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One Last Dance: My Life in Mortuary Scrubs and G-strings
A sassy, heart-breaking and jaw-dropping memoir of life behind the scenes in a funeral home and strip club, written with all the panache, honesty and sensitivity of Rosie Waterland's The Anti-Cool Girl and Sarah Krasnostein's The Trauma Cleaner.
Emma Jane Holmes had her dream job, working in the funeral industry, caring for those who could no longer care for themselves. But when the bills mounted after her marriage breakdown, she turned to her other dream - dancing on stage as a showgirl - and her glittering alter ego Madison was born. Emma Jane kept Madison a secret. Madison kept Emma Jane an even bigger one.
But what happens when death touches the neon world of the strip club? And sex - in the form of a cute co-worker - encroaches on the funeral home? Could the answer be life, lived in the day, because that's the only day you have?
Emma Jane Holmes' debut will take you into the mortuary, cemetery and crematorium - and behind the scenes in night clubs - and answer all the questions you never wanted to ask ...PRAISE
'A beautiful insight into two industries we're all curious about, full of warmth and wit' - Carly Findlay OAM, author of Say Hello
'Meet Australia's most outrageous mortician ... her stories are deadly' - news.com.au
'Emma Jane Holmes shines a beautiful light on love, death and connection' - Samantha X, author of Hooked
'We're all going to die sometime ... Emma Jane Holmes brings so much light to the subject' - Andy Dowling, Andy Social podcast
Emma Jane Holmes had her dream job, working in the funeral industry, caring for those who could no longer care for themselves. But when the bills mounted after her marriage breakdown, she turned to her other dream - dancing on stage as a showgirl - and her glittering alter ego Madison was born. Emma Jane kept Madison a secret. Madison kept Emma Jane an even bigger one.
But what happens when death touches the neon world of the strip club? And sex - in the form of a cute co-worker - encroaches on the funeral home? Could the answer be life, lived in the day, because that's the only day you have?
Emma Jane Holmes' debut will take you into the mortuary, cemetery and crematorium - and behind the scenes in night clubs - and answer all the questions you never wanted to ask ...PRAISE
'A beautiful insight into two industries we're all curious about, full of warmth and wit' - Carly Findlay OAM, author of Say Hello
'Meet Australia's most outrageous mortician ... her stories are deadly' - news.com.au
'Emma Jane Holmes shines a beautiful light on love, death and connection' - Samantha X, author of Hooked
'We're all going to die sometime ... Emma Jane Holmes brings so much light to the subject' - Andy Dowling, Andy Social podcast
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2021
17 people are currently reading
521 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
April 2, 2021
I think I liked the idea of this book more than the book I read. It was fine, nothing really terrible about it, but it also failed to hit any marks that would make it a “must read”.
March 22, 2021
One Last Dance is a unique memoir by Emma Jane Holmes, who for a time was employed in both the taboo industries of death, as a funeral assistant, and sex, as an exotic dancer.
In the wake of a bitter separation, Emma Jane Holmes has to start again and so decides to fulfil a life long dream by finding employment at a funeral home. Whether it’s collecting the body of a deceased person, assisting with burial preparation in the mortuary, or standing graveside she revels in her new role, she describes her activities with candour in this fascinating memoir. Facing death is uncomfortable for most of us, especially if it’s our own, so some details might be confronting, but I agree with Emma Jane that demystifying the subject is beneficial. The squeamish may not appreciate the details of a decomposing corpse, or the processes involved in preparing a body for viewing but I did find it interesting, though it’s cemented my wish to go directly from the morgue to a crematorium oven, leaving my loved ones to choose what they wish to do with my ashes.
While Emma Jane loves her job, she finds she is struggling to pay her bills, and to supplement her income, answers an ad for an agency that supplies scantily clad/topless waitresses. In the second half of the book, she explains how she came to be an exotic dancer under the the alias Madison, working nights at a Sydney strip club, while continuing to work at the funeral home during the day. Emma Jane enjoys dancing, not just the extra money, but also the friendships she forms with her colleagues (though to be truthful they seem pretty shallow). She feels strongly that like death, sex work should be de-stigmatised, and I agree with her advocacy. Emma Jane does find it difficult to juggle the two jobs though, and eventually has to make a choice between them.
