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Playing Dead: A Journey Through the World of Death Fraud
Is it still possible to fake your own death in the twenty-first century? With six figures of student loan debt, Elizabeth Greenwood was tempted to find out. So off she sets on a darkly comic foray into the world of death fraud, where for $30,000 a consultant can make you disappear--but your suspicious insurance company might hire a private detective to dig up your coffin...only to find it filled with rocks.
Greenwood tracks down a British man who staged a kayaking accident and then returned to live in his own house while all his neighbors thought he was dead. She takes a call from Michael Jackson (no, he's not dead--or so her new acquaintances would have her believe), stalks message boards for people contemplating pseudocide, and gathers intel on black market morgues in the Philippines, where she may or may not obtain some fraudulent goodies of her own. Along the way, she learns that love is a much less common motive than money, and that making your death look like a drowning virtually guarantees that you'll be caught. (Disappearing while hiking, however, is a way great to go.)
Playing Dead is a charmingly bizarre investigation in the vein of Jon Ronson and Mary Roach into our all-too-human desire to escape from the lives we lead, and the men and women desperate enough to give up their lives--and their families--to start again.
Greenwood tracks down a British man who staged a kayaking accident and then returned to live in his own house while all his neighbors thought he was dead. She takes a call from Michael Jackson (no, he's not dead--or so her new acquaintances would have her believe), stalks message boards for people contemplating pseudocide, and gathers intel on black market morgues in the Philippines, where she may or may not obtain some fraudulent goodies of her own. Along the way, she learns that love is a much less common motive than money, and that making your death look like a drowning virtually guarantees that you'll be caught. (Disappearing while hiking, however, is a way great to go.)
Playing Dead is a charmingly bizarre investigation in the vein of Jon Ronson and Mary Roach into our all-too-human desire to escape from the lives we lead, and the men and women desperate enough to give up their lives--and their families--to start again.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published August 9, 2016
About the author
Elizabeth Greenwood
4 books61 followersElizabeth Greenwood is the author of LOVE LOCKDOWN: Dating, Sex, and Marriage in America's Prison System and PLAYING DEAD: A Journey Through the World of Death Fraud. She has taught writing at Columbia University, the New School, and the Fashion Institute of Technology, and has received fellowships from MacDowell, Hedgebrook, the Norman Mailer Center, the Edward F. Albee Foundation, and the Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts, among others. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, O, the Oprah Magazine, Vice, Longreads, GQ, and more. She lives in Brooklyn with her family, and can often be found supine on the couch watching Bravo. Her favorite Real Housewives franchises are New York City, Atlanta, and Potomac.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 456 reviews
February 18, 2022
The best story in the book was of how a very wealthy man escaped his unloving and very greedy son who made constant attempts to get more and more money from him. He was fed up with his manipulative and avaricious son's attempts to get money off him so he decided to disappear. He didn't want to fake his own death because he intended to live a life of luxury on an island with soft sand beaches and waving palm trees . So the 'professional' fixer advised him on a very clever scheme. They decided on the place he wanted to live in, set that up, then the fixer transferred bank accounts and handled all the mundane stuff of going-to-live-somewhere-else-permanently. Then the coup-de-grace: he rented a very expensive apartment for the man (who wasn't there) and a very expensive whore to stay in it. And left a few clues for the son to find.
His son phoned him endlessly but he wouldn't answer. After three days he tracked him down. He hammered on the door of the fancy apartment and the fancy whore came out and handed him an envelope. Her job was done.
In the envelope was a phone number. The rapacious son eagerly dialed it and got .... his own answering machine, just as the fixer had set it up. How frustrating! And he never got further than that. :-) And the father no doubt spent his money on not very good but very expensive restaurants in romantic locations on a pretty Caribbean island that only occasionally was decimated by hurricanes. Or something like that anyway.
____________________
In this book there are explicit instructions for arranging your own death without actually dying. Which you might want to do to for insurance fraud or to escape a jail sentence, or for any number of other reasons. This is essentially a male crime, very few women do it, or perhaps they are just much better at it and don't get caught!
____________________
A book about pseudocide. There is a death, there is mourning, but no one dies. As is usual in tales of wrongdoing, follow the money trail. Imagine the planning that goes into a pseudocide and making sure you are the beneficiary, just no-one knows. I hope the book is as interesting as it sounds.
His son phoned him endlessly but he wouldn't answer. After three days he tracked him down. He hammered on the door of the fancy apartment and the fancy whore came out and handed him an envelope. Her job was done.
In the envelope was a phone number. The rapacious son eagerly dialed it and got .... his own answering machine, just as the fixer had set it up. How frustrating! And he never got further than that. :-) And the father no doubt spent his money on not very good but very expensive restaurants in romantic locations on a pretty Caribbean island that only occasionally was decimated by hurricanes. Or something like that anyway.
____________________
In this book there are explicit instructions for arranging your own death without actually dying. Which you might want to do to for insurance fraud or to escape a jail sentence, or for any number of other reasons. This is essentially a male crime, very few women do it, or perhaps they are just much better at it and don't get caught!
____________________
A book about pseudocide. There is a death, there is mourning, but no one dies. As is usual in tales of wrongdoing, follow the money trail. Imagine the planning that goes into a pseudocide and making sure you are the beneficiary, just no-one knows. I hope the book is as interesting as it sounds.
