An Adventure of a Professional Corpse - The Artificial Honeymoon: He Faked His Death—But the Honeymoon Was Real

James Bronson makes his living by dying.

Again and again, under controlled conditions and for the right price, he allows himself to be declared dead—no pulse, no breath, no sign of life. It is a skill no one else possesses, and one that draws the attention of people who need problems erased cleanly. When a powerful attorney offers him a role in a delicate legal scheme, Bronson agrees, stepping into a new identity and a carefully constructed plan designed to outmaneuver a ruthless courtroom attack.

Everything depends on precision. A false marriage must appear real. A sudden death must look unquestionable. And every witness must believe what they see. But the longer Bronson lives inside the role, the harder it becomes to treat it as just another job. The woman at the center of the scheme is no longer a stranger, and the line between performance and reality begins to blur. When the moment arrives, Bronson must choose whether to disappear as planned or risk everything by stepping out of the role at the worst possible time.

The Artificial Honeymoon is a tense and unusual tale of deception, identity, and the cost of playing a part too well. With its blend of medical curiosity and high-stakes maneuvering, it pulls the listener into a world where death can be staged—but the consequences cannot.

H. Bedford-Jones was one of the most prolific pulp-era storytellers, credited with hundreds of short stories and novels across adventure, historical fiction, and early speculative tales. His work appeared regularly in magazines such as Blue Book, Adventure, and Weird Tales, where he brought fast-paced plots and vivid characters to a wide readership. Though best known for historical adventure, stories like The Artificial Honeymoon reveal his ability to weave unusual scientific ideas into tightly constructed narratives built for maximum suspense.