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Golden Boy: A Murder Among the Manhattan Elite
In Golden Boy, New York Times bestselling author John Glatt tells the true story of Thomas Gilbert Jr., the handsome and charming New York socialite accused of murdering his father, a Manhattan millionaire and hedge fund founder.
By all accounts, Thomas Gilbert Jr. led a charmed life. The son of a wealthy financier, he grew up surrounded by a loving family and all the luxury an Upper East Side childhood could provide: education at the elite Buckley School and Deerfield Academy, summers in a sprawling seaside mansion in the Hamptons. With his striking good lucks, he moved with ease through glittering social circles and followed in his father's footsteps to Princeton.
But Tommy always felt different. The cracks in his façade began to show in warning signs of OCD, increasing paranoia, and--most troubling--an inexplicable hatred of his father. As his parents begged him to seek psychiatric help, Tommy pushed back by self-medicating with drugs and escalating violence. When a fire destroyed his former best friend's Hamptons home, Tommy was the prime suspect--but he was never charged. Just months later, he arrived at his parents' apartment, calmly asked his mother to leave, and shot his father point-blank in the head.
Journalist John Glatt takes an in-depth look at the devastating crime that rocked Manhattan's upper class. With exclusive access to sources close to Tommy, including his own mother, Glatt constructs the agonizing spiral of mental illness that led Thomas Gilbert Jr. to the ultimate unspeakable act.
By all accounts, Thomas Gilbert Jr. led a charmed life. The son of a wealthy financier, he grew up surrounded by a loving family and all the luxury an Upper East Side childhood could provide: education at the elite Buckley School and Deerfield Academy, summers in a sprawling seaside mansion in the Hamptons. With his striking good lucks, he moved with ease through glittering social circles and followed in his father's footsteps to Princeton.
But Tommy always felt different. The cracks in his façade began to show in warning signs of OCD, increasing paranoia, and--most troubling--an inexplicable hatred of his father. As his parents begged him to seek psychiatric help, Tommy pushed back by self-medicating with drugs and escalating violence. When a fire destroyed his former best friend's Hamptons home, Tommy was the prime suspect--but he was never charged. Just months later, he arrived at his parents' apartment, calmly asked his mother to leave, and shot his father point-blank in the head.
Journalist John Glatt takes an in-depth look at the devastating crime that rocked Manhattan's upper class. With exclusive access to sources close to Tommy, including his own mother, Glatt constructs the agonizing spiral of mental illness that led Thomas Gilbert Jr. to the ultimate unspeakable act.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 20, 2021
461 people are currently reading
5975 people want to read
About the author
John Glatt
38 books737 followersEnglish-born John Glatt is the author of Golden Boy Lost and Found, Secrets in the Cellar, Playing with Fire, and many other bestselling books of true crime. He has more than 30 years of experience as an investigative journalist in England and America. Glatt left school at 16 and worked a variety of jobs—including tea boy and messenger—before joining a small weekly newspaper. He freelanced at several English newspapers, then in 1981 moved to New York, where he joined the staff for News Limited and freelanced for publications including Newsweek and the New York Post. His first book, a biography of Bill Graham, was published in 1981, and he published For I Have Sinned, his first book of true crime, in 1998. He has appeared on television and radio programs all over the world, including ABC- 20/20Dateline NBC, Fox News, Current Affair, BBC World, and A&E Biography. He and his wife Gail divide their time between New York City, the Catskill Mountains and London.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/johnglatt
http://us.macmillan.com/author/johnglatt
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
July 22, 2021
There’s no question that Tommy Gilbert, Jr. pulled the trigger that ended his father’s life. What is less clear is if he was mentally competent to be held criminally responsible.
Tommy, with his movie-star good looks, lived a privileged life, a “Golden Boy” from a wealthy prominent family. He was afforded every possible opportunity for success, but, inside his head, something went terribly awry. Crippling anxiety and paranoia took hold, along with irrational fears of his father and some of his classmates. He suffered from social anxiety and "contamination" fears. He believed friends were trying to steal his soul, and developed a set of rituals to protect himself. He had increasing difficulty in maintaining relationships and was known to be irrational and emotionally volatile.
Mental illness ran in the family, and Tommy’s parents were very concerned about his mental deterioration. They scheduled evaluations and treatments by multiple psychiatrists, none of whom agreed on a firm diagnosis, yet prescribed a laundry list of medications. At one time or another he was diagnosed as having OCD, anxiety disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, and bipolar disease, among others. In response to abuses of the past, it is very difficult to commit an adult to a mental institution, even when the person clearly is very disturbed. As an adult, his parents had no legal sway over him.
“It’s bad enough having a mentally ill child on your hands,” explained Shelley. “It is worse to have an angry mentally ill child.”
The parents found themselves trying their best to support him in his endeavors, while attempting to keep his mental illness at bay. Was he a privileged, entitled spoiled ypung man? Or was he severely mentally ill? Sometimes I’m sure it was difficult for others to see the difference.
Despite multiple psychiatric evaluations and bizarre behavior in the courtroom, he was deemed fit for trial, and much of the latter part of the book covers the courtroom trial. His mother, Shelley, stood by his side, never wavering in her belief that Tommy was mentally ill and needed help.
“Had our family had access to the kind of care for Tommy that he needed, this horror story would never have happened. (Shelly Gilbert, Tommy’s mother).
As an aside, this story was personal for me, in that I have seen the horrors of a family destroyed by an adult child with mental illness who was failed by the system. I have enormous empathy for families who are suffering.
If a family such as the Gilbert’s, who had the money and access to the best medical care in the world, was unable to help their son, then what hope do any of us have? More than a simple true crime drama, this is an indictment on the current state of mental health care, as well as a thought-provoking story that highlights the cracks in our justice system.
The author writes compellingly and with clarity, never inserting himself or his opinion into the story. I closed the cover of the book with a feeling of sadness for all involved. There are no winners here.
It was so clear that he needed help and the system failed him. To me, it’s inhumane and unconscionable, and it led to a tragic result that didn’t help anybody. We never gave him a chance.”~ Alex Spiro, attorney for Tommy Gilbert, Jr
*I received a copy of the book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
*Publication date 7/20/21 by St. Martin's Press
*This was an unintentional buddy read with my friend and reading buddy Marialyce. On her recommendation, I started it as she was finishing it, and we had many thought-provoking and fascinating discussions. This would make an excellent book club selection.
For our duo reviews please visit: https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...
Tommy, with his movie-star good looks, lived a privileged life, a “Golden Boy” from a wealthy prominent family. He was afforded every possible opportunity for success, but, inside his head, something went terribly awry. Crippling anxiety and paranoia took hold, along with irrational fears of his father and some of his classmates. He suffered from social anxiety and "contamination" fears. He believed friends were trying to steal his soul, and developed a set of rituals to protect himself. He had increasing difficulty in maintaining relationships and was known to be irrational and emotionally volatile.
Mental illness ran in the family, and Tommy’s parents were very concerned about his mental deterioration. They scheduled evaluations and treatments by multiple psychiatrists, none of whom agreed on a firm diagnosis, yet prescribed a laundry list of medications. At one time or another he was diagnosed as having OCD, anxiety disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, and bipolar disease, among others. In response to abuses of the past, it is very difficult to commit an adult to a mental institution, even when the person clearly is very disturbed. As an adult, his parents had no legal sway over him.
“It’s bad enough having a mentally ill child on your hands,” explained Shelley. “It is worse to have an angry mentally ill child.”
The parents found themselves trying their best to support him in his endeavors, while attempting to keep his mental illness at bay. Was he a privileged, entitled spoiled ypung man? Or was he severely mentally ill? Sometimes I’m sure it was difficult for others to see the difference.
Despite multiple psychiatric evaluations and bizarre behavior in the courtroom, he was deemed fit for trial, and much of the latter part of the book covers the courtroom trial. His mother, Shelley, stood by his side, never wavering in her belief that Tommy was mentally ill and needed help.
“Had our family had access to the kind of care for Tommy that he needed, this horror story would never have happened. (Shelly Gilbert, Tommy’s mother).