July 30, 2016
I thought I would like Playing Dead more than I did. Really, how could a book about people faking their own deaths not be interesting? Surely, most people fantasize every now and then about disappearing from the stress or tedium of their lives to reinvent themselves as someone else? But there's a big difference between a fleeting fantasy and really doing it. Who are the people who choose to go through with a disappearing act? Playing Dead dishes out some interesting anecdotes and the odd insight, but unfortunately for me it got dragged down by a couple of really distracting flaws. The most glaring one is that the author talks about herself far too much -- her own fantasy of disappearing, and her own reactions and feelings about everything and everyone -- I couldn't relate to her and I wasn't particularly interested in her fantasy. And there was a really long chapter dealing with a woman who is convinced that Michael Jackson faked his own death -- the chapter didn't really fit in and it seemed to invert and trivialize the book's topic. Too bad about the flaws, because the topic is fascinating and some of the material was really interesting -- like British canoe guy John Darwin, or the young woman who discovered as an adult that her father had faked his own death when she was 2 years old. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.
September 18, 2016
Fun idea for a book, but I had to abandon this due to poor writing.
July 4, 2016
This was great fun. Thinking of the six-figure education debt weighing on her shoulders, Greenwood surveys various cases of people who faked their own death or simply tried to disappear. Death fraud/“pseudocide” is not as easy to get away with as you might think. Fake drownings are especially suspect. I found most ironic the case of a man who lived successfully for 20 years under an assumed name but was caught when police stopped him for having a license plate light out. I particularly liked the chapter in which Greenwood travels to the Philippines, a great place to fake your death, and comes back with a copy of her own death certificate. Releases August 9th.
February 7, 2017
pseudocide
pseu·do·cide (so͞o′dō-sīd′)
n.
The act of faking one's suicide or death.
I've thought about disappearing before. It was just a little flutter of a thought that lasted a few seconds before I came back to reality. But I get it. I get why some would want an out that doesn't include actual death. It's fake death...and surprisingly, it's not illegal.
Young, fresh-faced Elizabeth Greenwood considered faking her death once all those pesky student loans starting knocking on her door. It's not always fun being a grown-up is it? She started researching and this initial thought morphed into something entirely different. Playing Dead: A Journey Through the World of Death Fraud is a nonfiction account of all those who tried and failed at disappearing, examples of pseudocide scenarios that would warrant criminal charges and ones that would simply bring the dead back to life, an eye-opening look at the black market business end of it, the reality of what a new life would look like in this camera-heavy digital age, and how Elizabeth ended up holding her very own death certificate in her hands. Of course, she isn't dead, not even fake dead. She never submitted the documentation. Elizabeth uses Playing Dead to show that just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.
I really enjoyed this reading experience. I learned a great deal about a subject I didn't know a lick about. It was truly interesting albeit sad. When you disappear, you don't get to choose what or who you are disappearing from. You have to leave it all. I think I'd rather stick around and face the music with those I love. ♥
Happy Reading.
My favorite quote:
"Payment. Every debt has to be repaid. Repaying one's debts, according to Plato, at least, is the true definition of justice. Nothing is ever free. There is no such thing as getting away with it. When I looked, I saw ugliness, broken families, loneliness. Some people I spoke to clung to me as one of the few left who would listen to them. They had lost so much. Is transformation without annihilation possible? Freedom comes at a high cost. These lessons are not glamorous, like what I was hoping to find. But, God, are they true."
pseu·do·cide (so͞o′dō-sīd′)
n.
The act of faking one's suicide or death.
I've thought about disappearing before. It was just a little flutter of a thought that lasted a few seconds before I came back to reality. But I get it. I get why some would want an out that doesn't include actual death. It's fake death...and surprisingly, it's not illegal.
Young, fresh-faced Elizabeth Greenwood considered faking her death once all those pesky student loans starting knocking on her door. It's not always fun being a grown-up is it? She started researching and this initial thought morphed into something entirely different. Playing Dead: A Journey Through the World of Death Fraud is a nonfiction account of all those who tried and failed at disappearing, examples of pseudocide scenarios that would warrant criminal charges and ones that would simply bring the dead back to life, an eye-opening look at the black market business end of it, the reality of what a new life would look like in this camera-heavy digital age, and how Elizabeth ended up holding her very own death certificate in her hands. Of course, she isn't dead, not even fake dead. She never submitted the documentation. Elizabeth uses Playing Dead to show that just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.
I really enjoyed this reading experience. I learned a great deal about a subject I didn't know a lick about. It was truly interesting albeit sad. When you disappear, you don't get to choose what or who you are disappearing from. You have to leave it all. I think I'd rather stick around and face the music with those I love. ♥
Happy Reading.
My favorite quote:
"Payment. Every debt has to be repaid. Repaying one's debts, according to Plato, at least, is the true definition of justice. Nothing is ever free. There is no such thing as getting away with it. When I looked, I saw ugliness, broken families, loneliness. Some people I spoke to clung to me as one of the few left who would listen to them. They had lost so much. Is transformation without annihilation possible? Freedom comes at a high cost. These lessons are not glamorous, like what I was hoping to find. But, God, are they true."
July 22, 2017
Basically a compendium of anecdotes and shaggy dog stories relating to faking your own death. The sheer inventiveness of the participants is often so intriguing and so beguiling that the reader can't look away. Good when it's on-topic and rolling with the impressive possibilities as the cord is cut; but drifty and adolescent-angsty, what's-it-all-about-alfie-ish, in the doldrums.
Author Greenwood goes to some lengths to emphasize that she's only able to offer what's known about the contestants that didn't make it, who changed their mind or got caught, couldn't stay off-world, and came back to tell the story. And yes, it's well worth considering that there may be an equal number of way-more committed participants out there, sipping a cocktail in a tropical hammock and having a good laugh at these also-rans discussed in the book.
Two quibbles: one is that Greenwood wants us to believe she went undercover and contacted the shadowy grim reapers that help the death-fakers of the world in their quest. Hmm. Nobody who is a real desperado took this author all that seriously in her attempt to frame this into a full-immersion documentary account by getting her own death authenticated. Her contacts all seem about as underworldly and secretive as Macy's santas.
