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Lydia Chin & Bill Smith #16
First Do No Harm: A Lydia Chin/Bill Smith Mystery
In the latest novel in S. J. Rozan’s groundbreaking mystery series, Lydia Chin and Bill Smith face a dangerous they must unlock a hospital's many secrets in order to save an innocent man.
With River Valley Hospital in the midst of negotiations to avert a nurses' strike, a wealthy benefactor is set to give a large donation to honor of the Chief of Emergency Dr. Elliott Chin, the brother of private investigator Lydia Chin.
Before the donation can be finalized, a member of the nurses' negotiating committee is found murdered. A morgue assistant is arrested and although he denies even knowing the victim his father and brother, both doctors at the hospital, are quick to urge him to take a plea. Another negotiating committee member abruptly resigns and a senior biomedical technician disappears. An officially off-limits section of the hospital basement turns out to be a hotbed of unauthorized—and in some cases criminal—activity.
Hired by the arrested man's lawyer, Lydia Chin and her partner Bill Smith start to dig into the events and personnel at the hospital. Among the union disputes, blackmail, thefts, lies, and a detective who really, really doesn't like them, one thing becomes the dictum to "First Do No Harm” is not in effect at River Valley. As time runs short, Lydia and Bill face a complicated and dangerous they must unlock the hospital's secrets to save an innocent man.
With River Valley Hospital in the midst of negotiations to avert a nurses' strike, a wealthy benefactor is set to give a large donation to honor of the Chief of Emergency Dr. Elliott Chin, the brother of private investigator Lydia Chin.
Before the donation can be finalized, a member of the nurses' negotiating committee is found murdered. A morgue assistant is arrested and although he denies even knowing the victim his father and brother, both doctors at the hospital, are quick to urge him to take a plea. Another negotiating committee member abruptly resigns and a senior biomedical technician disappears. An officially off-limits section of the hospital basement turns out to be a hotbed of unauthorized—and in some cases criminal—activity.
Hired by the arrested man's lawyer, Lydia Chin and her partner Bill Smith start to dig into the events and personnel at the hospital. Among the union disputes, blackmail, thefts, lies, and a detective who really, really doesn't like them, one thing becomes the dictum to "First Do No Harm” is not in effect at River Valley. As time runs short, Lydia and Bill face a complicated and dangerous they must unlock the hospital's secrets to save an innocent man.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 6, 2026
24 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Rozan
127 books384 followersSJ Rozan, a native New Yorker, is the author of the Bill Smith and Lydia Chin detective series as well as several stand-alone novels. She has won the the Edgar, Nero, Macavity, Shamus and Anthony awards for Best Novel and the Edgar award for Best Short Story. She is a former Mystery Writers of America National Board member, a current Sisters in Crime National Board member, and President of the Private Eye Writers of America. In January 2003 she was an invited speaker at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In February 2005 she will be Guest of Honor at the Left Coast Crime convention in El Paso, Texas. A former architect in a practice that focussed on police stations, firehouses, and zoos, SJ Rozan was born and raised in the Bronx. She currently lives in Greenwich Village, New York. (from the author's website)"
S.J. Rozan has a B.A. from Oberlin College and M.Arch from SUNY/Buffalo
S.J. Rozan has a B.A. from Oberlin College and M.Arch from SUNY/Buffalo
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 6, 2026
“First Do No Harm,” by S.J. Rozan, Pegasus Crime, 336 pages, Jan. 6, 2026.
With River Valley Hospital in the midst of negotiations to avert a nurses' strike, Seymour Larson, a wealthy benefactor, is set to give a large donation to honor of the Chief of Emergency Medicine: Dr. Elliott Chin, the brother of private investigator Lydia Chin.
Larson is giving the donation because Chin once saved his daughter, Hartley’s, life. But before the donation is finalized, Sophia Scott, a member of the nurses’ negotiating committee, is found dead. Jordan Kazarian, a morgue assistant, is arrested. He denies even knowing her, but he found her body. She overdosed and police believe it was murder.
Dr. Irwin DeBreng, Jordan’s father, is chief of medicine and his brother, Bradley, is also a doctor. They have different last names because Jordan changed his to his mother’s name. They want him to have a family friend as his lawyer and for him to plead guilty.
Bill Smith, Lydia’s partner, asks a friend to recommend a criminal lawyer. He recommends Juanita Cohen, who in turn hires Lydia and Bill who start to dig into the events and personnel at the hospital. Then someone they interviewed, Alon Bacay, quits the negotiating committee and another employee, Barry Sivek, cleans out his locker and disappears.
“First Do No Harm” has a complex plot as Lydia and Bill discover some people employed by the hospital are dishonest. I didn’t see the ending or the motive coming. The characters are great, including some new ones. While this is the 16th in one of my favorite series, you don’t have to read the others first.
I rate it five out of five stars.
In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for a review.
With River Valley Hospital in the midst of negotiations to avert a nurses' strike, Seymour Larson, a wealthy benefactor, is set to give a large donation to honor of the Chief of Emergency Medicine: Dr. Elliott Chin, the brother of private investigator Lydia Chin.
Larson is giving the donation because Chin once saved his daughter, Hartley’s, life. But before the donation is finalized, Sophia Scott, a member of the nurses’ negotiating committee, is found dead. Jordan Kazarian, a morgue assistant, is arrested. He denies even knowing her, but he found her body. She overdosed and police believe it was murder.
Dr. Irwin DeBreng, Jordan’s father, is chief of medicine and his brother, Bradley, is also a doctor. They have different last names because Jordan changed his to his mother’s name. They want him to have a family friend as his lawyer and for him to plead guilty.
Bill Smith, Lydia’s partner, asks a friend to recommend a criminal lawyer. He recommends Juanita Cohen, who in turn hires Lydia and Bill who start to dig into the events and personnel at the hospital. Then someone they interviewed, Alon Bacay, quits the negotiating committee and another employee, Barry Sivek, cleans out his locker and disappears.
“First Do No Harm” has a complex plot as Lydia and Bill discover some people employed by the hospital are dishonest. I didn’t see the ending or the motive coming. The characters are great, including some new ones. While this is the 16th in one of my favorite series, you don’t have to read the others first.
I rate it five out of five stars.
In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for a review.
August 17, 2025
Lydia and Bill work together to find out her murdered a nurse at the hospital Lydia’s brother works at. A donor wants to give the hospital money to recognize Elliott’s good work, but the murder puts a hold on things. I love Lydia’s relationship wit bill, her mother and her family.
January 6, 2026
Slow paced boring. Told 1st person. I would not recommend at all.
January 9, 2026
A great story
I, love spending time with Lydia and Bill. This is a great story. I had a hint of the killer, I just didn’t see how it fit into the story until it did.
I, love spending time with Lydia and Bill. This is a great story. I had a hint of the killer, I just didn’t see how it fit into the story until it did.
January 17, 2026
What a wonderful series - great characters, locale and plots. Need more.
January 18, 2026
Suspenseful & lots of fun banter. A winner!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews