For most of us, death marks the end. For forensic pathologist Ida Kathrine Gravensteen, it marks the beginning – not only of all the processes of decomposition in the body, but also of her working day.

With a scalpel in her hand, she offers a unique insight into the mysteries of death as they appear to her in the autopsy room. There, she investigates causes of death, helps solve murders or interprets findings that make it possible to prevent sudden deaths in the future.

Gravensteen takes us through what happens on the deathbed, during post-mortem examination, in the process of decomposition, during cremation, in the dissection theatre and in the context of organ donation. But this is also the story of how the examination of corpses has formed the basis for the development of modern medicine – a story of corpse robberies, fear of apparent death, and of transhumanists’ attempts to cheat death with the aid of cutting-edge technology.

Ultimately, it is about speaking openly, yet with dignity, about what takes place within one of the most inaccessible spaces in our society: the forensic pathologist’s autopsy room.