Scan barcode
Reviews
Blind Eye: The Terrifying True Story of a Doctor Who Got Away with Murder by James B. Stewart
goferreads's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.0
This is my first "true crime" book, and I think I will likely read more. Some of it was hard to get through because of how serious and graphic it was. Other bits had more information than I thought was necessary and dragged on too long. That said, overall this was a very interesting and informative book, that relates to my own work. I've had a lot of takeaways, especially from the first part of the book, that inform things I do and decisions I make daily. The anger and unfairness that rides throughout this book gave me great anger and frustration, but I think that's the point. I think more people, especially those in positions of power, need to take the time to read a book like this. It wasn't a fun book, but it was an important book.
nursenell's review
3.0
This is the true story of a M.D. who murdered patients by injecting them with a variety of different drugs, sometimes potassium, which causes the heart to stop. He also was known to use anectine, which causes paralysis so then you can't breathe. He also poisoned people he worked with or knew with arsenic, which he added to food items. What was so amazing was how he went so long without having to pay the price for his crimes. Hospitals didn't want a lot of bad publicity so they tried to keep things quiet, which served the doctor well. I was surprised how, when applying to residency programs, those in charge didn't check the references given.
I wish the book would have gotten more into why this man became a serial killer. I think Ann Rule could write the story better, giving us a better picture of what drove this doctor to the crimes he committed.
I wish the book would have gotten more into why this man became a serial killer. I think Ann Rule could write the story better, giving us a better picture of what drove this doctor to the crimes he committed.
andreareadsalot's review
4.0
A wild story about a murderous doctor and the failure of health care organizations to protect their patients. If you like true crime and non-fiction that reads like fiction, this may be a good fit for you!
Concept: 4/5. This book dives into the life of Michael Swango, a doctor from Quincy, IL with a concerning obsession with death, poison, and violence. Swango goes on to kill an estimated 60 patients by poison throughout his medical career. The reader learns about his motivations and what ultimately led to his capture. This story also dives into the flaws of the medical system and how a convicted felon who poisoned his coworkers was able to secure medical positions at so many different hospitals and continue killing unchecked for so many years. Sexism, racism, and the egos of executives all play a role (see complete list of TW below) in this crazy story.
Structure: 4/5. There are 12 chapters and an epilogue with just over 300 pages of content. The book moves chronologically through the killer’s life and includes a detailed description of each stage of life for the killer. A physical copy of the book has a few pages of pictures half way through. The book ends with notes on sources. My biggest flaw was the reliability of the sources. The reader does not know what information came from which source and what is speculation versus fact. It was difficult to distinguish what actually happened and what was assumed to have happened at many points throughout the story.
Pacing: 4/5. A medium paced book. There is a lot of background into the killer’s life which can read slower at times. It moves at a consistent pace throughout. I would not describe any part as fast paced.
Overall Rating: 4/5. This was a solid 4 star read. I probably wouldn’t read it again but it was a crazy story that started in Illinois and moved across the States and oversees.
Mood: crime, dark, death
TW: descriptive murder, death, poison, alcoholism, emotional abuse, physical abuse, racism, sexism, implied sexual situations
Concept: 4/5. This book dives into the life of Michael Swango, a doctor from Quincy, IL with a concerning obsession with death, poison, and violence. Swango goes on to kill an estimated 60 patients by poison throughout his medical career. The reader learns about his motivations and what ultimately led to his capture. This story also dives into the flaws of the medical system and how a convicted felon who poisoned his coworkers was able to secure medical positions at so many different hospitals and continue killing unchecked for so many years. Sexism, racism, and the egos of executives all play a role (see complete list of TW below) in this crazy story.
Structure: 4/5. There are 12 chapters and an epilogue with just over 300 pages of content. The book moves chronologically through the killer’s life and includes a detailed description of each stage of life for the killer. A physical copy of the book has a few pages of pictures half way through. The book ends with notes on sources. My biggest flaw was the reliability of the sources. The reader does not know what information came from which source and what is speculation versus fact. It was difficult to distinguish what actually happened and what was assumed to have happened at many points throughout the story.
Pacing: 4/5. A medium paced book. There is a lot of background into the killer’s life which can read slower at times. It moves at a consistent pace throughout. I would not describe any part as fast paced.
Overall Rating: 4/5. This was a solid 4 star read. I probably wouldn’t read it again but it was a crazy story that started in Illinois and moved across the States and oversees.
Mood: crime, dark, death
TW: descriptive murder, death, poison, alcoholism, emotional abuse, physical abuse, racism, sexism, implied sexual situations
stormslegacy's review
3.0
Interesting book. I found the beginning to be a bit dragged down in details to the point of being incredibly boring (after a dramatic introduction we are subjected to chapter after chapter on his childhood and how distant the father is etc) but after the story gets towards the crimes it's interesting. I hadn't heard of this serial murderer before reading this book and I find it chilling how the events progressed. I'm amazing at how uninteresting the writing is for the subject, though it is incredibly detailed and well-researched as far as I can tell.
From a story perspective many of the details given are completely irrelevant but I assume many of the people reading true crime want to know every last detail, which you will get here if you are looking for it.
From a story perspective many of the details given are completely irrelevant but I assume many of the people reading true crime want to know every last detail, which you will get here if you are looking for it.
dempseyallison11's review
5.0
This is part of the genre that’s as close as it gets to a hospital administration thriller and I always enjoy being able to have an insider’s point of view (see also: Dr. Death). Interestingly, I learned that a country which many perceive to be “third world” seems to have a better national structure in place for regulating physician employment than we do in the US… which I suppose really shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone.
hollysue22's review
3.0
This book disappointed me. There was a lot of extra info that I didn’t think was necessary to the story. And I also thought that it sucked because you don’t even get to find out if he was found guilty or not. I mean obviously he was but still. On another note I will say that it definitely shed light on how oblivious the medical community can be when it comes to the horrific things that are happening within it. We all think of doctors as so smart and etc and yea they are but at the same time they were so ignorant to be so easily duped by this guy. This story kinda reminded me of the more recent story of Dr. Dunch(sp?) from Dallas. He had everyone fooled too and that was insane As well.
gkerstetter's review
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
I was totally invested in this book from the first couple of pages and I couldn’t but it down for more than a few minutes. Read it all in one day. It is a wonderfully crafted reflection on the American health care system through the lens of a more recent serial killer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Murder, Mental illness, and Medical content
Moderate: Death of parent and Child death
Minor: Drug use and Toxic relationship
kfish24's review
4.0
Chilling read about a serial killer physician who evades the criminal system. I listened to this in one sitting.