Amazon
4.5
Goodreads
4.82

Katherine O’Donnell was born with a disfiguring strawberry birthmark across the bottom of her face. In 1880s London, that was enough to discourage suitors. Love was something for which she yearned, but never found within her reach.
When tragedy upended her modest life and dumped her out onto the streets, she was bereft of options.
Desperate, she answered an advertisement for a mortuary assistant, applying makeup to cadavers.

A neo-gothic ovella of growing suspense and horror, with 26 beautiful interior illustrations.

REVIEWS for the Mortuary arts

"This story has a little bit of everything in it for everyone: history, romance, mystery, horror, science… It has been awhile since I have read a decent horror story and this one does the genre justice." -- Booklover

"I found myself immediately immersed in the world Hancock created. The language and dialogue alone was enough to draw me in, but the complexities in the storyline kept me reading page after page. At the end of the book, he apologizes for taking liberties with history, bending some facts to fit the story, but the liberties he took only made the story seamless and fascinating from start to finish. I strongly recommend this quick read for any horror aficionado."-- Jon Messenger

"For a moment. The heartbreak, little triumphs, and turmoil made it very easy to get lost in Kate's world as I lived it with her, and forgot my own (many times, recording was abruptly interrupted by an alarm letting me know it was well past time to start supper). The illustrations are works of beauty which perfectly compliment the images brought to mind by the words. John Gregory Hancock uses an almost lyrical, or poetic flow in some passages that left me questioning if Kate was expressing deep scorn or utter admiration. But see, I already knew. We all know. You just have to accept it.
You might get the willies, but you won't get any disappointment. Best of luck to you and your soul if you listen to the audio book with headphones (to be completed by June 30, 2016!)"-- Kristen Parisi (narrator)

"Honestly I have to say WOW! This was masterfully written. It had shades of Shelly and Matheson in the way Hancock plays with the reader's fears. I love the way the story builds slowly, just tickling the edges of uncomfortable and frightening concepts. Ruffling the edge of one dread before turning and prodding another, until BOOM! The story explodes. Hancock's style in this book is much different from his norm. It has an almost Victorian feel to the language that reminded me of some of the classics of horror. I can't rave enough about this one. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's not gratuitously gory either. A great Halloween read, or something to read at home. Alone. When the power is out." -- Colby Zoeller