Corpse Talk: Dead, Famous and Very Chatty

LoveReading4Kids Says

October 2026 Book of the Month

Comic strip fans who like to combine fact finding with laughter will rate the Corpse Talk series very highly. In the form of a series of chat show interviews with famous people from history – now corpses of course and exhumed from their graves specially – it provides the lowdown on the lives and achievements of a set of fascinating figures, from Aristotle to Charles Darwin to Cleopatra and Marie Antoninette to Marco Polo to Toussant Louverture.

As you’d expect from a book called Corpse Talk, stones are turned and dirt is dug, and there are some deliciously gruesome facts amongst these histories. The illustrations are excellent too, helping bring the characters and their times to life and the package is as eye-catching and entertaining as it is informative.

Corpse Talk creators Adam and Lisa Murphy have found a brilliant new way into history, as have other authors such as Terry Deary (Horrible Histories) or the creators of Scholastic’s Voices series.

Reviewed by Andrea Reece
Andrea Reece has spent almost her entire working life in children’s books, first as publisher, latterly as consultant, project manager and critic.
More reviews by Andrea Reece

About Corpse Talk: Dead, Famous and Very Chatty

Think history is DEAD boring? Well . . . you're only half right.Join Adam Murphy as he brings the famous back to life!Roman Emperor Nero, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, Greek philosopher Aristotle - there's no corpse Adam won't interview in the name of education and FUN.

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