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A Fatal Debt
This timely debut thriller by an award-winning Financial Times columnist is a gripping tale of lethal intrigue set in the high-stakes Wall Street world—where wealth and privilege are no match for jealousy and betrayal.
Ben Cowper, an attending psychiatrist at the prestigious New York–Episcopal Hospital, is stunned to learn the identity of the emergency patient he’s just been assigned to treat: Harry Shapiro, a Wall Street colossus and one of Episcopal’s most prominent donors. But a high-profile reversal of fortune has left the once powerful investment banker jobless, bitter, and possibly desperate—judging by the handgun his wife finds him clutching. In Ben’s expert opinion, Shapiro is a suicide waiting to happen. But when the headstrong financier balks at an extended stay in the hospital psych ward, Ben reluctantly releases him, bowing to political pressure from Episcopal’s chief administrator, who’s more concerned with the patient’s money than his mind.
Days later, the shocking news breaks: There’s been a shooting death in Harry Shapiro’s Hamptons mansion. But even more shocking is the identity of the victim. A tragedy sets in motion an explosive chain of events that turns Ben Cowper’s life upside-down.
As hard-nosed cops close in with harder questions, the hospital closes ranks to protect its own interests. But with colleagues freezing Ben out, innocent circumstances conspire to incriminate him. Hounded by a DA who’s out for blood, and haunted by the specter of a shattered career, Ben has no choice: He must delve into the hearts and minds of the people who know Harry best, uncover the secrets they’d rather die—or kill—to keep, and expose the truth behind a web of malice disguised as madness.
Ben Cowper, an attending psychiatrist at the prestigious New York–Episcopal Hospital, is stunned to learn the identity of the emergency patient he’s just been assigned to treat: Harry Shapiro, a Wall Street colossus and one of Episcopal’s most prominent donors. But a high-profile reversal of fortune has left the once powerful investment banker jobless, bitter, and possibly desperate—judging by the handgun his wife finds him clutching. In Ben’s expert opinion, Shapiro is a suicide waiting to happen. But when the headstrong financier balks at an extended stay in the hospital psych ward, Ben reluctantly releases him, bowing to political pressure from Episcopal’s chief administrator, who’s more concerned with the patient’s money than his mind.
Days later, the shocking news breaks: There’s been a shooting death in Harry Shapiro’s Hamptons mansion. But even more shocking is the identity of the victim. A tragedy sets in motion an explosive chain of events that turns Ben Cowper’s life upside-down.
As hard-nosed cops close in with harder questions, the hospital closes ranks to protect its own interests. But with colleagues freezing Ben out, innocent circumstances conspire to incriminate him. Hounded by a DA who’s out for blood, and haunted by the specter of a shattered career, Ben has no choice: He must delve into the hearts and minds of the people who know Harry best, uncover the secrets they’d rather die—or kill—to keep, and expose the truth behind a web of malice disguised as madness.
276 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
8 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
John Gapper
6 books3 followersChief business commentator and an associate editor of the Financial Times. He was named one of the 100 most influential men in Britain by GQ magazine in 2009. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
September 21, 2023
Very weird, wasn’t sure about it when I read the blurb but thought I’d give it a go….. I regret it a little now 😂
Onto the next book!
Onto the next book!
May 11, 2012
It wasn't the writing with which I had difficulty, but the plot. The story just didn't capture my interest.
Dr. Cowper is a psychiatrist. One evening a wealthy man is brought to the hospital by his wife. She fears that he is planning to harm himself. Cowper get him to self-admit. When the patient wants to return home, the Doctor is "encouraged" by hospital administration to release him. One week later, the patient murders a man. His attorney decides to use the early release as part of the defence.
Suddenly, Cowper finds himself attacked and his home vandalized. Then, he is at the center of a grand jury hearing, where he must break doctor/patient confidentiality. But everyone appears to be lying and he wants to know why. Was he a convenient scapegoat, or worse? Was it possible that he was used in a set up?
With the encouragement of his estranged father, Cowper decides he must know. His career, reputation, and financial future are at stake. But is he ready for all of the answers.
If I had been able to become involved with the characters, I might have given it three stars, but I couldn't even empathize with the protagonist in this story. He just seemed wimpy and whiny to me. I hope that the author finds readers to enjoy the book because his writing isn't all bad...it just wasn't my speed/type of story.
Dr. Cowper is a psychiatrist. One evening a wealthy man is brought to the hospital by his wife. She fears that he is planning to harm himself. Cowper get him to self-admit. When the patient wants to return home, the Doctor is "encouraged" by hospital administration to release him. One week later, the patient murders a man. His attorney decides to use the early release as part of the defence.
Suddenly, Cowper finds himself attacked and his home vandalized. Then, he is at the center of a grand jury hearing, where he must break doctor/patient confidentiality. But everyone appears to be lying and he wants to know why. Was he a convenient scapegoat, or worse? Was it possible that he was used in a set up?