Second is the completely unwarranted detour, mid-book, into what no reader was buying this book for. I can hardly bear to say what it is (without being embarrassed that it was fun to read in an off-topic/wtf sort of way) but I will anyway: a long, intrusive chapter on Michael Jackson Death Truthers. People who believe, or who at any rate told this author they believe, that Mr Jackson is still alive. Weird and tabloidy, yes. Not part of suicide fraud. At all, really.
So a mixed grill, at some points packed with the miscellaneous anecdotal material you came for, and at others a big wet flounder from the pages of the Enquirer. Good beach read, though, if you like thinking about a Grand Exit from this tawdry beach life... that you apparently lead.
Author Greenwood goes to some lengths to emphasize that she's only able to offer what's known about the contestants that didn't make it, who changed their mind or got caught, couldn't stay off-world, and came back to tell the story. And yes, it's well worth considering that there may be an equal number of way-more committed participants out there, sipping a cocktail in a tropical hammock and having a good laugh at these also-rans discussed in the book.
Two quibbles: one is that Greenwood wants us to believe she went undercover and contacted the shadowy grim reapers that help the death-fakers of the world in their quest. Hmm. Nobody who is a real desperado took this author all that seriously in her attempt to frame this into a full-immersion documentary account by getting her own death authenticated. Her contacts all seem about as underworldly and secretive as Macy's santas.
Second is the completely unwarranted detour, mid-book, into what no reader was buying this book for. I can hardly bear to say what it is (without being embarrassed that it was fun to read in an off-topic/wtf sort of way) but I will anyway: a long, intrusive chapter on Michael Jackson Death Truthers. People who believe, or who at any rate told this author they believe, that Mr Jackson is still alive. Weird and tabloidy, yes. Not part of suicide fraud. At all, really.
So a mixed grill, at some points packed with the miscellaneous anecdotal material you came for, and at others a big wet flounder from the pages of the Enquirer. Good beach read, though, if you like thinking about a Grand Exit from this tawdry beach life... that you apparently lead.
June 21, 2022
Review originally published January 2017
Playing Dead
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to start over as a different person, free of all baggage, debt and problems of your current life? For most of us, that thought is quickly discarded, because we don’t think it possible, morally right, or even desirable to skip out on our current life in order to begin anew. And yet, there are those who not only like the idea, but who have taken drastic steps to achieve the ultimate in do-overs, either by faking their own deaths, or by seemingly disappearing and letting people draw their own conclusions.
In Playing Dead: A Journey Through the World of Death Fraud, author Elizabeth Greenwood explores this topic with wit, clarity and a gift for making a somewhat morbid subject into a fascinating read. Initially her interest in the topic of faking her own death was spawned by her feelings of helplessness in getting out of her mountain of student debt. Starting with a simple google search, she quickly discovered that "pseudocide", the technical term for faking one’s own death, is a complex and very interesting subject.
Driven perhaps more by intellectual curiosity than by a true desire to make herself disappear, she travelled the globe speaking with skip tracers, insurance fraud investigators, and actual perpetrators of death faking. She interviewed many men (almost all pseudocides are male) who tried but ultimately failed in their attempts to escape debt, spouses or ex-girlfriends. A very few did manage to escape detection for a while, but inevitably all were “discovered.”
Instead of enjoying a life of ease, sipping pina coladas on a sparkling beach, the dearly departed presumed-dead often experienced guilt at leaving behind family and friends who cannot know of their alive-and-well status. Some are ratted out by the persons they trusted to collect and share in the insurance money, some are caught by insurance companies’ detectives and some by jilted lovers. Others simply cannot continue the ruse.
People on both sides of the law opened up to Greenwood, discussing specific true cases of unexplained disappearing or pseudocide and which methods are most and least likely to end in quick discovery. My favorite takeaway from Playing Dead is the sage advice to would-be adopters of new names and identities: Keep your original first name. Many would-be con artists were caught because they inadvertently responded upon being called by their first name.
For more colorful practical advice, you may also want to read How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish Without a Trace, by Frank M. Ahearn, one of the sleuths Greenwood interviews extensively. He is an expert on such arcana as fraudulent death certificates, staged accidents, and countries in which it is relatively easy to “disappear.”
Admittedly, you do have to be in just the right mood for this subject. At the very least, the knowledge you’ll gain from reading Playing Dead will increase your appreciation of mystery novels and movies, especially those involving missing persons.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
Playing Dead
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to start over as a different person, free of all baggage, debt and problems of your current life? For most of us, that thought is quickly discarded, because we don’t think it possible, morally right, or even desirable to skip out on our current life in order to begin anew. And yet, there are those who not only like the idea, but who have taken drastic steps to achieve the ultimate in do-overs, either by faking their own deaths, or by seemingly disappearing and letting people draw their own conclusions.
In Playing Dead: A Journey Through the World of Death Fraud, author Elizabeth Greenwood explores this topic with wit, clarity and a gift for making a somewhat morbid subject into a fascinating read. Initially her interest in the topic of faking her own death was spawned by her feelings of helplessness in getting out of her mountain of student debt. Starting with a simple google search, she quickly discovered that "pseudocide", the technical term for faking one’s own death, is a complex and very interesting subject.
Driven perhaps more by intellectual curiosity than by a true desire to make herself disappear, she travelled the globe speaking with skip tracers, insurance fraud investigators, and actual perpetrators of death faking. She interviewed many men (almost all pseudocides are male) who tried but ultimately failed in their attempts to escape debt, spouses or ex-girlfriends. A very few did manage to escape detection for a while, but inevitably all were “discovered.”
