I’ve been reading cemetery-related books for a long time now, so when I spotted this one on Amazon, I was immediately intrigued. The title promised a fascinating dive into graveyards and everything connected to them—a must-read for anyone interested in the eerie, mysterious, and macabre side of cemeteries.

Today, I’m sharing my review of Cemetery Stories: Haunted Graveyards, Embalming Secrets, and the Life of a Corpse After Death by Katherine Ramsland.

Ramsland, a professor of forensic psychology and author, what happens after death—how society deals with it, the process of burial, and what takes place in and around cemeteries. She interviews a range of people in the American death industry, covering topics from embalming and funeral practices to more unusual and supernatural stories.

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

“Admit it: You’re fascinated by cemeteries. We all die, and for most of us, a cemetery is our final resting place. But how many people really know what goes on inside, around, and beyond them? Enter the world of the dead as Katherine Ramsland talks to mortuary assistants, gravediggers, funeral home owners, and more, and find out about: If you’ve ever scoffed at the high price of burying the dead, or ever wondered how your loved ones are handled when they die, or simply stared at tombstones with morbid fascination, then take a trip with Katherine Ramsland and learn about the booming industry — and strange tales — that surround cemeteries everywhere.”

Despite the title, I found the actual cemetery content surprisingly sparse. The stories and interviews are interesting, but each topic is covered quickly before moving on to the next. The book feels more like a broad overview of the funeral industry, with only a small portion devoted to cemeteries.

If you’re already familiar with the basics of the death industry, you might find it too surface-level to offer anything new. That being said, I think Cemetery Stories would be a good fit for readers who are just starting to explore funeral practices and cemeteries.

One section I struggled with was the final chapter, which discusses necrophilia. In my opinion, it was unnecessarily graphic and didn’t match the tone of the rest of the book. It felt gratuitous and didn’t really add anything meaningful to the overall discussion.

That said, if you’re new to the subject or curious about the behind-the-scenes aspects of death care, this book is a decent introduction. It covers a wide range of topics and provides some memorable glimpses into the industry. Just be aware that it’s not in-depth by any means—and you might want to skip that last chapter if you’d rather avoid reading explicit material.

Thanks for reading!

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I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. If you are an author and have a cemetery-related book you would like me to review, please reach out at hello@chantallarochelle.ca. I would love to hear from you!