Blind Eye

By: James B. Stewart

Narrated by: Boyd Gaines

No one could believe the handsome young doctor might be a serial killer. Wherever he was hired - in Ohio, Illinois, New York, South Dakota - Michael Swango at first seemed the model physician. Then his patients began dying under suspicious circumstances.

At once a gripping read and a hard-hitting look at the inner workings of the American medical system, Blind Eye describes a professional hierarchy in which doctors repeatedly accept the word of fellow physicians over that of nurses, hospital employees, and patients - even as horrible truths begin to emerge. With the prodigious investigative reporting that has defined his Pulitzer Prize-­winning career, James B. Stewart has tracked down survivors, relatives of victims, and shaken coworkers to unearth the evidence that may finally lead to Swango's conviction.

Combining meticulous research with spellbinding prose, Stewart has written a shocking chronicle of a psychopathic doctor and of the medical establishment that chose to turn a blind eye on his criminal activities.

©1999 James B. Stewart (P)1999 Simon and Schuster, Inc.

Great Listen

The narrator was great, the sound mixing was good, and the book was very memorable!

very fascinating book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes - this book is tells such an interesting story about how a serial killer got his start and how he was successful for a number of years. Would love an updated version that tells audiences how the story finally ends.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

It's amazing the number of times the guy was able to get a job without any kind of reference or back ground checks. That was the scariest part!

Any additional comments?

The only thing is that I didn't realize it was abridged. I don't know how much was left out from the original.

The failures

This story is a stark reminder to trust but verify - always! Makes one wonder when (not if) this will happen again and what anxiety that can cause.

Decent story.

Good Narrator. Interesting story but told
In such a detailed manner. It was lost. Would've enjoyed first person view of story

I was in band with Michael

Many years ago I was in band with the subject of Blind Eye, Michael Swango. I remember when things happened in Quincy. It was a strange thing that this cool kid had done. He had made a 180° turn in his personality from the few years after high school.

James Stewart wrote a great story. He went beyond just listing facts and figures. It was truly an interesting book. I highly recommend it to those who like criminal stories.

So interesting

Such an amazing story and can’t believe how he got away with it for so long.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

We’ll start with the two points that ultimately made me give this 4/5 and not 5/5:
1) The narrator’s accents were ridiculous and honestly a little offensive. Just read it man, don’t do a bad rendition of a Zimbabwean accent. His voice he assigned to women when they recounted their experiences kind of gave me the ick too.
2) As someone else mentioned, this seemed abridged. They ended the book with a cliffhanger about if Michael Swango would ever be caught. The book’s original publication date was in January 2000. Swango was formally indicted on murder charges in New York 6 months later. He ultimately plead guilty to 4 counts of murder and is serving life sentences at ADX Florence, a “supermax” prison in Colorado. In my opinion, it would behoove the author to write an epilogue and re-release with the updates. It would put a good bow on top.

As to the positives, it’s hard to capture it with words. The system failed so many people. I was simultaneously dumbstruck and enraged the whole time I listened. I truly couldn’t stop listening and finished it in one sitting. The author really managed to capture the fear of the patients and their families, but also the level of sadism of Michael Swango. I highly recommend this book, just with the caveats above. The rest was phenomenal.

Wow. Unbelievable

Great true crime about a doctor who got away with murder. Will terrify those going to the hospital.

not suprising of the "doctor's club".

it's amazing how many times this dude got away with crimes! Doctors trying to "save face".

Disappointed

The audible version didn’t follow the kindle version, nor sync together.
The story was hard to follow at times since it jumped a lot.