The Surgeon's Wife

A True Story of Obsession, Rage, and Murder

By: Kieran Crowley

Narrated by: Danny Campbell

In the summer of 1985, in his exclusive Upper East Side Manhattan apartment, Robert Bierenbaum, a prominent surgeon and certified genius, strangled his wife Gail to death. He then drove her body to an airstrip in Caldwell, N.J., and dumped it into the Atlantic Ocean from a single-engine private plane. The next day he reported her missing.

Gail's parents had been thrilled to learn she was marrying Robert Bierenbaum. He seemed to be the perfect match for their daughter. He was from a well-to-do family, a medical student who spoke five languages fluently, a skier, and he even flew an airplane. But Gail would come to learn of her husband's dark side. On one occasion when Robert had tried to choke Gail because he caught her smoking, she filed a police report. She also alleged that he tried to kill her cat because he was jealous of it. For years, her sister pleaded with Gail to run for her life. Even her therapist warned his vulnerable patient that she could eventually die at the hands of the man she married.

Fifteen years after this unspeakable, unfathomable crime, a jury found Robert Bierenbaum guilty of murder - and stripped the mask off of this privileged professional to reveal a monster.

©2001 Kieran Crowley (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Most awesome true crime book!

It was so well written, sad at the lack of oversight when it originally occurred but I do understand that was over 40 years ago. I checked online just now and he was denied parole again in July 2026.

Great True Crime

Would you listen to The Surgeon's Wife again? Why?

I have a 1.5 hour commute to work and this book made it seem like 20 minutes. I cleaned my house, did yard word, worked out to this book.

Very documenatry

This book was interesting I wondered about Dr. Bob truth. Did he really kill Gail? Some times ijn the story I wanted to kill Gail. She talked too much. I was not a fan of neither of the two main chracters.

Very interesting TRUE CRIME

An excellent account and summary of this case, showing very intensive research by the author, including the questions involved. Excellent narration.

Crazy love

Would you listen to The Surgeon's Wife again? Why?

No - Too slow and the characters are too darn dumb

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Surgeon's Wife?

Liked the stories about his water bagels

Which scene was your favorite?

When her sister got a chance to stare him down.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

Kind of slow