With the encouragement of his estranged father, Cowper decides he must know. His career, reputation, and financial future are at stake. But is he ready for all of the answers.
If I had been able to become involved with the characters, I might have given it three stars, but I couldn't even empathize with the protagonist in this story. He just seemed wimpy and whiny to me. I hope that the author finds readers to enjoy the book because his writing isn't all bad...it just wasn't my speed/type of story.
March 6, 2020
Konnte mich nicht richtig packen, obwohl das Ende wirklich zu überraschen wusste.
August 9, 2019
Not a bad effort at all for a first novel, well written, easy read, good chapter lengths, believable characters and a decent story - a little heavy on psychoanalysis and short on plot for me but one of the best first books I’ve read for a while, probably won’t will re-read but will keep as hard back.
February 19, 2024
Four stars. The setting definitely helps my enjoyment; the fallout of the 2008 financial crisis is laid out like a documentary - with all the correct terminologies and sequence of events - and also fictionalized - you can't hide from me, Seligman Brothers (hah) and Rosenthal (think another firm with a Jewish name, which is known for their revolving door policy of heads turned key political figures), plus Treasury Secretary Henderson (another hah). Because outside of that, it's the typical story of death in the corporate world, distrustful colleagues and law enforcement, plus the usual surprise twist (I was counting on one, turned out it was the other one). Nothing too groundbreaking, still a nice read.
November 18, 2018
was a good book for the most part had lots of twist and turns and a few things thrown in I didn't expect but it did have some things here and there I didn't get...sadly there are so good human actors out there that now how to easily fool a pyshciatrist if they want to..ended up on the good side in the end but seemed drawn out to.
February 8, 2018
Another entry in the Firm Copycat type of book. It could be fleshed out in a lot of places.
December 22, 2019
Had some interesting moments and some suspense, however it felt long winded and a bit dull for a crime book.
February 24, 2020
Interesting point of view..from a psychiatrist.
July 12, 2013
By Jeffrey Goldfarb
To fictionalize the Wall Street events of 2008 satisfyingly requires more than just borrowing from them. The real-life narrative was so spectacular and has been retold so often that engaging even a casual follower of financial news takes more than a little extra imagination. Go figure then that a fact-based chronicler of the times would be the one to accomplish the feat.
Imagine Goldman Sachs had merged with Lehman Brothers, stuffed it with surprising amounts of mortgage-related dreck as Merrill Lynch did to Bank of America - and then Lehman’s Dick Fuld confessed to killing Goldman’s Lloyd Blankfein. A loose version of that story serves as the backdrop of the debut novel “A Fatal Debt,” by Financial Times columnist John Gapper. The mystery is fun but also isn’t entirely frivolous.
British Ben Cowper serves as the book’s clever device. He’s the New York psychiatrist protagonist who keeps readers at a relatively safe distance from the demimonde of billionaire bankers, even as he is enveloped by the trappings of Gulfstream jets and Hamptons hideaways.
By virtue of his profession, however, and his role treating the brooding, Fuld-like Harry Shapiro, Cowper is able to make some poignant observations about the ways of financiers, without overly immersing the reader in the world of Wall Street. And Cowper’s status as an outsider makes him a useful conduit for other characters to explain, blessedly briefly, the relevant components of finance.
It doesn’t take an MBA to get sucked into the story. Not long after Shapiro’s humiliating fall from grace as chief executive of investment bank Seligman, his wife Nora finds him at home with a gun and brings him into the psychiatric ward of a hospital, one that happens to have a Harold L. and Nora Shapiro wing. That means when Shapiro wants to go home after a short stay, Cowper’s administrators all but make the decision for him. And when Shapiro’s nemesis and replacement Marcus Greene of Rosenthal turns up dead, Cowper finds himself in the uncomfortable position of having potentially enabled the crime.
Rosenthal is an unmistakable stand-in for Goldman. The real U.S. bank is known for being “long-term greedy,” the fictional one is “patient - they wait a long time to get a return.” The steely novelistic Treasury secretary is formerly of Rosenthal as the real one was of Goldman. And the narrator’s judgment of Rosenthal fits Goldman perfectly: “Everyone seemed to admire it, or be jealous of it, or think it had some unfair advantage.”
These knowing morsels are sprinkled throughout, as Cowper undertakes an amateur investigation to keep from becoming a convenient target for prosecutors, scapegoat for his bosses and alibi for Shapiro. “A Fatal Debt” has all the familiar trappings of a classic whodunit suitable for summer - femmes fatales, mysterious assailants, forbidden lovers, aggressive cops and helpful underlings. But Gapper has a nice way of stitching them all together.