As an aside, this story was personal for me, in that I have seen the horrors of a family destroyed by an adult child with mental illness who was failed by the system. I have enormous empathy for families who are suffering.
If a family such as the Gilbert’s, who had the money and access to the best medical care in the world, was unable to help their son, then what hope do any of us have? More than a simple true crime drama, this is an indictment on the current state of mental health care, as well as a thought-provoking story that highlights the cracks in our justice system.
The author writes compellingly and with clarity, never inserting himself or his opinion into the story. I closed the cover of the book with a feeling of sadness for all involved. There are no winners here.
It was so clear that he needed help and the system failed him. To me, it’s inhumane and unconscionable, and it led to a tragic result that didn’t help anybody. We never gave him a chance.”~ Alex Spiro, attorney for Tommy Gilbert, Jr
*I received a copy of the book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
*Publication date 7/20/21 by St. Martin's Press
*This was an unintentional buddy read with my friend and reading buddy Marialyce. On her recommendation, I started it as she was finishing it, and we had many thought-provoking and fascinating discussions. This would make an excellent book club selection.
For our duo reviews please visit: https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...
January 12, 2022
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 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
July 18, 2021
Life is good for many, but it was especially good for Tommy Gilbert. Born into a family of wealth and prestige, he was educated in the best of schools, was able to enjoy his parents’ multiple residences in affluent areas, and seemed to have the world at his command. Added to all of that was the fact that Tommy was intensely handsome, a blond blue eyed Adonis. Yet something was wrong with Tommy.
His various oddities included thinking things and some people were contaminated, having the intense feeling that others were out to get him, and seeming to lack social graces. All of these personalities started to appear in his later teenage years. Tommy started a downward spiral into mental illness what some of his doctors described as psychosis and probably schizophrenia.
Seeing over the years a plethora of doctors, Tommy floundered refusing to take medication, being enabled by his parents for his lack of finding a job after graduating from Princeton and developing an overwhelmingly hatred of his father, Thomas Gilbert, Sr. The last of these traits led Tommy eventually to murdering his father, shooting him at point blank range in his parents' apartment in Manhattan.
Because of the social strata his family traveled within, the case became one of noteworthy proportions. Tommy’s mother stayed a staunch supporter of her son, yet years of what seemed like turning a somewhat cloudy eye to her child’s failings, made for an interesting piece of what entitlement can do.
Tommy exhibited many very troubling incidents before his final act of murder, and the author documents them all plus Tommy’s interactions with family, friends, and women.
This book encourages lots of thoughts about the state of mental health in this country, including the laws that can’t force anyone into mental facilities unless they agree to it. It also focuses well on the question of what constitutes mental competency in a courtroom trial.
It’s a sad story where there are no winners, where by the end we are not quite sure that justice has been served, and what we wonder if anything could have saved Tommy.
Definitely a strong recommendation for well done, clear, intriguing, and and concise story.
Thanks to John Glatt, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this fascinating true crime story due out July 20, 2021
**As an addendum, Jan and I read his one together and had some marvelous talks about this sad but amazing story.**
His various oddities included thinking things and some people were contaminated, having the intense feeling that others were out to get him, and seeming to lack social graces. All of these personalities started to appear in his later teenage years. Tommy started a downward spiral into mental illness what some of his doctors described as psychosis and probably schizophrenia.
Seeing over the years a plethora of doctors, Tommy floundered refusing to take medication, being enabled by his parents for his lack of finding a job after graduating from Princeton and developing an overwhelmingly hatred of his father, Thomas Gilbert, Sr. The last of these traits led Tommy eventually to murdering his father, shooting him at point blank range in his parents' apartment in Manhattan.
Because of the social strata his family traveled within, the case became one of noteworthy proportions. Tommy’s mother stayed a staunch supporter of her son, yet years of what seemed like turning a somewhat cloudy eye to her child’s failings, made for an interesting piece of what entitlement can do.
Tommy exhibited many very troubling incidents before his final act of murder, and the author documents them all plus Tommy’s interactions with family, friends, and women.
This book encourages lots of thoughts about the state of mental health in this country, including the laws that can’t force anyone into mental facilities unless they agree to it. It also focuses well on the question of what constitutes mental competency in a courtroom trial.
It’s a sad story where there are no winners, where by the end we are not quite sure that justice has been served, and what we wonder if anything could have saved Tommy.
Definitely a strong recommendation for well done, clear, intriguing, and and concise story.
Thanks to John Glatt, St Martin's Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this fascinating true crime story due out July 20, 2021
**As an addendum, Jan and I read his one together and had some marvelous talks about this sad but amazing story.**
August 10, 2021
Author John Glatt
In this book, John Glatt - who's written many true crime books - tells the story of Manhattan socialite Thomas Gilbert Jr., who murdered his father in cold blood.
Thomas Gilbert Jr.
Thomas Gilbert Jr., called Tommy, has an illustrious ancestry in America - starting with Robert Treat, who founded Newark, New Jersey in the 1660s. Some of Tommy's forebears were also mentally ill, which foreshadows Tommy's own descent into paranoia and possible schizophrenia.
Tommy's parents, Thomas Gilbert Sr. and Shelley Rea Gilbert, were a wealthy New York couple with a luxurious lifestyle.
Tommy's father Thomas Gilbert Sr.
Tommy's mother Shelley Rae Gilbert
The Gilberts were thrilled when young Tommy was born in 1984, and the handsome intelligent little boy was pampered and sent to the best schools. Little Tommy was close to his dad and, at the age of nine, gave his father a 'World's Greatest Dad' statuette, which Tom Sr. cherished.
As a young teenager Tommy was a model pupil at Manhattan's elite Buckley School. Tommy was a straight A student, talented athlete, and student council member - later described as 'a golden boy' by a classmate.
Young Tommy was called 'a golden boy'
Tommy's outer façade was deceptive however, and he was becoming anxious and paranoid.....and developing an irrational fear of his father. A few years later, when Tommy was a junior at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, he became convinced his roommate was 'contaminated.' Tommy then began obsessively washing his hands, was constantly 'losing' clothing because it was contaminated, and started showing signs of depression.
Despite his problems, Tommy applied to his father's alma mater - Princeton University - and was accepted. However, Tommy's fear and avoidance of his father escalated at this time, and he also became convinced the Princeton campus was contaminated. To cope, Tommy embraced Princeton's drug scene, and indulged in marijuana, LSD, and cocaine. Moreover, Tommy began injecting himself with anabolic steroids, to improve his performance on the football field.
When Tommy got older, he became a heavy drug user
When Tommy was caught using drugs Princeton suspended him, and Tommy's parents reached out to mental health professionals for help. Tommy started seeing a psychiatrist named Dr. Kevin Spicer, and told the doctor people were contaminating him, stealing his personality, and killing his thoughts. Dr. Spicer diagnosed Tommy with a depressive disorder and possible schizophrenia, and prescribed antipsychotic medication. Spicer also advised the Gilbert parents to hospitalize Tommy, but they didn't, partly because they were in denial, and partly because of the social stigma.
In subsequent years - as Tommy's behavior became more bizarre and dangerous - various doctors encouraged the Gilberts to hospitalize Tommy again and again. The Gilberts always resisted, though, saying Tommy would refuse inpatient treatment. In retrospect, this seems like a grave error, as institutionalization might have helped Tommy before it was too late.
During Tommy's suspension from Princeton, he lived the high life for a couple of years, surfing his way around the world at his parents' expense. Tommy hit the beaches in South America, Africa, and Brazil, then spent time in America's Deep South before returning to college.
Tommy partied at his parents' expense
When Tommy finally graduated from Princeton, he was expected to become a successful financier like his father, but this never happened.
Glatt elaborates about Tommy's youth, years at Princeton, subsequent elegant lifestyle in Manhattan and the Hamptons (paid for by his parents), refusal to get a job, and declining mental health.
Tommy had an active social life in Manhattan and the Hamptons
Glatt also includes details about Tommy's troubled relations with his friends and girlfriends. Though Tommy was peculiar, many women liked him for his good looks.
