1) Louis Cataldie has had a long career as coroner of East Baton Rouge Parish and Louisiana State coroner, responsible for investigating unnatural deaths and overseeing the medical response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. 2) As coroner, Cataldie examines deceased bodies for evidence to determine causes and manners of death, often consulting other forensic scientists. 3) In his book, Cataldie recounts numerous death cases from his career, including homicides, suicides, accidents, and deaths of children, while also describing his efforts to bring dignity to victims and solve serial murder cases.