Over My Dead Body

I’ll admit I approached *Over My Dead Body* with skepticism—what could someone possibly say about cemeteries that wouldn’t put me to sleep? But Greg Melville’s book is a delightful surprise, packed with sharp insights and dark humor that make history feel immediate. Will Tulin’s narration is a major strength here; his voice is rich and authoritative, with just the right amount of dry wit to match Melville’s prose. He handles the more outlandish stories—like the 19th-century grave robbers who fueled medical science, or the Florida town that fought to keep its dead snugly above a rising water table—with the tone of a seasoned storyteller, never veering into parody. That said, the audiobook’s pacing occasionally stumbles when Melville dives into legal minutiae, which Tulin struggles to enliven. Still, the book’s best moments—like the deep dive into New Orleans’ above-ground tombs or the absurd politics behind Central Park’s refusal to allow a cemetery—are riveting. If you’ve ever wondered why American cemeteries look the way they do, or how death has quietly shaped our cities, this is the audiobook for you. Just maybe don’t listen alone in the dark.