Instead of enjoying a life of ease, sipping pina coladas on a sparkling beach, the dearly departed presumed-dead often experienced guilt at leaving behind family and friends who cannot know of their alive-and-well status. Some are ratted out by the persons they trusted to collect and share in the insurance money, some are caught by insurance companies’ detectives and some by jilted lovers. Others simply cannot continue the ruse.
People on both sides of the law opened up to Greenwood, discussing specific true cases of unexplained disappearing or pseudocide and which methods are most and least likely to end in quick discovery. My favorite takeaway from Playing Dead is the sage advice to would-be adopters of new names and identities: Keep your original first name. Many would-be con artists were caught because they inadvertently responded upon being called by their first name.
For more colorful practical advice, you may also want to read How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish Without a Trace, by Frank M. Ahearn, one of the sleuths Greenwood interviews extensively. He is an expert on such arcana as fraudulent death certificates, staged accidents, and countries in which it is relatively easy to “disappear.”
Admittedly, you do have to be in just the right mood for this subject. At the very least, the knowledge you’ll gain from reading Playing Dead will increase your appreciation of mystery novels and movies, especially those involving missing persons.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
January 3, 2017
Stupid stupid stupid (both the book and me for reading it). I can't believe I wasted my first book of the new year on this piece of garbage. An intriguing book description that failed to deliver in so many ways. I held onto hope as long as possible, then turned the page to the chapter about the "Believers" who are waiting for Michael Jackson to reappear... Why didn't I ditch it? you may ask. Because I wanted to believe that if I just read a bit more then some interesting and intriguing insights would be revealed. Alas, I am a dumbass.
Though no one may read this review, I am using it is a confessional to purge myself of this travesty.
Seriously, this book is so bad that I can't give it away - recycle bin is the only redemption.
Though no one may read this review, I am using it is a confessional to purge myself of this travesty.
Seriously, this book is so bad that I can't give it away - recycle bin is the only redemption.
September 20, 2016
Reading this book first made me think of this... cease to resist given my goodbye
and then this one.... bag full of oily rags, fifty cent lighter, dreams of retirement in Cancun burning ever brighter, there's a lot of ways to make money in this world but I can't recommend insurance fraud
I wanted to like this one more than I did. The subject is definitely interesting (I imagine it's normal to have fantasies of just disappearing, or is this one of those things I just assume everyone has but which is actually something wrong with me) and the chapters are all interesting (why don't you find another word?) but they all go on too long. They reminded me any family holiday, it's time to wrap shit up and go home but no one seems to know how to not just keep bringing up one more thing that doesn't really need to be said (and yeah, I'm guilty of this, too. It was just how I was raised I guess).
The book is about people who fake their own deaths for a variety of reasons. Usually because of money, although bad relationships and trying to avoid jail time are pretty popular, too. One of the interesting things I learned is that faking your own death is not illegal. But, trying to collect on insurance, getting fake government ids and other things you might be tempted to do after you pseudo-offyourself is. I also learned that insurance companies don't really prosecute insurance fraud all that often, they are just happy to have a reason not to pay out a claim, but going to court is a big hassle to them (which means those ads on the radio about insurance fraud are a whole lot of bolstering hot air?).
I think I also learned that it's almost impossible to get away with it in the long run. Or maybe that is just because the author was only able to interview people who were caught, and people who catch the people who try this sort of thing. And for obvious reasons people who have successfully hit the reset button on their lives aren't going to come out to talk to someone or make their success known.
And apparently it's disproportionately men who try this sort of thing.
This is a weak criticism of this type of 'who-knew' type non-fiction book, but it would have been better as a series of short articles. I think the need to fill up enough pages bloated out the chapters a bit too much, and it would have been much more enjoyable read if some of the chapters had been tightened up.
Although when the author gets the opportunity to fake her own death I was kind of wanting to know more. But the weird thing is that it was almost all so easy to do that the brevity of her own 'demise' was fascinating in itself.
Oh, and you get to learn a whole lot about people who believe that Michael Jackson faked his own death. I was much more interested (fucking christ will you use a thesaurus already?) in reading about Jacko than I thought I would be.
and then this one.... bag full of oily rags, fifty cent lighter, dreams of retirement in Cancun burning ever brighter, there's a lot of ways to make money in this world but I can't recommend insurance fraud
I wanted to like this one more than I did. The subject is definitely interesting (I imagine it's normal to have fantasies of just disappearing, or is this one of those things I just assume everyone has but which is actually something wrong with me) and the chapters are all interesting (why don't you find another word?) but they all go on too long. They reminded me any family holiday, it's time to wrap shit up and go home but no one seems to know how to not just keep bringing up one more thing that doesn't really need to be said (and yeah, I'm guilty of this, too. It was just how I was raised I guess).
The book is about people who fake their own deaths for a variety of reasons. Usually because of money, although bad relationships and trying to avoid jail time are pretty popular, too. One of the interesting things I learned is that faking your own death is not illegal. But, trying to collect on insurance, getting fake government ids and other things you might be tempted to do after you pseudo-offyourself is. I also learned that insurance companies don't really prosecute insurance fraud all that often, they are just happy to have a reason not to pay out a claim, but going to court is a big hassle to them (which means those ads on the radio about insurance fraud are a whole lot of bolstering hot air?).
I think I also learned that it's almost impossible to get away with it in the long run. Or maybe that is just because the author was only able to interview people who were caught, and people who catch the people who try this sort of thing. And for obvious reasons people who have successfully hit the reset button on their lives aren't going to come out to talk to someone or make their success known.
And apparently it's disproportionately men who try this sort of thing.