Written with sensitivity, humour and a casual, confiding tone, One Last Dance provides insight into two very different worlds few of us have access to.
Though I’ve read several nonfiction memoirs about the funeral industry including Good Mourning by Elizabeth Meyer, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Caitlin Dougherty, and The Undertaker’s Daughter by Kate Mayfield, this is the first from the Australian experience. It’s not the first memoir of an Australian exotic dancer I’ve read though, having recently finished Sunshine by Samantha C. Ross, who may well be the ‘Samantha X’ Emma Jane refers to in her Acknowledgements.
In the wake of a bitter separation, Emma Jane Holmes has to start again and so decides to fulfil a life long dream by finding employment at a funeral home. Whether it’s collecting the body of a deceased person, assisting with burial preparation in the mortuary, or standing graveside she revels in her new role, she describes her activities with candour in this fascinating memoir. Facing death is uncomfortable for most of us, especially if it’s our own, so some details might be confronting, but I agree with Emma Jane that demystifying the subject is beneficial. The squeamish may not appreciate the details of a decomposing corpse, or the processes involved in preparing a body for viewing but I did find it interesting, though it’s cemented my wish to go directly from the morgue to a crematorium oven, leaving my loved ones to choose what they wish to do with my ashes.
While Emma Jane loves her job, she finds she is struggling to pay her bills, and to supplement her income, answers an ad for an agency that supplies scantily clad/topless waitresses. In the second half of the book, she explains how she came to be an exotic dancer under the the alias Madison, working nights at a Sydney strip club, while continuing to work at the funeral home during the day. Emma Jane enjoys dancing, not just the extra money, but also the friendships she forms with her colleagues (though to be truthful they seem pretty shallow). She feels strongly that like death, sex work should be de-stigmatised, and I agree with her advocacy. Emma Jane does find it difficult to juggle the two jobs though, and eventually has to make a choice between them.
Written with sensitivity, humour and a casual, confiding tone, One Last Dance provides insight into two very different worlds few of us have access to.
Though I’ve read several nonfiction memoirs about the funeral industry including Good Mourning by Elizabeth Meyer, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Caitlin Dougherty, and The Undertaker’s Daughter by Kate Mayfield, this is the first from the Australian experience. It’s not the first memoir of an Australian exotic dancer I’ve read though, having recently finished Sunshine by Samantha C. Ross, who may well be the ‘Samantha X’ Emma Jane refers to in her Acknowledgements.
August 19, 2021
Great concept for a story but the writing is pretty cringey - weird metaphors, a lot of repetition, so much unnecessary detail. We get it, you love your high heels and describing how you'd kill yourself in various ways. A bit odd.
April 20, 2021
Interesting read about two industries that are unfortunately often seen as taboo in society.
The book review lost a star from me for ongoing remarks and judgements about people in larger bodies (...on the topic of big bellies.. a man who had enjoyed too many buffets...”) along with fatphobic remarks re: the writers body. Not dismissing her experience with body image concerns but thought that this could have been handled better.
The book review lost a star from me for ongoing remarks and judgements about people in larger bodies (...on the topic of big bellies.. a man who had enjoyed too many buffets...”) along with fatphobic remarks re: the writers body. Not dismissing her experience with body image concerns but thought that this could have been handled better.
June 5, 2021
I love this book! I hope when I die that I have someone as passionate and caring as Emma Jane look after me and my family. My aversion to bodily fluids means I’m not well suited to either industry so it’s great to be able to pique my morbid curiosity from the comfort of home. I also love that Emma Jane has humanised the folk that work in these industries. Bravo!
June 12, 2021
I probably would not have discovered this book if it wasn't for listening to a podcast where the author was interviewed. Emma Jane has provided an eye-opening account of her time working in the funeral industry - I learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes and what happens to bodies at the time of death. The second part of the book focuses on her night job as an exotic dancer and the challenges of navigating her double life.
This is a raw, sometimes funny, and sometimes rather sad account of Emma Jane's experiences, struggles and successes. I was happy to read the epilogue and was disappointed the book had to end.
The book won't be to everyone's taste and as she has written in the preface, some of the details are sure to offend some people. No offence taken here. Life is precious - live it.
This is a raw, sometimes funny, and sometimes rather sad account of Emma Jane's experiences, struggles and successes. I was happy to read the epilogue and was disappointed the book had to end.
