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The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder Paperback – Sept. 20 2022

by Charles Graeber (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 4,098 ratings
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The mesmerizing basis of the movie starring Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain⁠—a “stunning book...that should and does bring to mind In Cold Blood”—takes you inside the mind of America's most prolific serial killer, whose 16-year long "nursing" career left as many as 400 dead. (New York Times)   
 
Edgar Award Nomination, Mystery Writers of America
 
BBC (Top Ten Books of the Year)
 
“The best books I read this year” (top ten books, EW)
—Stephen King
 
“The Best Journalism of the Year.".
—The Daily Beast
 
“The most terrifying book published this year. It is also one of the most thoughtful...call it literary true crime...”
—Kirkus Reviews ("Best Books of the year")
 
After his December 2003 arrest, registered nurse Charlie Cullen was quickly dubbed "The Angel of Death" by the media. But Cullen was no mercy killer, nor was he a simple monster. He was a favorite son, a husband and beloved father, a best friend and a celebrated caregiver. Implicated in the deaths of as perhaps as many as 400 patients, he was also perhaps the most prolific serial killer in American history.
        When, in March of 2006, Charles Cullen was marched from his final sentencing in an Allentown, Pennsylvania, courthouse into a waiting police van, it seemed certain that the chilling secrets of his life, career, and capture would disappear with him. Now, in a riveting piece of investigative journalism nearly ten years in the making, Charles Graeber gives us the unbelievable true story.
        Based on hundreds of pages of previously unseen police records, wire-tap recordings and videotapes and interviews with whistleblowers and confidential informants, and years of exclusive jailhouse conversations with Cullen himself, the homicide detectives who worked against the clock and administrators to try and finally crack the code on Cullen’s crimes, and Cullen’s fellow nurse Amy, an overworked single mom asked to choose between protecting her friend Charlie and stopping a potential serial killer, The Good Nurse weaves an urgent and terrifying tale of madness, humanity and heroism. 
        Cullen's murderous career in the world's most trusted profession spanned sixteen years and nine hospitals. Time and again he was fired or allowed to resign. But Cullen continued to work and kill, shielded by a hospital system that, by accident or design, successfully protected the institution while failing to protect patients. THE GOOD NURSE is a searing indictment of a crushing and dehumanizing for-profit medical system, and an inspiring human story of the previously unknown individuals who chose to risk their jobs and lives to do the right thing. Mesmerizing and irresistibly paced, this book will make you look at hospitals and the people who work in them in an entirely different way.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    432 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    Sept. 20 2022
  4. Dimensions
    13.34 x 3.68 x 20.32 cm
  5. ISBN-10
    1538743256
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1538743256
  7. See all details
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Review

"Put this one on the shelf next to Ann Rule's classic about Ted Bundy, The Stranger Beside Me - it's that good. Grade: A"―Entertainment Weekly

"A stunning book...that should and does bring to mind In Cold Blood....the story appeals to prurient interests, as does any graphic tale of true crime. But THE GOOD NURSE succeeds in being about much more than Mr. Cullen's murderous kinks. The causes of his pathology are not interesting. But the eagerness of ambitious hospital administrators to cover up his misdeeds is revelatory. And the police investigation that brought him down is a thriller in every sense of that word."―Janet Maslin, New York Times

"The most terrifying book published this year. It is also one of the most thoughtful.... From a long series of conversations with Cullen, the detectives who solved the case and Amy, a nurse who once was Cullen's best friend and eventually got him to confess, among many other sources, Graeber has crafted a book that is a revelation. THE GOOD NURSE is gripping, sad, suspenseful, rhythmic and beautifully documented (the endnotes to this book are impressive)."―Kirkus Reviews

"Graeber doesn't pull punches... A deeply unsettling addition to the true crime genre."―Publishers Weekly

"Riveting"―People

"A standout true-crime book, one that doubles as both a thrilling horror story and a cautionary tale, and frightens and frustrates in equal measure."―The Boston Globe

"Absolutely frightening."―The Detroit News

"Alarming"―CNN.com

"The story is consistently incredible, but credit it you must, for it is the truth... I couldn't put this book down."―PopMatters

"Fascinating and frightening... A scary page turner about one man's quiet reign of terror, those dedicated and brave enough to end it, and the dangers that can lurk in the places we may feel safest. "―BookReporter