This is a weak criticism of this type of 'who-knew' type non-fiction book, but it would have been better as a series of short articles. I think the need to fill up enough pages bloated out the chapters a bit too much, and it would have been much more enjoyable read if some of the chapters had been tightened up.
Although when the author gets the opportunity to fake her own death I was kind of wanting to know more. But the weird thing is that it was almost all so easy to do that the brevity of her own 'demise' was fascinating in itself.
Oh, and you get to learn a whole lot about people who believe that Michael Jackson faked his own death. I was much more interested (fucking christ will you use a thesaurus already?) in reading about Jacko than I thought I would be.
August 21, 2016
Brb sending the audiobook to Ryan Lochte.
March 14, 2017
Strangled by debts? Cops are after you? or is it your ex-wife stalking and demanding for more money? Either be one or the other, here's your way out: faking your death could be the solution to your problems.
An interesting investigation into one of the most common human fantasy.
Read more on The Serial Reader Blog.
*This book was kindly sent to me by via NetGalley by Simon & Schuster*
An interesting investigation into one of the most common human fantasy.
Read more on The Serial Reader Blog.
*This book was kindly sent to me by via NetGalley by Simon & Schuster*
September 19, 2016
How tempting this is under extremely distressful times!! Enticing, but not worth the risks, but enticing.......I'm writing these thoughts under extremely distressing times.....also flew through the rest of the book today after getting an email Saturday from Goodreads asking "What did you think of Playing Dead?" So my thoughts aren't ready to be writing a review yet. The pressure of that email made me want to "Play Dead", but I rushed to read it instead. It's totally worth the read, btw! Just saying, so if this is your kind of read *read the synopsis* than grab a copy and enjoy. Very unique topic so I was thrilled to have been sent a copy through the goodreads first reads program! Loved it and will most likely read it a every time I just want to disappear. Just don't try it at home.......seriously, it's illegal and all you have to go through it's not worth it! More worth making your crappy life not so crappy than going through this level of stuff to "Play Dead". Imagine how tough it is to just get a new drivers license or a new social security card *for women changing last name after marriage*, copies of birth certificates, finding new names and places and the risks. It's a pain in the *ss just for your normal *legal* every day and valid reasons so imagine the fear that goes through you and that you would go through pulling this off. Excellent book!! One of my favorite non-fiction books 'ever' and one I'd recommend to everyone for the fun of learning how people do this, what they go through emotionally as well as the documents and 'disappearing' and the risks they take. So read it......just don't do it!!
Another winner and fantastic read from #SimonAndSchuster @SimonBooks and author Elizabeth Greenwood thank you for the #BookGift through the #Goodreads First Reads program!
Another winner and fantastic read from #SimonAndSchuster @SimonBooks and author Elizabeth Greenwood thank you for the #BookGift through the #Goodreads First Reads program!
February 4, 2023
There are some five star chapters here and a bunch of three star ones. The writing is good but uneven. If this were a movie I’d be complaining about continuity errors. Overall quite enjoyable although I would have cut out a few chapters, namely the Michael Jackson part and the trip to the Philippines both of which were much too long.
October 4, 2016
Ever wanted to escape? Just run, start up somewhere else as someone else? I think most of us have fantasized about the idea at some point. Better to fake a death or simply disappear? Burdened by student debt (who isn't among the young?), Elizabeth decides to look into the matter. She investigates how it is done, who does it and why. She meets with folks who have been caught out, insurance investigators who snuff out the attempts at insurance fraud, and folks resting in prison for the attempt. A bit of a side journey into those convinced that Elvis and Michael Jackson are still out there enjoying a laugh at the world's expense but she approaches the entire topic with a light touch, even manages to secure her own phony death certificate. An informative and entertaining read!
November 28, 2016
I just started reading a lot more non-fiction recently (fiction books have become despairingly boring; does anybody know how to get out of this rut?), and it’s been a little surprising how present the writers’ voices are in all of these books. I think it’s mostly because of this trend of publishing “microhistories” where an author “discovers” and then “explores” a topic. There are a few people who do it well and achieve a good balance of personal narrative and presentation of ideas (like Michael Pollan). And then there are the rest, who seem to use their book as an excuse to meander around the world interviewing random people, while occasionally googling interesting factoids to throw in. These books that are purportedly “about” something have less research than a New Yorker article! Never trust a nonfiction book without citations. (This is an old person rant but I don’t care.)
This book was kind of like a slightly more respectable version of a skimmable yet interesting internet article. The whole premise, which was “How would I fake my own death because I have crushing student loans?”, is a little cutesy. The author’s voice was also a little much. (Query, is it okay now to use “for real” as an adverb in a printed book?) It was also very annoying when the author, a white blonde woman, goes to the Philippines and decides she loves it because she stays at a really nice resort. (If this was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, I didn’t get it.)
I did learn a little bit about “Believers,” people who think MJ is still alive (and have proof!). I might have preferred to go down an internet hole about this conspiracy theory instead of reading this book. Fortunately the night is young.
This book was kind of like a slightly more respectable version of a skimmable yet interesting internet article. The whole premise, which was “How would I fake my own death because I have crushing student loans?”, is a little cutesy. The author’s voice was also a little much. (Query, is it okay now to use “for real” as an adverb in a printed book?) It was also very annoying when the author, a white blonde woman, goes to the Philippines and decides she loves it because she stays at a really nice resort. (If this was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, I didn’t get it.)
I did learn a little bit about “Believers,” people who think MJ is still alive (and have proof!). I might have preferred to go down an internet hole about this conspiracy theory instead of reading this book. Fortunately the night is young.