The book won't be to everyone's taste and as she has written in the preface, some of the details are sure to offend some people. No offence taken here. Life is precious - live it.
June 26, 2021
I’ve been really slow at reading books this year, but managed to read this fairly quickly. I enjoyed the unique combination of her interests and lifestyle. It’s definitely not fully relatable, as stories of kids who have always known what they want to do when they’re grown up never feel relatable to me.
I felt like I only learned a little bit about each industry, but not as much as I expected. I thought it would be more of an exposé style with lots of facts and exciting stories, however much of it was still written as more of an overview. The main things I learned were you have to remove pacemakers from a body before cremating them or else there would be a fire/ explosion, and lap dances in Australia have to be given a certain space apart from the person and any touching was illegal.
I found the part about the women who was able to see the ghost of one of the deceased to be pretty fascinating. It made me question more if we have a soul that becomes a ghost are we tied to the place and people we’re buried with? Does it then matter that we are buried with the possessions we need in the afterlife like the Egyptians had done?
I enjoyed reading about her life, but I did want more thorough stories and facts. I wanted more secrets of the industries.
I felt like I only learned a little bit about each industry, but not as much as I expected. I thought it would be more of an exposé style with lots of facts and exciting stories, however much of it was still written as more of an overview. The main things I learned were you have to remove pacemakers from a body before cremating them or else there would be a fire/ explosion, and lap dances in Australia have to be given a certain space apart from the person and any touching was illegal.
I found the part about the women who was able to see the ghost of one of the deceased to be pretty fascinating. It made me question more if we have a soul that becomes a ghost are we tied to the place and people we’re buried with? Does it then matter that we are buried with the possessions we need in the afterlife like the Egyptians had done?
I enjoyed reading about her life, but I did want more thorough stories and facts. I wanted more secrets of the industries.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2021
I love Emma-Jane’s worldview and writing style in this debut memoir. Empathetic, honest, hilarious and heart-warming, the author and her portraits of real-life characters (even the dead ones) are life-affirming. If you can handle a bit of squeamish with your sparkles, a bit of gore with your glitter, you might find yourself, like I did, chuckling and tearing up in near every chapter. Poignant, brave, beautiful, gritty, open, hopeful. Look forward to more from this author.
April 13, 2021
‘I’m not that unusual. There are double lives taking place all around us.’
What makes Ms Holmes’s memoir unusual is the particular double lives she lived. I do not think that too many people combine exotic dancing and work in the funeral industry. Ms Holmes did for a while.
Working in the funeral industry was Ms Holmes’s dream job, an opportunity to provide respectful care for the dead in preparation for their funerals. But when her marriage broke down, mounting bills had her looking for a way to make more money. As Madison, Emma Jane began a career
dancing on stage.
Two essentially taboo industries: death and exotic dancing. I learned quite a bit about both from reading this book. I also realised, as did Ms Holmes, that the two jobs could not be compatible in the longer-term. And so, Ms Holmes made a choice.
Brava, Ms Holmes, for writing about your experiences. I was interested to read about your experiences in the funeral home, about the many and varied aspects of the work involved. While I was less interested in the exotic dance world, I learned a bit about that world as well. I especially enjoyed the candour and humour in this book.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
What makes Ms Holmes’s memoir unusual is the particular double lives she lived. I do not think that too many people combine exotic dancing and work in the funeral industry. Ms Holmes did for a while.
Working in the funeral industry was Ms Holmes’s dream job, an opportunity to provide respectful care for the dead in preparation for their funerals. But when her marriage broke down, mounting bills had her looking for a way to make more money. As Madison, Emma Jane began a career
dancing on stage.
Two essentially taboo industries: death and exotic dancing. I learned quite a bit about both from reading this book. I also realised, as did Ms Holmes, that the two jobs could not be compatible in the longer-term. And so, Ms Holmes made a choice.
Brava, Ms Holmes, for writing about your experiences. I was interested to read about your experiences in the funeral home, about the many and varied aspects of the work involved. While I was less interested in the exotic dance world, I learned a bit about that world as well. I especially enjoyed the candour and humour in this book.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
May 10, 2021
If you're curious about the funeral industry from an insider perspective then this is the book to pick up. I know SO MUCH MORE THAN WHAT I WAS READY FOR ABOUT WHAT DEATH DOES TO THE HUMAN BODY but also... fascinating shit. Just... wasn't prepared for the amount of seeping human juice and bodily gases that I read about. Just. Warning you so you know. Unlike me.
