What a heartbreaking and angering view of the justice system in the US. I actually had to put the book down at one point due to frustration. The fact that this is a true story makes it all the more infuriating.

This is the story of the Other Dr. Gilmer, a man who kills his father and removes his fingers, then returns to work the next day like nothing happened. The current Dr. Gilmer, and author of this book, steps in at the clinic the prior Dr. Gilmer had established and hears stories from patients about what a kind, charming and philanthropic man this supposed murder was.

It further goes on to detail the horrendous "trial" this man got. This wasn't back in the day, this was in 2005. SOMEONE tasked with putting this man behind bars should have noticed something was totally off, and it comes to light that people did but kept it to themselves.

Honestly I was so frustrated with the ending if this had not been on my kindle I would have thrown it across the room. A man's life hangs in the balance and he is going to die a horrid and cruel death because he is suffering from a documented life-altering illness in a cold cell because people kept their original suspicions to themselves. UGH

(4.75*)

Awesome read, definitely worth checking out!!

The Other Dr. Gilmer follows the story of small-town doctor from North Carolina who murdered his father in June of 2004. A few years pass, when a different doctor is hired as a replacement to work at the same location that the man who killed his father once worked.

Not only is it that they are both doctors and have worked at the same facility a coincidence, but also the fact that they have the same last name, Gilmer.

At first, this frightens Benjamin Gilmer; he does not want to share the same last name as this convicted killer, while already having the same profession and workplace/patients. But as time goes on, him being terrified turns into being interested in the other Dr. Gilmer.

The story is so well-written. In chronological order, Benjamin Gilmer does a great job of showing how he spent so much time into researching into this person and coming to the realization of how good of a doctor, man, and person in general he was before the killing. Benjamin takes it upon himself to get to know this man and the “why” he did what he did.

When starting this story, I will say I had no background on the actual story, the killing, this man, nothing, so I did find it really interesting!! I also loved how it was all wrapped up at the end. I will also add that I was definitely caught off guard by how much I learned, not only about the case/story alone, but some medical terminology and deeper details into diagnoses I already knew about being a Psychology major.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange of my review!!

Well-written, eye-opening non-fiction book about a rural doctor and his predecessor and how their lives intertwine in an incredible way…I don’t want to give anything away but know this is not only a murder mystery but also a book about the mental health crisis in our country and our penal system and how they grossly and Inhumanely treat people. The book is a real triumph of the power of just a few people who don’t give up - working together - and staying curious and how that tenacity can do. I flew through this captivating book and know others will too. Great choice for a book discussion group - lots to discuss. Thanks to Random House for the advanced copy. Go read this one. I’m so glad I did.

This is a well written tale of medical mystery, crime, and punishment. Dr, Benjamin Gilmer, like many others, was baffled by the murderous acts of Dr Vince Gllmer, whose clinic he's taken over. He chooses to actively investigate the causes of Gilmer's break after he visits him in prison. A man beset by mental health issues, he's moldering without proper medical care. And then it turns out his condition was much worse than anyone had previously understood. Benjamin Gilmer took on his case as a cause and this documents that quest. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a fascinating read for true crime fans.

This story is about Dr. Benjamin Gilmer starting at a North Carolina clinic right out of residency. He learns that the previous Doctor at the clinic was also named Gilmer- Dr. Vince Gilmer. Dr. Vince Gilmer was by all accounts a good doctor but one day he picked up his schizophrenic father from the hospital he was in and strangled him and chopped all his fingers off. Dr. Benjamin Gilmer fears him but eventually looks further into the story and discovers there was more to it than investigators realized. This true-crime tale eventually becomes a story about standing up for justice for the mentally ill. Without a spoiler, something is wrong with Dr. Vince Gilmer, and it sets Dr. Benjamin Gilmer on a quest to see justice done once and for all. I could not put this book down, it was so good. If you like true crime I recommend it. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Quote: "We're supposed to listen," Dr. Angliker said. "But I have found that often people don't listen to what patients are saying."

A beloved doctor, a gruesome murder, a mysterious illness and the unbelievable social injustice that followed. A "heartbreaking account of how poorly the American prison system treats the mentally ill." The U.S. has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. "Roughly 25% of the world's prison population resides in the U.S. and of that number, over a third (37%) have a history of mental illness." This book opened my eyes to how our prisons, as well as the legal & political professions treat the mentally ill.

If you enjoyed reading Just Mercy, you'll like this book. I highly recommend.

I was gifted this advance copy by NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Dr. Vince Gilmer was a beloved, rural doctor; until one day, seemingly without reason, he murdered his father in cold blood. By some twist of fate, Dr. Benjamin Gilmer takes over the other Dr. Gilmer's practice. So begins THE OTHER DR. GILMER.