Tommy's girlfriend Briana Ressner
Tommy with his girlfriend Anna Rothschild
Tommy's behavior - suspicious and antagonistic - made it difficult for him to keep friends, and Tommy went over the top when he beat up his former roommate Peter Smith, then burned down the Smith family's historic house in Southampton.
Tommy's friend Peter Smith
Tommy burned down the Smith house in Southampton
Sadly, Tommy's parents repeatedly hired lawyers, covered for him, and paid his way out of trouble, and Tommy came to expect special treatment.
As 2015 approached, Tom Gilbert Sr. was experiencing money problems and reduced Tommy's allowance, the idea being that Tommy needed to (finally) support himself. Tommy then made plans to sell his parents' Hampton's mansion, worth over 11 million dollars - and decided to murder his father so he could proceed with his scheme.
Tommy planned to sell the Gilbert mansion
On January 5, 2015, at the age of 30, Tommy paid a visit to his parents' Manhattan apartment and asked his mother to go out to buy him a sandwich and a coke. Tommy then shot his father in the head as Tom Sr. was watching television in the bedroom. Tommy was arrested seven hours later.
Tommy being arrested for shooting his father
The tale of Tommy's subsequent competency hearings and eventual trial takes up the latter part of the book.
Tommy in jail
Tommy at one of his court hearings
Though Tommy pulled the trigger, there's room to disagree about Tommy's 'legal' guilt or innocence, since he was mentally ill. Once again, one must wonder what would have happened if Tommy - starting in his teenage years - had received the help he so badly needed.
Glatt did extensive research for this book and observes, "Golden Boy is without a doubt my most challenging true crime book." The author spent five years interviewing Tommy's family, friends, and acquaintances, and following the winding path through scores of court hearings and trial transcripts.
Glatt came to know Tommy's mother Shelley quite well, and observes,"[Shelley's] courage and dignity are amazing, and I cannot begin to fathom how difficult it must have been to lose a husband and then a son to this terrible disease." Shelley hoped her son would be hospitalized rather than sent to prison.
Tommy's mother Shelley supported him after he killed his father
The author was also assisted by Tommy's one-time girlfriend Lila Chase, who remained empathetic to her former beau through his arrest, hearings, trial, and afterwards.
In many ways this is a cautionary tale, about the dangers of over-indulging children while simultaneously neglecting their obvious problems. Families should take heed.
Tommy with his sister Clare and their parents, Shelley and Tom Sr.
Thanks to Netgalley, John Glatt, and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
July 16, 2021
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: July 20, 2021
Bestselling true crime author John Glatt turns his attention to the murder of Wall Street financier and investor Thomas Gilbert Sr., with the novel “Golden Boy: A Murder Among the Manhattan Elite”.
Tommy Gilbert, Thomas Gilbert Sr.’s son, grew up in a life of privilege. Tall, blond and handsome, Tommy was an athlete, and after years of attending elite prep schools, he earned a degree at Princeton University, and was set to work alongside his father in the world of investment banking. With famous friends, a house in the Hamptons, and memberships to the finest clubs, Gilbert Jr. had everything one could ever want. So what drove Tommy to put a bullet in his father’s head?
“Golden Boy” is a story of the world of the elite privilege but it is also a heartbreaking examination of the failures of the justice system when it comes to those with mental illness. Thomas Gibson, Jr. had a family history of mental illness, and when he started to show signs of paranoid schizophrenia as a young adult, no amount of money could force him to get the treatment he so desperately needed.
The most interesting thing about “Golden Boy” is that there is never an argument that Tommy did not kill his father, but to what degree mental illness contributed to his actions. Full of courtroom drama and legal jargon, the five-year court battle was long and harrowing for all involved.
Glatt writes in an honest and objective way, highlighting both sides of the case and presenting the legal battles as openly as he can. He makes it quite easy to both victimize and condemn Gilbert, portraying him as an entitled brat, yet one who also suffers from a very real mental illness. “Golden Boy” depicts life among the Manhattan elite, with country clubs and “summer homes” in the Hamptons, but it still manages to elicit complete sympathy for young Tommy, whose untreated mental illness caused him to commit the vilest of crimes.
Two thirds of this book details the lengthy courtroom action, so it can get quite dull at certain points, but my desire to see the outcome and my sympathy for Tommy pulled me through to the end. “Golden Boy” is a thought provoking novel about how society views mental illness, and how even the wealthiest of families can have dark shadows in their minds, wreaking havoc and causing chaos.
Expected publication date: July 20, 2021
Bestselling true crime author John Glatt turns his attention to the murder of Wall Street financier and investor Thomas Gilbert Sr., with the novel “Golden Boy: A Murder Among the Manhattan Elite”.
Tommy Gilbert, Thomas Gilbert Sr.’s son, grew up in a life of privilege. Tall, blond and handsome, Tommy was an athlete, and after years of attending elite prep schools, he earned a degree at Princeton University, and was set to work alongside his father in the world of investment banking. With famous friends, a house in the Hamptons, and memberships to the finest clubs, Gilbert Jr. had everything one could ever want. So what drove Tommy to put a bullet in his father’s head?
“Golden Boy” is a story of the world of the elite privilege but it is also a heartbreaking examination of the failures of the justice system when it comes to those with mental illness. Thomas Gibson, Jr. had a family history of mental illness, and when he started to show signs of paranoid schizophrenia as a young adult, no amount of money could force him to get the treatment he so desperately needed.
The most interesting thing about “Golden Boy” is that there is never an argument that Tommy did not kill his father, but to what degree mental illness contributed to his actions. Full of courtroom drama and legal jargon, the five-year court battle was long and harrowing for all involved.
Glatt writes in an honest and objective way, highlighting both sides of the case and presenting the legal battles as openly as he can. He makes it quite easy to both victimize and condemn Gilbert, portraying him as an entitled brat, yet one who also suffers from a very real mental illness. “Golden Boy” depicts life among the Manhattan elite, with country clubs and “summer homes” in the Hamptons, but it still manages to elicit complete sympathy for young Tommy, whose untreated mental illness caused him to commit the vilest of crimes.
Two thirds of this book details the lengthy courtroom action, so it can get quite dull at certain points, but my desire to see the outcome and my sympathy for Tommy pulled me through to the end. “Golden Boy” is a thought provoking novel about how society views mental illness, and how even the wealthiest of families can have dark shadows in their minds, wreaking havoc and causing chaos.
August 2, 2022
I normally enjoy reading about crimes among the rich people. I just don't feel as bad when bad things happen to rich people. That's how I expected to feel reading this book but instead it made me incredibly sad.
Thomas "Tommy" Gilbert Jr was born into an elite family. His family on his mother's side descendent from the founder of the city of Newark, New Jersey. He went to the most elite schools and ran with a high powered social circle. He had everything you could ever want...money wise.
Tommy is also mentally ill. How severe his mental illness is depends on who you ask but Tommy had been showing the signs of mental illness since his early teens. As the years went on his mental illness became dangerous to those around him. He attacked a friend physically and later burned down that now former friend's house, expecting the man to be in the house(luckily he wasn't).
Tommy's family had the money and access to every possible mental health treatment but his parents seemed more concerned with how having a mentally ill son would affect their reputation and status among their snooty friends. They could have helped him but they seemed to be in deep denial and that denial and fear of embarrassment turned deadly in January 2015 when Tommy shot and killed his father.
This story didn't need to turn out so tragically. Had he received help earlier I think there's a good chance that Tommy never becomes dangerous. His parents money and power which should have been a plus I'm getting help but instead it actually worked against him receiving help.
Mental illness can effect anyone. It doesn't matter how much money you have or how "important" your family is. Shame should never stop someone from seeking help for their mental health. Tommy Gilbert became a murderer because he didn't receive the mental health care he so badly needed.
John Glatt painted such a full and vivid picture of the world that Tommy Gilbert lived in. John Glatt has alot of other True Crime books and I plan on reading them because I like the easy way he writes.
If you like True Crime and especially crimes amongst the elite than you can't go wrong with Golden Boy.
Thomas "Tommy" Gilbert Jr was born into an elite family. His family on his mother's side descendent from the founder of the city of Newark, New Jersey. He went to the most elite schools and ran with a high powered social circle. He had everything you could ever want...money wise.
