The Doctor from Hell: The True Story of Harold Shipman One of Britain's Most Prolific Serial Killer With an Estimated 218 Victims

True Crime Explicit #7

by Genoveva Ortiz, True Crime Seven

If you were a patient of this prolific serial killer doctor, you’re lucky to be alive. Meet Harold Shipman, a serial killer with a disturbing proclivity to murder a specific kind of patient. With an estimated 250 victims, there’s no doubt his kill count might be much, much higher. But what drove him to murder? You’ll have to read on to find out. But we’ll warn you now, this story might haunt your nightmares and leave you scared to go to your next checkup. When you learn the truth of Harold’s crimes, and what happened to him in the end, you’ll be stunned, dismayed, and no doubt left with the kinds of questions that have no easy answers. So buy this book and learn the twisted truth… if you dare.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

139 pages, Paperback

Published August 3, 2022

Reviews

[LibraryCin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Harold Shipman was a doctor in the U.K. from the late 1960s to the late 1990s. In that time, he murdered over 200 people (likely the number is much higher). He is the serial killer who has killed the most people ever. This is a short biography of him and his deeds. He was actually very well-liked, but things came tumbling down with the death of another well-liked and influential woman in her community.

This is meant to be for any level reader, so it is kept short and simple. I still thought the story was good, but because it was kept short, there were plenty of details and victims that could have been expanded on. It’s not tale of blood and guts murder, but a doctor who (for reasons unknown) killed many of his own patients.

[Kade Gulluscio · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read quite a few books from this series, and I'm always so intrigued by each one.
While I have to admit that the writing isn't really... "top-notch," the author DOES do a great job with the facts and research for each book.
This book was about Harold Shipman. AS someone who lives in the US, I honestly had not heard of him before I found this series. He apparently had roughly 218 victims in Britain. Which is absolutely horrifying. He was a doctor from roughly the 1960s to 1990s. The book covers his the ...digusting things he did.

If you're into true crime, this book will be up your alley. It's short, to the point and covers the facts.

[Ian Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short read about a prolific serial killer

This book only took me a couple of hours to read, as I was engrossed within the first chapter and read it straight through. This was my first time reading a True Crime Seven book, but it won't be the last, as I enjoyed the straightforward, "just the facts, ma'am" pace. As true crime has become more popular, it seems that the stories get drawn out more and more, especially podcasts and documentaries, to the point where six to ten hours are wasted learning about a crime that could be covered in an hour or two. It would have been interesting to know about more of the victims but it's quite likely that even the families of some have no idea Dr. Shipman murdered them.

[Alison C · Rating 2 out of 5]

“The Doctor From Hell” is a short (71-page) volume outlining the life of Harold Shipman, a truly evil doctor whose numerous victims were mostly elderly women. The book is written to be “short and inclusive” of all reading levels, and it is apparently one of several books in a series all about real-life serial killers. I didn’t learn anything new, other than the names of some of Shipman’s victims, but it was an interesting read nonetheless, and a decent starting point for anybody interested in following up with a more indepth study of the man. I received an ARC of this book from LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer program.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was both a page turner and a quick read for me. While reading this, I found I was looking back at my own medical visits and thinking of how vulnerable we are every time we have a procedure done or when we take a prescribed medication. This really made me shudder. I am totally astounded by the numbers of patients that died both in those that had evidence and could be proven and those that were probable. Unbelievable!

Truly a must read for those that enjoy true crime or those that just want an interesting read about how a doctor can end up on the wrong side of his oath!

[Tabby Shiflett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of a mini biography series focusing on serial killers, this non-fiction book kept the reader's interest, was informative, and the storyline flowed well. Think of it as an introductory work to become familiar with the background and history of the killer and his crimes. Less graphic than other works in this series, it was an easy read, possibly useful to older teens. May not be lengthy or detailed enough for most experienced crime history readers.

Booksprout Review Copy

[Debbie Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. It was surprising how Shipman managed to slip through the system despite how he acted to his colleagues and strange handling of drugs. It seems just because he acted nice for his patients, all was forgiven. I'm glad medical oversights prevent this now.

[Irish_I_was_reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Sometimes the people we trust the most are the ones who can betray us the worst."

This book is classified as True Crime. This book is about Harold Shipman, and how their entire life went from being born eight months after WW2 to his death. He was raised in a loving, happy family, but started to grow up entitled. It continued on and he became a doctor, but also got addicted to droogs.

[Tina Oman · Rating 4 out of 5]

How could this happen...

And why did it go on so long?

I kept thinking this was taking place in the 19th century, but it's not! Unbelievable -but real! I'll definitely be reading more of the books by this group.

[Chrystal Mahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was actually the Audible audiobook but for some reason Goodreads did not have that edition option.

Some might complain this was too short, but I loved that it got right to the point and didn’t add a bunch of unnecessary fluff.

[Misty Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

not as gruesome as some other books

I’ve read more gruesome books than this. However, a doctor is someone whom a person can trust with their life. Doctors are supposed to save people, not kill them.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is interesting on how a doctor could get away with killing so many people, but it was a basic account of the story. It did not deliver any emotion with the story.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting mini biography. It was a quick read. And am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Mark H Duprey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold-hearted doctor

How a person who took the oath to help people live took their lives! You read numerous stories about doctors doing heinous things, but this is extra troubling.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shipman's tale is proof that sometimes reality is much wilder than fiction. Everything Shipman was able to get away with blew my mind. This was certainly an intensely dark tale.

[Shaleah Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

The acts committed by this Dr. are atrocious. It's so scary to think that this was someone these patients trusted, just like we all most likely do when going to our own appointments. These poor patients and their families were let down in the worst possible way.