Publisher: Atria/One Signal Publishers

Bad Medicine: Catching New York’s Deadliest Pill Pusher

Charlotte Bismuth
January 19, 2021

The shocking story of New York’s most infamous pill-pushing doctor, written by the prosecutor who brought him down. A chilling tale of corruption and greed, Bad Medicine offers an important look at the role individual doctors play in America’s opioid epidemic. Charlotte Bismuth, the prosecutor who put New York’s most infamous “dirty doctor” behind bars, meticulously recounts the jaw-dropping details of this criminal case that spanned four years, culminating in a landmark trial.

Bad Medicine is a “lively account,” a “vivid first-person narrative,” and “a gripping read tailor-made for the silver screen.”

Kirkus Reviews

Bad Medicine is altogether a personal, emotional, brilliant collection of reporting.”

— Shondaland

A “dramatic true-crime debut,” Bad Medicine “builds tension expertly.” “This gritty page-turner offers a unique perspective on America’s opioid crisis.”

Publishers Weekly

“Told in nonchronological order, Bad Medicine isn’t a stuffy, detached reenactment of the trial. …The greatest strength of the book is the author’s ability to break down the legal jargon of the court system and the prosecution’s evidentiary path to conviction.”

BookPage

“The book is written almost cinematically, moving back and forth between the trial and the action of what happened. Bismuth makes herself a character by describing her struggles with depression following her divorce and the frustrating balance of visitations and being a single mom.”

FangirlNation

Read a Q&A with Charlotte and Jessica about Saved at the Seawall

Testimonial by Charlotte Bismuth

Jessica’s editorial talent is the result of a miraculous combination: intelligence, empathy, organization, deep listening, curiosity, attention to detail, and psychology. Of course, she is also a powerful writer, capable of communicating her feedback with precision, and suggesting line edits that enhance clarity and meaning. As a first-time author, I could not believe my luck: I learned from watching Jessica at work on my manuscript, I learned from reading her suggestions, I felt supported and understood at every agonizing step of the way, and my manuscript emerged improved beyond belief. Jessica saw the whole, understood my vision, knew how to break up and recompose the writing, dug down into the weeds and maintained, through it all, a true professional’s approach to billing and time management. While I would love to know that I could write a book without her, I don’t see why I should want to do that.