Book Review--First, Do No Harm, by Larry Karp

This is a murder mystery that begins with a computer programmer, Martin, telling his father that he's been accepted into medical school. Most parents would be thrilled with this news, but Martin's dad, an eccentric painter, is horrified (even though Martin doesn't expect him to pay for it).

Martin cannot understand his father's reaction, until his father, Leo, tells him a story about his own father, Dr. Samuel Firestone, a legendary doctor in their small town. Leo spent the summer of 1943 working as his father's extern and received quite an education. Most of the book is spent delineating this summer. As it turns out, Leo's father, though an amazing doctor in many ways, is participating in all kinds of illegal activities--baby brokering, illegal abortions, black-market pharmaceuticals, and supplying heroin to an addict. On one case, Dr. Firestone determines the cause of death to be a heart attack. Leo does some reading on his own and decides the symptoms don't fit, and believes that his father is covering up a murder. He and his sort-of girlfriend, Harmony, both aged 16, begin investigating on their own and of course get in way over their heads.

Upon hearing the story, Martin follows the loose threads 60 years later and learns the truth that his father had been unable to uncover at the time. And in both hearing the story and following up on it, he learns about his father's own dark secrets, and the real reason he didn't want Martin to go into medicine.

What was most interesting to me about this book was the interplay of 1940s medical practices and the politics and social issues of the times. Leo tended to see things in very black-and-white terms, not surprising considering that he was only 16. His father's illegal activities were of course very upsetting to him. His father saw his activities as benefitting the greater good. He was helping out mothers who had few options available to them. Certainly he was very progressive for his time. He obtained medicines that were only supposed to go to soldiers, because he felt that his patients were just as deserving. I'm less clear on how he justified supplying heroin to an addict, however.

Anyway, this book should appeal to both mystery-lovers and those interested in social and historical issues.