Review # 156: The First To Say No by Charles C. Anderson

Description:

     Doctors Kate Taylor and Elita Romanov are sick and tired of the constant abuse the community suffers at the hands of a local gang – the Plagues. The vicious gang members not only cost the hospital hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid medical bills, but they are notorious for abducting, terrorizing and raping staff members on and off the property of Parkview Hospital. The local police are paid to look the other way, and hospital management refuses to acknowledge the problem, but the gang's victims are ready to fight back; ready to finally say, “NO!”. Can Kate, Elita and the people they care about find a way to “cleanup” the streets without getting themselves killed? Will risking their own lives and reputations save the place they call home?

Review:

     I think I have found my new favorite genre! I am in the medical field, so it should come as no surprise, but until recently I had not found a modern medical thriller that lived up to my expectations. Maybe it is because I define a thriller as 'action-packed', 'suspenseful', 'gritty', 'compelling', and, I daresay, 'thrilling'. I dislike when a book is labeled as as a certain genre and doesn't deliver – especially when the book ends up being sleep-inducing instead of heart-pounding. The First To Say No is one of a string of medical thrillers I have read recently that stands behind its cover blurb. It started quickly and unexpectedly, the problems the characters faced immediately evidenced; I was slightly appalled, but the rough reality immediately caught my attention. Elita's character is introduced in such a way that the reader can't help but wonder about her abstruse past, and Charles C. Anderson does a great job leading to the answers; (no spoilers). The same is true with Kate and Margaret - complex, realistic and well-developed characters that the reader can't help but cheer for. The plot definitely encompasses my definition of thriller, particularly in the levels of action and suspense. I knew what was coming, especially the ending, but I was still excited to read it! The dialogue was also appropriate and believable; I really appreciated the medical terminology. However, I do find it horrifying that there are places in America where violence escalates to the heights discussed in the book. Recommended to adult readers into the medical thriller genre, or those in the mood for some well-deserved vengeance.

Rating: On the Run (4.5/5)

*** I received this book from the author (Bostick Communications) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.