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Psychiatrist Parker H. had a harrowing and life-altering experience when he was a new graduate from a prestigious medical school and residency in New England. Some years later, he posts his story in segments on an online forum to share what he went through. Because of his lower-middle-class background and having seen the effects being hospitalized in a poorly funded, miserable mental institution had on his own schizophrenic mother, he decided to work at a similarly poorly funded state hospital for a time. What he dubs the Connecticut State Asylum was “both fascinating and dreary,” he writes on the post, and briefly describes a few representative cases of whom most such institutions treat.
“But every hospital has at least one inmate who’s weird even for the mental ward.” And in the case of Parker’s time at the CSA, that person is Joe, an adult who was committed as a 6-year-old and had been a resident for over 20 years. Over time, doctors attempted to treat him, and other professionals had contact with him, but each one had seemed to go mad themselves or even committed suicide. Those who absolutely must enter the room to give him medications or change his sheets have to be very careful to limit their time there and contact with him. Of course, Parker is just the type of brash, very intelligent and well-educated young doctor who is sure if, given the chance, he can cure Joe.
He manages to earn that opportunity, and over the course of some regular visits, he forms an opinion that leads to a dangerous decision. The results of that decision lead him to believe something even more sinister is at play than a complex mental illness. Despite his solid belief in science, Parker wonders if he may have to look into alternate explanations for Joe’s behavior.
The Patient is a short and entertaining thriller that does contain some horror elements. I’m not typically a horror aficionado, but this was a good dose for me. I read it in one sitting.
Rated: High, for more than two dozen instances of strong language, a dozen uses of moderate language, and a few uses of mild language and the name of Deity. Sexual content includes references to one minor character having been raped as a child by his father, then being raped by the patient referred to in the title, and some brief vulgar references. Violence includes suicides, a beating, and a dead body being found.
* I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
