“Do Not Entry”

65. Tule Witch – Jane Toombs

This was an odd one, a mix of medical drama, murder mystery, running from a witchcraft past, and a story of fog. It was actually pretty fun. Bebe is working the last nights of night shift at a hospital that is closing down. They have a new one, they just haven’t moved the ER yet. Bebe’s grandma was a witch and she has some clairvoyant powers herself that tell her some dude is outside that needs help despite the thickness of the fog and the lack of noise.

All of a sudden, sexy Dr. Jed shows up with his brash approach to Bebe’s skills and helps her with a very crumpled man who was totally dying outside in the fog. Dr. Jed is suspicious. He should be. But he won’t be doing the autopsy, that’s the other doctor who wants to/once did take Bebe out, Harold. Harold and Jed have a bit of a rivalry for Bebe’s affections because I guess she’s the only attractive nurse with a past in the ER at night. She’s behind on her charting because of their attentions. And, in my opinion as someone who has worked nights, she is behind on her charting because she doesn’t make sleep a priority. She’s basically up for days on end considering she also has to go see her child with medical issues who gives her visions during the day and she never mentions sleeping. She mentions being tired, but that is traditional nights worker language. She should be talking more about sleep.

The mystery of the dead guy, a mysterious illness that comes up, and Bebe’s husband through a witch ceremony who is also the father of her child and a terrible human all come together in a way that reminded me of watching a Robin Cook mashup of his own books Year of the Intern and Coma but with a way cooler protagonist in Bebe. She’s great. She’s running away on the cover and running away to some extent in life, but she also faces up to most of the mysteries and the end kind of leaves it open for a sequel…I don’t believe there is one though.

 

Danger Crumples and Merricat never had any trouble finding time to sleep, that being a benefit of not having to outrun your witchy past or work a nightshift.