Emma Jane Holmes has an engaging writing style. She's funny and down to earth and you feel like you know her. I did have some issues with how the book was laid out, section one being death and section two being sex, in the sense that it made the flow of the book feel a little jolty. It might have been better as a collection of anecdotes, as it is it felt like a cross between that and a traditional narrative flow. It was a little confusing but didn't really effect my reading experience that much.
It's also an interesting look at a section of the adult entertainment industry, which admittedly I wasn't as interested in as the funeral industry because there seems to be less taboo around memoirs centred on sex workers and the like as opposed to those who work in the end of life industry. Still an interesting read.
Emma Jane Holmes has an engaging writing style. She's funny and down to earth and you feel like you know her. I did have some issues with how the book was laid out, section one being death and section two being sex, in the sense that it made the flow of the book feel a little jolty. It might have been better as a collection of anecdotes, as it is it felt like a cross between that and a traditional narrative flow. It was a little confusing but didn't really effect my reading experience that much.
It's also an interesting look at a section of the adult entertainment industry, which admittedly I wasn't as interested in as the funeral industry because there seems to be less taboo around memoirs centred on sex workers and the like as opposed to those who work in the end of life industry. Still an interesting read.
March 24, 2021
Two careers demystified in one book. I like the matter of factness with which Emma Jane described the work she did - both in the funeral and exotic dancing industries. The fine balance for writing about both to provide enough detail while respecting privacy and confidentiality meant that some experiences with, and stories about, her co-workers came across a bit shallow and made the chapters somewhat disjointed. But once you got used to this style of writing , it was just plain interesting! And lots of good detail about both careers!
April 20, 2021
A good read, interesting perspectives
I found this book an interesting insight to two worlds I would never expect to reach myself. The book flowed nicely
I found this book an interesting insight to two worlds I would never expect to reach myself. The book flowed nicely
March 3, 2023
Loved it. Two lifestyles being lived by one funny quirky lady. She's living my dreams!
June 14, 2025
I really enjoyed this! Easy, fast read!
July 5, 2022
I freaking loved this! Mortician by day, stripper by night. So insightful, mind blowing and curiously benevolent.
April 7, 2021
I found this repetitive and a tad dull, which is surprising, considering the subject matter. It was interesting reading about the processes in the funeral home (which I didn't find disturbing - I view death as a natural thing so none of that bothered me). I found this to be an 'ok' story to pass the time - it was available as an e-book at my local library so I read it during my daily commute. On a positive note, it was nice to read something that matches my philosophy of Memento Mori - remember you will die. It's always a good reminder that everything is temporary, so rather than seeing this as a negative, I see it as a positive reminder to live according to what truly matters to me. As for this stripping, there were no surprises there. Good on her, it sounds like a fun way to make money!
September 6, 2021
Couldn’t put it down!
An easy read! So glad for the epilogue! I was hanging out to know 😆
An easy read! So glad for the epilogue! I was hanging out to know 😆
February 25, 2021
***Warning: confronting, not for the squeamish or easily offended***
I liked the sound of this book, a lady who works in the funeral industry and is a stripper by night. An excellent premise for an interesting book, indeed, and since I know nothing about either job, it appealed to me.
Unfortunately, I nearly gave up reading it, about 20% into it. I appreciated the author's candor when it came to describing people in the stages of decomposition, but even though she tried hard to tell us that it really bothered her that someone was left for so long without being found, the message I got was that she was more bothered about ruining her $300 shoes. There was a flippant kind of vibe in the first third of the book which really grated on me. However, I persevered, and I am glad that I did.
When Emma Jane starts describing how she got into the adult entertainment industry, the book started picking up. This was an interesting world and she talked about it really well. I could imagine the setting, the smells, sights, sounds. This was, hands down, my favourite section of the book. I liked that there were rules around what the girls could and couldn't do and that someone was always looking out for them. I also appreciated the author's honesty about what happened with Amy, the good and the bad, and the fact that the women who worked at the club were sisters, mothers, partners - just women doing a job and should not be looked down upon.
