

Dying is part of life but it still affects the family involved deeply and this is explored with a great deal of love and compassion.

Covid robbed many families of the things which help their grief. I feel privileged as I had time to spend with my loved one.

The reluctance of society to deal with death is something which needs to be addressed and I feel this book opened up this difficult issue.

Overall the need to spend more time with our loved ones and not to sweat the small stuff was something I took from the book and a lesson I have learned as well. The process of grieving is unique to everyone and how each person deals with it is beautifully portrayed

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for my chance to read this book one I would highly recommend .

This was a brilliant exploration into the after of death. I really appreciated the authors' focus on interacting with the families of the deceased. As someone who works in healthcare, there isn't much opportunity to follow-up and support the families of the deceased, since there are always more patients. Marshall reminds us of how defining grief is to the family.
I appreciated the lighthearted moments in between, with the overall message of appreciating life and living for today.

Kate, thank you for giving a wonderful, heartwarming introduction about what happens behind the scenes when someone dies. I liked how you wrote about how you and your colleagues cared for the deceased. You showed warmth, sadness, humour and your own vulnerability within your story. I loved the respect and the support you showed family members. Moving onto the effects covid had on the relatives and their loved ones. Linda did so well bringing your memories to life. It made me feel emotional and I understood more about the impact on the staff who had to deal with the sadness of relatives and the loneliness of the person dying without someone they knew beside them.

This was the best book I have read in both the memoirs and the medical genres - I really will never forget this incredible story. Thank you both

It's odd that the leading feeling I would have from reading a book about life in a Northern mortuary would be 'reassurance', but that was exactly it. Kate Marshall guides the reader through her first year working in the mortuary, and explores the cases of those who pass through it. Compelling and enjoyably written with Linda Watson-Brown, the key takeaway here is how much respect the deceased are treated with - carefully looked after and cared for with respect and dignity. Eye opening and surprisingly uplifting

Sorry for your loss follows the career of Kate, who is working in a mortuary in the U.K. This book provides details not are not typically revealed to the families of loved ones who have passed. It was reassuring to see how the individuals who have died, and their families are treated with respect and love. There are vignettes presented in the story about particular individuals and their fates, including the reactions of family members. We meet Mary who has wanted a child for so long, and she loses her baby during pregnancy. She can't bear to hold her deceased baby, but comes daily to read to the child. This book attempted to demystify what occurs in a mortuary after someone has died. It was an interesting read. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

*Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Marshall, Linda Watson-Brown and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*


I think this book is essential in addressing the reality of death and grieving from someone who works in a hospital mortuary. Although it was hard to read at times, it taught me a lot. It also made me address how hard-working, respectful and caring the staff can be when dealing with people after they pass away. There's the stereotype that people working jobs like that are numb and heartless, and I think reading this will reassure people who have lost loved ones. It is truthful, raw and emotional, so I recommend being in the right headspace for it, but I personally loved it

This was quite a quick read for me as I was sacked in immediately. As someone who worked in care for many years I appreciate when authors explore the taboo topic of death in a way that lifts the veil to the reader. This author handled the topic with respect and the chapters about their struggles through covid were heart wrenching. Not a book for those with a weak stomach as it does get quite graphic but definitely worth a read!

This was an informative and thoughtful book about a world most of us don't know about, and don't want to know about. At times it did feel repetitive, but I enjoyed hearing the Personal accounts.

Sorry For Your Loss is an unusual memoir, it tells the story of Kate Marshall’s first year working in an NHS mortuary. I’m sure there are many people who would wonder why anyone would write such a book, and even more so, why others would want to read it. As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I wanted to read it, I was intrigued.

It is really heartening to read the love and care that Kate, and her fellow mortuary colleagues take with their precious charges, our loved ones.
Unfortunately, I found there to be exceptions. Referring to a bariatric patient as “huge” doesn’t feel dignified, I personally feel that isn’t being respectful to that patient. If the author has written this, I believe somebody in the editing process could have advised removing such a judgemental, unkind description. I also noted the only time a patient’s specific weight was mentioned, was in bariatric patients.

