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by Gil Reavill
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Gotham (2008-05-15)
ISBN: 1592403646
EAN: 9781592403646
Dewy Decimal #: 364
Paperback: 304 pages
SKU: 103008052
Condition: Used: Acceptable
Comments: some moisture rippled pages...creases in cover
More Product Infomation
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Now in paperback, a look into the disturbing but fascinating new field of bio-recovery, as a critically acclaimed crime writer rolls up his sleeves and delves into the world of Aftermath, Inc.
The best way to understand the world of Aftermath, Inc. is to imagine life before it. Grief-stricken families of suicide or homicide victims were left to cope on their own. Sometimes police would leave a can of ground coffee behind to soak up the mess. Sometimes local church groups offered to help with the horrific chaos of the scene.
Into this void stepped Tim Reifsteck and Chris Wilson, who filled a desperate need by founding their bio-remediation company. Gil Reavill traces their history, introducing us to their clients and employees, and the cops, coroners, and detectives they encounter in their work. Their stories are stranger than fiction, and utterly human and compelling.
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Customer Reviews
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Off-Track,
Rating  (3)
Date: 2008-06-13
0 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
I was sorely disappointed in this book. I didn't even want to finish it but did so because I felt obligated to finish what I started. I enjoy true crime books, especially ones dealing with the forensics of crime and death. I wrongly assumed Aftermath, Inc. would provide another vantage point of crime scenes and provide an informative and even educational insight into a world most would never see. Instead, the author, Gil Reavill, provided little detail of the scenes he worked and spent more time on personal stories and off on tangents that had nothing to do with cleaning death scenes, but more about him. While he portrays the company of Aftermath as professional, sensitive, and honest, I felt he did them a disservice because he spent half of the book on topics not related to the company or the services they provide. Out of 282 pages, little is spent on detailing scenes he worked. It would have been a more interesting read had he stuck to his original goal of the book - detailing the work done once the police leave.
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Aftemath
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-05-07
It's an entertaining read for the most part, and probably unveils some of the meaning behind "cleaning" the remains of homicides, suicides, and unattended deaths when the coroner's technicians leave a death scene.
Aftermath Inc.'s business structure is interesting to read about since it is fairly unique. Where others go it alone, hire wage earners, or franchise, these guys opened up a top-down hierarchy which branches out through the US. I suppose that their "crews" might be considered franchise owners if they are not wage earners.
The writing is clear enough and could be emulated by others in this field and others.
I recommend this book to those interested in learning about death scene cleaning and to those with experience in this field. One never knows what can be learned or critiqued from a rival's operations.
The one critic claiming special knowledge about the beginning of this "industry" would do well to remember that morticians and others have moonlighted for generations providing this type of service. I recall the domain name "[...]" did not exist until 2003. So who claims to have started what, how, when, where? If it's a big deal, document the origins of crime scene cleaning or crime scene cleanup as something different than what morticians and others have always done. It's not really important, is it?
Last, Aftermath Inc. probably generates hostile competitors because it pays higher referral fees than that standard "industry" 10 percent, in many cases.
If you read popular literature for entertainment, you might enjoy this book. If you are not into popular literature, you probably would do well to glance through a bookstore's copy before buying.
Ed Evans
[...]
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Self-Absorbed Puff Piece for Aftermath, Inc.
Rating (3)
Date: 2007-09-08
1 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
What you do expect it will be like to clean up after a crime scene where there's been a horrible amount of death, gunfire, and tear gas used? You'll see some pretty ghastly remnants, right? You'll be nauseated, right? You'll need to protect yourself from harm, right? You'll have to throw most everything away in some appropriate way, right? You'll think a lot more about mortality, right? Okay, you already know most of what you'll learn by reading this book. But if you want more details, the book will provide them for many kill sites.
If you are also fascinated by what it's like if someone dies and isn't discovered for months, you'll add new knowledge of what will happen to the surroundings and how hard it will be to remove the leftovers.
Why do people do this kind of work? The owners make a lot of money. The work pays well for the independent contractors they hire, when they can get work. Some people enjoy helping grieving families during such difficult times. Are some of them ghouls? Probably, but the book doesn't address that point. What did you expect to find out?
What the industry like? The book doesn't really look into that except to point out that some insurance companies will insist that ordinary cleaners be used who may not get out all of the remains.
Mr. Reavill seems to have been overwhelmed by his experience and bonded with those who took him into the horror scenes. Neither reaction is surprising, but it doesn't make for such a great book.
I hope someone will write a better book on the subject. I'm sure there will be a lot of interest.
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Gross and engrossing
Rating  (5)
Date: 2007-09-01
9 out of 10 customers found this reveiw helpful
I first heard about this book on NBC's "The Today Show." It piqued my interest, as I had seen a documentary about this type of business a while ago. I have a morbid interest in this kind of thing and thought it would be an interesting read. I wasn't disappointed.
The book is written in an entertaining and even humorous manner, which is appreciated given its "grave" subject matter. The book provides graphic details about cases that the Aftermath techs have had to clean up, everything from shotgun suicides, to bleed-outs from diseases, to a guy who was chopped up in a jet engine. It is surprising to read in just how many weird and gruesome ways human beings can depart this Earth.
The Aftermath guys rarely see the bodies, but clean up what's left of them. If reading about body fluids, maggots, the process of decomposition, and the stench of decay is interesting to you, then this book provides details galore. It also gives a kind of sad commentary on the savage nature of humanity as it details grisly murders perpetrated by relatives against each other - son against parents and siblings, mother against children - and of course stranger upon stranger as well. Not only murders but unfortunate accidents and plain old deaths from natural causes are covered in the book.
Death is "the last taboo" and this book covers the topic unabashedly. It is really a fascinating read, written in a conversational style that is easy to read. It is a book for those who are interested in the physical process of death. There is nothing spiritual about it, though the cases are handled with the utmost respect in a dignified and business-like manner.
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Glib, Yes, But Highly Entertaining!
Rating (4)
Date: 2007-08-25
1 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
While I really enjoyed this book, I'm curious about the author's claim on the back jacket that he collaborated on the New York Times' bestseller "Beyond All Reason: My Life with Susan Smith." While there was a co-author on this book, written by Smith's husband, it wasn't Reavill. That aside, I think Reavill is excellent when he's writing straight journalistic accounts of murders and crime scenes. I don't think he does as well when he regresses to a blog-style of writing that is best left on the internet. I fear that such writing only degrades real journalism. It can be incorporated, but not in the bloggy style Reavill does. That's when the book falters. Otherwise, really fun facts and stories.
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