Tommy is also mentally ill. How severe his mental illness is depends on who you ask but Tommy had been showing the signs of mental illness since his early teens. As the years went on his mental illness became dangerous to those around him. He attacked a friend physically and later burned down that now former friend's house, expecting the man to be in the house(luckily he wasn't).
Tommy's family had the money and access to every possible mental health treatment but his parents seemed more concerned with how having a mentally ill son would affect their reputation and status among their snooty friends. They could have helped him but they seemed to be in deep denial and that denial and fear of embarrassment turned deadly in January 2015 when Tommy shot and killed his father.
This story didn't need to turn out so tragically. Had he received help earlier I think there's a good chance that Tommy never becomes dangerous. His parents money and power which should have been a plus I'm getting help but instead it actually worked against him receiving help.
Mental illness can effect anyone. It doesn't matter how much money you have or how "important" your family is. Shame should never stop someone from seeking help for their mental health. Tommy Gilbert became a murderer because he didn't receive the mental health care he so badly needed.
John Glatt painted such a full and vivid picture of the world that Tommy Gilbert lived in. John Glatt has alot of other True Crime books and I plan on reading them because I like the easy way he writes.
If you like True Crime and especially crimes amongst the elite than you can't go wrong with Golden Boy.
October 15, 2021
I first came across this story one night on the Oxygen Channel. It was intriguing and I wanted to know more. Our local library had a copy of this book available. It was very well written and researched. The mother of the accused and wife of his victim cooperated with the author as she wanted to bring out the obstacles associated with trying to get proper help for someone with mental illness. They were well off financially and it was still difficult. Sadly, not all that much has changed.
July 29, 2021
Meh. I really enjoyed the first parts where the author explored Tommy's childhood, teenaged years and mental health issues but when it got to the trial I was bored senseless. There was far too much detail, almost like the author just copied the trial transcripts and plopped them into the book. The book lagged then so I skipped over quite a bit until I finally, and thankfully, got to the end.
November 12, 2021
4 Stars
May 9, 2022
This is the story of how Tommy Gilbert, the ne'er-do-well son of a prominent New York family, came to commit patricide, and how questions over his mental well-being and financial motives contributed to a protracted trial. I didn't know anything about the case before reading John Glatt's book, so there was more drama and suspense in my reading experience than there probably would be for those familiar with the case. Ultimately, neither the case nor the writing style are particularly interesting, with Glatt being unable to liven up the repetitive trial portion of the book in the way that Jeffrey Toobin did in The People vs. OJ Simpson. To be fair, Toobin had much more compelling material to work with. The story of Golden Boy would have made for a decent episode of Forensic Files but it's not quite worth the investment of over 300 pages.
July 20, 2023
3.75 ⭐️ — I needed some time to cogitate on writing this review for Golden Boy: A Murder Among Manhattan Elite — To fully understand how I felt critically, once the impact of the story itself had subsided, being it’s nonfiction!
Review to come…
Review to come…
September 2, 2021
This reporting biography and eventual life outcome for Thomas Gilbert Jr. was accomplished well, 4.5 stars.
Mental illness psychosis is detail by 100's of degrees differences between individuals that hold same or similar DSM 5 nomenclature category. This true record demonstrates that to an excellent degree.
It lost a star in the lack of definition for "help" as his mother defined help. This is such a difficult passing of law parsing to be adult and thus non-retainable. And I believe the immense length of court and aftermath did get it right. What a nightmare to serve on that jury! More than a month of testimony not being the most difficult parts.
To enable so many years after all the refusals for in house voluntary treatment? That's truly the pejorative "nuts". Such sad perceptions all around but Sr. never deserved that bedroom scene ending.
Recommended for those in Soc. Justice, Law, Mental Health professionals.
How could those girl friends ignore not just red flags but paranoia meanies? $$$$$
Mental illness psychosis is detail by 100's of degrees differences between individuals that hold same or similar DSM 5 nomenclature category. This true record demonstrates that to an excellent degree.
It lost a star in the lack of definition for "help" as his mother defined help. This is such a difficult passing of law parsing to be adult and thus non-retainable. And I believe the immense length of court and aftermath did get it right. What a nightmare to serve on that jury! More than a month of testimony not being the most difficult parts.
To enable so many years after all the refusals for in house voluntary treatment? That's truly the pejorative "nuts". Such sad perceptions all around but Sr. never deserved that bedroom scene ending.
Recommended for those in Soc. Justice, Law, Mental Health professionals.
How could those girl friends ignore not just red flags but paranoia meanies? $$$$$
August 4, 2021
I was thrilled to get an ARC of this true crime detailing the murder of Tom Gilbert Sr at the hand of his son Tommy Gilbert Jr. I thoroughly enjoyed this author’s factual account of the Gilbert family history, Tommy’s decline and the Court proceedings.
The story highlighted a huge problem in society when it comes to mental illness and how the laws make it challenging for a sick adult to get much needed treatment. What stood out for me was how Tommy lacked insight into his mental illness and this in turn resulted in him not taking prescribed medication. Being an adult, his parents were powerless to have him committed for more than a couple of days or for his doctors to force him to take medication without extreme safety reasons. He learned how to hide his illness and present himself in a favourable light to family and friends. The truth of the matter, however, was that he was getting sicker and more delusional as time went on. The story also pointed out how the criminal justice system can fail people like Tommy as it’s not designed to “help” defendants who are mentally ill with some ability to understand even if their mental illness was a prominent factor in their crime. It also highlighted the stigma still attached to mental illness and the lack of education/understanding that judges and prosecutors have in this area.
This would be an exceptional book club pick as there is so much to discuss including whether Tommy was a cold blooded killer who knew what he was doing or whether he was a victim of the laws that govern access to treatment for mental illness.
A gracious thank you to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story highlighted a huge problem in society when it comes to mental illness and how the laws make it challenging for a sick adult to get much needed treatment. What stood out for me was how Tommy lacked insight into his mental illness and this in turn resulted in him not taking prescribed medication. Being an adult, his parents were powerless to have him committed for more than a couple of days or for his doctors to force him to take medication without extreme safety reasons. He learned how to hide his illness and present himself in a favourable light to family and friends. The truth of the matter, however, was that he was getting sicker and more delusional as time went on. The story also pointed out how the criminal justice system can fail people like Tommy as it’s not designed to “help” defendants who are mentally ill with some ability to understand even if their mental illness was a prominent factor in their crime. It also highlighted the stigma still attached to mental illness and the lack of education/understanding that judges and prosecutors have in this area.
This would be an exceptional book club pick as there is so much to discuss including whether Tommy was a cold blooded killer who knew what he was doing or whether he was a victim of the laws that govern access to treatment for mental illness.
A gracious thank you to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2021
True Crime is a favorite genre of mine, and this one was so well done. I had not heard of this one before but was utterly fascinated from the beginning. The author does a brilliant job of highlighting the crime and the person behind it, Thomas Gilbert, Jr., who was a charming New York socialite that was accused of murdering his father, a Manhattan millionaire and hedge fund founder. The interesting twist in this case is the subject of mental illness, how it was a factor in this case and how we still have so far to go with treatment, especially in relation to crimes.
The author shows that the struggle with this case was that although it was clear the signs were there that Tommy had some form of illness, he was so calm when he shot his father it was hard to say he was ill when he committed the crime. It was absolutely fascinating to read this story and Tommy’s progression from high school to present day in prison. Having been married to someone that was bipolar and also chose to self-medicate with drugs rather than get help, this resonated very close to home. I am always interested in stories involving mental illness because there are oftentimes very similar patterns (although I fortunately did not experience any violence). If you like true crime I absolutely recommend this one, it was fascinating overall and I was captivated the entire time.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital galley to review.
The author shows that the struggle with this case was that although it was clear the signs were there that Tommy had some form of illness, he was so calm when he shot his father it was hard to say he was ill when he committed the crime. It was absolutely fascinating to read this story and Tommy’s progression from high school to present day in prison. Having been married to someone that was bipolar and also chose to self-medicate with drugs rather than get help, this resonated very close to home. I am always interested in stories involving mental illness because there are oftentimes very similar patterns (although I fortunately did not experience any violence). If you like true crime I absolutely recommend this one, it was fascinating overall and I was captivated the entire time.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital galley to review.