This combination of medical mystery, true crime story, and plea for criminal justice reform is ambitious and compelling. I began reading this book as my criminal law class turned to homicide, and it is truly unsettling to read about how the American judicial system fails Dr. Vince in conjunction with learning about how that legal bias against mental illness is codified into the rules that govern criminal law. The system failed Dr. Vince in so many ways, and that is unfortunately how it is meant to function.

This is the sort of book that I hope appears on law school syllabi going forward. Dr. Gilmer's dogged search for a diagnosis and for justice, is the precise kind of compassion we should all hope to receive from our physicians. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I couldn't put this true crime book down. It took turns I wasn't expecting - fans of Just Mercy would really enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.

This was an amazing story which held me captive as I read. Dr. Vince Gilmer is a doctor very loved by his small rural community. One day, seemingly for no reason, he takes his father out, strangles him and cuts off his fingers. A replacement doctor is hired, Dr Benjamin Gilmer, who is not related to the other Dr Gilmer. As Benjamin learns more of the story, he becomes fascinated with what could be the reason for the murder. He visits Dr. Vince in prison and learns more about the man. Fascinating!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The synopsis sounded interesting so I requested The Other Dr. Gilmer by Benjamin Gilmer. The book held my attention and was a fascinating story about how dysfunctional our penal system is in the United States. It reminded me of Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy and The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton. The difference with this book though, was that it was clear B. Gilmer isn't a professional writer. I would recommend the book to true crime fans, but some descriptions in the story, particularly about abuse, left me queasy. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my opinions.

A riveting book—the reason I picked up an ARC was because it reminded me of the title The Other Wes Moore, but this book is different.

A doctor takes a job in the mountains of North Carolina (which interested me), only to find out his predecessor was also Dr. Gilmer, except he killed his father and was sent to prison. As time goes on, we learn more about this convicted man, and how everything isn’t as it seems…

Hard to put down, I enjoyed it.

I must be the last to have heard about this story, but as the saying goes, “Last but not least.” I hope this review will be meaningful to you.

This is a gripping debut memoir about, as you might have guessed, two Dr. Gilbers. One is in prison and the other is taking over the prisoner’s former medical practice. As the story progresses Dr. Gilbert who takes over the practice is taken on a wild rollercoaster ride of emotions as he learns more and more about his predecessor.

But after his initial concerns, he slowly beings to wonder what exactly happened to land the former doctor in prison.

This memoir was quite interesting and held my attention to the last page. It’s a topic with a little different twist, but one that we all should be aware of.

My Concerns
At one point I thought the emotional reactions from the current doctor were a bit over-the-top. But the more I thought about it, we all react differently to various situations.

Final Thoughts
Not only will this book hold your attention, I think the unique topic will too. Sometimes after reading a book like this I ask myself if I’m too complacent regarding social issues. My answer is always the same, Don’t assume you have to tear the pavement up waving a sign, Debbie. Write letters to the right people. Who knows what even one might mean. (Bear in mind, this book isn't soliciting action of any kind, this is my question to myself.)

Have I raised your curiosity? Read the book. And don’t read reviews with spoiler alerts. I’m an odd one who often only knows the genre of a book because, for me, even the synopsis can tell too much about it.

Thumbs up. A must-read memoir.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ability to read an eARC and review this before publication. I was free to honestly record my opinion.

Dr. Benjamin Gilmer's compassion and empathy for his patients and the other Dr. Gilmer really shine bright in this title, about a doctor who takes over the rural practice of a man who happens to share his surname and who also happened to have murdered his own father. It's no surprise that he becomes curious about the other Dr. Gilmer's case, especially when all his patients can talk about is what a great man and doctor he was. The author soon discovers that there is a lot more to the killing than local police would like him to believe. Sarah Koenig produced a piece on This American Life about this case that was just recently re-aired if you'd like an introduction, though if you want to avoid spoilers I'd advise against it. This is a medical mystery and a legal thriller both, with a character study along the way. If you enjoyed Just Mercy this is another great read in a similar vein.

If you’re a massive true crime fan, you probably know this story. I used to consume a lot of true crime content but somehow completely missed this case and I would definitely recommend going in blind. I didn’t do any research or read other reviews before starting this book, and I ended up staying up all night to finish it; despite it being non-fiction, I had to know what happened next.

The Other Dr. Gilmer is the story of a doctor who starts working in a small, rural clinic. The other doctor Gilmer, the one being replaced, is currently in prison, serving a life sentence for killing his own father. The murder shocked the small community - it seemingly came out of nowhere, and because the doctor was so beloved, many people felt there was something wrong with this case, something that wasn’t adding up. Benjamin, the new doctor, becomes obsessed with his predecessor, but when he hears a rumor that doctor Gilmer might be getting out, he has to decide if he can face the murderer and risk his family’s safety. What follows is a captivating and heart-wrenching story about abuse, mental health, incarceration, and making your own family. It made me cry several times and enforced some of my opinions about the prison system and how difficult it is to find help in a mental health crisis.

