This book is a must-read for fans of true crime! The story of Paul Volkman, the Pill Mill Doctor, is astonishing not in its complexity, but rather in how staunchly Volkman proclaimed (and continues to proclaim) his innocence even after all the facts are laid out against him. Eil examines every aspect of Volkman's life, trial, and sentencing clearly through in-depth research, interviews, and personal accounts. The author includes fair amount of background information, but that information adds to the context of the book's events rather than bogging it down in minutae. There are several jaw-dropping moments in the book, and hearing Volkman's own take on how the events of his life unfolded had me flip-flopping between empathy (could he really have had his patients' best interests at heart?) and condemnation (how could he have thought his actions were justified?) Put this one on your TBR list, because it's going to knock your socks off!

Fascinating journalistic expose of a man, Paul Volkman, who went from being an esteemed physician to opening pain clinics in the midwest, dispensing many thousands of painkillers and anxiety drugs which results in deaths from overdoses.

The author is the son of a doctor who knew Volkman in school but that is immaterial to the story. He interviews employees, vicitms, patients and their families, and law enforcement personnel trying to get to the heart of the story. He presents an unbiased picture of Volkman through interviews with Volkman himself and people close to him.

A composite of the pain clinics that proliferated in Appalachia and surrounding areas, how they came to be, and the attempt to shut them down.

Philip Eil's Prescription for Pain was a thoroughly researched book about a fascinating criminal. The subject of Eil's book, Paul Volkman, was an extraordinarily polarizing figure with extreme opinions whose career path took a series of critical turns culminating in a criminal conviction. Eil does a fantastic job of portraying Volkman and the events of his medical career through multiple lenses, allowing the reader to gather as full a picture as possible.

What was truly well-done about this book was the ways in which Eil took the time to contextualize the story. Eil provided a detailed (but relevant) backstory of Volkman, included social and political contexts for the geographic areas discussed, and included all the necessary information to feel as if I understood each player in the story. Further, Eil took the time to include aftermaths not only of the people involved in Volkman's story, but the places involved in Eil's story, allowing the reader to really feel that the book has come full-circle.

I will note that this book is incredibly dense, and the first chapter or so is a little slow. However, both of these factors are worth it if you're interested in the story!