In a book that is Shakespearean in its tragedy, as intriguing as a legal thriller, and as incisive as a political exposé, Caplan chronicles the story of Raphael "Ray" Osheroff—a physician functionally sentenced to a Bedlam-like mental institution—and his three-decades-long effort to gain both justice and vindication. Exhaustively researched and meticulously cited, the author's book begins with an unvarnished biography of a gifted doctor descending into the throes of depression, his abuse by caretakers while undergoing inpatient treatment, his betrayal by professional colleagues, and his subsequent rescue and lifelong treatment. It then segues into the history of a years-long legal battle, during which Dr. Osheroff and his lawyers fought to reclaim his medical practice and reputation. The reader is next immersed in the esoteric and sometimes confusing world of medical research and egocentric academia, before the book closes with a lengthy essay that discusses evidence-based medicine versus analytic dogma. Caplan writes, "When treatment itself becomes a source of harm, when the theoretical sophistication of an approach serves clinicians' needs rather than patients' welfare, the consequences extend far beyond the immediate failure to address the presenting illness."

While Caplan admits in a preface that he did not approach the material with "Olympian detachment," his objectivity as a historian is never in question. He skillfully recounts Ray's inpatient ordeal, writing with a novelist's sensibility; then deftly shifts into the legal battles, presenting and restating evidence as needed to help the reader keep the story and its timeline in context. He does not shy away from uncomfortable truths about Dr. Osheroff or others caught up in the physician's wake. When conclusions are offered, they are supported by data and witness statements. Moreover, his impressions of the many players in this book are those of someone with insight into the nature of human beings, adding necessary texture to what could be, but never becomes, simply a mammoth collection of facts. All in all, this is a cautionary tale but not one bereft of hope or understanding. It is a reminder that life may be imperfect and justice elusive, but truth will ultimately prevail, even though it may speak quietly.

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