Book Review | The Fatal Mind by N.J. Gallegos

Dr Aldea Absinthe’s innovative chip-implant procedure claims to relieve migraine pain and free patients from chronic suffering. Former NBA star Shawn Gilbert, whose career was cut short after an accident and unrelenting migraine, decided to give the procedure a chance. When the treatment is successful, he becomes her biggest supporter, helping her rise to national fame. However, Shawn’s wife Rachel notices his increasingly erratic behaviour. Does this miracle cure come with a hidden cost?

Inside my skull, dull ache sharpened until a pointed ice pick stabbed through each eyeball. A thin hiss escaped my lips, and I squeezed my eyes shut. Electric slivers shot through my face into each tooth, like chewing on tin foil with a mouthful of dental fillings. Each root throbbed. Shocked at how I never got used to the pain, even after all these years — I sent up a prayer: Please, please, please, don’t let Dr Absinthe be some quack.

The Fatal Mind is a fast-paced, brutal exploration of a medical nightmare!

Medical horror is not something I usually read due to how it feels a little too close to home. Yet that’s precisely why this hits, because Shawn’s story is relatable. The book understands that it’s not only about finding a cure to an illness, but that people just want to live without pain. Shawn has been dealing with unrelenting migraines for years, trying everything yet never finding relief. Dr Absinthe’s offer feels like a light at the end of a long tunnel.

Of course, when something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Things start to go bad, not only for Shawn but for Dr Absinthe’s other patients. Shawn’s wife, Rachel, is an ER nurse, so we get her perspective as well, as she becomes suspicious when Shawn starts behaving differently.  I liked the relationship between Shawn and Rachel, and watching them struggle was painful. The setting mostly takes place in the ER and Dr Absinthe’s office, so there’s a lot of medical jargon, but I never felt lost. There’s a slight sci-fi element in how the chip works, but there’s also a grittiness that grounds the story.

While Dr Absinthe is framed as the antagonist, I hesitate to call her a villain, in the sense that she thought she was doing what was best. A lesser book would have turned it into a Shawn and the doctor versus Rachel situation, so I liked that Dr Absinthe and Rachel ended up being friends. The fact that Dr Absinthe is a lesbian is a welcome addition because it removes any potential romantic entanglement and instead allows the characters to focus on the true conflict. The plot follows familiar beats, so I could see where it was going, but it doesn’t make it any less impactful. Sometimes we make monsters out of our best intentions.

The Fatal Mind is a solid entry into medical horror for me, and I’m looking forward to more!

I received a copy from the author for review purposes.

About the author: N.J. Gallegos

Photo by Hal Gatewood