Overall, The Other Dr. Gilmer is
easily one of the best non-fiction books I’ve ever read and should be mandatory reading for anyone interested in healing crime.

This is a true-crime as well as a biography. Dr.Benjamin Gilmer became a doctor later in life than most. And he has accepted a job at a clinic in rural North Carolina. Cane Creek Clinic serves an area of the poorest of the poor. He also is replacing another doctor who just happens to have had the same surname. Only this Dr. Gilmer is in prison for murdering his own father.

Benjamin is somewhat obsessed with the story and how and why a doctor would suddenly do something so outside of his beliefs. Is he mentally ill? Was there past abuse? As he listens to the staff and patients tell him about the former doctor, Benjamin becomes convinced that Dr. Gilmer had been going through withdrawals from an anti-depressant. An SSRI. Dr. Gilmer himself had complained that his brain wasn’t working right, but still, they sent him to prison.

Benjamin meets This American Life journalist Sarah Koenig and together they work relentlessly to get the man out of prison. But the prison system isn’t in the business of caring about your mental status. So they are just beating their heads against a wall of politics and ignorance. This country obviously needs reform in our mental health system and our prison system.

This was a story that I did know about. And I admire the good doctor for giving it his all for so long. One thing I did not understand was how he earned a living while doing all of this work. It didn’t seem as if he was at work a lot and his small family was barely hanging on financially. I wish that had been addressed.

NetGalley/ March 1st, 2022 by Ballantine Books

Looking at the title, I was a little intrigued. But I wasn’t too sure I wanted to read it.

Boy am I glad I did! I found the story to be riveting and eventually just gave in and stayed up the entire night to finish it!

I was touched by the determination of “the other Dr. Gilmer” to help sort out so many of the rumors and stories that had circulated regarding this true story. His determination to help someone he didn’t even know, but shared a last name with, was truly inspiring. I realize it overtook his life from time to time, but what a great example of seeing someone believing in you with nothing expected in return for their work.

I would recommend reading this book if you like true stories and if you like seeing great examples of kindness and decency shown to people without any strings attached. I laughed, I cried and I found myself wanting to meet the author and the older Dr. Gilmer as well.

Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley with no expectations in return. The opinions and comments above are my own.

This title reminds the reader that Dr.'s are true detectives. Young Dr. Gilmer is excited to begin a career as a physician. He accepts a position at a small clinic, where the shadow of his predecessor is heavy. The first Dr. Gilmer, also a co-founder of the clinic, was known as caring dr. always determined to serve his community and patients. But one day, Dr. Gilmer suddenly murdered his father. Even with the first Dr. Gilmer in tried, convicted, and in prison, his old patients remember him fondly. Thus begins the current Dr. Gilmer's journey to discover what actually happened.

An interesting read.

The Other Dr. Gilmore tells the story of a wise physician who appeared normal but was dealing with an unknown illness disguised as mental illness. When a new and unrelated Dr. Gilmer sows up to take the place of the original Dr. Gilmer he was told the stories of the first doctor. After hearing the stories he had doubts that the patients would ever accept him and even more doubts that he could live up to his predecessor. Then he begins to receive threats and knows he must meet the first Dr. Gilmer. Thus begins his friendship and the desire to discover the correct diagnosis and end the speculation about what happened to the first Dr. Gilmore. A story of true compassion and the inability to accept an incorrect diagnosis.

This one turned out to be what I was not expecting. I had not seen the undertones of political socialism advantages and the Obama care issues coming. Once we hit that plateau the book lost some of its credibility. I appreciate the research put into the story but this one was just not for me. I am sure it will appeal to the intended audience though.
Being married to a police investigator I am sure, swayed my opinion on this one. In this broken world of allowing the evil free for political gain, the concepts of this author are hard for me to envision.
Received an ARC from Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for my unbiased review – This one comes in with 3 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Other Dr. Gilmer by Benjamin Gilmer.

If you are a true crime fanatic like me, you've probably heard of this case. Dr. Benjamin Gilmer has just started his new job as a general physician for a small practice, tucked away in the Appalachians. But what seems like a quaint, family friendly practice turns out to have a terrifying history. The doctor who worked before him is now in jail for brutally murdering his father. And even crazier, his name was also Dr. Gilmer, no relation!

This is a true story covered in podcasts and documentaries about how the practicing Dr. Gilmer works exhaustively to get to the bottom of why this incarcerated doc, so beloved by his community, would do something so violent. He also works to expose and repair some of the brokenness in our prison systems, and how it fails nontraditional criminals.

I don't want to give anything away, but this was a very interesting read, with great research and storytelling.