Do No Harm
Page 30
That’s what a good mother does.
I pulled Ben’s red notebook out of my purse. It had been six months since I’d taken it out of the little hole I’d dug under a tree root near the warehouse.
Like my dad always said, sometimes you’re dealt a losing hand you might win, sometimes you’re dealt a winning hand you might lose. You never win if you fold, but sometimes it’s better to live to play another hand.
And my next hand was now.
The money Ben had given me had helped us get through until Nate’s life insurance payment had kicked in. But now even the life insurance money was almost gone, chipped away at as more and more medical bills arrived.
Now the bills were piling up. The fear of Josh relapsing always hovered nearby. I had to stay on top of this thing. Now that Nate was gone, Josh was all I had.
There were many in the oxy supply chain to blame for addiction, from manufacturers to distributors to pharmacies to the doctors all too ready to write a script. But until someone fixed it, I could use the failings of the system to help myself and my loved ones.
Clouds were chasing the birds through the sky. A crow cawed somewhere in the distance. I swiped an OxyContin hidden in my purse and dry-swallowed it, then looked up at the indigo sky, waiting for the blessed relief from the pain Dr. Palmer had left me with.
Some criminals are born. Others are formed by circumstances.
After a few minutes, the first fuzzy tendrils of warmth from the oxy hit my blood. Before I knew it, I couldn’t feel a thing.
I looked down and opened the red notebook.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My biggest thanks goes to my agent, Carly Watters, who’s made so many things possible. A huge thanks also to my editor, Kate Dresser—your insight and wisdom have been invaluable. Thank you to the phenomenal team at Simon & Schuster and Gallery Books: Jen Bergstrom, Molly Gregory, Michelle Podberezniak, Anne Jaconette, Kathleen Lynch—authors write a story, but you all create a book, and I’m so grateful to have you on my team. And thank you to my TV/film agent, Addison Duffy, for being such an amazing advocate of my work.
A special and heartfelt thanks to Officer Michael Eastman of the Seattle Police Department, who patiently answered my questions about being a detective in Seattle, how task forces work, and street lingo for various drugs, and to Lisa, who facilitated those conversations. And thank you to Dr. Robin Bliss, MD, for answering my medical questions, even the weird ones like, Where is the best place to stab someone so they’ll still live?
As always, my heart and soul go to my husband, Richard, who has been a constant champion, and to my boys, Adam and Aidan. Thank you for always being interested in my writing. I love you all.
Thank you so much to Kathleen Carter. Your enthusiasm and publicity magic have meant the world to me.
Authors are nothing without the other authors who’ve supported them. Heather Gudenkauf, Jennifer Hillier, Wendy Walker, Samantha Downing, Kimberly Belle, Kathleen Barber, Megan Collins, Emma Rous, Karen Katchur, and so many other writers who’ve read and supported my books, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
And most of all, thank you to you, my readers, reviewers, and book bloggers. I wouldn’t be here without you, and I’m grateful to each of you who have bought a copy, shared a review, or posted a picture of my books. You are the reason I write.
DO NO HARM
CHRISTINA McDONALD
This reading group guide for Do No Harm includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
INTRODUCTION
From the USA Today bestselling author of Behind Every Lie and The Night Olivia Fell comes an unforgettable and heart-wrenching novel about the lengths one woman will go to save her son.
Emma loves her life. She’s the mother of a precocious kindergartner, 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 lifesaving 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?
A timely and moving exploration of a town gripped by the opioid epidemic, and featuring Christina McDonald’s signature “complex, emotionally intense” (Publishers Weekly) prose, Do No Harm examines whether the ends ever justify the means… even for a desperate mother.
TOPICS & QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
Emma often reflects on her dad’s advice, including “You don’t get to choose what cards you’re dealt”; “Sometimes you’re dealt a losing hand, and that really sucks. But if you always fold, you’ll have a pretty tough time in life”; “Keep your hand close to your chest”; and “Never get caught drawing dead.” In which instances in the book do you think Emma uses this advice to justify her actions?
Throughout the book McDonald paints the opioid epidemic as a complex problem. Her characters recognize that opioids can provide lifesaving pain relief, but that they can also cause lifelong addiction that endangers people. When Emma discovers that her colleague and friend Julia has been stealing opioids, she thinks, “[Addicts] needed help, not criticism and ridicule.” How does Emma’s opinion of using opioids for pain management evolve?
Nate once said of Josh and Emma, “You need him as much as he needs you.” Do you think this is an accurate assessment of their relationship as mother and son? Why or why not?
When Emma encounters someone from Moira’s church who expresses her sympathy for Josh and their family, Emma has a particularly negative reaction: “Thoughts and prayers.… Like that does any good.” Why do you think she has that reaction to the church’s response to Josh’s illness?
When Emma visits Julia and sees her in pain, Julia tells her, “I’m not an addict. Maybe I’m addicted, but I’m not an addict.” What do you think the difference is for Julia? Compare her addiction to that of other characters in the story, such as Ben or Violeta.
Nate often feels pressure to provide for his family, at times relying on traditional roles of masculinity and, in moments of failure, thinking, “What kind of man am I?” Why do you think Nate has this idea of fatherhood? How do you think Nate’s vision of fatherhood drives his actions?
Emma states that her job as a doctor is “to help people, not watch them suffer.” However, at times Emma’s actions cause her to do both. Discuss points when Emma’s actions cause unintended pain or suffering.
When thinking about her brother, Ben, and the anger and resentment that he developed during his life, Emma asks herself, “What makes people go to war with themselves?” What are the reasons that the characters in this book “go to war with themselves”? What commonalities do you think Ben and Emma have as siblings?
In Do No Harm, the family receives some small donations through a GoFundMe account set up to help pay for Josh’s treatments. Do you think GoFundMe accounts and community donations should play a role in paying for medical care?
Do you agree with Emma that “the ends justify the means”? Why or why not?
One of the overarching themes in Do No Harm is sacrifice. Emma sacrifices her oath as a doctor to save her son’s life. Nate sacrifices his life to protect Emma. Discuss other sacrifices that characters make. Which do you think are justified?
Did Emma’s final choice surprise you? Why or why not?
ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB
In 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency in the United States. Research the inter
ventions the government is currently taking and discuss the different means of intervention. Do you think these interventions are working?
In Do No Harm, Josh’s leukemia diagnosis forces his family to take extreme measures in order to afford his treatments. Is there someone in your community who is facing similar circumstances? With your book group, organize a donation to their GoFundMe to help provide some support.
Author Christina McDonald captures many of the complexities of the opioid epidemic. Did the book change the way you view opioid addiction? Why or why not?
More from the Author
Behind Every Lie
The Night Olivia Fell
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
© JUSTYNA KANTECKA
Christina McDonald is the USA Today bestselling author of Behind Every Lie and The Night Olivia Fell, which has been optioned for television by a major Hollywood studio. Originally from Seattle, Washington, she now lives in London, England, with her husband, two sons, and their dog, Tango.
FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR:
SimonandSchuster.com/Authors/Christina-McDonald
SimonandSchuster.com
@GalleryBooks
ALSO BY CHRISTINA McDONALD
Behind Every Lie
The Night Olivia Fell
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2021 by Christina McDonald
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First Gallery Books trade paperback edition February 2021
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Interior design by Michelle Marchese
Cover design by Kathleen Lynch
Cover photographs © Mark Owen/Trevillion Images, Neil Holden/Arcangel, and Shutterstock
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
ISBN 978-1-9821-4261-2
ISBN 978-1-9821-4262-9 (ebook)