Greg Andrew Hurwitz's new book, "Do No Harm" deals with a troubled individual who wreaks havoc in the UCLA Medical Center by throwing lye in the faces of two nurses. One nurse is blinded and disfigured, and her brother, a police officer, wants to kill the perpetrator after he is caught and hospitalized. David Spier, chief of the Emergency Room, is a compassionate doctor who prevents the police from carrying out their brand of vigilante justice. Unfortunately, the felon, whose name is Clyde, escapes and continues his crime spree. Hurwitz's characters are nicely developed and the author effectively explores some of the ethical dilemmas that doctors face. How far should physicians go to protect their patients? Does a person's psychiatric history excuse him when he turns violent?
Because Clyde escaped while under David's care, the police and his colleagues ostracize the doctor. To redeem himself and assuage his guilt, David decides to track down the felon with the help of a shady character who is an expert at quasi-legal private investigations. David learns that Clyde's behavior has roots that go back many years, and the doctor uses his medical knowledge to diagnose what is troubling Clyde now. Some of his findings are shocking, and Spier winds up questioning many of the assumptions that he has held all of his life. In addition, David is still mourning his beloved wife who died several years earlier, and he is slowly getting romantically involved with a fellow doctor. However, his problems in the ER and lingering feelings for his late wife interfere with his ability to commit to a new relationship.
There are two obvious weaknesses in "Do No Harm." First, it is difficult to believe that a man as mentally unbalanced as Clyde would be capable of carrying out so many carefully planned and sophisticated attacks. Second, the last quarter of the book is overly long and repetitious. Nevertheless, "Do No Harm" is engrossing, with its authentic medical details, exciting plot, and an appealing, albeit flawed, hero.
AC
BOOKLOVER EB