Golden Boy is the story of Thomas Gilbert Jr., a boy from the Upper East Side who grew up handsome and privileged…and deeply troubled. No amount of money, classy upbringing, or advantages presented to him through his social standings could prevent what was to come the day that he shot his father in the back of the head.

This is one of those stories that is so tough to swallow. Most true crime fans have seen and heard some of the most heinous things the world has to offer and there’s a level of desensitization to us. And then there are the stories that are just infuriating. For me, they usually involve children (Lori Vallow comes to mind), but this one hit me hard too.

Tommy had everything handed to him on a silver platter, anything he could’ve wanted. His signs of mental illness were glaring, and yet they were ignored and untreated, despite being able to afford the best doctors in the world. To see someone with so much power and opportunity go unchecked, when they could’ve likely gotten it together is just a hard pill to swallow.

As always, John Glatt does a great job researching and giving readers a full in-depth look at the person behind the crime, how they got to the point of no return, and how it affected everyone around them.

I'm definitely a true crime junkie, and I'm from New York, so I knew I had to read this book about a Manhattan Elite Murder!

I had actually never heard of this murder so it was very informative for me and it was written in a very engaging manner. I was captivated and it was a fascinating murder/trial.

Great book!

John Glatt always writes a story so simply that it makes for a quick and efficient read. While a true story they read fast like fiction. I always enjoy them no matter how difficult the subject matter. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

After reading this book the author does a good job of going back in history or back story. that was very helpful and sis change my opinion somewhat about what happened. He did need help. A very thorough researched book and that made for a really good read.

This book was about Thomas Gilbert Jr. and how he murdered his father. I would have liked it, I'm a huge true crime fan, but it spent an insane amount of time going over how rich they were, and I couldn't take it. I am poor and I felt like my nose was being rubbed in it. 2.5 stars rounded up, unwillingly,

Golden Boy by John Glatt

This is a true crime story about Thomas Gilbert Jr who kills his father. Thomas Gilbert is a boy that grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. He had everything he needed plus some. He was a good looking young man who had a lot of promise in his life with the opportunities he had coming from a family of wealth and means.

The meat of this story is about mental health issues their was no doubt that Tommy killed his father. The reasons splayed out is that he was suffering mental health issues that is why he murdered. I have no doubt that Tommy had mental health issues. It is a defense but a defense that usually looses.

This story is told through the experience in the long drawn out case in court. It is laid out as if a defense attorney was telling the story. It is written to feel empathy and compassion as well as making you look at the system as a whole. I look at the story and the way as it is written as a defense and one that if I was a lawyer would use to get my client a lesser sentence or a mental health institution lock-up.

I am a person who thinks more should be done for mental health but I also think that when you come from privilege that means you have opportunity to get the help you need. I think his family way of dealing with his mental health issues was terrible. I am not doubting Tommy had mental health issues he did but that should not be an excuse to use to get a way from murdering someone. It is not a get out of jail card that should be used. Lots of people have mental health issues they do not kill because of it. I do have empathy and compassion for him and hopefully he will get the mental health he needs in prison.

It was a compelling story and John Glatt did a great job telling the story. If you like true crime stories then I am sure you will enjoy this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a free copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I didn't love this book. All the factual information was there, but halfway through it lost me. The chapters about the trail or lack thereof got boring and redundant. Considering it is based on a true story, I'm not sure how it could have been done differently, but it lacked something.

Thomas Gilbert Jr seemed to have it all. The son of a wealthy hedge fund financier, he grew up in Manhattan with every privilege and advantage imaginable. But unfortunately, this did not lead to the rosy future that such a beginning would suggest. Due to a growing, seemingly intractable mental illness, Gilbert committed a horrific crime and brought heartache and tragedy to his family.
The author spent an exorbitant amount of time describing the Gilbert family’s life of wealth and privilege. He seemed to admire this world of excess to a strange extent. I found some of this Uber-rich behavior almost obscene. You may find this interesting if you’re wanting to immerse yourself in the lifestyles of the rich and famous of New York, but I just kept wishing he’d just get on with the account of what happened. At its heart, this was a human tragedy not related to their lifestyle, and I wish the emphasis had been on that.

The Golden Boy is a true crime story ripped from the New York headlines. Father is a wealthy banker who stops supporting his son financially. Father is soon gunned down by the son. Seems like it would be easy enough to prove motive, but the son's mental health comes into question. Of course, this is where the story gets complicated. I really enjoy true crime reads, and this is one of the best I have read in a long time. Quite a story.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for a free e-book of Golden Boy in exchange for my honest opinion. Definitely recommended!

The Golden Boy: A Murder Among the Manhattan Elite is a 2021 St. Martin’s Press publication.

This is a riveting true crime story about the Thomas Gilbert case that grabbed headlines- especially in the New York area. Thomas Gilbert Sr. a wealthy Manhattan banker was gunned down by his son, Tommy Gilbert Jr. after the Sr. Gilbert cut his son off financially. Sounds cut and dried- open and shut- right?

Well…

Not exactly.

For years, Thomas Gilbert Jr., exhibited signs of mental instability. Just as there is no doubt, he pulled the trigger that killed his father, there is no doubt Thomas suffered from some form of mental illness.

