A review by yetanothersusan
Bad Medicine: Catching New York's Deadliest Pill Pusher by Charlotte Bismuth

3.0

This was not a firecracker of a book nor a page-turning true detective story. Well, it was a true story. That part was correct. As for the rest, the book doesn't live up to that hype. It does tell an incredibly detailed account of how a doctor was brought to trial for overprescribing opioids and other medications and committing Medicare fraud. I was really surprised how shocked the author was about either of these situations. Both seem to be in the news with much frequency. Perhaps it wasn't as well publicized when she began prosecuting this case? How long have I needed to show ID to buy over the counter Sudafed? The book at its foundation was well written and interesting. But, I struggled with the continually bouncing timelines. That made it difficult to connect the pieces. The other thing that was a draw back for me was the inclusion of Ms. Bismuth's personal life. At first I couldn't decide if it was there to provide a mental break from all the medical and legal talk or if it was just distracting. By the end of the book I determined it was the later. These intrusions kept the book from being the taut drama promised.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.