"A very scary book. It will reach out and grab you and not let you go. You will forgo food, talking, work, anything just to get to the climactic moment of this true crime story."―Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Engrossing...hard-to-put-down.. On one level, The Good Nurse is an absorbing story of a serial killer operating within the walls of what most view as a trusted institution. On another, it's an intriguing detective story. And on another it's an indictment of the hospital industry."―The New Jersey Star-Ledger

"A literary thriller with legs... Meticulously crafted... a book that demonstrates the transportive power of literary journalism while simultaneously helping to restore its credibility."―The Brooklyn Rail

"A remarkable new book...gripping and brilliantly written."―Healthcare Risk Management Review

"A gripping look into a killer's mind...THE GOOD NURSE is as suspenseful as any crime novel."―Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

About the Author

Charles Graeber has been honored with an Overseas Press Club award for Outstanding International Journalism, an Edgar nomination, and a citation of merit by the British Medical Association. He has contributed to publications including The New Yorker, New York Magazine, GQ, Bloomberg Businessweek, Vogue, The Cambodia Daily, The Phnom Penh Post, The Budapest Sun, The Nantucket Beacon, MIT Technology Review and The New York Times, and been anthologized in The Best American Crime Writing, The Best American Science Writing, The Best American Business Writing, The Best of 10 Years of National Geographic Adventure, The Best of 20 years of Wired and other collections. Born in Iowa, he now lives closer to saltwater. 

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Twelve; Media tie-in edition (Sept. 20 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1538743256
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1538743256
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 340 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.34 x 3.68 x 20.32 cm
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 4,098 ratings

About the author

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Charles Graeber

Charles Graeber

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Charles Graeber is an award-winning journalist, documentary producer, and New York Times bestselling author of "THE GOOD NURSE", and "THE BREAKTHROUGH: Immunotherapy and the Race to Cure Cancer".

His writing has appeared in anthologies such as The Best American Crime Writing, The Best American Science Writing, The Best American Business Writing, The Best of National Geographic Adventure, The Best of 20 years of Wired and The Best American Magazine Writing. Honors include an Overseas Press Club Award for Outstanding International Journalism, a New York Press Club prize, an American Poet's Prize (2nd pl), an Edgar Award nomination, a British Medical Association Citation of Excellence, an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation fellowship, and a fancy blue ribbon from the Nantucket Sandcastle Competition.

"The Good Nurse" was the result of nearly a decade of work and exclusive access. The book was adapted for film starring Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain, and the basis of a documentary, "Capturing the Killer Nurse". Born in Iowa, Graeber now lives closer to seawater.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
4,098 global ratings

