The Mortician - A.L. Mengel's Critically Acclaimed Exploration of the Afterlife

We all wind up there...

"Discussions of death itself and the possibility or lack of afterlife are some of the most terrifying topics that all humans must face, and A.L. Mengel tackles them with brutal reality but also with well-conceived philosophy." - READERS' FAVORITE Review

"A.L. Mengel weaves a wonderful tale that will leave the reader questioning the reality of the MC...I might argue that Mengel's style is what Hemingway was trying to be, but failed at..." - GOODREADS Review

"It's just...hypnotic. From page one it drew me in. And I just kept reading. There were scary sequences, but it really was a book more about how the students got to know one another, become close, and watch as life moves on. It shifts back and forth from present day to the 1930's. I thought this was brilliant how the author used objects - like a mirror, a candelabra, or a piece of music - to move the story from one time period to another." - BARNES AND NOBLE Review

Do You Want To Live Forever?

Ever since Jacob Benjamin touched his dead Grandmother’s cheek while she lay in her coffin, he has had a fascination with death. The mystery of the grave and what lies beyond it became a lifetime quest for the young man.

His Master’s Degree thesis project explores the decades abandoned Waxley Mortuary, sitting in ruins. His research partners join him on a journey through life and legacy – but Jacob discovers there is still activity inside the dilapidated walls of Waxley.

From the appearance of an old photo the story begins; and as the mirror of one’s life reveals actions and regrets, Jacob realizes that there is one figure standing between him and his legacy, salvation, and redemption: The Mortician.

A.L. Mengel goes back to his storytelling roots with a novel about the pursuit of legacy amidst the solitude of darkness. Can one shed their transgressions to accept their shortcomings?

450 pages