October 14, 2016
Stop me if you've heard this one:
An insurance salesman is given a few months to live. With his wife's encouragement, he goes on the trip of a lifetime, charging it all to credit cards, knowing his wife will be able to pay it off with his life insurance payout. Then the doctor calls and says the prognosis was actually wrong. He's not dying. Faced with crippling debt, he decides to fake his own death. Eventually he finds out it was all a scam to get him out of the picture so that his wife could marry the doctor.
For some inexplicable reason, the plot of a crappy Jerry Lewis movie (Hook, Line, and Sinker, 1969) that I watched on TV almost 30 years ago has stuck with me -- the idea of cutting all ties and disappearing. Ms. Greenwood finds herself similarly fascinated with real-life people who have faked their own deaths, whether for the insurance pay-out, to escape a prison sentence, or just to get away from their unsatisfactory lives. Overwhelmed with student loans and the banality of everyday life, the author finds herself googling "how to fake your own death." She even goes so far as to get a fake death certificate, a scene which opens the book, but doesn't play out the way you might expect.
Overall, this was an interesting exploration of a random subject that I find fascinating. She interviews people who have unsuccessfully faked their own deaths (committed pseudocide in professional terms), because obviously we'll never know about the successful ones. Their reasons, methods, and the aftermaths all made for good reading, but sometimes Greenwood philosophizes too deeply and includes more of her own drama than I care to read about.
An insurance salesman is given a few months to live. With his wife's encouragement, he goes on the trip of a lifetime, charging it all to credit cards, knowing his wife will be able to pay it off with his life insurance payout. Then the doctor calls and says the prognosis was actually wrong. He's not dying. Faced with crippling debt, he decides to fake his own death. Eventually he finds out it was all a scam to get him out of the picture so that his wife could marry the doctor.
For some inexplicable reason, the plot of a crappy Jerry Lewis movie (Hook, Line, and Sinker, 1969) that I watched on TV almost 30 years ago has stuck with me -- the idea of cutting all ties and disappearing. Ms. Greenwood finds herself similarly fascinated with real-life people who have faked their own deaths, whether for the insurance pay-out, to escape a prison sentence, or just to get away from their unsatisfactory lives. Overwhelmed with student loans and the banality of everyday life, the author finds herself googling "how to fake your own death." She even goes so far as to get a fake death certificate, a scene which opens the book, but doesn't play out the way you might expect.
Overall, this was an interesting exploration of a random subject that I find fascinating. She interviews people who have unsuccessfully faked their own deaths (committed pseudocide in professional terms), because obviously we'll never know about the successful ones. Their reasons, methods, and the aftermaths all made for good reading, but sometimes Greenwood philosophizes too deeply and includes more of her own drama than I care to read about.
August 11, 2021
This was such a cool topic to explore!!
Playing Dead explores the world of pseudocide: the act of faking one's suicide or death. The author takes us through some of the famous cases of pseudocide and whether it's truly impossible in the world of the internet.
This book was so damn interesting. Honestly, I want to read the books that the people she interviewed mentioned. This book is all about how to fake your own death or disappear and what is/isn't success. I didn't really know this was a thing outside of like fictional stories. Anyway, this was super engaging and I'd definitely recommend to anyone who finds the topic interesting.
CWs: Abandonment, death, death of parent, suicide, conversations of faked deaths/attempts to fake death.
Playing Dead explores the world of pseudocide: the act of faking one's suicide or death. The author takes us through some of the famous cases of pseudocide and whether it's truly impossible in the world of the internet.
This book was so damn interesting. Honestly, I want to read the books that the people she interviewed mentioned. This book is all about how to fake your own death or disappear and what is/isn't success. I didn't really know this was a thing outside of like fictional stories. Anyway, this was super engaging and I'd definitely recommend to anyone who finds the topic interesting.
CWs: Abandonment, death, death of parent, suicide, conversations of faked deaths/attempts to fake death.
February 9, 2017
Is it possible to fake your death in this world where you leave your digital fingerprint everywhere you go? Is it even worth it for the consequences that could happen should you get caught? Elizabeth Greenwood explores the world of death fraud in this true crime book.
As always, I consider truth to be stranger than fiction. As such, I found this to be quite the fascinating read. She delves into various interviews with people who have committed death fraud, whether it's better to actually commit "pseudocide" or just disappear. "Disappearing, even as Frank described the benefits, felt like yet another way to hedge. It sounded a little wishy-washy. Psuedocide, instead, was all backbone, total investment. Besides, it was just sexier than disappearing."
I think the most fascinating part of the book was Part 4 - The Believers. While I have noticed throughout the years, that there are rumors that certain famous people who "died" were believed to still be alive, I don't think I ever really paid THAT much attention to it. In this section, pretty much dedicated to Michael Jackson and the believers who think he's still alive and the various reason why was absolutely captivating. I'm quite certain that when I see any mention of people claiming people must still be alive, I'll be paying more attention.
I never knew death fraud was even really a thing - or committed as much as it is - and how knows how often this has actually been done as those who have been successful... well, we don't know about them now do we? If you're going to do it, you have to FULLY commit. Truly a great read on what people will do when desperate. Haven't you ever thought what it would be like if you could disappear and just leave your old life behind? Would it really be everything you expected or do your problems just follow you? Welcome to the living dead, who really are.
As always, I consider truth to be stranger than fiction. As such, I found this to be quite the fascinating read. She delves into various interviews with people who have committed death fraud, whether it's better to actually commit "pseudocide" or just disappear. "Disappearing, even as Frank described the benefits, felt like yet another way to hedge. It sounded a little wishy-washy. Psuedocide, instead, was all backbone, total investment. Besides, it was just sexier than disappearing."