September 21, 2024
Ciężko było mi się skupić na tej książce. Niemniej jednak dobry reportaż.
August 11, 2021
“Some people think mental illness is a matter of mood, a matter of personality. They think depression is simply a form of being sad, that OCD is a form of being uptight. They think the soul is sick, not the body. It is, they believe, something that you have some choice over……..I know how wrong this is.”~David Levithan
Golden Boy was published July 20, 2021 and it was a compelling, tragic account of a family trying to make sense of this horrific murder.
Mental illness stole from this family and it didn’t care about popularity or their social or economical status. I kept asking myself how I would handle this and I couldn’t put myself into this story. It was to awful to imagine.
I’m a mother of a 31 and 29 year old adults. Where is the help? How do you fix this? Can it even be fixed? The legal system was a sham in my opinion. And I wonder how many mentally ill people are in prison.
The writing was good and it was told well. I highly recommend this if you’re a crime junky like me.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley.
Golden Boy was published July 20, 2021 and it was a compelling, tragic account of a family trying to make sense of this horrific murder.
Mental illness stole from this family and it didn’t care about popularity or their social or economical status. I kept asking myself how I would handle this and I couldn’t put myself into this story. It was to awful to imagine.
I’m a mother of a 31 and 29 year old adults. Where is the help? How do you fix this? Can it even be fixed? The legal system was a sham in my opinion. And I wonder how many mentally ill people are in prison.
The writing was good and it was told well. I highly recommend this if you’re a crime junky like me.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley.
July 11, 2021
Spectacular!
Beautifully written and perfectly researched, this book is a masterpiece.
John Glatt's ability to tell this story with precision and compassion is what makes this book a "must-read".
I've finished Golden Boy in a couple of hours and, as much as it breaks my heart to read about how poorly mentally ill people are treated in a court of law, this book needs to be read!
*The ARC of this book was very kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Beautifully written and perfectly researched, this book is a masterpiece.
John Glatt's ability to tell this story with precision and compassion is what makes this book a "must-read".
I've finished Golden Boy in a couple of hours and, as much as it breaks my heart to read about how poorly mentally ill people are treated in a court of law, this book needs to be read!
*The ARC of this book was very kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
August 15, 2021
Thomas Gilbert Jr. was a "golden boy" that seemed to have the picture perfect life. One day, he shot and killed his own father. Some people thought he was just a heartless murderer, but the truth was Thomas had been struggling with various mental illnesses for years.
This book lays out a really tragic story. It is not only about Thomas' downward spiral that led to murder, but also covered the court proceedings and mental illness. It really highlighted the flaws the legal system has and if people with mental illnesses have the competency to stand trial.
I couldn't put this book down and found it very compelling. I really enjoyed how the book was put together, and it was very well written. I learned a lot more about court proceedings that involve people with mental illnesses.
If you're a fan of true crime, this is a must read! I'm definitely looking forward to picking up more books by John Glatt.
Thank you St. Martin's Press for the review copy!
This book lays out a really tragic story. It is not only about Thomas' downward spiral that led to murder, but also covered the court proceedings and mental illness. It really highlighted the flaws the legal system has and if people with mental illnesses have the competency to stand trial.
I couldn't put this book down and found it very compelling. I really enjoyed how the book was put together, and it was very well written. I learned a lot more about court proceedings that involve people with mental illnesses.
If you're a fan of true crime, this is a must read! I'm definitely looking forward to picking up more books by John Glatt.
Thank you St. Martin's Press for the review copy!
August 10, 2021
The Golden Boy : A Murder Among the Manhattan Elite is the second true crime book that I have read by John Glatt and I have been impressed by both of them. Glatt’s mix of facts and story telling keeps the book interesting and he’s able to distance himself enough from his subject matter that his opinions of the events doesn’t color his writing.
I was so mad while reading The Golden Boy and if you were actually here in my office and we were discussing it, I know my blood pressure would rise again! Tommy is given a wonderful life, one that has so many advantages that 99 percent of the world will never know. His parents just keep giving him money and throwing money at others to make his discretions disappear. They know he has something mentally wrong with him but they are too concerned about saving face. Or that he will stop talking to them, although he barely talks with his father anyway. Even most of his peers brush it off. If you have money, just make it someone else’s problem.
It makes me angry that mental illness is not discussed and that better support is not in place for every person, rich or poor. It makes me angry that people are not willing to cut others off sooner. It makes me angry that so many rich people do nothing but collect wealth.
Normally in my reviews, if a book makes me angry I say that it’s a good book because it makes me think about things in a different light. And while The Golden Boy is an excellent account of a life that was destroyed and another that ended in murder, and I highly recommend that you read it if you enjoy True Crime, I just can’t say it’s a “good book” in the area of subject matter that I’m not familiar with because this is not anything new to me. The decline of our society via wealth and the horrendous medical field shows itself everyday in various ways and I see no end in sight. I hope this makes you angry too and that you are taking steps, no matter how small, to improve your life and the life of others.
Okay, enough soapbox speech! Another fantastic book by Glatt and one I recommend.
I was so mad while reading The Golden Boy and if you were actually here in my office and we were discussing it, I know my blood pressure would rise again! Tommy is given a wonderful life, one that has so many advantages that 99 percent of the world will never know. His parents just keep giving him money and throwing money at others to make his discretions disappear. They know he has something mentally wrong with him but they are too concerned about saving face. Or that he will stop talking to them, although he barely talks with his father anyway. Even most of his peers brush it off. If you have money, just make it someone else’s problem.
It makes me angry that mental illness is not discussed and that better support is not in place for every person, rich or poor. It makes me angry that people are not willing to cut others off sooner. It makes me angry that so many rich people do nothing but collect wealth.
Normally in my reviews, if a book makes me angry I say that it’s a good book because it makes me think about things in a different light. And while The Golden Boy is an excellent account of a life that was destroyed and another that ended in murder, and I highly recommend that you read it if you enjoy True Crime, I just can’t say it’s a “good book” in the area of subject matter that I’m not familiar with because this is not anything new to me. The decline of our society via wealth and the horrendous medical field shows itself everyday in various ways and I see no end in sight. I hope this makes you angry too and that you are taking steps, no matter how small, to improve your life and the life of others.
Okay, enough soapbox speech! Another fantastic book by Glatt and one I recommend.
July 18, 2021
This is a tough book to review - one cannot help but have opinions after reading it. Serious opinions. I am right there with everyone else that has read this book.
One thing we all agree on is that Tommy Gilbert murdered his father; after that, it all gets a bit murky. Many believe he is suffering from serious psychosis and schizophrenia [even though he was never, ever, formally diagnosed with this horrible mental illness - that is something to keep in mind. The Drs. he saw said they thought he had that, but it was never a formal diagnosis, which would have required a hospital stay and massive evaluation, something he never received and still has not received]. Many believe he knew exactly what he was doing and was manipulating everyone from the moment he murdered his father. I find that I am a bit in the middle of both camps - I absolutely believe that Tommy Gilbert has some form of mental illness [at the very least, he is severely OCD, at the very worse, he is a sociopath], but I also fully believe that because of his circumstances and how he grew up, with great privilege and money and no consequences ever, he learned how to manipulate those around him to get what he wanted and what he saw as needs and more importantly, what he saw as deserved [entitlement]; his interaction with his Uncle Beck and the country club incident shows that in full scale. Add to the fact that he deliberately sent his mother to the store the day he murdered his father, because he knew she never kept Coke in the house, shows he knew exactly what he was doing, and to be honest, I think he knew the outcome [why wipe all your electronic equipment that had damning evidence on it? Why continually attempt to contact your lawyer?] as well and that is where the serious manipulation came into play. Can severe manipulation be part of a mental illness diagnosis? Probably. Most sociopaths are extremely skilled in the art of manipulation and Tommy seems to be extremely good at getting what he wants and then throwing a tantrum when things don't go his way. Which is one reason this trial dragged on for as long as it did.
