If you aren't familiar with Robin Cook's novels, you need to be prepared for a lot of scientific and medical terminology and details. If you're a fan of this like I am you will enjoy his books as he is a surgeon himself and draws upon research and personal experience.

If you're a current reader of Robin Cook's novels you know he typically writes medically themed thrillers. This one is a little different as there are also paranormal aspects at play.

I enjoyed this as it veered slightly off course from his existing books. I also saw this ending much differently than it did so you do receive a little twist at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've been reading Robin Cook's books for more years than I admit. As an author, he's well known for his thrillers centered around the medical world and doctors....good and bad. BELLEVUE is set in the historical Bellevue Hospital in New York where our main character is a first year resident following in the footsteps of family who have worked there. This is the central back story. In a departure from normal, Cook has introduced a paranormal element into the story, utilizing Bellevue's history as a psychiatric hospital and the horrors rumored to have occurred there.

Robin Cook is well known for the realistic feel his stories have. Dr "Mitt" Fuller is still finding his way as a first year resident with all of the plus and minus that entails. He's also learning the hard way that even the best doctors can't save everyone. But then he discovers that there may be something else killing his patients. This story line changes the usual thrill I get from a Robin Cook book but it's still a good read. Even the best authors have a one off every now and then. But I'm a die hard fan and will still be eagerly awaiting Cook's next release.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

Michael Fuller was quite a standout all through medical school, and with his family's celebrated medical history, he had his pick of where to go for his residency. But his first and only pick was Bellevue, where four generations of his family had served. When he gets there, he is thrilled and also very curious about the old Bellevue psychiatric facility which has been shuttered for years. But it has a fascination for him and he is somehow drawn to this forbidding structure.

He has long had a sort of sixth sense and often knows what will happen before it does. But when several of the post-op patients assigned to him die unexpectedly, he is at a loss. And then he starts seeing people who he KNOWS are not there, including a small girl in a blood-stained dress.

Finding out what these people are trying to convey leads to a tragic ending for a promising medical career.

**Review of *Bellevue* by Robin Cook**

Robin Cook’s *Bellevue* offers a captivating and chilling dive into the world of medicine, where ethics, ambition, and the complexities of modern healthcare collide. The novel is set in the renowned Bellevue Hospital in New York, where Dr. Eric Parrish, a talented but disillusioned surgeon, becomes entangled in a series of medical mysteries that threaten both his career and the lives of his patients.

Cook, known for his medical thrillers, once again demonstrates his ability to blend gripping suspense with detailed medical knowledge. The plot is fast-paced, with plenty of twists and turns, as Dr. Parrish uncovers dark secrets within the hospital’s inner workings. The hospital itself almost acts as a character, with its bureaucracy, secrets, and power struggles adding depth to the narrative. Cook skillfully explores themes of corruption, the frailty of the healthcare system, and the ethical dilemmas faced by those within it.

The strength of *Bellevue* lies in its ability to provoke thought about the role of hospitals and doctors in society, and the human cost of institutional failure. While the character development may not be as deep as some might expect, the tension and urgency of the story more than make up for it.

Fans of Robin Cook’s earlier works like *Coma* and *Outbreak* will find *Bellevue* to be another compelling, thought-provoking thriller that highlights the often murky world of medical practice. With its intriguing plot, high stakes, and plenty of twists, *Bellevue* will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC and my finished copy that my husband who is a FNP is going to read next so we can chat!

When Michael “Mitt” Fuller starts his surgical residency at Bellevue, it is with the gravitas of knowing he is continuing the tradition of generations of Bellevue surgeons in his family. Mitt has also always had a secret sixth sense, a sensitivity to the nonphysical, and he hopes to use those abilities to aid him in his medical profession. When patient after patient dies in rapid succession however, he begins to worry he is the catalyst somehow. Then there are the visions of a little girl in a bloodstained dress he has begun having, making him feel as if he is going insane. When he goes next door to the abandoned Bellevue Psychopathic Hospital building to look at the old records, he finds out that the generations of surgeons he has been raised to revere did some truly horrific things, all in the name of medicine.