I think the most fascinating part of the book was Part 4 - The Believers. While I have noticed throughout the years, that there are rumors that certain famous people who "died" were believed to still be alive, I don't think I ever really paid THAT much attention to it. In this section, pretty much dedicated to Michael Jackson and the believers who think he's still alive and the various reason why was absolutely captivating. I'm quite certain that when I see any mention of people claiming people must still be alive, I'll be paying more attention.
I never knew death fraud was even really a thing - or committed as much as it is - and how knows how often this has actually been done as those who have been successful... well, we don't know about them now do we? If you're going to do it, you have to FULLY commit. Truly a great read on what people will do when desperate. Haven't you ever thought what it would be like if you could disappear and just leave your old life behind? Would it really be everything you expected or do your problems just follow you? Welcome to the living dead, who really are.
May 10, 2016
This is an entertaining walk through a fascinating subject that deserves to be told with with the humor, compassion, curiosity, and clear reportage that Greenwood gives it. (Wholehearted agreement with the reviewer who likened Greenwood to Mary Roach.) The topic is so outrageous that it would be easy for it to turn into a "whodathunk?!" series of flopped attempts to fake your own death, but without sacrificing the whimsy of that potential approach, there's a pulse of empathy set forth from the beginning that threads throughout the book, speaking to the human (well, *my* human) desire to sometimes just...disappear.
July 8, 2019
I enjoyed this book. The author's research into so many angles of faking your own death and the introspection about whether it would be worth it were thought provoking. The stories were interesting and the characters were off-beat and interesting to read about. I liked that the author went so far as to actually procure her own forged death certificate (mostly) in the name of the book, and I especially liked hearing about the seasoned pros who were experienced at finding people and investigating cases like this, and their opinions about the different ways people try (and fail) at faking their deaths. Entertaining.
July 25, 2017
Interesting concept of a novel!
March 12, 2019
I've had this non-fiction book about people faking their death for a while now, and finally got around to reading it. Some of the information surprised me, and some of it seemed rather obvious.
things that I expected:
- the stories in the book were about people who got caught, some of them days later, and some years later. We have no idea how truly successful death fraudsters do it, as they aren't known.
- most of the times, the main "penalty" is denial of life insurance claims, as these cases are not that often prosecuted for the act of faking their death or life insurance fraud. Some of the folks were in jail though for filing false police reports or some underlying crime which had caused them to attempt to go to jail in the first place.
- men have been caught (no stats on successes, remember) at a much higher ratio than women.
- the children and other relatives of people who fake their deaths or simply disappear screw up their children's lives.
- the people who do this are selfish and feel very entitled.
Things that surprised me a little:
- the author, who starts the book talking about her own desire to fake her death to skate on her student loan debt, comes off as selfish and entitled. I could have done with a little less of her in this book, as that would have made it more likable. Oh poor you, with a really pricey education, did you even consider going to a state school? Likely not, as you were entitled to attend whatever school you wanted. blech.
- there was an entire chapter on people who believe that Michael Jackson, Elvis, Andy Kaufman, and other dead celebrities are still alive. I wasn't sure why that was in this book, but maybe her publisher thought she needed more pages.
- people who have faked their deaths and assumed other identities lived rather mundane lives. I think this is because people who take out huge life insurance policies close in time to their disappearance are very suspect and usually caught before the policy pays out.
things that I expected:
- the stories in the book were about people who got caught, some of them days later, and some years later. We have no idea how truly successful death fraudsters do it, as they aren't known.
- most of the times, the main "penalty" is denial of life insurance claims, as these cases are not that often prosecuted for the act of faking their death or life insurance fraud. Some of the folks were in jail though for filing false police reports or some underlying crime which had caused them to attempt to go to jail in the first place.
- men have been caught (no stats on successes, remember) at a much higher ratio than women.
- the children and other relatives of people who fake their deaths or simply disappear screw up their children's lives.
- the people who do this are selfish and feel very entitled.
Things that surprised me a little:
- the author, who starts the book talking about her own desire to fake her death to skate on her student loan debt, comes off as selfish and entitled. I could have done with a little less of her in this book, as that would have made it more likable. Oh poor you, with a really pricey education, did you even consider going to a state school? Likely not, as you were entitled to attend whatever school you wanted. blech.
- there was an entire chapter on people who believe that Michael Jackson, Elvis, Andy Kaufman, and other dead celebrities are still alive. I wasn't sure why that was in this book, but maybe her publisher thought she needed more pages.
- people who have faked their deaths and assumed other identities lived rather mundane lives. I think this is because people who take out huge life insurance policies close in time to their disappearance are very suspect and usually caught before the policy pays out.
April 28, 2016
Who has never wanted to start all over again or re-invent themselves? Playing Dead explores the topic of disappearing and pseudocide (faking your own death). I found this engrossing book both informative and highly entertaining. The author’s warm, casual style is like your bestie sharing secrets. The more I read, the more interested I became—with one exception: the book totally lost me in “The Believers” chapter, which felt out of place and weakened a strong story. Happily, the following chapters made up for that forgivable trough. This immensely readable book is well worth the read even if you have never entertained thoughts of this “ultimate whimsy.”
January 30, 2021
This book was fascinating! An interesting look into death fraud (or pseudocide). Can anyone successfully fake their death in the 21st century? And if so, how? I was hooked from start to finish, and I can’t wait to see what else Elizabeth Greenwood writes!
August 26, 2021
3.5* actually!
The concept of the book is so intriguing. Can someone really commit 'psuedocide' i.e fake their own death or disappear in this era of social media and advanced technology that means digital footprints are everywhere? That's what the author wanted to find out and she found multiple people in the USA who actually managed it temporarily at least, though they subsequently came back or were caught!
Why would someone want to do such a thing? It could be to avoid staggering financial debt or bodily harm or, less frequently, love!