There are many touching stories, and sadly some incredibly tough situations, when death further divides a family. The book is highly emotive, it brought tears to my eyes in many places. The pages talking of Mothers grieving for their babies, I found the most emotional. A life taken away far too soon, or not even having had the chance to start, must be the hardest to bear.
This diary written book will help to take away the mystery and concern, of what happens to our loved ones when they die. The lesson from the book is to live your life, not worry about death, and love those you hold dear with all your heart. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kate Marshall worked in a mortuary which is attached to an NHS hospital in the UK.
She writes about the procedures after death and how the deceased are prepared for viewing by relatives. Her goal is to bring the taboo subject of death more into our awareness and normalize it. At the same time, she lets us appreciate life. The book left me with many thoughts and reflections.
It is simply written thus giving it directness or immediacy to the subject.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. An honest and open account of the author's experience of working in a mortuary. Having recently lost my mother this gave me some peace to kno that staff working n thisnprofession care and respect the dead. A moving book.

grief, grieving, nonfiction, England, memoir, memories, mental-health-issues*****

As a retired RN in the states, there are things that I needed to translate into practices where I live, but some things are the same because whether working in a care home or hospital, or even in the medical examiner's office, it's basically the same. Back in the days when I first became a nurse we had the same clientele and did the autopsies at the main government hospital, this is no longer true where I live. I was glad to see that there are such caring people to help the grieving and commiserated with all of the necessary negative changes in the systems as dictated by the invasion of Covid-19.
I'm not sure how the general public will react to the hard truths of life and death in a city, but those of us who have dealt with the dying and their families (or lack thereof) will hardly be shocked, but will empathize with the author and her co-workers in this (basically) thankless work. I was riveted to the end.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Ad Lib Publishers, Mardle Books via NetGalley. Thank you

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Ad LiB Publishers and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


A real look at an emotional profession. A touching, deep, respectful read.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The stories woven into "Sorry for Your Loss" are tragic, yet beautiful. I think I would have rated this higher had I read it at a different time in my life. Experiencing loss and dealing with grief = the most difficult circumstance in the human experience. Kate Marshall does a great job describing her work, but she also takes care in how she presents each life story, each human she encounters... right from the beginning in her work as a cleaning specialist. Pick this up if you're in the healthcare industry, a therapist, or even someone simply interested in working closely with humans experiencing loss.

Watson-Brown shared her experiences of working in a mortuary and readers are given the opportunity to read true stories of specific cases. She also outlines the emotional impact for herself and fellow mortuary employees. I’ve experienced a great loss recently, and this gave me some comfort in knowing that mortuary workers try their best to give our loved ones dignity and respect. 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

2.5 stars

The topic of this book is so interesting and it's great that death and dying is being discussed openly. It is evident that the author does care a great deal about her job and the care she provides to people but unfortunately I found the narrative to be a bit repetitive and sometimes a bit judgemental in its tone.

I think this has the potential to be better if it was edited in a more organised format and certain comments were removed. Not a bad read but not a great one either.

With thanks to Mardle Books/Netgalley for the ARC

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
As the author says we are far to reluctant to discuss the great adventure that will happen to us all eventually.
A warts and all honest account of life in a mortuary. Not stomach churning ....it is informative and tells the reader the day to day business of another branch of medical/NHS staff which is hidden away from society.

While the subject was interesting and Kate Marshall certainly shares each story with care -- it's clear she cares not only for those who have died but for their families as well -- the book is poorly written. It's always respectful, but reads like blog posts strung together, relying solely on the month by month 'structure' to move the story along.

DNF @ 45%

The part that I read I found to be really interesting - I liked all the different stories mentioned. However, I just couldn't get past the chaotic narrative and the constant repetition of cases. I think this book needs to be edited, possibly having each chapter themed rather than randomised.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

A memoir that follows Kate Marshall working in a UK mortuary.

I have always loved non-fiction, particularly around medicine and healthcare and anything to do with end of life. I was imagining this to be similar to Smoke Gets in Your Eyes however I felt disappointed in it.

Kate's compassion and kindness is clearly portrayed throughout and the care that she puts into each individual that she cares for. I especially love how the memoir ended with COVID 19 deaths as it gave a personal perspective in how mortuaries and their staff were so heavily affected.

With some editing I feel this book could really well - however at the moment, it feels very anecdotal and repetitive, with Kate repeating herself frequently (we cover faith deaths, families asking about the fridges, etc. in many chapters throughout). The book is organised in chronological order however I feel it would have been better to perhaps pair it up by topic or theme as styled in other memoirs.

At times I also felt that there was some judgement expressed towards some of the families that didn't really feel necessary - for example, stating that children were "twisting the knife" and being "petty" in the way they spoke about their father and the woman he had cheated on his wife with.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this ARC. I have written this review voluntarily. All views are my own.