This book was a complete divergence from this author's usual works. It was more ghost story than it was a medical mystery. The medical parts were gruesome and stomach-churning at times. I do enjoy a good ghost story, but the pacing was off on this one, so it was hard to stay engaged. I will have to add an extra point for the epilogue though - that was true brilliance!

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.

Gripped me from the first page! Thought-provoking, tragic and chilling. I love how Cook always teaches me something new about the history of medicine. The writing is top-notch. Pick this one up! 4⭐

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Bellevue
by Robin Cook
Pub Date: Dec 03 2024

Bellevue starts out with a chilling medical scene from 1949, then the novel takes place in the current time. This story is a medical thriller with a supernatural twist, an awesome thriller! The main character, Michael “Mitt” Fuller is a first year surgical resident and is assigned to Bellevue, the three hundred year old, famed hospital in New York City. Michael is following the footsteps of four earlier generations. Michael's a good guy who sees his dreams shatter as his first cases at the hospital go very very wrong.

This is my first book I've read by author Robin Cook, it's a very intense read. If you like medical thrillers with a touch of supernatural, you will love this book!

Many thanks to #Bellevue #NetGalley and #RobinCook for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

3.5 stars, actually.

Overall, I enjoyed this book - at least the premise of it. Abandoned former hospitals are not uncommon in many communities these days - there's one not far from my house - and there's nothing gets the old heart rate skyrocketing than the thought of a few unhinged ghosts wandering around in them.

In this instance, it's the old Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital in New York City - long since closed but not torn down - still standing next to the current Bellevue Hospital. As a teaching facility, new classes of residents are admitted each year, and this season's group includes twenty-something Michael Fuller - known as Mitt. He's a bit surprised to have been selected for the residency, although he's aware that family ties might have played a role; several of his ancestors were noted physicians who practiced at the old Bellevue over the years dating back to its beginnings.

In addition to his medical skills, Mitt has another one that he doesn't acknowledge publicly: precognitive ability (a.k.a., sixth sense). As he begins to work with patients under the supervision of seasoned physicians, it starts to kick in - but not in a good way. To begin with, he "sees" a young girl wearing a bloody dress and hears screams from people who aren't there. Then, during the surgery he's assisting with for his first "assignment," a couple of strange things happen. But that's not the worst part; inexplicably, the patient dies.

Although what happened creeps Mitt out a bit, he chalks it up to happenstance. When the second of Mitt's assigned patients dies under unusual circumstances, though, it's a bit harder to shove under his mental rug. After the third, well, he starts to wonder if he's somehow responsible. That, in turn, makes him wonder what awful things really happened at that long-closed psych hospital - and what part his ancestors played in the horrific goings-on.

All that leads to an ending that, all things considered, wasn't too surprising. And while it held my attention throughout, in the end, it was repetition - and to a certain extent, predictability - that kept me from loving this book (as is my custom for books by this author). Still, I enjoyed it very much and thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Bellevue by Robin Cook
🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is an entertaining and spooky medical thriller story. When a new 1st year hospital resident, Dr. Mitt Fuller, joins the staff at Bellevue hospital, he is super excited. Many of his former family members were Dr’s at the Psychiatric hospital, which is next door, many, years ago. They did not always use safe and painless practices back then, and Mitt is quickly learning about these problems after starting at the hospital. Very strange things are happening to Mitt’s patients as well as hallucinations starting up.
The book has a nice creepy vibe to it and left my curiosity wanting to figure out what was going on!
Theres great amount of suspense and thrills!

