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Published by New Modern Arcade
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
A Times Best Book of the Summer
An Independent Book of the Month
A New Scientist Book of the Month
'Scrutinises death from every angle, from epidemics and executions to grief and oblivion. Fascinating' The Times
‘A thoughtful, brilliantly researched and, at times, surprisingly funny look at the final moment that comes to us all’ Dominic Hughes, BBC Health Correspondent
'[A] comprehensive exploration of how we can live with our uniquely human burden' David Jarrett, author of 33 Mediations on Death
'A must-read for anyone interested in the subject of death and the assisted dying debate today' Baroness Anne Marie Rafferty
A comprehensive, thought-provoking exploration of death and a rumination on how our own mortality affects how we live our lives.
Timor Mortis – Latin for ‘fear of death’ – contemplates the fragility of life, exploring the myriad ways in which we confront our mortality, whether through stoicism, suffering, dignity, humour or grief. Public health doctor Richard Coker delves into the historical, biological, and psychological underpinnings of these experiences, as well as the moral complexities of human nature. He examines how our understanding of death has evolved, particularly through the lens of both his personal clinical and public health expertise.
At a time when the role of medicine in end-of-life care is receiving increasing attention across public, policy and political spheres, Richard reflects on how the medical profession navigates, and sometimes fails to negotiate, this delicate process. Through unsettling examples, such as the humour that may be found in even the most unusual settings such as in giving an AIDS diagnosis to a young man, a professional failure in communication over resuscitation wishes, the desperation of a man too breathless to speak and the expectation to coordinate a death to fit a royal schedule, Timor Mortis invites readers to reflect on ageing, death and our relationship with a journey we will all take.
Beyond addressing the philosophical and practical facets of mortality, Timor Mortis uniquely integrates a critical examination of contemporary societal phenomena that shape our relationship with death. The book also offers a compelling analysis of the political and economic forces at play in the business of death. By venturing into these rarely discussed intersections of commerce, policy and personal mortality, Coker provides a fresh and urgent perspective on the challenges of achieving a ‘good death’ and what this looks like in the modern era.
An Independent Book of the Month
A New Scientist Book of the Month
'Scrutinises death from every angle, from epidemics and executions to grief and oblivion. Fascinating' The Times
‘A thoughtful, brilliantly researched and, at times, surprisingly funny look at the final moment that comes to us all’ Dominic Hughes, BBC Health Correspondent
'[A] comprehensive exploration of how we can live with our uniquely human burden' David Jarrett, author of 33 Mediations on Death
'A must-read for anyone interested in the subject of death and the assisted dying debate today' Baroness Anne Marie Rafferty
A comprehensive, thought-provoking exploration of death and a rumination on how our own mortality affects how we live our lives.
Timor Mortis – Latin for ‘fear of death’ – contemplates the fragility of life, exploring the myriad ways in which we confront our mortality, whether through stoicism, suffering, dignity, humour or grief. Public health doctor Richard Coker delves into the historical, biological, and psychological underpinnings of these experiences, as well as the moral complexities of human nature. He examines how our understanding of death has evolved, particularly through the lens of both his personal clinical and public health expertise.
At a time when the role of medicine in end-of-life care is receiving increasing attention across public, policy and political spheres, Richard reflects on how the medical profession navigates, and sometimes fails to negotiate, this delicate process. Through unsettling examples, such as the humour that may be found in even the most unusual settings such as in giving an AIDS diagnosis to a young man, a professional failure in communication over resuscitation wishes, the desperation of a man too breathless to speak and the expectation to coordinate a death to fit a royal schedule, Timor Mortis invites readers to reflect on ageing, death and our relationship with a journey we will all take.
Beyond addressing the philosophical and practical facets of mortality, Timor Mortis uniquely integrates a critical examination of contemporary societal phenomena that shape our relationship with death. The book also offers a compelling analysis of the political and economic forces at play in the business of death. By venturing into these rarely discussed intersections of commerce, policy and personal mortality, Coker provides a fresh and urgent perspective on the challenges of achieving a ‘good death’ and what this looks like in the modern era.
Product Details
- Publisher: New Modern Arcade (July 30, 2026)
- Length: 336 pages
- ISBN13: 9781917923712
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Raves and Reviews
'Scrutinises death from every angle, from epidemics and executions to grief and oblivion. Fascinating'
– The Times
'Coker has mined philosophy, literature, poetry, film and science in this comprehensive exploration of how we can live with our uniquely human burden – the burden of the certain knowledge of our mortality and the likely decline of our ageing bodies. These ideas are interspersed with recollections of his patients, their deaths, their suffering and their courage. It's all there. The bleak and the funny, the rational and the irrational. It doesn't solve the fundamental questions of life, but it gives the reader a solid foundation of evidence on which to try and make sense of one of the biggest questions we all, individually and collectively, have to face'
– David Jarrett, author of 33 Mediations on Death
'It may sound a bit gloomy but Timor Mortis (literally 'fear of death') could hardly be more timely as we worry about the quality of end-of-life care for everyone we care about. Coker probes death's complexities from different perspectives: biological, psychological, moral and historical'
– New Scientist, A Best New Popular Science Book, July 2026
'Coker dissects death and our fear of it with a scholarly scalpel drawing from a range of disciplines. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the subject of death and the assisted dying debate today'
– Baroness Anne Marie Rafferty, Former president of the Royal College of Nursing
'Timor Mortis evaluates our final bodily transaction. Public health doctor Coker blends humour and profound wisdom in this rambunctious book. Grief, ageism, end-of-life decision, disease, shame, the sheer cost of corpse disposal – this could easily have been a depressing read, but is instead strangely life-affirming' An Independent Book of the Month
– Independent
'As medical students we are taught how to prevent, or at least delay death. Yet the complexities of that death – what it means for the patient, their loved ones, their clinicians – are hardly touched upon. Timor Mortis fills that gap. As someone about to embark on a career during which I will, no doubt, encounter much death, this book has given me the opportunity to reflect on what that truly means.'
– Amaan Ullah, final year medical student, King’s College London
'A thoughtful, brilliantly researched and, at times, surprisingly funny look at the final moment that comes to us all, but which we find so hard to think and talk about. It’s one of those books so packed full of great quotes and fascinating facts, that you constantly want to turn to the person next to you and say, “Did you know…”. I enjoyed it immensely and was left feeling both enlightened and somehow reassured in equal measure'
– Dominic Hughes, BBC Health Correspondent
'Timor Mortis is a timely reflection on what it means to live in the shadow of our own death in the 21st century. By blending his own experiences with current social commentary, Coker examines how our relationship with death has been outsourced to institutions and shaped by the systems designed to manage it. He then investigates how knowledge of our own death shapes our lives, and in the final chapters challenges us to take back control. It is a candid, necessary investigation into the ethics of ageing and the machinery of dying in the 21st century'
– David Heymann, senior fellow, Global Health Programme, Chatham House
'Richard Coker brings long clinical experience, historical insights and moral clarity to a subject too often avoided. He discusses compassion and the cruelty, sadness and humour in a highly readable book that challenges how we think about dying in an era of modern medicine'
– Martin McKee, former President of the British Medical Association
'I was looking for a book exactly like this, to make the taboo topic of death accessible. You’ll laugh, maybe cry and certainly be enriched by Richard’s diverse encounters with death. I read this book slowly, even though it was very engaging, because it gave me so much to reflect on – about death, illness, ageing and the values we hold as a society. Highly recommend'
– Mishal Khan, Professor of International Public Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
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