A Fatal Debt - Softcover

“[An] ingenious thriller about the ruthless world of high finance.”—The Washington Post

Ben Cowper, a New York psychiatrist, is stunned to learn the identity of his latest patient: Harry Shapiro, a once powerful investment banker, broadsided by a reversal of fortune that’s left him jobless, bitter, and possibly desperate. In Ben’s opinion, Harry is a suicide waiting to happen. But when the headstrong financier balks at a stay in the psych ward, the hospital’s chief administrator refuses to defy the generous donor’s wishes—and puts political pressure on Ben to release him.

Days later, news breaks of a fatal shooting at Shapiro’s Hamptons mansion. And the only thing more shocking than the victim’s identity is the chain reaction that turns Ben’s life upside-down. With circumstances conspiring to incriminate him, and a conviction-hungry DA closing in, Ben has no choice: He must penetrate Harry’s inner circle and expose the truth behind a web of malice disguised as madness.

“An enlightening and grisly tale . . . tightly plotted and fast-paced.”—The New Yorker

“Rarely does one read a first novel so self-assured, sharp, and compelling. . . . It takes off like a rocket and doesn’t stop until its explosive conclusion.”—Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Buried Secrets

“A fast-paced book that should entertain finance aficionados and fans of detective fiction alike.”—CNN

“A neatly crafted and well-written thriller . . . an audacious, assured debut.”—David Ignatius, New York Times bestselling author of Bloodmoney