The Surgeon's Wife

By Kieran Crowley

Book Overview

In the summer of 1985, in his exclusive Upper East Side Manhattan apartment, Robert Bierenbaum, a prominent surgeon and certified genius, strangled his wife Gail to death. He then drove her body to an airstrip in Caldwell, N.J., and dumped it into the Atlantic Ocean from a single-engine private plane. The next day he reported her missing. Gail's parents had been thrilled to learn she was marrying Robert Bierenbaum. He seemed to be the perfect match for their daughter. he was from a well-to-do family, a medical student who spoke five languages fluently, a skier, and he even flew an airplane. But Gail would come to learn of her husband's dark side. On one occasion when Robert had tried to choke Gail because he caught her smoking, she filed a police report. She also alleged that he tried to kill her cat because he was jealous of it. For year, her sister pleaded with Gail to run for her life. Even her therapist warned his vulnerable patient that she could eventually die at the hands of the man she married. Fifteen years after this unspeakable, unfathomable crime, a jury found Robert Bierenbaum guilty of murder--and stripped the mask off of this privileged professional to reveal a monster.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312976410
• ISBN13: 9780312976415
• Release Date: September 2001
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.47 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

I am a true crime junkie. This book was well written and for the most part kept my interest. Three

Good pictures. A good read for a true crime fan.

A different angle on true crime writing

Crowley takes an unusual tack for a true crime writer here -- he paints the victim as a VERY difficult person, and both the victim and the killer as psychologically unstable. Other reviewers here seem to think that makes the story unbiased; I'm not sure I agree, but it's certainly a lot less black-and-white than the typical Ann Rule account. I have to agree with what other posters are saying about not feeling as if we have all the facts & wondering if justice was carried out here, but IMO that was the author's point. I think there must have been a dearth of information about the case when Crowley was writing about it. Like another poster I would have liked more background information on these two people to get some idea of how they turned out this way. But overall I recommend it; the widely copied Ann Rule formula is not the only way to tell a story like this -- I liked this approach & would be very interested to read Crowley's next book, esp. if he can hone his story a bit.

Just fabulous!!

There are few books I can ever really be gripped by. I couldn't put The Surgeon's Wife down! The best part of the story was the way in which it was told; entirely unbiased. Crowley doesn't just tell a story; you become involved. He unfolds all the peices of the puzzle but never really puts them together for you; you have to do it. At the end during the trial, I felt I was really a part of the jury. I was provided with the facts, and at the same time had to decifer what I knew and what the jury was shown. Do you think you could have made a fair decision with the evidence that was presented to the jury?? It's rare to come across a story that is entertaining and yet invites the reader to participate. If you were a juror, how would you vote? Another aspect that was intriguing is the admission of the evidence. It gave a real account of how the the justice system protects the innocent...or not so innocent. In the end, I think the jury could see through any "coincidences" presented by the defense and made the right and true decision. It really tugs at your moral insides. Wonderful read!!

Conviction on circumstantial evidence

The Surgeon's Wife is an interesting case about domestic violence and murder. Crowley skillfully shows how tricky getting a murder conviction can be, especially when there is no body! Falsified flight documents, testimony by therapists, and tales of vicious fights told by friends, neighbors and angry ex-lovers help to bring a guilty verdict against Dr. Bob Bierenbaum, 15 years after he killed his wife, Gail. He had fooled many people, but was not cunning enough to evade the law or the jealous, violent side of his personality. Bierenbaum almost got away with murder. He had moved from Manhattan, remarried and was the father of a child when investigators finally get enough evidence to make an arrest. Doctor-patient privacy privelage is one of the highlights of the trial. Truly an intriguing story and a great read.

THANK YOU

I would like to thank all my readers for making THE SURGEON'S WIFE a New York Times bestseller. I greatly appreciate your interest. Take care.

Fascinating!

Crowley is a master storyteller. He brings the facts to life in this chilling true life murder mystery. A must read!