Christina McDonald’s Do No Harm has written a complex medical thriller that will have the reader asking themselves what they would do if they were in Emma’s position. In addition, McDonald explores the many perspectives of the opioid crisis with insight and compassion. The story unfolds and the reader is exposed to the opposing viewpoints of Emma and Nate. Readers looking for a fast-paced and emotional story will enjoy Do No Harm and be thinking about it long after the last page is read.

A tautly plotted, socially informed drama about how far one mother is willing to go to save her son ... Do No Harm takes on the air of a cat-and-mouse thriller, with each character trying to outwit the other and come out on top. Drawing upon the searingly timely topic of the opioid crisis and adding some much-needed context to the severity, classism and racism of the issue, McDonald pens a suspenseful thrill ride that is as socially aware as it is meticulously plotted. What makes the book stand out is the inclusion of characters from all walks of life. As McDonald illustrates, the idea of the 'junkie' is only a small portion of the drug crisis ravaging America, and although she makes no excuses for crime, she highlights the many reasons that people have turned to drugs to solve much larger problems. From patients trying to mitigate symptoms of painful diseases to doctors who are afraid of attracting the attention of the Drug Enforcement Administration and even more stereotypical addicts, she paints a picture of an America that is suffering, and reminds readers that there are many motivations behind those involved with opioids.

Christina McDonald seeds Do No Harm with references to the prevalence of opioid abusers, floats allusions to money and what it can buy, all foreshadowing the tragedy about to befall Nate and Emma ... Christina McDonald explores the moral choices the protagonists face with clarity and compassion. How much has the war on opioids prevented folks with excruciating, valid pain issues to go without treatment? Emma lost her family when she was a teenager. She and Ben went into foster care and then she and Ben went their separate ways. As a mother and as a wife, given her tragic background, she is desperate to protect her family. But there’s that unavoidable question: do the ends ever justify the means? Set aside some time before starting Do No Harm because you will not be able to put it down.

Christina McDonald brings a controversial topic right out of the real-world headlines and displays a fantastic ability to truly examine it from all sides. The opioid epidemic is certainly not exclusive to the United States, but that is my personal frame of reference, and that is where McDonald’s book is set. It is an issue that does not have a pro/con side or a yes/no answer and McDonald deftly examines the various roles and issues that surround this crisis ... Most impressive is McDonald’s inclusion of characters across the entire spectrum, from hardline detective to uncaring drug dealer. She shows the motivations of, and effects on, casual users, addicts, doctors afraid of DEA red flags, doctors not caring about regulations, cartels, and patients dealing with genuine pain that are caught in the middle of all of it. Rather than addressing the opioid crisis as a whole, she has brought us a cog in a giant wheel, allowing us to look at one specific (fictional) situation where a person does 'this' because of 'this' and faced 'these' risks, but we get to look at that from many different angles.

The weak plot spins on Emma’s rationalization that in trying to save Josh she’s also helping those who truly are in pain, but whose medication has been cut back because of government crackdowns. Emma’s plan soon goes awry as the bodies pile up while her inexperience puts herself and her loved ones in danger. This well-meaning effort to highlight the opioid crisis spins out of control with clichés, shallow characters, and a preachy narrative. McDonald has done better.