Thank you to NetGalley & Robin Cooke for an arc of this great book!!
*It comes out December 3rd!!*

BELLEVUE is a medical thriller with a unique supernatural twist. Dr Mitt Fuller is a first-year surgical resident at the famous Bellevue Hospital in New York, following in the footsteps of previous family members. During his first week of residency, Mitt learns that his ancestors were not the icons he believed them to be and that, in hindsight, their actions were closer to borderline criminal, and Mitt's internal struggles commence. In addition, Mitt experiences visions and hallucinations that seem to be connected to a series of strange events, including the mysterious deaths of his patients.

The story intriguingly delves into the challenging life of a first-year resident and the current and historical medical practices at Bellevue. The narrative is enriched with medical suspense and detailed scenes, which I found to be the most captivating aspects of the book. The ending, while somewhat abrupt, takes an unexpected turn that will leave you pleasantly surprised. It's a testament to the author's ability to keep readers on their toes.

Thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Robin Cook, for another awesome medical thriller! BELLEVUE is set to be released on December 3rd.

Bellevue is not your typical Robin Cook medical thriller. This book did draw my attention due to the author and setting, but this definitely leans into the horror genre, with some scenes that will really stick with you. We revisit some of the real-life tragedies that actually helped to advance our medical knowledge, such as stealing corpses for science or before microbes were discovered. Unfortunately, some advancements in knowledge were the product of actions that were accepted at the time but horrific in retrospect.

We meet Mitt, fresh out of medical school and starting his first-year surgical residency at the prestigious teaching hospital with a long history. He is close to his family, and proud to be the fifth family member with ties to Bellevue. Mitt is personable and eager to learn as he is assigned cases and on call duties. We share Mitt's experiences with being new, overtired, and navigating the OR. The cases that are assigned to him start to have unexplained negative outcomes at a percentage that does not seem real. Mitt also meets some Bellevue history enthusiasts who have accounts of his ancestors that are different than what has been passed down to him by relatives.

The prologue really haunts you and draws you in as it is the account of Mitt's relative and his experience with lobotomies. Once an up-and-coming practice that quickly went out of favor because it is gruesome and horrifying, intentionally causing brain damage. The book was interesting as we learned about Mitt and his journey to understand the past, but I will say it felt a little slow at times going through each of his patient experiences. The pattern formed quickly so it felt drawn out, but the scenes did add to the horror aspect. I did appreciate the ending, was not what I expected but really tied the whole story together….and gave me the creeps a bit.

I do recommend this book for fans of medical history and horror. If the pacing of the book was quicker, I would have awarded more stars, but I was pleased with the content and the conclusion. Thanks to Penguin Group Putman and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This is my first Robin Cook book, I will be reading more!
I saw this is the book with the most paranormal reference, I am a paranormal person and a medical person so this book was perfect for me. The beginning of this book reminded me of the Medical Murders podcast I listen to and got me hooked from the beginning. Another part I enjoyed was the accurate medical information used, the real aspect of doctors and surgery. Although the main character seemed oblivious to the paranormal aspect it was interesting to believe these spirits were "trapped" by his ancestors. I felt the ending was predictable but the way it happened was different then expected. I did enjoy this story overall and look forward to more medical thrillers!

Robin Cook’s Bellevue is an intriguing blend of medical drama and supernatural thriller, set against the haunting backdrop of the historic Bellevue Hospital. The premise is compelling—Mitt Fuller, a surgical resident grappling with a legacy of family expectations and a mysterious sixth sense, confronts unexplained patient deaths and ghostly visions that lead him into the eerie ruins of Bellevue’s psychopathic hospital.

Cook excels at capturing the high-pressure environment of a first-year residency, immersing readers in the grueling demands of life in a storied hospital. His medical expertise shines, lending authenticity to the procedural aspects of the narrative. The historical elements surrounding Bellevue Hospital and its psychopathic wing also provide a rich, atmospheric setting.

However, Bellevue struggles to fully deliver on its intriguing premise. The pacing feels uneven, with moments of intense suspense often undercut by slower, overly descriptive passages. Mitt’s character, while likable, sometimes lacks depth, and his supernatural "sixth sense" feels underexplored, leaving readers with more questions than answers. The narrative also leans heavily on predictable tropes, which diminishes the impact of the story’s twists and revelations.