The last third of the book was also interesting. All the different parts that make up the funeral industry was something I hadn't really given much thought to. I do wish, however, that the author used the correct titles for the jobs she was doing. For example, she said herself that it took years of training to become a mortician and that she hadn't done that training, but she described herself as such, which seems a bit arrogant. She was the mortician's assistant, not the mortician.
All in all, this was an interesting read. I think it could have done with a bit more editing, perhaps. Or perhaps, since the author is my daughters age, I am kinda the wrong demographic for it. I mean, I couldn't care less about owning a pair of Louboutins, but then again, I never have, fancy brands and labels don't interest me at all.
Anyway, quite an interesting book, bit of a clumsy execution but it has good bones.
3.5 stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins.
I liked the sound of this book, a lady who works in the funeral industry and is a stripper by night. An excellent premise for an interesting book, indeed, and since I know nothing about either job, it appealed to me.
Unfortunately, I nearly gave up reading it, about 20% into it. I appreciated the author's candor when it came to describing people in the stages of decomposition, but even though she tried hard to tell us that it really bothered her that someone was left for so long without being found, the message I got was that she was more bothered about ruining her $300 shoes. There was a flippant kind of vibe in the first third of the book which really grated on me. However, I persevered, and I am glad that I did.
When Emma Jane starts describing how she got into the adult entertainment industry, the book started picking up. This was an interesting world and she talked about it really well. I could imagine the setting, the smells, sights, sounds. This was, hands down, my favourite section of the book. I liked that there were rules around what the girls could and couldn't do and that someone was always looking out for them. I also appreciated the author's honesty about what happened with Amy, the good and the bad, and the fact that the women who worked at the club were sisters, mothers, partners - just women doing a job and should not be looked down upon.
The last third of the book was also interesting. All the different parts that make up the funeral industry was something I hadn't really given much thought to. I do wish, however, that the author used the correct titles for the jobs she was doing. For example, she said herself that it took years of training to become a mortician and that she hadn't done that training, but she described herself as such, which seems a bit arrogant. She was the mortician's assistant, not the mortician.
All in all, this was an interesting read. I think it could have done with a bit more editing, perhaps. Or perhaps, since the author is my daughters age, I am kinda the wrong demographic for it. I mean, I couldn't care less about owning a pair of Louboutins, but then again, I never have, fancy brands and labels don't interest me at all.
Anyway, quite an interesting book, bit of a clumsy execution but it has good bones.
3.5 stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins.
March 2, 2021
Stripper by night and funeral home/mortician’s assistant by day.
Emma Jane Holmes recounts her life being involved in both of these professions. I’ll be honest there were parts that grated on me, but it could be my interpretation of the way I have read something, rather than the way the author has meant for it to come across.
I applaud her for presenting the idea that the women who work in the adult entertainment industry are like most other women the world over (mothers, sister, girlfriends, wives, etc) and that they are doing a job. This is something I think a lot of people don’t get. I liked how she doled out the actual ins and outs of this profession and it didn’t shy away from things or promote it as a completely glamorous life.
I also liked learning about the Australian funeral industry. I have read a number of books on different aspects of the industry, but always from a foreign experience. I liked her perspective and outlook on death and the profession in general.
Overall, I think people will relate to this book because the idea that you can put your career aspirations before others and not feel bad about it is what most people look for today.
Emma Jane Holmes recounts her life being involved in both of these professions. I’ll be honest there were parts that grated on me, but it could be my interpretation of the way I have read something, rather than the way the author has meant for it to come across.
I applaud her for presenting the idea that the women who work in the adult entertainment industry are like most other women the world over (mothers, sister, girlfriends, wives, etc) and that they are doing a job. This is something I think a lot of people don’t get. I liked how she doled out the actual ins and outs of this profession and it didn’t shy away from things or promote it as a completely glamorous life.
I also liked learning about the Australian funeral industry. I have read a number of books on different aspects of the industry, but always from a foreign experience. I liked her perspective and outlook on death and the profession in general.
Overall, I think people will relate to this book because the idea that you can put your career aspirations before others and not feel bad about it is what most people look for today.
