In her book "Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime," Val McDermid discusses Michel de Montaigne's perspective on death, highlighting his belief that to diminish death's power over us, we should confront it regularly. Montaigne suggests that by familiarizing ourselves with the concept of death, we can strip it of its terrifying strangeness. This approach allows us to acknowledge death's inevitability and integrate it into our lives instead of fearing it.

Montaigne's philosophy encourages readers to reflect on mortality not as a distant event, but as a part of existence that warrants our attention. By making death a common focus of contemplation, we can cultivate acceptance and resilience in the face of life's ultimate end, making it a less daunting aspect of the human experience.