It's shocking to realize certain things that enable this fraud to be perpetrated such as the easy availability of unclaimed corpses to pass off as your own in developing countries including our own!
The impact on the family members of those who do this is immense as well.. Imagine learning that the parent you have been mourning for years is actually alive and well and let you think they were dead for years!
There is even a story about how fans of Michael Jackson who refuse to believe he is dead, explain their belief. It's mindboggling to see the connections they make to support their theories. There are ardent believers of the theory that Elvis Presley didn't really die as well! Both these groups however come off as desperate to cling onto hope, obviously. As do those who have conspiracy theories about the crash that killed Princess Diana, believing she too is still alive.
It seems that it would be better to leave thoughts of attempting this kind of exit from a difficult life in the realm of fantasy! It is really an involved process and not at all like it's portrayed in the movies!
The concept of the book is so intriguing. Can someone really commit 'psuedocide' i.e fake their own death or disappear in this era of social media and advanced technology that means digital footprints are everywhere? That's what the author wanted to find out and she found multiple people in the USA who actually managed it temporarily at least, though they subsequently came back or were caught!
Why would someone want to do such a thing? It could be to avoid staggering financial debt or bodily harm or, less frequently, love!
It's shocking to realize certain things that enable this fraud to be perpetrated such as the easy availability of unclaimed corpses to pass off as your own in developing countries including our own!
The impact on the family members of those who do this is immense as well.. Imagine learning that the parent you have been mourning for years is actually alive and well and let you think they were dead for years!
There is even a story about how fans of Michael Jackson who refuse to believe he is dead, explain their belief. It's mindboggling to see the connections they make to support their theories. There are ardent believers of the theory that Elvis Presley didn't really die as well! Both these groups however come off as desperate to cling onto hope, obviously. As do those who have conspiracy theories about the crash that killed Princess Diana, believing she too is still alive.
It seems that it would be better to leave thoughts of attempting this kind of exit from a difficult life in the realm of fantasy! It is really an involved process and not at all like it's portrayed in the movies!
June 13, 2017
There were some really fascinating stories. For instance, one person was caught faking his death when he generated a lot of web traffic looking at his tribute page. Some people are convinced that Michael Jackson is faking his death.
I felt like the author's presence in the story was distracting at times. I would have rather read more about these people and draw my own conclusions. Also, I thought maybe there were some stories that were prolonged past my point of interest (John Darwin, for example).
I felt like the author's presence in the story was distracting at times. I would have rather read more about these people and draw my own conclusions. Also, I thought maybe there were some stories that were prolonged past my point of interest (John Darwin, for example).
March 6, 2021
Ok this book was seriously fun! Its a great mix of true crime, conspiracy and self discovery.
May 1, 2023
interesting subject but annoying author
February 1, 2018
Part of this book I loved, parts of it I hated. The subject material is fascinating it just needed a little more cohesion.
August 12, 2016
Summary: This was a fascinating story written in a very accessible way, perfect for fans of Mary Roach or Caitlin Doughty.
Inspired by a joking comment about faking her own death to avoid student loan debt, Elizabeth Greenwood stumbled into the world of death fraud. She meets people who find people; people who help others disappear; people who believe some famous dead people are just faking it; and people who have been caught after faking their own death. She also experiments with some of the steps necessary to fake her own death and considers what might inspire someone to take such a drastic step.
Picking up a nonfiction book on such a quirky topic, I couldn't help going in with comparisons to Mary Roach in mind. Initially I was a little disappointed because this book wasn't as laugh-out-loud funny as Mary Roach's books, but by the end the author had won me over with her authentic voice and appropriately more thoughtful, serious tone. This actually ended up reminding me more of Caitlin Doughty's Smoke Gets In Your Eyes than Mary Roach's Stiff, although I think fans of either author would find this accessible, off-beat book a great read.
There were a few little things that were still off with the tone though. Her comments on gender and a reference to "surviving a pseudocide attempt" (with pseudocide being common parlance for faking your own death) could have used a bit more tact. I also didn't buy all her personal theories, such as the possibility that disappearing is more tempting in the lonely digital era. Despite these small flaws, I really enjoyed this book. The author told a fascinating story and she told it well. Her personal experiences, her musing on human nature, and her interviews were all engaging and entertaining. I would recommend this to any fans of nonfiction on quirky topics and specifically to fans of both Mary Roach and Caitlin Doughty.
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This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
Inspired by a joking comment about faking her own death to avoid student loan debt, Elizabeth Greenwood stumbled into the world of death fraud. She meets people who find people; people who help others disappear; people who believe some famous dead people are just faking it; and people who have been caught after faking their own death. She also experiments with some of the steps necessary to fake her own death and considers what might inspire someone to take such a drastic step.
Picking up a nonfiction book on such a quirky topic, I couldn't help going in with comparisons to Mary Roach in mind. Initially I was a little disappointed because this book wasn't as laugh-out-loud funny as Mary Roach's books, but by the end the author had won me over with her authentic voice and appropriately more thoughtful, serious tone. This actually ended up reminding me more of Caitlin Doughty's Smoke Gets In Your Eyes than Mary Roach's Stiff, although I think fans of either author would find this accessible, off-beat book a great read.
There were a few little things that were still off with the tone though. Her comments on gender and a reference to "surviving a pseudocide attempt" (with pseudocide being common parlance for faking your own death) could have used a bit more tact. I also didn't buy all her personal theories, such as the possibility that disappearing is more tempting in the lonely digital era. Despite these small flaws, I really enjoyed this book. The author told a fascinating story and she told it well. Her personal experiences, her musing on human nature, and her interviews were all engaging and entertaining. I would recommend this to any fans of nonfiction on quirky topics and specifically to fans of both Mary Roach and Caitlin Doughty.
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This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
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