The Doctor Broad

by Barbara H. Roberts

There are people in the know who say that Barbara Roberts, MD caused the downfall of the New England Mafia. She did this, not by killing someone, or sending someone to jail, but by keeping someone alive, and out of prison, for about a year too long. During this time, Dr. Roberts navigated life in two separate worlds. In the "straight" world, she was a single mother of three, the first woman to practice adult cardiology in Rhode Island, and an active feminist. In the other world she was the physician whose testimony prevented Raymond L. S. Patriarca, the head of the New England Mafia, from having to go to trial, and the secret lover of the alleged #3 man in the New England Mafia, Louis "Baby Shanks" Manocchio.

Advance Praise
"Barbara’s a heart breaker and a rule breaker. From her strict Catholic upbringing to fighting for her place at an elite medical school to standing alongside Gloria Steinem fighting for women’s rights and taking to the streets to fight against the Vietnam War. Her FBI file may only be matched by the men whose lives she would come to save, and whose secrets she would come to keep, as the cardiologist to the head of the New England Mafia. This book has it all so take a life lesson from The Doctor Broad."----Marc Smerling, Emmy Award winner, Outstanding Documentary Series for HBO’s The Jinx, co-producer of hit podcast, Crimetown

"From good Catholic girl to football star’s wife, from heart doctor to national abortion rights activist, from women’s libber to Mafia doctor and mistress, Barbara Roberts has led an improbable life. Roberts takes the reader on a wild ride through her colliding worlds, as The Doctor Broad battles to survive and succeed in a man’s world." ---- Mike Stanton, Pulitzer Prize-winner and author of the New York Times bestseller The Prince of Providence and Unbeaten: Rocky Marciano’s Fight for Perfection in a Crooked World

"Barbara's latest work takes a down and dirty ride through the secretive world of organized crime in the 1980's. Having just finished "VAULT," a film about a mob robbery set in the same city and era, (Providence, Rhode Island, New England's Wild West) I place this book on the must read list!" ---- Tom DeNucci, Filmmaker, Screenwriter, Actor and Director

"I applaud Barbara’s courage in stripping herself bare for the reader. This page-turner of a story will keep you on the edge of your seat, and will teach you valuable lessons about confronting controversy and adversity." ---- Georgia Durante, author of The Company She Keeps

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

268 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2019

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Barbara Roberts, a 36 yr old single mother of 3 children, was the 1st female cardiologist to practice in Rhode Island.
This is her story.
The former Catholic schoolgirl from a strict working class family, becomes the physician and defender of one Mafioso, and the lover of another.
With this page turner, Roberts takes us on a wild ride, her life. From a football star's wife, to a national abortion rights activist, fighting against the Vietnam War, a women's libber, a cardiologist, wife and mother. And she has a file with the FBI.
I applaud Barbara's courage in this tell all memoir.

Thank you to NetGalley and Heliotrope Books for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Jack Chaucer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A riveting memoir from a fearless, pioneering female cardiologist who helped reshape a "man's world" in the 1970s and then lived up to her Hippocratic oath to protect the fragile health of New England crime boss Raymond Patriarca in the 1980s no matter the personal cost.

[DJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting story because I live close to Providence and have a friend who knew this doctor when she worked at the same hospital. I also remember meeting one of the lawyers written about. So, all around I was very interested. Dr Roberts writing drew me right in, although at times I felt she was ‘name dropping’ because she could. Overall, I would recommend this book.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is an intriguing one with a lot of action, which you would think would lead to a riveting book, but it just didn't do it for me. I read it in a day (it was a relatively short book), but I found it missing that spark that compels me to keep reading and holds my attention. I thought Barbara led a very interesting life full of challenges and I was impressed with her strength and determination, but unfortunately found her writing to be a bit lackluster. I was glad she eventually found love with a decent man because it seemed like she had a poor track record for a while, and was happy for her success in the face of numerous hardships. I also appreciated the fact that she touched on the difficulties of single motherhood, custody battles, mental illness and depression because it gave the book a bigger picture other than her medical treatment of mob boss Raymond Patriarcha and her relationship with "alleged organized crime figure" Louis Manocchio. I liked the photos interspersed throughout the book and the mention of several places in Providence that I'm familiar with because I thought it brought a little something extra to the book as a whole. Overall, I thought the underlying story was good, but it could've been told better. I probably wouldn't recommend this book to others unless they had a specific interest in the section of the mob in Providence.