The question then becomes- is he competent to stand trial for murder? Should he be sent to prison, or should he get a proper diagnosis and receive treatment for his illness in an institution?

This is a complex case and although this is the first true crime book I’ve read this year, with many more on my list, I can say with certainty it will be a ‘favorite’ in the true crime category this year- simply because it was so disturbing and complicated.

I struggled with the situation, which ran through my mind constantly, for days after I finished the book.

There is a lot to absorb.

The ‘entitlement’ aspects, the system that failed the affluent in the same way it fails everyone else, the lack of a proper diagnosis, and Gilbert’s obvious decline makes a compelling argument for his defense.

However, for the record, mental illness as a defense is only successful about 25% of the time.

I think Gilbert was troubled. He did need some mental health treatment, and probably could have used a stint in rehab for drug abuse. That he has serious issues is not disputed. Still, at the end of the day- and I realize this is not a popular opinion-

If I were on that jury, I’d have come to the exact same conclusion they did. I’m sure the decision was difficult, and Gilbert's mental health should have been given a great deal of inspection, given serious weight, and I think it was. In the end, though, as hard as it is, as conflicting, and controversial, as the jury’s decision was- I think they got it right, in this case.

I felt so bad for Tommy’s mother, though. What a position she found herself in!! Naturally, as she has lost so much, in such a tragic way, I could understand her feelings.

The author’s goal was to expose a flawed system as much as it was to tell a sensational true crime story. He achieved that goal, and it is certainly something we need to be aware of and seriously consider.

There was a great deal of enabling here, ignorance, and stigma associated with mental illness. All these points are valid, and the system is absolutely flawed- I’m not disputing that- but I’m not convinced Gilbert was in a psychotic break when he killed his father.

That was the part I just could not get past. I’m still thinking, though, that some intervention might have helped Tommy achieve some of the success he struggled to obtain, might have helped him stand on his own two feet, and get the help he needed- which, of course, might have changed the course of his life… but of course, now we’ll never know for sure.

Overall, though, this is an absolutely riveting drama, very thought provoking, and damning. The author did a good job with the book. I tossed and turned a couple of nights mulling over all the various angles of the case, the people involved, and to what extent, if any, Gilbert’s illness played in his crimes. That’s the mark of a job well done.

4 stars

This book pulled back the curtain of a world most of us have never seen: The privileged elite of Manhattan society and their offspring. For the regular Joe, it was hard to understand why parents would continue to financially support an adult child who had every opportunity to support himself. There’s no denying that Tommy Jr was mentally ill, but was he not guilty of murdering his father because of insanity? I’m still undecided after reading this. The book took a very “here are the facts” approach to the courtroom details and less of a storytelling approach. As such it was a bit clinical and became monotonous. Overall, though, an interesting biography.

A fascinating book. The pre-trial portion was well written and researched, but the trial retelling was a bit of struggle to read.

Love John glatt and this one was no exception. Unfortunately due to the repetitive nature of this case, the bulk of the trial scenes were just the judge and lawyer going back and forth about competency. While it would be impossible to make this piece “shorter”, I felt it really slowed down the pace of the story. I liked the beginning and all the background leading up to the crime

I am a big fan of true crime and John Glatt. This story was thorough and told the story of Thomas Gilbert Jr. Tommy led a privileged life; the offspring of wealthy parents. Tommy ran in fast crowds. The most interesting part of the book is about his mental health and whether he could be held mentally responsible for killing his father.

John Glatt has done his research and tells the story of Tommy Gilbert without prejudice. I will read everything that John Glatt writes.

This was a good overview of the crime and its aftermath from archived notes.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

I was vaguely aware of this story. I think I might have googled it at some point and that was part of the reason that I requested it as an arc. This book takes this crime to another level. This is the story of a young man who is deeply disturbed, whose mental state went unchecked and was never properly treated, whose drug use was rampant, and was lost. It took murdering his father in cold blood to try to figure out why. I think privilege plays a big part in this story at least in my opinion. This young man had everything handed to him and still, he fell apart and committed a crime that did not need to happen. Thomas Gilbert, Jr., was adrift. Not interested in the finance business that his father tried to steer him toward. He continued to flounder, but his dad supported him so not much changed by way of his living situation or social life.


This is such an upsetting story, on so many levels, and while I commend the author for his thorough research, I was left questioning so much at the end. This is my type of true crime book though because I went through an entire roller coaster of emotions from start to finish.

Throughly researched and well documented true crime book. Really enjoyed reading this story, as the details made it easy to follow along. The story is so sad though.

I wish true crime authors, when writing about a case that has gone to trial, didn't feel the need to basically cut and paste the transcripts into the book. The first half was a good setup about mental health, wealth and of course, murder but they lost me in the second half when I felt like I was a court reporter left to decipher hours of transcripts alone.

This was such a sad story with no winners, and I'm not sure if justice was served at the end. Could have anything saved Tommy?

The book really had me rethinking mental health in this country and the laws surrounding it. I would definitely recommend picking up this one.

I’ll start with the negative, so we can end in a positive note. There were times where I felt this book was too long with too many details that weren’t necessary.

Otherwise, I was interested by the elements in story and Tommy’s background.