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The life story of one of America's most notorious and deadly serial killers was recently retold in the publication of the book, "The Good Wife," which was released this past Monday, April 15 2013. The book and its author, journalist Charles Graeber, provides insights and details of serial killer Charlie Cullen's life and looks into the deadly repercussions of his actions. Cullen was arrested in 2003 in Somerset County, NJ after police discovered his role as a nurse was not nourishing, but rather, disturbing as he used his access to drugs and medications as tools to kill patients.

Graeber spent six years investigating the early life of Cullen and the multiple deaths he caused and is the only person to ever speak to Cullen during his imprisonment. This book does not only act as a retelling of the horrible deaths that occurred, but also, as a means of possibly understanding the role of mental illness within this nation. Cullen worked as a certified nurse in nine different hospitals over the span of 16 years. Although Cullen has admitted to killing 40 people, he stated that oftentimes, he did not remember if he killed more due to the constant state of mental fogginess. Speculators believe that he could be responsible for over 400 deaths.

"We'll never know how many people Charlie Cullen ultimately killed," Graeber stated. "Charlie Cullen doesn't know how many people he killed. He initially could recall 40 and also said there was a large part of his life that was a fog during which he would have no ability to recall. But during that fog, those fogs lasted years, he said there were probably multiples a week."

According to the private interview between Graeber and Cullen, Cullen did not respond well to questions regarding childhood abuse and possible sexual harassment, suggesting that he experienced a great deal of abuse from different people within his family. Based off of available information, there were instances of his life in which strange men, such as brother-in-laws, entered the home and contributed to domestic abuse. One particular brother-in-law was extremely violent, which forced his wife, Cullen's sister, to run away while leaving Cullen behind. Cullen is the youngest of eight. Aside from possible physical abuse, Cullen might suffer from narcissistic personality and have a hero complex.

The book also presents an interesting case on how hospital systems at the time failed to report Cullen to authorities. According to research, there were numerous occasions in which hospitals warned Cullen about his position as a nurse and suggested that he leave the hospital and find a position elsewhere. Despite all of these signs, Cullen managed to continue his persona as a good nurse, which led to many more deaths. Graeber attributed the lack of reports to the fact that within the medical field, people have to account for medical accidents and thus, these hospitals could have believed that Cullen accidently caused the deaths of some patients.

This book brings up conversations surrounding mental illness and hospital rules. With more people discussing these topics, new ways of dealing with them and changing current beliefs could help with diagnosing mental patients and understanding the conditions better.