For fans of medical thrillers looking for a touch of the paranormal, Bellevue offers some entertaining moments. However, its potential is overshadowed by uneven execution, making it a middling addition to Cook’s body of work.

I love Robin Cook’s novels and this is a treat! This book takes place at the iconic Bellevue Hospital in New York City. Main character, Matt Fuller, is a first year surgical resident, just beginning his clinicals. We are led through his first days of chaos, as he begins his medical career outside of the classroom.
If you like medical mysteries, or if this is a new genre for you, highly recommend this book and all of Cook’s books!

Thanks to Putnam Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of Bellevue in exchange for my honest review.

I've been a lifetime reader of Robin Cook. I found Bellevue lacking the detail and depth I've come to expect from his books. The story was decent but the characters were flat. I longed for more.

That said, I will continue to read all of his books as long as he writes them!

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.

While the prologue starts with a chilling medical scene from 1949, most of the novel takes place in current times and features twenty-three-year-old Michael (Mitt) Fuller as he starts his surgical residency at the well-known Bellevue Hospital in New York City. He’s following in his ancestors’ steps. Three previous Fullers were surgeons and one was a psychiatrist at the famed hospital.

He is anxious, but excited to start his residency. One advantage is that he’s always had a secret sixth sense. However, when his patients start to die from various mysterious causes, he tries to understand what’s happening while experiencing the demands and lack of sleep of being a first-year resident. Along with this, Mitt begins to have visions and finds himself drawn to an abandoned Bellevue building.
Mitt is intelligent, has a precognitive ability that is not constant or controllable, and feels uncertain that medical school adequately prepared him for this job. He tends to be more cerebral than physical, and is feeling anxious and stressed.

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. It was also fascinating to see how different the various attending surgeons were in the operating room as well as the high expectations of a first-year surgical resident.

Reading Cook’s novels are always a learning experience. In this case, readers are shown current surgeries for a variety of problems, but also learn about historic medical practices and how those affected the public health.

The author’s writing style hooked me immediately. The prose is well-written and engaging, but the subject matter was sometimes close to horror. Readers can tell the author’s surgical experience and research served to make the surgery details feel realistic. The atmosphere is tense and serious throughout the novel and it has substantial technical details. My only quibble is with the ending. I was hoping for something different. However, I understand why it ended the way it did.

Overall, 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.

PENGUIN GROUP Putnam – G.P. Putnam’s Sons and Robin Cook provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for December 03, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

There was a time in my life that I was obsessed with medical thriller and I read many of Robin Cook's earlier books. However, I admit that it has been awhile since I have read anything he has written. In addition, being a lifelong New Yorker, I was going to be very interested in a novel about Bellevue Hospital because I know something about its reputation and was curious to see that in fiction.

From what I remember about Robin Cook's earlier novels, this one seems like it is a bit different but I am not sure that this departure works. The author veers off from the medical into the supernatural. I think I prefer that Robin Cook stay in the realm of the medical. I can see why the history of Bellevue Hospital would naturally lend itself to supernatural but where Robin Cook shines is in the medical thriller. I also thought that the main character shifted fairly suddenly from someone who was a scientific thinker who would eschew the supernatural into someone who became a believer. It felt not authentic to me. I liked his internal struggle with the fact that his ancestors were not the icons he had believed them to be and would have liked to see that explored more. This was introduced in the beginning of the book, referenced at various points but I think the psychological conflict he was feeling should have been a bigger part of the story.

