I love Joe Kenda so much and I will read any of his books. This is his second fiction book and I enjoyed every page of it.

The book read like a true crime book and it was full of twists and turns. I think like any mystery and thriller book this really does happen and I found it so crazy while I was reading it.

I definitely cannot wait for his next novel.

A powerful new drug ushers in deaths on the street.

In the late 1970’s, Colorado Springs doesn’t see many drug overdoses; the Mexican brown heroin used by most on the street is rendered relatively weak given the way dealers cut it. When in a matter of days three different people suddenly die of overdoses, it is clear that something has changed. Detectives Joe Kenda and Lee Wilson start looking into what’s happening on the street, and for them it is personal….one of those who OD’d was the brother of Lee’s wife, M.E. Maggie Medina. An anesthesiologist at Springs General Hospital, unpopular with most who work with him given his nasty disposition and addicted to opiates himself, has started providing a powerful new synthetic opiate known as fentanyl to Lula Lopez, his occasional sexual partner who uses and deals drugs. As she cuts the much cheaper fentanyl into the Mexican brown she gets from family connections within the powerful Hinojosa cartel network, users die. For the cartel, this is just plain bad for business, but they don’t know which of their dealers is responsible….and decide to start getting rid of them one by one until the problem is resolved. Kenda and Wilson have a two-pronged problem, with dead bodies being the common denominator. Can they identify who is supplying and distributing this powerful and deadly new drug and stop the needless deaths?
First Do No Harm is the second novel featuring partners Kenda and Wilson by author and former homicide detective Joe Kenda, known to many as the star of the Investigation Discovery channel true-crime series Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda. Full disclosure: I have never seen (nor, to be honest, heard about) the series, and have not read the first book in the series. Not having the benefit of those sources of background information may have affected my perspective on the book at hand. The premise is fascinating, looking at the origins of fentanyl leaving the hospital setting for which it was intended and infiltrating the street market, the precursor to today’s full blown epidemic, and the author clearly knows the territory. I had a difficult time getting into the novel; it is written in the first person narrative, and there was little information given to me as a reader about the character (which is perhaps a result of not having seen or read the author’s preceding show and books). The writing for me seemed a bit clunky, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the story at hand. I give the book solid marks for an interesting plot and a clear eye for the world of law enforcement and its battle against drug dealers. Fans of the author’s true crime show will likely want to check out this latest work, and readers of authors like John E. Douglas, Bruce Robert Coffin and Marc Cameron may want to give it a try as well. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me early access to a copy of First Do No Harm.

Being a fan of this author's series on Investigation Discovery, I could not pass the opportunity to read this one. The story was realistic, gripping, and action packed. I loved that the author put himself, along with his humorous personality into this, making the story come to life through the pages. If you are a fan of police procedural, mystery, and action all packed into one with a realistic atmosphere, you will enjoy this one as well. Four stars.

Thank you Net galley and Blackstone Publishing for this ARC.

This was a good book! It’s crazy to think that sometimes the people you trust cannot be trusted. I also liked how the author was a character in the book. This was fast paced and kept my attention. It was very interesting to watch everything unravel.

This was a well-written, entertaining book. It was action-packed and grabbed my attention right away. I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

The video link below is my full spoiler free review of First Do No Harm. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at caffemt17@gmail.com.

https://youtu.be/eV4XdTm9Hdw

First Do No Harm
by Joe Kenda
Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and Net Galley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Former homicide detective and star of Investigation Discovery, Joe Kenda follows his authentic and fascinating debut novel with First Do No Harm, another addictive tale of crime and punishment as only he can tell
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.
This book had me hooked from the start. There were a lot of characters to keep straight, which sometimes I have trouble with. But this book was so engaging, I was able to keep track of who was who.

Joe Kenda can write a story! I love the way he weaves this gritty novel, pulled me in from the first page.

I really enjoyed this and flew through it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, what a book! I love Joe Kenda's sense of humor and the way he writes his fiction books as if the events as if they really happened. (His nonfiction books are great too!)
This book had me hooked from the start. There were a lot of characters to keep straight, which sometimes I have trouble with. But this book was so engaging, I was able to keep track of who was who.
Highly recommend if you want a somewhat gritty mystery novel.