I really believe that some of the blame has to be laid at the feet of the parents themselves [and that in no way means that Tom Gilbert Sr. deserved in ANY way to be murdered in cold blood - no one deserves that ever] - there were so many opportunities when Tommy was young enough to be hospitalized that were just brushed off as oddities and then so much of what he did was either paid for, covered up or explained away, that Tommy never saw any consequences of his actions - of course he believed he would get bail and then get off from his father's murder - he always had gotten away with stuff before, why should now be any different, and that fault lies directly with the parents [Tommy's mother is especially culpable as she secretly feeds him money after Tom Sr. is trying to cut him off, deliberately going against her husband's wishes]. One can understand anger on Tommy's part of suddenly being cut off from most of his income as well - his parents had supported his extravagant lifestyle for years and he was accustomed to that life and to suddenly have that cut off [even if it was by degrees] had to be shocking, though IMO, not enough to kill someone over. I think the issues between Tommy and his father went way deeper than we will ever know as one is dead and one is still pulling the strings, even from prison [and we certainly cannot rely on the mother's testimony - she has proven herself an extremely unreliable narrator].
I have to commend the author - at the end, he admits to being friends with Tommy's mother and with Lila Chase and found their input to this book invaluable, but unlike other true crime books where the author is friendly with some of the players in the story and is therefore prejudicial in the writing, this book doesn't go that way. The author really presents the whole case and story from a fairly unbiased view and that is admirable. I believe Mr. Glatt worked hard to keep his own opinions and thoughts of the matter out of the book [and like I said, people will absolutely have opinions] and just laid out the story as it was presented over the days and years in the court, and again, that is admirable. I don't know many writers who know players in the story who can do that and I say well done Mr. Glatt; I will absolutely be seeking out other books of yours to read.
Thank you to NetGalley, John Glatt, and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review
One thing we all agree on is that Tommy Gilbert murdered his father; after that, it all gets a bit murky. Many believe he is suffering from serious psychosis and schizophrenia [even though he was never, ever, formally diagnosed with this horrible mental illness - that is something to keep in mind. The Drs. he saw said they thought he had that, but it was never a formal diagnosis, which would have required a hospital stay and massive evaluation, something he never received and still has not received]. Many believe he knew exactly what he was doing and was manipulating everyone from the moment he murdered his father. I find that I am a bit in the middle of both camps - I absolutely believe that Tommy Gilbert has some form of mental illness [at the very least, he is severely OCD, at the very worse, he is a sociopath], but I also fully believe that because of his circumstances and how he grew up, with great privilege and money and no consequences ever, he learned how to manipulate those around him to get what he wanted and what he saw as needs and more importantly, what he saw as deserved [entitlement]; his interaction with his Uncle Beck and the country club incident shows that in full scale. Add to the fact that he deliberately sent his mother to the store the day he murdered his father, because he knew she never kept Coke in the house, shows he knew exactly what he was doing, and to be honest, I think he knew the outcome [why wipe all your electronic equipment that had damning evidence on it? Why continually attempt to contact your lawyer?] as well and that is where the serious manipulation came into play. Can severe manipulation be part of a mental illness diagnosis? Probably. Most sociopaths are extremely skilled in the art of manipulation and Tommy seems to be extremely good at getting what he wants and then throwing a tantrum when things don't go his way. Which is one reason this trial dragged on for as long as it did.
I really believe that some of the blame has to be laid at the feet of the parents themselves [and that in no way means that Tom Gilbert Sr. deserved in ANY way to be murdered in cold blood - no one deserves that ever] - there were so many opportunities when Tommy was young enough to be hospitalized that were just brushed off as oddities and then so much of what he did was either paid for, covered up or explained away, that Tommy never saw any consequences of his actions - of course he believed he would get bail and then get off from his father's murder - he always had gotten away with stuff before, why should now be any different, and that fault lies directly with the parents [Tommy's mother is especially culpable as she secretly feeds him money after Tom Sr. is trying to cut him off, deliberately going against her husband's wishes]. One can understand anger on Tommy's part of suddenly being cut off from most of his income as well - his parents had supported his extravagant lifestyle for years and he was accustomed to that life and to suddenly have that cut off [even if it was by degrees] had to be shocking, though IMO, not enough to kill someone over. I think the issues between Tommy and his father went way deeper than we will ever know as one is dead and one is still pulling the strings, even from prison [and we certainly cannot rely on the mother's testimony - she has proven herself an extremely unreliable narrator].
I have to commend the author - at the end, he admits to being friends with Tommy's mother and with Lila Chase and found their input to this book invaluable, but unlike other true crime books where the author is friendly with some of the players in the story and is therefore prejudicial in the writing, this book doesn't go that way. The author really presents the whole case and story from a fairly unbiased view and that is admirable. I believe Mr. Glatt worked hard to keep his own opinions and thoughts of the matter out of the book [and like I said, people will absolutely have opinions] and just laid out the story as it was presented over the days and years in the court, and again, that is admirable. I don't know many writers who know players in the story who can do that and I say well done Mr. Glatt; I will absolutely be seeking out other books of yours to read.
Thank you to NetGalley, John Glatt, and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2021
4 stars for this fast paced non fiction retelling of missed opportunities to correct a very difficult problem.
Thomas Gilbert Jr. was raised in an affluent lifestyle in The Hamptons, provided by his very wealthy parents. Tommy, as he is referred to throughout the course of his life, seemed like the all-American boy. Tall, athletic, good looking, even tempered, entertaining, honor roll student.
When everything comes easy and is within your grasp whether through name association or the passing of money through certain hands, it makes “the skies the limit” too sweet of an opportunity to pass. Do you try to venture out on your own? Or do you just keep leaning on “good old reliable”?
Tommy used his highly paid education to do absolutely nothing.
Hanging with the wrong friends, dealing with anxiety and other strange feelings quickly turns to full blown paranoia.
Tommy’s parents were given an official diagnosis and chose to look the other way because it just wasn’t possible for their “star” child to have this affliction.
Serious cases of documented mental illnesses ran on both sides of the parents families and they still chose to ignore.
Continued signs of delusional fantasies coupled with paranoid behavior until it reaches its breaking point.
Tragically sad that neither parent stepped up to the plate and put their son’s mental health before fame and fortune.
An excellent retelling with an important message.
Thomas Gilbert Jr. was raised in an affluent lifestyle in The Hamptons, provided by his very wealthy parents. Tommy, as he is referred to throughout the course of his life, seemed like the all-American boy. Tall, athletic, good looking, even tempered, entertaining, honor roll student.
When everything comes easy and is within your grasp whether through name association or the passing of money through certain hands, it makes “the skies the limit” too sweet of an opportunity to pass. Do you try to venture out on your own? Or do you just keep leaning on “good old reliable”?
Tommy used his highly paid education to do absolutely nothing.
Hanging with the wrong friends, dealing with anxiety and other strange feelings quickly turns to full blown paranoia.
Tommy’s parents were given an official diagnosis and chose to look the other way because it just wasn’t possible for their “star” child to have this affliction.
Serious cases of documented mental illnesses ran on both sides of the parents families and they still chose to ignore.
Continued signs of delusional fantasies coupled with paranoid behavior until it reaches its breaking point.
Tragically sad that neither parent stepped up to the plate and put their son’s mental health before fame and fortune.
An excellent retelling with an important message.
Read
July 15, 2021One of many books I’ve read by John Glatt. This is a well written true crime book on the saga of the Gilbert family. Tom Gilbert, Sr. was a well known financier in New York City and had a grown son, Tommy Gilbert, Jr. who was extremely well educated. Despite this, he remained dependent on his parents for support. A real failure to launch situation. The senior Gilbert was trying to wean him off being dependent by cutting his $800 a week allowance a hundred or two at a time.
Tommy Gilbert, Jr. had a long history of mental illnesses and often refused to stay on his medication. After getting an email about his allowance being cut again, Tommy took his illegally obtained gun and went and shot his father. The book shares a lot about the family’s life and what went on before and after the crime in excellent detail. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author John Glatt, and the publisher.
Tommy Gilbert, Jr. had a long history of mental illnesses and often refused to stay on his medication. After getting an email about his allowance being cut again, Tommy took his illegally obtained gun and went and shot his father. The book shares a lot about the family’s life and what went on before and after the crime in excellent detail. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, author John Glatt, and the publisher.
