Beyond Knowing: Mysteries and Messages of Death and Life from a Forensic Pathologist Book

I enjoy reading books about forensic pathology and was in the mood for such a book today. Unfortunately, while the book was good, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind. Dr. Amatuzio is a forensic pathologist in Minnesota with a quarter-century of experience, so I was expecting a recollection of some of her most memorable cases that fit the 'mysteries and messages' portion of the title, and it was. However, most of these recollections come from discussions she had with friends, family, and strangers who heard her speak on her beliefs that the deceased remain to watch over their loved ones and let them know that life will go on. In a few cases, she describes her duties as a county coroner, going to presumed crime scenes, to determine whether the deceased individual was a victim of foul play or a natural death. Once determining it was a natural death, she ends up speaking to friends and loved ones who indicate that they had a dream or vision of the deceased in a very peaceful state near the time of their death.
I too believe in this, though I've been fortunate not to lose anyone close to me (beside a dog, but I was told within a few hours that my family had to put him down, which hurt so deeply on an emotional level that my mind has effectively removed that day from my memory) for nearly 15 years. My mother, however, cared for my paternal grandfather in his last days, and is convinced that while she slept that last night, she became aware of his spirit leaving his body and the complete silence being what woke her. When I lose someone close to me, as inevitably will happen, I hope to either see them again or a sign telling me they made it to heaven safely and are now there to help me make the same journey when it is my time.
My favorite stories in the book both felt close to home. One was of a woman who lost her beloved Blue Heeler dog to illness and was greiving her lost when she saw the dog, playful as a puppy, in a colorful meadow. Living with a Blue Heeler now, it reminded me of my own dog and how I'd like to remember him once he too gets old and leaves us. The other story I particularly liked was of a man who received a kidney-pancreas transplant, and during the surgery left his body and met the donor, a young man killed in a car accident. While the donor's death made the news due to circumstances, he lived in another state and the recipient had never met him nor known his identity before going to the OR. I work for a kidney and pancreas transplant program, and most of our recipients receive organs from donors whose deaths only make the newspaper via the obituary page, but I can't help but wonder if any of them have 'met' their donor during the surgery.
Overall, an interesting read, and the author's feelings are aligned with my own, but if you're expecting a book primarily about forensic investigation of the manner and cause of people's deaths, you may be disappointed.