March 16, 2021
I purchased this book as I am a true crime fan so was interested in hearing about the funeral industry. I really liked this book even though at times I was glad it was not me working in the morgue, not sure I could stomach that. But it was very interesting and I really appreciated the authors passion for the people she cared for once they had passed. I thought it was a beautiful tribute to the person with what she did for them to make sure they were ready for their families. I just hope when my time comes there is someone looking after me like Emma Jane! I love the black humour and would have no problem with the staff using that to get through their day, work has to be fun right? Does not mean you are disrespecting the dead.
The adult industry was also interesting to read about even though I am not much of a fan. It was a little insight as to what goes on in the clubs and the preparation they undergo.
I would have liked a bit more detail about both areas in the book as sometimes I felt it was skipped over and I would have liked to know more.
But overall I really liked the book.
The adult industry was also interesting to read about even though I am not much of a fan. It was a little insight as to what goes on in the clubs and the preparation they undergo.
I would have liked a bit more detail about both areas in the book as sometimes I felt it was skipped over and I would have liked to know more.
But overall I really liked the book.
July 17, 2021
Make a cuppa and grab some tim tams, and don't forget the tissues... you are going to need them.
One Last Dance is a brilliant memoir of Emma Jane's childhood dream of being a mortician and a stripper. With her caring, nurturing side caring for the end of life of endless people of all ages, Emma Jane shares so many stories that may bring up your own memories of funerals you may have had experience with. (You may need to have a good cry as I did, about 4 times).
When her car starts to sputter, and dealing with debt collectors due to gifts for her former partner, Emma Jane flirts with adult industry for a little bit before jumping in with both feet. Recollections of envy and friendship of fellow dancers, private dances with several celebrities, and the sudden departure of a bestie, bring out another side of her.
From start to finish you will get swept up in the fascinating world of morticians and strippers.
One Last Dance is a brilliant memoir of Emma Jane's childhood dream of being a mortician and a stripper. With her caring, nurturing side caring for the end of life of endless people of all ages, Emma Jane shares so many stories that may bring up your own memories of funerals you may have had experience with. (You may need to have a good cry as I did, about 4 times).
When her car starts to sputter, and dealing with debt collectors due to gifts for her former partner, Emma Jane flirts with adult industry for a little bit before jumping in with both feet. Recollections of envy and friendship of fellow dancers, private dances with several celebrities, and the sudden departure of a bestie, bring out another side of her.
From start to finish you will get swept up in the fascinating world of morticians and strippers.
August 2, 2022
This is not generally a book I’d pick up the local library or bookshop and think, “hey, I might add this book to my reading list” but I was drawn in by the one line, “my life in mortuary scrubs and g-strings”.
My interests was peaked and I wanted to learn how the world of funeral director/mortician and stripper worlds collided.
I was not disappointed. The book wasn’t glamorised or gory, it was genuine, in parts sad and honest account of two “taboo” professions. I loved reading this book!
Emma is clearly a witty and down to Earth, genuine Aussie chick. Her sarcasm, humour, honesty and love of life is captured beautifully in this book. Such a beautiful and tragic tale and many “lessons” along the way. I definitely learnt a few things about funeral homes and morticians and I have a new appreciation of the work they do and the hours they spend prepping a body.
Spoiler alert- I’m so glad you ended up with “Bryon”. I’d love a sequel! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2022
This is a book that I could not put down, from cover to cover I was entralled, surprised, re-assured that funerals just don't have to be stereotyped as morbid events. Emma Jane Holmes writes in simple language without diverting to writing about readers heads and knowledge. An easy to read book non fiction book, that is definately worth the read. Have two occupations that seeminly are at the opposite ends of the spectrum, Emma Jane ties up the two occupations and makes sense out of life and death in Australia.
If you are looking at reading a book that the topic is considered taboo, then this is the book for you to read. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in seeing what goes on in taboo occupations and enlighten themselves of the real possibilities for your future choices.
Well Done Emma Jayne Holmes for scripting an excellent book. I certainly look forward to reading some of your future projects.
If you are looking at reading a book that the topic is considered taboo, then this is the book for you to read. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in seeing what goes on in taboo occupations and enlighten themselves of the real possibilities for your future choices.
Well Done Emma Jayne Holmes for scripting an excellent book. I certainly look forward to reading some of your future projects.
March 1, 2021
https://denisenewtonwrites.com/?p=2585
One Last Dance: My Life in Mortuary Scrubs and G-strings
Emma Jane Holmes
An oppressed, exploited woman? I don’t think so. And if I was to die tomorrow and find myself in the care of Ms Holmes in her funeral director’s suit, I would be fortunate indeed.