Top reviews from Canada

Marilyn Hebert
5.0 out of 5 stars Book
Reviewed in Canada on February 16, 2024
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Wonderful read!!
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Diana Rose
4.0 out of 5 stars Horrific/Shocking Story
Reviewed in Canada on March 12, 2014
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Being a nurse myself is the reason I decided to initially purchase this book and get the full story on how another nurse could possibly commit such horrific crimes. The most terrifying thought is that this murderer is not your stereotypical "crazy looking" serial killer yet this was a intelligent professional whom society trusted their lives with! The story itself was shocking which prevented me from putting the book down to find out more on what this man was capable of!
The author did the best he could to get accountable information from multiple sources to get different views of the stories. Yet, one criticism is that there were parts of the book that become dull due to long-winded court case facts and dialogue of investigators which is why I rated it a 4.
Yet overall a great read which I recommended to my nurse colleagues!
5 people found this helpful
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Stacey
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Canada on January 30, 2017
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I love true stories. This one is a must read. Gives so much information that few know about this story. Can't believe he killed so many people for so long. Just unimaginable
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Bruce
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in Canada on November 17, 2023
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The book was well written & made for a riveting read. I did not know any details about the subject, just seen the title on Netflix so I wanted to read the book first.
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Brook
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a read
Reviewed in Canada on October 16, 2013
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This book is a far cry from a who done it... more of a why done it. The 2distinct parts of the book give different yet valuable insights into the case. I found it depressing and fascinating at the same time... and the first part harder to read than the second. Enjoy.
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Megan C Bixby
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating but devastating
Reviewed in Canada on February 19, 2019
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unbelievably dreadful, but couldn’t put it down. I, myself, am a nurse and I found this book fascinating and devastating.
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Charlebois
5.0 out of 5 stars Portrait of a serial killer
Reviewed in Canada on June 2, 2013
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Not about the average serial killer, this book is about a strange man who is a nurse and a murderer. The author has conducted extensive interviews with the murderer as well as with people who worked with him and the detectives who finally were able to gather the evidence to convict him. Very well written, it kept me engaged throughout the book.
2 people found this helpful
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cee pearson
4.0 out of 5 stars Love a good nurse
Reviewed in Canada on September 24, 2013
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I enjoyed the book, just goes to show how a nurse is in a privilege place to care for the most vulnerable. I was surprise though how long it took to have this guy discovered, I don't think this could happen in 2013. Being in the health field myself there are so many checks to see that the right medication is given to the right patient, he prepared medications and others nurses would give it, they did not follow what they learn in Nursing School, NEVER ADMINISTER MEDICATIONS THAT YOU HAVE NOT PREPARE YOURSELF.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Susan M. Baumann
5.0 out of 5 stars An Intelligent and Frightening Read
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2022
Verified Purchase
Graeber’s book is meticulously researched.
It’s a compelling and terrifying read that is an alarming and cautionary tale about how evil can exist unchecked in plain sight in multiple hospitals and several states over a span of nearly two decades, wherever Charles Cullen was employed. Cullen was a seemingly dedicated nurse with experience in burn care, critical care and other specialties. He was initially amiable and willing to take on tedious tasks and extra shifts, always early, skilled and efficient. But as time progressed, a disturbing pattern emerged. Colleagues and supervisors began to notice odd, inexplicable behavior, missing drugs, medication mistakes and patient fatalities that could not be explained. Cullen would be monitored and sometimes terminated, but he would most often just bounce to another hospital, as his conduct and suspicious activities would not follow him on his references, only the verification of employment by his previous employer. Eventually, Cullen’s diabolical deeds are found and a former colleague agrees to go undercover for law enforcement, in an effort to catch Cullen and secure a murder confession.
While reading the book, I was struck by several things. First, by the unabashed darkness that permeated Cullen. He relished injecting patients with drugs that could produce detrimental and fatal outcomes with their medical conditions and physiologies. He was detached and indifferent, but he waited to see who would die, as if playing a macabre game of roulette, all the while hiding his actions, which gave him an additional rush and sense of power. It’s utterly incomprehensible. We expect compassion and safety in a medical environment or facility. Yet, we know evil does exist. Perhaps it’s somehow worse because it occurs in a place where we least expect it. Secondly, the scope of Cullen’s crimes is staggering. Hundreds of deaths are suspected. Lastly, I’m equally stunned by the fact that some of the medical personnel seemed willing to turn a blind eye to Cullen’s deviousness, and those who seemed more concerned about protecting the hospital and stonewalling the criminal investigation. It’s impossible to read the book and not look at a hospital stay with perhaps some trepidation. I truly believe that the vast majority of nurses and hospitals sincerely want to help their patients and would never intentionally harm, as Cullen did. Unfortunately, there are some people in society with criminal intent, and subsequently, that dark impulse can exist in whatever area of life that person chooses, be it a profession or personal endeavor.
Graeber’s book is an intelligent, gripping read that reads like a fictional, medical thriller, made all the more frightening because it’s actually true. It shines a necessary light on the crucial importance of medical safeguards and stringent policies to protect patients from threat and harm. The book also shines a light on the hidden strand of darkness that can exist within some individuals, and it’s imperative that we remain more vigilant and aware of the people in our lives.
47 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2023
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Very well written and reads like a detective novel,was gripped from start to finish, thoroughly enjoyed this book, would recommend
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Ranjit
5.0 out of 5 stars Well researched
Reviewed in India on November 24, 2022
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The narrative is a result of exclusive interviews with the convict as claimed by the author.
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David Malcomess
5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed, fast paced, at times gruesome
Reviewed in Australia on November 5, 2022
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I loved reading the many and varied meds Charlie used to kill his victims. The one which stuck with me was when he poisoned and killed a patient using vecuronium bromide, a paralytic. I found Charlie’s rationale for homicide just as interesting, that his employers were really culpable for not properly reporting and for hiring him and that Catholic hospitals like St Luke’s and St Barnabas deserved it the most.
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Héctor
3.0 out of 5 stars Lectura para pasar el rato
Reviewed in Spain on July 15, 2016
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Me esperaba un libro más basado en las investigaciones de la policía que en las vivencias del asesino, que es en lo que se basa este libro. No esta mal para pasar el rato pero si buscas una novela policiaca, no es esta.
One person found this helpful
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