Dr. Kate Taylor is tired of the violence the Plagues gangs and the victims that end up in the Parkview Hospital emergency room where she works. It is costing the hospital millions of dollars for unpaid bills and now one of their own is murdered while the crooked cops look the other way.

It comes down to who is faster and what is really at stake. ( )

"Nobody wants to make any moral judgments. We pay for everything with no one looking at the harm we are doing. No one is willing to admit that we can't afford to pay for everybody's self-destructive behavior. Somebody must prioritize and someone must say no. Our country is already technically bankrupt."

Dr. Katherine (Kate) Taylor will no longer tolerate the violent acts towards her staff by the local gangs, drug addicts and alcoholics that come into her hospital.

See my complete review at The Eclectic Review ( )

It is a shocking look into the world of medicine that I never thought existed. After reading the book, I decided to do some research and found out that it is actually more common than you would think!
Back to what I thought of the book. Sexual abuse against nurses and doctors run rampant in Parkview Hospital, and with the police being of no help at all, tension is high while Romanov and Taylor decide what to do against the local gang, the Plagues. The Plagues pretty much run the city- even turning what was once a beautiful park into a place for drug dealers, drug users, and gang members. Citizens are afraid to go near the park for fear that they may end up hurt, or worse.

But once Taylor comes up with a plan, it is a race against time to rid the city of the gang and help the hospital from closing while not getting caught. Will their plan work or will it backfire?

So next time you're at the hospital, you will see everything in a different light. I finished the book about a week or so before Mom ended up in the hospital. I saw things a little differently this time. ( )

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. ( )