The Lobotomist's Wife cover art

The Lobotomist's Wife

A Novel

Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Lobotomist's Wife

By: Samantha Greene Woodruff
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £14.67

Buy Now for £14.67

About this listen

An enthralling historical novel of a compassionate and relentless woman, a cutting-edge breakthrough in psychiatry, and a nightmare in the making.

Since her brother took his life after WWI, Ruth Emeraldine has had one goal: to help those suffering from mental illness. Then she falls in love with charismatic Robert Apter - a brilliant doctor championing a radical new treatment, the lobotomy. Ruth believes in it as a miracle treatment and in Robert as its genius pioneer. But as her husband spirals into deluded megalomania, Ruth can’t ignore her growing suspicions. Robert is operating on patients recklessly, often with horrific results. And a vulnerable young mother, Margaret Baxter, is poised to be his next victim.

Margaret can barely get out of bed, let alone care for her infant. When Dr. Apter diagnoses her with the baby blues and proposes a lobotomy, she believes the procedure is her only hope. Only Ruth can save her - and scores of others - from the harrowing consequences of Robert’s ambitions.

Inspired by a shocking chapter in medical history, The Lobotomist’s Wife is a galvanizing novel of a woman fighting against the most grievous odds, of ego, and of the best intentions gone horribly awry.

©2022 Samantha Greene Woodruff. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Psychological Fiction Marriage Mental Health

Critic reviews

“Inspired by a genuinely shocking and quite real chapter in American medical history…a compelling and deftly written novel of a woman fighting against the most grievous odds, of ego, and of the best medical intentions gone horribly awry. …vividly and effectively narrated by Cassandra Campbell.”Midwest Book Review

“Dramatic and compelling…”—Historical Novel Society

“Samantha’s fictionalized novel sheds light on the real-life atrocities endured by so many during a time when maladies of the mind were so misunderstood. The focus placed on mental illness in The Lobotomist’s Wife certainly make it a timely read due to the attention placed on this topic since the beginning of the pandemic. This historically-inspired story allows readers to see the progress made in the treatment of mental illness through the years.”Hope Magazine

All stars
Most relevant
Boring. Seemed to drag on and on. I wanted more than just an account of history

Informative

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.