July 30, 2021
Interesting story. Book goes on too long. The criminal
Justice system is so fucked, and that’s for a rich white man. I can only think of Black folks in the same situations. Also the way we treat folks with mental illness is on full display. Lots of social ills in this book just not the most streamlined story.
Justice system is so fucked, and that’s for a rich white man. I can only think of Black folks in the same situations. Also the way we treat folks with mental illness is on full display. Lots of social ills in this book just not the most streamlined story.
July 25, 2021
It is easy to see why the murder of Thomas Gilbert Sr. captured media attention and why investigative journalist and true crime writer John Glatt chose to recount it in his latest book, GOLDEN BOY. It is a story of prestige, privilege and wealth, soured by mental illness, devastating violence and a frustrated justice system.
In January 2015, Thomas Gilbert Jr., known his entire life as Tommy, arrived unexpectedly at his parents’ New York home. After convincing his mother, Shelley, to leave, he shot his father dead and tried to make it look like a suicide. He then locked himself in his apartment and quickly contacted his lawyer. Glatt’s account pivots on this shocking patricide, examining Tommy’s life up to that point and what happened after.
As the title suggests, Tommy was a “golden boy” who came from a prosperous family. A talented athlete and strong student at his elite private schools, he was a handsome and shy young man, loved and even spoiled by his parents. But as he reached adolescence, things began to change. His shyness transformed into what may have been anxiety, and he exhibited some compulsive behaviors and paranoid thinking. He began to struggle in school and use drugs, and his personal relationships grew increasingly tense. While Thomas and Shelley were concerned and did seek help for their son, they never received a clear diagnosis and rejected any recommendations that involved lengthy in-patient treatment.
Preferring surfing and partying to college, Tommy eventually graduated from Princeton. But his mental deterioration continued. Whereas his father and others saw a “failure to take flight,” Glatt shows a man struggling against a swelling tide of drug and health issues, compounded by familial and social pressure to succeed. Still, none of this can explain, at least from Glatt’s perspective, his violence, even if they are reasons for his instability.
Tommy never held a job after college, attempted to sever ties with his father while still accepting his financial support, had a series of short and strange romantic relationships, physically attacked a friend, and burned down a historic home all before killing his father in cold blood. The motive for the murder has never been quite clear, but Glatt and others surmise it was tied to a reduction in allowance as well as long-simmering resentment. Tommy’s behavior while awaiting trial and throughout the proceedings was often bizarre, swinging between uncooperative, seeming self-sabotage and even incoherence. Yet expert after expert found him sane enough to stand trial and know right from wrong at the moment of his crime.
Glatt lays out the facts of this story but resists analysis, penning an interesting tale that ultimately lacks insight. More exploration of Tommy’s childhood and relationships to his immediate family --- his younger sister is all but missing from this book --- as well as a nuanced look at the connections between his drug use, mental health and feelings for his father would’ve been welcome additions to the narrative. Glatt relies heavily on court documents and even an early Vanity Fair article, which results in a compelling story but a somewhat flat delivery.
However, GOLDEN BOY remains a worthwhile read for its disturbing peek into a horrific and avoidable event. You may experience some schadenfreude reading about an elite and rich family brought low, but most will find what Glatt sets out to reveal --- the evident pain of the Gilberts and the struggles and horrors that their advantages couldn’t shield them from. As to Tommy’s control of his actions, and the mental health and court systems in general, Glatt gives readers lots of good discussion fodder.
Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman
In January 2015, Thomas Gilbert Jr., known his entire life as Tommy, arrived unexpectedly at his parents’ New York home. After convincing his mother, Shelley, to leave, he shot his father dead and tried to make it look like a suicide. He then locked himself in his apartment and quickly contacted his lawyer. Glatt’s account pivots on this shocking patricide, examining Tommy’s life up to that point and what happened after.
As the title suggests, Tommy was a “golden boy” who came from a prosperous family. A talented athlete and strong student at his elite private schools, he was a handsome and shy young man, loved and even spoiled by his parents. But as he reached adolescence, things began to change. His shyness transformed into what may have been anxiety, and he exhibited some compulsive behaviors and paranoid thinking. He began to struggle in school and use drugs, and his personal relationships grew increasingly tense. While Thomas and Shelley were concerned and did seek help for their son, they never received a clear diagnosis and rejected any recommendations that involved lengthy in-patient treatment.
Preferring surfing and partying to college, Tommy eventually graduated from Princeton. But his mental deterioration continued. Whereas his father and others saw a “failure to take flight,” Glatt shows a man struggling against a swelling tide of drug and health issues, compounded by familial and social pressure to succeed. Still, none of this can explain, at least from Glatt’s perspective, his violence, even if they are reasons for his instability.
Tommy never held a job after college, attempted to sever ties with his father while still accepting his financial support, had a series of short and strange romantic relationships, physically attacked a friend, and burned down a historic home all before killing his father in cold blood. The motive for the murder has never been quite clear, but Glatt and others surmise it was tied to a reduction in allowance as well as long-simmering resentment. Tommy’s behavior while awaiting trial and throughout the proceedings was often bizarre, swinging between uncooperative, seeming self-sabotage and even incoherence. Yet expert after expert found him sane enough to stand trial and know right from wrong at the moment of his crime.
Glatt lays out the facts of this story but resists analysis, penning an interesting tale that ultimately lacks insight. More exploration of Tommy’s childhood and relationships to his immediate family --- his younger sister is all but missing from this book --- as well as a nuanced look at the connections between his drug use, mental health and feelings for his father would’ve been welcome additions to the narrative. Glatt relies heavily on court documents and even an early Vanity Fair article, which results in a compelling story but a somewhat flat delivery.
However, GOLDEN BOY remains a worthwhile read for its disturbing peek into a horrific and avoidable event. You may experience some schadenfreude reading about an elite and rich family brought low, but most will find what Glatt sets out to reveal --- the evident pain of the Gilberts and the struggles and horrors that their advantages couldn’t shield them from. As to Tommy’s control of his actions, and the mental health and court systems in general, Glatt gives readers lots of good discussion fodder.
Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman
October 18, 2024
John Glatt to jeden z najbardziej znanych współczesnych amerykańskich pisarzy literatury true crime. Autor szczegółowo opisuje mroczne i brutalne sprawy związane z różnymi zbrodniami, co sprawia, że jego książki zyskują coraz większą popularność na polskim rynku wydawniczym. „Złoty chłopak” to najnowszy reportaż autorstwa Johna Glatta, w którym poznajemy szczegóły głośnej i przerażającej zbrodni, która wstrząsnęła społeczeństwem nowojorskich elit.
Thomas Gilbert Jr. miał wszystko, o czym tylko mógł marzyć. Jako syn bogatego finansisty dorastał w luksusach, jakie oferowało życie w Upper East Side: uczęszczał do najlepszych elitarnych szkół, spędzał wakacje w nadmorskiej rezydencji w Hampton i studiował na Princeton.
Jednak Tommy od zawsze czuł się inny. Dla rodziny i bliskich niepokojące były objawy zaburzeń obsesyjno-kompulsywnych, narastająca paranoja oraz niezrozumiała dla wszystkich nienawiść skierowana w stronę ojca. Rodzina wielokrotnie prosiła Thomasa, by zwrócił się o pomoc do psychiatry, on jednak unikał tego tematu, coraz bardziej pogrążając się w świecie narkotyków i alkoholu. Jego notoryczne prośby o pieniądze zmusiły ojca do zmniejszenia kieszonkowego, co w rezultacie doprowadziło do tragedii. Pewnego dnia Thomas przybył do domu rodziców, poprosił matkę o colę, doskonale zdając sobie sprawę, że kobieta musi po nią wyjść do sklepu. Podczas jej nieobecności strzelił ojcu prosto w głowę.
John Glatt słynie ze skrupulatnych i bardzo szczegółowych reportaży. Nie inaczej było i tym razem. „Złoty chłopak” to doskonale przeprowadzony reaserach na temat życia Thomasa Gilberta Jr, jego działań oraz sprawy sądowej dotyczącej zbrodni, która toczyła się wiele lat. John Glatt przeprowadził wiele rozmów, mając wyłączny dostęp do bliskich i matki Thomasa.
