The Big Free

A Novel

By: Martha B. Boone

Narrated by: Amy Brassette-McKeon

A young female doctor faces the violence, debauchery, and larger-than-life characters of a New Orleans surgery in this funny and gritty medical novel.

New Orleans, 1982. Voodoo spells, prostitutes, prisoners, and veterans who are adamant about the size of their manhood—it's all just another day at Charity Hospital, also known as The Big Free. It's a medical free-for-all with the toughest trauma surgery in America, and Elizabeth—fresh from medical school in Charleston, wearing pearls and pink plaid socks—is one of the first women to work there.

Half of the doctors who start the surgery program never finish. Nothing in her proper Southern upbringing prepared Elizabeth for the gritty and gruesome world she now experiences on a daily basis. And even if she's tougher than anyone first expected, the question remains . . . will she make the cut?

Full of drama, humor, and New Orleans flavor, The Big Free is a young doctor's coming of age story as only a true medical insider can tell it.

©2018 Martha B. Boone (P)2023 Tantor

"Scrubs" without the goofiness

Dr. Boone's debut novel reads like a memoir. It's compelling, eye-opening, and entertaining. She captures the hospital setting and the city of New Orleans with equal skill, and demonstrates just what it takes to become a competent doctor under the intense pressures of a trauma ward.

The dialogue between characters and voice acting were amazing!

My husband and I listened to the whole book during our most recent road trip. We fell in love with the story. We both felt so connected to the characters, and I think a big reason for this was because of the amazing voice acting. The dialogue between characters was so engaging!

Exceptional! You feel like your at the Big Free

You feel like you are in the ER trauma unit in New Orlean’s famous Charity hospital. And
how a young women doctor from the low country battles herself, life, patients and most of all other doctors. You will visualize, feel and almost smell the Big Easy. The people are describe so well they almost walk off the page. Had to speed up the audio because Southerns don’t speak that slow. Can’t wait to get to the second book! The author has in real life, contributed her life to medicine and done outstanding work for humanity. Enjoy!

Started slow, but I loved it.

When I started this book, I was sure I would abandon it. The narration grated, and the plot didn’t grab me. I am glad I stuck with it. It really is a great story.