If you read and enjoyed The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein, I’m certain you will be equally intrigued by this insight into two different worlds.
One Last Dance: My Life in Mortuary Scrubs and G-strings
Emma Jane Holmes
An oppressed, exploited woman? I don’t think so. And if I was to die tomorrow and find myself in the care of Ms Holmes in her funeral director’s suit, I would be fortunate indeed.
If you read and enjoyed The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein, I’m certain you will be equally intrigued by this insight into two different worlds.
May 8, 2021
Fascinating insight into the Funeral world. I've never read anything in regards to Funeral Directors etc. Had me totally intrigued and loved reading about the day to day life of a career we never hear much about. Turns out, they are sworn to secrecy through privacy laws, but EJ has broken the code and let us in on the goss and the goings on behind the industry. I do envy the double life she led as an exotic dancer whilst still being career focused and succeeding in the role she was born for. There are certain people who find their niche in life and are fulfilled in their career choices. Written with heart, love and honesty. The stories in this book will remain with me for quite some time. Loved it.
August 2, 2021
3.5 stars
A book written about two (apparent) taboo work places: exotic dancing and life in the industry of death.
I don’t really know how to rate this. I learnt a lot about both areas from this memoir. I liked both Emma Jane (her passion and zest for life, her care and love for those who have passed away) and Madison (her stage name).
The writing style was a bit flat but the topics and characters kept the story interesting. I guess the author was trying to protect and keep confidential some facts and some people …
Do you need to RUSH to read this memoir, no … would I recommend you read it at some stage … yes!
A book written about two (apparent) taboo work places: exotic dancing and life in the industry of death.
I don’t really know how to rate this. I learnt a lot about both areas from this memoir. I liked both Emma Jane (her passion and zest for life, her care and love for those who have passed away) and Madison (her stage name).
The writing style was a bit flat but the topics and characters kept the story interesting. I guess the author was trying to protect and keep confidential some facts and some people …
Do you need to RUSH to read this memoir, no … would I recommend you read it at some stage … yes!
June 27, 2022
Thank you to Hillary at HarperCollins Australia for recommending this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book ... so much so I finished it on my phone & I hate reading on my phone. But I couldn't wait to finish it.
It is a poignant book that reflects on Life and Death. So many lessons to be learned from Death ... in the end we all end up in the same place as equals. Rich, poor, black, white, male, female ... all things are equal in death.
But also so much learned from her time as an adult entertainer ... stripper, exotic dancer. They are not all drugged out and desperate.
Live life to its fullest. Love with all your heart. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
It is a poignant book that reflects on Life and Death. So many lessons to be learned from Death ... in the end we all end up in the same place as equals. Rich, poor, black, white, male, female ... all things are equal in death.
But also so much learned from her time as an adult entertainer ... stripper, exotic dancer. They are not all drugged out and desperate.
Live life to its fullest. Love with all your heart. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
February 27, 2021
Wow what a read! I devoured this memoir by Emma Jane Holmes in one sitting as her life and especially the insight into the mortuary profession was just so interesting!! Warning that if you do get squeamish then some of the content may be quite confronting but it’s definitely worth it as this is a book you definitely want to add to you TBR List! ⚰️👠
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A big thank you to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy to read and review! One Last Dance is available on 3 March! ✨
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A big thank you to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy to read and review! One Last Dance is available on 3 March! ✨
September 11, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I especially loved her attitude to life as a result of working with death, it reminded me of the religions/philosophies I’ve heard advise you should think of death daily in order to appreciate life (Buddhism, Stoicism). This book was just what you want in a memoir a glimpse into a world you would otherwise never see. I’m a little squeamish so there were a couple of bits I had to skim read but other than that I couldn’t put it down! I hope the author is living a very happy life, she seems like a lovely person.
February 7, 2023
The first half of this book was a 2 but the second half a 3. The first half in particular felt like documentation of things that happened but without a narrative to join it together. This improved in the second half with more details of interpersonal relationships providing that thread. Throughout, the author asks us to not discriminate/look down on these professions but fails to explain how she navigated discussions with her own family who clearly had their own perceptions and biases. It just didn’t gel for me.
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