Bellevue

By: Robin Cook

Narrated by: John Pirhalla

From the bestselling author and "master of the medical thriller" (The New York Times), Robin Cook, comes a new tale of suspense-horror about a first-year resident whose life-shattering visions reveal the truth behind some of the greatest medical advances in the history of medicine.

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.

Critic reviews

"Robin Cook is at the top of his game. Bellevue is a nonstop thrill ride from the first page until the last. A must read for anyone who loves a gripping medical thriller with a supernatural twist. The ending left me shook, and I'm still haunted days later!" —#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden

"If you enjoy medical thrillers with a supernatural twist, then look no further than Bellevue by Robin Cook. It’s a little different from other books I’ve read by this author, but it was another great thriller filled with suspense, horror, and visions related to historic medical practices . . . Cook’s writing is vivid and enabled me to easily visualize Bellevue as well as the people and the medical procedures and operations. Dynamic characters and fantastic world-building, along with a great plot, intense scenes, and excellent pacing kept me glued to the book. . . . This suspenseful, engaging, thought-provoking, and tragic medical thriller gripped me from the beginning. It was difficult to put down. I’m a fan of the author and am looking forward to reading his next novel." —Mystery & Suspense

“A superb mix of medical thrills and history combined with plenty of supernatural chills . . . Bellevue is packed with medical details as only the great Robin Cook can muster, partnered with bone-chilling thrills that rival any ghost story about a haunting that you will read this season." —Book Reporter

"Another great thriller from author Robin Cook, who never disappoints with his novels. Fans will enjoy this one." —Red Carpet Crash

"[Bellevue] is more Gothic than Cook’s usual fare, more horror-adjacent than most of his books... Cook’s loyal fans will surely enjoy it." —Booklist

Chilling

Accurate descriptions of the tension experienced by first year surgical residents and the possibly deserved arrogance of many surgeons. Thank goodness there are more well meaning caring surgeons and or staff in our world of medicine.

intricate storyline

liked the generational storyline. well written and keeps you wanting more. Sad how the sick were once treated.

Disappointed

It is not what I would expect from Robin Cook. Ghosts are more of a Stephen King thing in my opinion.

Historic Medical Mystery

For the average non-medically trained reader, most of the book may be a challenge to wade through. The author does attempt to explain and describe various medical events. Although the hospital involved is real, this specific story is more paranormal and mystery conceived. Before reading or listening to it, you may want to check Google for the term lobotomy.

Literal or Hallucinatory?

There are two ways to read this novel: literally or hallucinatorily. Taken literally, it’s a spooky paranormal adventure that, while fun, falls short of Cook’s other work. Read hallucinatorily, however, it becomes a powerful story of a young man driven into madness by the stresses of the residency system and the unfortunate outcomes of his first surgical patients. In this interpretation, the controversial ending is devastating (in the best possible way) rather than disappointing. As such, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and it has sent me diving into a wealth of supplemental material about Bellevue in general and Clarence Fuller in particular.