[Cynthia Mello · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting story and woman

I was quite intrigued when my cousin suggested this book to me. We grew up in Rhode Island and it was a before my time and my cousin met the author. Its virtually a who's who of growing up here. Let me just say what I knew about most of Mr. Patriarca Sr. that he was very well liked. of course I'm more speaking through grandfather and fathers knowing him. I'm more towards the age group of the children of men in this saga.
I can't help but admire the doctor and the courage she'd shown in her life. Particularly around men from an era and culture that thought women belonged in the kitchen , cooking and cleaning and raising children. Oh , and also shutting up. I became a nurse in the mid to late 80s and wish I had known or worked with her. Fascinating life and story ,maybe because I know several of the people on both sides of the law that she mentioned. At times it had me thinking , while I sympathize and have empathy for the patient was she somehow played? She was so blunt and honest I really don't see her as someone who would give a misdiagnosis . I do see her as protective of her patients. I think she did very well in her crazy life . Aside from her bad taste in few men , she was fantastic. Well done in her writing and thanks .

[K · Rating 2 out of 5]

An acquaintance was a childhood neighbor and grew up with the author. I tried to like this book, on that basis alone.
This book was an interesting, easy read.
What made it unsatisfactory to me was the author’s apparent inability to see herself as contributing to the situations she found herself in.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange memoir by an interesting, multi-dimensional person. She readily acknowledges that many of her experiences are the result of choices she freely made. One can't help but wonder if the bizarreness and trauma of her unorthodox childhood contributed to these decisions, which I think most folks would be too risk-adverse to make.

[Katherine Hebert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly well-written although over-wrought. And when it comes to Raymond, the lady doth protest too much me thinks.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having know some of the characters in the book as family lived on Federal Hill, i found it very interesting . The writing was much smarter than I was expecting. I enjoyed it.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. As someone who grew up in Rhode Island and is a female medical professional this book was a must read. Read it fast and just enjoyed the whole thing. Would love to meet Dr R!

[Annalinda Ragazzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I met the author at a book promotion and signing. I was invited to attend by one of the author's Barnard classmates.
The author is a funny, erudite woman in her 70s.
I generally dislike anything relating to the Mafia as it is a label that continues into haunt Italian Americans. However this is a memoir by the cardiologist hired by a mob boss for the express purpose of preventing him from appearing and testifying in court.
That's the least of the story. I found the author's childhood in a catholic commune with an alcoholic father, downtrodden mother and 9 younger siblings to be the most interesting aspect and sets the stage for why and how a truly brilliant woman would make such awful personal decisions.

[Rebeca Núñez · Rating 4 out of 5]

** Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review **
Me intrigaba mucho conocer la historia, ya que es un clásico de la realidad supera a la ficción. Es bastante documental, pero es entendible siendo una obra de no ficción. Ademas de la historia que involucra personajes de la mafia, me llamaba mucho la atención el currículo de la autora y cómo esto influía en su punto de vista. La lectura no es compleja, y después de leerlo me dieron ganas de empezar a ver la serie ”The Sopranos”. Si les interesa ese tipo de ficción, creo que les puede interesar leer sobre un caso real.

[Kari Hakkers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A peek into the life of the New England mafia through the eyes of a female cardiologist. This memoir exposes a life with mobster Raymond Patriaca and his family and doctor Barbara Roberts. A detailed and honest reflection of this female activist, doctor, mother,wife and confidante. It recounts a time period that was exciting, dangerous, political and revolutionary. Reading this book reminded me of the enormous magnitude that we can have on one another.
I received a digital copy of this book from #Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Kari Hakkers · Rating 3 out of 5]

A peek into the life of the New England Mafia through the eyes of a female cardiologist.
This memoir exposes a life with mobster Raymond Patriaca and his family and doctor Barbara Roberts. A detailed and honest reflection of this female activist, doctor,mother,wife and confidante. It recounts a time period that was exciting, dangerous, political, and revolutionary. Reading this book reminded me of the enormous magnitude that we can have on one another.
I received a digital copy from #Netgalley and the publisher.

[Shayna Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING book! All that we love about mafia stories...glitz, glam, excitement. But with a twist. A smart, young doctor accomplished in her own right entering that world to care for the boss as her patient and falling in love with one of his associates. And this is a TRUE STORY! Absolutely fascinating. Couldn’t put it down.

[Gail O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Roberts was the first woman cardiologist in Rhode Island and became the doctor of the New England top mob boss. Intriguing story but didn't have as much substance as I would have thought.
Very interesting and full of insight into the mob dealings.