Historia Thomasa jest trudna i z pewnością mogła zakończyć się inaczej. Tutaj nie tylko zawinił system, ale również podejście do wychowania oraz uległość bliskich na jego zachcianki. „Złoty chłopak” to nie tylko historia zbrodni popełnionej przez Thomasa, to również dowód na nieudolność systemu i jego działań wobec postępującej choroby. Nie mnie oceniać, jednak gdyby Thomas został zdiagnozowany znacznie wcześniej, ta sprawa mogłaby mieć inne zakończenie.
John Glatt jest jednym z najlepszych autorów powieści true crime, który z każdą kolejną książką udowadnia, że nie ma dla niego rzeczy niemożliwych. Potrafi „dokopać się” do najlepiej strzeżonych informacji, przeprowadzić dokładny research, aby powieść, którą pragnie nam przedstawić, była niezwykle szczegółowa. Książki autora są rzetelne, nie brakuje w nich dokładnych opisów, często mrożących krew w żyłach, i za to cenię sobie twórczość Glatta.
„Złoty chłopak” wyróżnia się nieco na tle poprzednich publikacji autora, niemniej jednak jest to kolejny bardzo dobry reportaż, który ukazuje nam to, czego szukamy w tego typu historiach. Polecam.
Thomas Gilbert Jr. miał wszystko, o czym tylko mógł marzyć. Jako syn bogatego finansisty dorastał w luksusach, jakie oferowało życie w Upper East Side: uczęszczał do najlepszych elitarnych szkół, spędzał wakacje w nadmorskiej rezydencji w Hampton i studiował na Princeton.
Jednak Tommy od zawsze czuł się inny. Dla rodziny i bliskich niepokojące były objawy zaburzeń obsesyjno-kompulsywnych, narastająca paranoja oraz niezrozumiała dla wszystkich nienawiść skierowana w stronę ojca. Rodzina wielokrotnie prosiła Thomasa, by zwrócił się o pomoc do psychiatry, on jednak unikał tego tematu, coraz bardziej pogrążając się w świecie narkotyków i alkoholu. Jego notoryczne prośby o pieniądze zmusiły ojca do zmniejszenia kieszonkowego, co w rezultacie doprowadziło do tragedii. Pewnego dnia Thomas przybył do domu rodziców, poprosił matkę o colę, doskonale zdając sobie sprawę, że kobieta musi po nią wyjść do sklepu. Podczas jej nieobecności strzelił ojcu prosto w głowę.
John Glatt słynie ze skrupulatnych i bardzo szczegółowych reportaży. Nie inaczej było i tym razem. „Złoty chłopak” to doskonale przeprowadzony reaserach na temat życia Thomasa Gilberta Jr, jego działań oraz sprawy sądowej dotyczącej zbrodni, która toczyła się wiele lat. John Glatt przeprowadził wiele rozmów, mając wyłączny dostęp do bliskich i matki Thomasa.
Historia Thomasa jest trudna i z pewnością mogła zakończyć się inaczej. Tutaj nie tylko zawinił system, ale również podejście do wychowania oraz uległość bliskich na jego zachcianki. „Złoty chłopak” to nie tylko historia zbrodni popełnionej przez Thomasa, to również dowód na nieudolność systemu i jego działań wobec postępującej choroby. Nie mnie oceniać, jednak gdyby Thomas został zdiagnozowany znacznie wcześniej, ta sprawa mogłaby mieć inne zakończenie.
John Glatt jest jednym z najlepszych autorów powieści true crime, który z każdą kolejną książką udowadnia, że nie ma dla niego rzeczy niemożliwych. Potrafi „dokopać się” do najlepiej strzeżonych informacji, przeprowadzić dokładny research, aby powieść, którą pragnie nam przedstawić, była niezwykle szczegółowa. Książki autora są rzetelne, nie brakuje w nich dokładnych opisów, często mrożących krew w żyłach, i za to cenię sobie twórczość Glatta.
„Złoty chłopak” wyróżnia się nieco na tle poprzednich publikacji autora, niemniej jednak jest to kolejny bardzo dobry reportaż, który ukazuje nam to, czego szukamy w tego typu historiach. Polecam.
August 15, 2021
This was a very interesting story but very sad and more than that, very infuriating. John Glatt is one of my favorite true crime authors and he did an excellent job with this book, even though I’m sure he is frustrated with the fact that it took so long for the case to run its course in the judicial system. The only thing I would object to is the title of the book, Golden Boy. Tommy Gilbert Jr. might have been a golden boy to his parents when he was young and certainly they thought he should be successful given his Ivy League background, Princeton degree and his good looks but what they fail to understand was that if several psychiatrists and psychologists tell you your son is sick and needs to be institutionalized, you should listen. Tommy was clearly schizophrenic or schizoaffective if you will. Everyone pussy footed around him and failed this young man. I know he felt he deserved a lot of things most people can’t afford but much of his behavior was a direct result of his illness and his family aided and abetted his inability and unwillingness to get help. I won’t tell you what happens as I’m sure you can guess and look it up. The trial shenanigans were unlike anything I had ever heard of. Again a direct result of Tommy’s mental illness. Clearly he needs to be hospitalized and treated, not stuck in a prison. Sad, sad story for the entire family, especially his father who seemed like a good man, but clueless.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2022
Golden Boy is a quick read. We average people are often interested in how the very rich live, and this true crime book does not disappoint. But what happens when one of the very rich, also blessed with intelligence, athletic ability, and male model looks, does not live up to his pedigree?
The main question in this book is whether Tommy Gilbert was able to understand that his act of of killing his father was wrong, or was he so incapacitated by mental illness that he was unable to appreciate the true nature of his conduct?
Tommy Gilbert did have it all. His loving parents and Uber wealthy uncle made it so. But along with the inheritance of wealth and looks, he had two ancestors who suffered from mental illness. As Tommy grew up, certain aspects of his personality began to change. He began to withdraw from people, and not participate in conversations, and began using illegal drugs.
Despite being treated by many psychiatrists, he refused to take his medications and his paranoia increased. After graduating from Princeton, he never worked but lived off the generosity of his parents. He spent his time surfing, dating, and becoming jealous of his peers who were doing well.
Ultimately his parents tired of supporting Tommy’s lifestyle and themselves need to cut back in spending decided to cut Tommy’s allowance and that was when Tommy did the unthinkable.
The main question in this book is whether Tommy Gilbert was able to understand that his act of of killing his father was wrong, or was he so incapacitated by mental illness that he was unable to appreciate the true nature of his conduct?
Tommy Gilbert did have it all. His loving parents and Uber wealthy uncle made it so. But along with the inheritance of wealth and looks, he had two ancestors who suffered from mental illness. As Tommy grew up, certain aspects of his personality began to change. He began to withdraw from people, and not participate in conversations, and began using illegal drugs.
Despite being treated by many psychiatrists, he refused to take his medications and his paranoia increased. After graduating from Princeton, he never worked but lived off the generosity of his parents. He spent his time surfing, dating, and becoming jealous of his peers who were doing well.
Ultimately his parents tired of supporting Tommy’s lifestyle and themselves need to cut back in spending decided to cut Tommy’s allowance and that was when Tommy did the unthinkable.
January 20, 2022
Interesting story but it felt very third person; a dry recitation of a timeline seemingly compiled from police, court, financial & news reports, as opposed to personal interviews. This approach made for a basically straightforward news reporting experience, and not the more subjective or immersive ‘new’ journalism that makes reading true crime such a compelling pastime. Tommy, the main antagonist’s voice is completely missing, as are the voices of most of the Gilbert family, and to me, this hurts the book from an emotional standpoint.
October 14, 2021
Backdrop: Patricide. An uppercrust young man who had the whole world at his feet killed his loving and supportive father. This book had every potential to become a page-turner. But it was not meant to be. The account and writing were so monotonous, repetitive, and pedestrian that it became a drag to finish. Much disappointed.
July 26, 2021
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