I liked the history of Bellevue throughout the book but there were moments where it went on too long and seemed like the author might have been trying too hard to make this more of a historical fiction book when I think his natural bailiwick is medical suspense. I was more interested in the patients that kept dying and, in a way, this felt like two different books--one medical suspense and one historical fiction. That said, I did keep reading, and not just because it was an advanced reader's copy. There was something there that was definitely engaging. I just wasn't sure precisely what Mr. Cook was going for--medical suspense or historical fiction--and I felt like the two could be seamlessly interwoven but I am not sure it was here, and it felt a bit undermined by the supernatural part of the plot. Although I am not sure that it was entirely successful, I do applaud the author for attempting to get out of what I perceive to be his comfort zone. I think it was a very ambitious undertaking.
Finally, I think the ending, for the length of the novel, was a bit rushed and predictable. By the time I read the ending, I knew what was going to be the outcome. It was inevitable. It was handled in a few pages, lacking detail. It is acceptable to know how a book is going to end in historical fiction and perhaps in books involving the supernatural (I don't read many of those) but less so in a medical thriller, which this purported to be for the most part. In any event, I think the ending was given short shrift, as if the author decided he was tired of writing the book and wanted to end it there.
Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Robin Cook is a unique talent in the field of medical thrillers. I remember reading Coma and Brain and being astounded by the medical knowledge wrapped up in the suspense of the book. He has taken some risks in the past and pushed the envelope on believably to an extent but always kept the reader in mind making the story interesting. He also has been unafraid to talk about some real controversies surrounding medicine today. I particularly enjoyed Cell as it showed the author is also trying to stay relevant with the times since he has been writing for a while. The problem with such a long and storied career is that is sets expectations extremely high when he releases a new book especially one with a twist which in this case was a foray into the paranormal. That should have only enhanced the story.
Now, after setting the stage with my expectations, let me explain why they fell short. The historical surgery to start the book was well written if not a touch horrific in the world of modern medicine. The fact that the barbaric surgery happened to a child made it all the more compelling and interesting causing me as a reader to be pulled into the emotional moment.
Fast forward to modern times and we find Mitt Fuller, a legacy doctor at the historic and important medical training hospital. He is an interesting character both because of his connection to the hospital and because of his sensitivity. After literally experiencing trial by fire with multiple tragedies, he begins to become obsessed with the past doctors and begins to experience "something" and he begins to make poor decisions. He quickly devolves from interesting to unhinged with it becoming apparent that he is throwing everything away. As bizarre things continue to happen that call for an enormous suspension of disbelieve, it becomes challenging to believe that instruments fly and every patient he touches dies. I felt that was a bit overkill and believe a bit better spacing in the tragedies would have served the story better.
The medical portion and surgeries were fully explained but interesting. Somewhere around mid book, things went too far off the rails into the dark side of obsession ending with a very unsatisfying conclusion.
I've read Robin Cook for years so giving him 3 stars is tough when Cell or Outbreak were 5 stars reads. Even tougher is saying it should be 2.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Mitt and Andrea are first year surgical residents at Bellevue Hospital in NYC. July 1 is the start of the new resident year and they’re glad to have been paired together at the hospital, as they worked together a lot during their doctorate program.

Bellevue and Mitt’s family have an interesting history. Over the course of the first few days, Mitt learns from various surgeons that he’s working with about the history of his forefathers at Bellevue and some of their (questionable) medical approaches including surgery without anesthesia and lobotomies on “behaviorally challenged” children.

Unfortunately, after Mitt works his first full day followed by an overnight on-call, he starts experiencing weird things as he moves around the hospital. At one point he’s overcome by an extremely foul smell and at another, he sees an unaccompanied little girl that he can’t chase after to find to help her find her guardian. These experiences intensify as the days pass. Those experiences combined with Mitt’s daily troubles with the patients he’s been assigned have him wondering if he’s cut out to be a resident. Will Andrea be able to bring him back to reality or will Mitt not hack it as a surgeon-in-training?

While the book kept me reading, there was too much paranormal activity overwhelming the medical. I missed having Jack and Laurie here, and they could have easily fit in as medical examiners for the City of New York as this book had its share of inexplicable deaths. I look forward to reading Robin Cook’s books as soon as they are available, but this one just wasn’t up to his usual standards. I hope this doesn’t mean he is farming his writing off to others. The ending here was not satisfying.