Title: Do No Harm
Author: Christina McDonald
Published: February 2021, Gallery Books
Format: ARC Paperback, 368 pages
Source: Publicist
Summary:
Emma loves her life.
She’s the mother of a precocious kindergartener, married to her
soulmate—a loyal and loving police detective—and has a rewarding career
as a doctor at the local hospital.
But everything comes crashing down when her son, Josh, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.
Determined
to save him, Emma makes the risky decision to sell opioids to fund the
life-saving treatment he needs. But when somebody ends up dead, a lethal
game of cat and mouse ensues, her own husband leading the chase. With
her son’s life hanging in the balance, Emma is dragged into the dark
world of drugs, lies, and murder. Will the truth catch up to her before
she can save Josh?
My thoughts: This is the second book I’ve read by Christina McDonald and I have to say, she has now become a must-read author. This was one of my anticipated reads for the month and it totally delivered on every level!
This book is fast-paced and begs the question, how far will you go for someone you love? As a physician, Emma has taken an oath to “Do No Harm,” but as a mother, she has also promised to love and protect her child forever. What happens when in order to save her child, she needs to do something that might indirectly harm someone else? Does the end ever justify the means?
This book had me on the edge of my seat from page one and it never let up. And not only is it such a tense and crazy thriller, but the character development is top notch. I could see the changes happening in Emma as the book progressed and that was no easy feat. Her internal dialogue was so important to this story, as was her husband’s, who plays such an integral part in this story, and you can see how this medical issue with their son is playing out with their careers.
I appreciated how the author shared how this story came to be. And because of that, we get a look at some of the issues associated with opioid addiction without it ever feeling like she was preaching. This book is eye-opening in that respect, yet it also works with the overall storyline without feeling like it bogs it down. She shows just how layered the drug epidemic really is.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It is a emotional, intense, thought-provoking, dare I say, addicting read that is easily binge-worthy and one that I know I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
