Exploring Robin Cook's 'Bellevue': A Medical Thriller with a Supernatural Twist

Twenty-three-year-old Michael “Mitt” Fuller starts his surgical residency with great anticipation at the nearly three-hundred-year-old, iconic Bellevue Hospital, following in the footsteps of four previous, celebrated Fuller generations. The pressure is on for this newly minted doctor, and to his advantage he’s always had a secret sixth sense, a sensitivity to the nonphysical. But quickly, one patient after another assigned to his care begin to die from mysterious causes. As he tries to juggle these inexplicable deaths with the demands of being a first-year resident, things rapidly spiral out of control. 

Visions begin to plague Mitt—visions of a little girl in a bloodstained dress, bloodcurdling screams in the distance, and worse. As bodies mount and Mitt’s stress level rises, he finds himself drawn to the monumental, abandoned Bellevue Psychopathic Hospital building, which to his astonishment has somehow defied the wrecking ball and still stands a few doors north of the modern Bellevue Hospital high-rise. Forcing an unauthorized entry into this storied but foreboding structure, Mitt discovers he’s more closely tied to the sins of the past than he ever thought possible.

BELLEVUE

by Robin Cook

Putnam, 2024

It has been at least twenty-five years since I last delved into a Robin Cook medical thriller, though, over the years, I have accumulated many of his earlier works. Among my collection is his latest novel, Bellevue, a supernatural mystery set against a medical backdrop. To clarify, I am only an avid reader and book lover, so I do not have a background in medical terminology. Thus, I will not delve into the intricacies of medical jargon or critique any inaccuracies—there is not much to discuss here. The author opted for a different focus, weaving in detailed architectural descriptions that might appeal more to fans of that field.

The narrative of Bellevue struck me as uneven; it is hardly a complete mess, but it feels lacking in cohesion. The 1949 prologue offers a captivating start with Gothic overtones that pique curiosity. However, the story quickly transitions to the present day, where it begins to falter upon the introduction of the protagonist, Mitt Fuller. He’s a young medical student who harbors deep familial connections to the now-abandoned Bellevue Psychopathic Hospital. Unbeknownst to him, he possesses a sixth-sense-like ability that enables him to visualize the specter of a dead girl—a subplot that, while intriguing in concept, struggles to resonate fully throughout the story.

One of the primary issues I encountered with the novel is the discordance between the horror elements and the medical drama. As I mentioned, the story is disjointed, as if two distinct ideas were hastily merged without a clear pathway. Who exactly is this book intended for? Longtime fans of Robin Cook typically anticipate a gripping medical thriller, not a ghost story reminiscent of Stephen King’s work, albeit without King’s masterful knack for vivid, immersive description.

In conclusion, Bellevue grapples with storytelling and tonal inconsistencies that hinder its overall impact. Yet, despite these flaws, I found myself engaged and never truly bored; the supernatural elements managed to hold my interest, compelling me to keep turning the pages. That said, it ultimately falls short of a medical thriller. Proceed with caution if you choose to read it.

╍★★★✰✰

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