An illuminating, hilarious, and practical guide to 99 of the most terrifying ways to die and how to avoid them from an emergency medicine doctor.
Dr. Ashely Alker is a self-described death escapologist—or, in more familiar terms, an emergency medicine doctor. She has seen it all, from flesh-eating bacteria to the work of a serial killer to the more mundane but no less deadly, and her work outwitting the end has uniquely prepared her to write this book.
Dr. Alker manages to shock readers while making them laugh, educating them on how to outsmart a wide range of deadly situations and conditions. Many of the chapters include stories from her experiences in life and medicine, at times heartwarming, others heartbreaking. Sections include explorations of sex, poison, drugs, biological warfare, disease, animals, crime, the elements, and much more.
An Anthony Bourdain-style greatest hits tour of death, 99 Ways to Die is entertaining while it informs. Full of valuable advice and wild stories, this riveting read might just save your life.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced review copy!
If you’ve ever wondered just how many ways the world can take you out — from bacteria to bad choices — Dr. Ashley Alker has you covered. 99 Ways to Die is a riveting and darkly entertaining field guide to everything that can go wrong with the human body (and the environment conspiring against it).
Each chapter examines a specific category of danger — viruses, bacteria, the elements, warfare, poisons, vaccine-preventable diseases, even food — written with the precision of a clinician and the flair of a storyteller. The structure makes it easy to digest (pun intended) but also leaves you slightly terrified of your next sushi roll or deli sandwich. Alker’s background as an emergency physician gives the book a grounded, real-world authenticity. She doesn’t just explain the science; she shows it in motion — patients arriving with mysterious fevers, strange neurological symptoms, or the consequences of underestimating nature.
What makes this book stand out is Alker’s ability to break down complex medical concepts in clear, relatable language. She’s thorough without ever being clinical, weaving in stories from her real-life work as an emergency physician to illustrate how quickly things can go from “minor symptom” to “life-threatening situation.” Her cases remind you that medicine isn’t just science — it’s detective work, empathy, and sometimes pure chaos.
Her explanations are detailed but never dry. Alker walks readers through how pathogens invade, how the immune system fights back, and why something as small as a misfired protein can overthrow an entire body. There’s enough molecular detail to satisfy the science-minded reader — mentions of cytokine storms, viral mutations, and the delicate biochemistry that keeps us alive — but it’s always filtered through human stories. The result feels like watching House, M.D. written by someone who’s actually pulled night shifts in the ER.
One of the book’s strongest sections explores how diagnosis can be as much art as science. Doctors, she notes, often have to play detective — and sometimes their suspects aren’t forthcoming. She recalls a patient interaction that’s both hilarious and horrifying:
Doctor: “Do you have any medical conditions?”
Patient: “No.”
Doctor: “But I see you take eight different medications.”
Patient: “Yes, but since I’m taking the medications, I don’t have those conditions anymore.”
That blend of absurdity and reality underscores how fragile the line between wellness and disaster can be.
Alker’s humor keeps the pages turning even when the material veers into the macabre. In the “Brain Diseases” chapter, for instance, she discusses Campylobacter jejuni — a bacteria found in undercooked meat, raw milk, and, yes, pet kisses — she notes its potential link to Guillain-Barré Syndrome before deadpanning:
“And don’t let Lassie kiss your face, I don’t care how famous she is.”
That mix of authority and humor makes the science stick — and keeps the book from feeling like a doomsday manual. By the end, I felt smarter, a bit spooked, and oddly appreciative of just how resilient the human body is despite everything it’s up against. It’s science communication at its best: factual, funny, and a little terrifying.
By the time you close the book, you’ll have gained a crash course in microbiology, epidemiology, toxicology, and plain common sense — and maybe a new respect for soap, vaccines, and refrigeration.
99 Ways to Die is the perfect mix of education and existential dread — a medical thrill ride for readers who love learning what can go wrong with the human body and how our doctors heroically (and sometimes hilariously) try to stop it. You’ll laugh, you’ll shudder, and you’ll definitely think twice before skipping hand sanitizer.
If you’re a fan of Mary Roach (Stiff, Gulp), Atul Gawande (Being Mortal), or Caitlin Doughty (Smoke Gets in Your Eyes), you’ll absolutely devour this. 🧬☠️💉
You can pick up your copy here.
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