He also more than makes up for a few eye-rolling moments with his sharp, interspersed comment on the world of high finance. In one particularly poignant moment, a “rocket scientist” tries to help Cowper understand how so many mortgage securities could collapse all at once by speaking the doctor’s own language. The trader likens the correlations to broken heart syndrome, a temporary medical condition that can be caused by the death of a loved one.
It’s in these surprising ways that a fantastical whodunit manages to reveal certain Wall Street realities in a way that nonfiction never can.
To fictionalize the Wall Street events of 2008 satisfyingly requires more than just borrowing from them. The real-life narrative was so spectacular and has been retold so often that engaging even a casual follower of financial news takes more than a little extra imagination. Go figure then that a fact-based chronicler of the times would be the one to accomplish the feat.
Imagine Goldman Sachs had merged with Lehman Brothers, stuffed it with surprising amounts of mortgage-related dreck as Merrill Lynch did to Bank of America - and then Lehman’s Dick Fuld confessed to killing Goldman’s Lloyd Blankfein. A loose version of that story serves as the backdrop of the debut novel “A Fatal Debt,” by Financial Times columnist John Gapper. The mystery is fun but also isn’t entirely frivolous.
British Ben Cowper serves as the book’s clever device. He’s the New York psychiatrist protagonist who keeps readers at a relatively safe distance from the demimonde of billionaire bankers, even as he is enveloped by the trappings of Gulfstream jets and Hamptons hideaways.
By virtue of his profession, however, and his role treating the brooding, Fuld-like Harry Shapiro, Cowper is able to make some poignant observations about the ways of financiers, without overly immersing the reader in the world of Wall Street. And Cowper’s status as an outsider makes him a useful conduit for other characters to explain, blessedly briefly, the relevant components of finance.
It doesn’t take an MBA to get sucked into the story. Not long after Shapiro’s humiliating fall from grace as chief executive of investment bank Seligman, his wife Nora finds him at home with a gun and brings him into the psychiatric ward of a hospital, one that happens to have a Harold L. and Nora Shapiro wing. That means when Shapiro wants to go home after a short stay, Cowper’s administrators all but make the decision for him. And when Shapiro’s nemesis and replacement Marcus Greene of Rosenthal turns up dead, Cowper finds himself in the uncomfortable position of having potentially enabled the crime.
Rosenthal is an unmistakable stand-in for Goldman. The real U.S. bank is known for being “long-term greedy,” the fictional one is “patient - they wait a long time to get a return.” The steely novelistic Treasury secretary is formerly of Rosenthal as the real one was of Goldman. And the narrator’s judgment of Rosenthal fits Goldman perfectly: “Everyone seemed to admire it, or be jealous of it, or think it had some unfair advantage.”
These knowing morsels are sprinkled throughout, as Cowper undertakes an amateur investigation to keep from becoming a convenient target for prosecutors, scapegoat for his bosses and alibi for Shapiro. “A Fatal Debt” has all the familiar trappings of a classic whodunit suitable for summer - femmes fatales, mysterious assailants, forbidden lovers, aggressive cops and helpful underlings. But Gapper has a nice way of stitching them all together.
He also more than makes up for a few eye-rolling moments with his sharp, interspersed comment on the world of high finance. In one particularly poignant moment, a “rocket scientist” tries to help Cowper understand how so many mortgage securities could collapse all at once by speaking the doctor’s own language. The trader likens the correlations to broken heart syndrome, a temporary medical condition that can be caused by the death of a loved one.
It’s in these surprising ways that a fantastical whodunit manages to reveal certain Wall Street realities in a way that nonfiction never can.
December 6, 2012
The problem with setting fictional books within real life events is that you seem to run the risk of alienating readers who aren't particularly interested in the subject, environment, or even the event itself. Particularly when the subject matter is something that could be perceived as a bit dry or more than a bit outside the average person's own experience. Hands up to being one of those people - financial system crashes, financier's behaving badly, guaranteed to have me humming The Girl From Ipanema loudly and looking for the closest exit.
Luckily I don't often pay a lot of attention to book blurbs and the next one that pops up on the Review Queue will be the one I at least have a go at reading. Half a dozen chapters in and the urge to go looking for a bit of detail about the author's background became quite overwhelming because A FATAL DEBT was shaping up to be extremely engaging. Gapper is chief business commentator and associate editor of the /*Financial Times*/ and a regular on the BBC and CNN. His previous books are non-fiction discussions of real-life financial disasters. He has now written a very good thriller.
It won't be surprising at all if those with more financial world knowledge are able to match up the circumstances and the people to real life versions, as it was difficult to ignore the sneaking suspicion that there's some facts behind the storytelling. It will also not be particularly surprising if that level of recognition makes absolutely no difference whatsoever to enjoyment levels of the book. A FATAL DEBT worked particularly well for a reader with absolutely no idea who anybody could be based on, nor what particular High Finance scandals were recognisable.
Part of what makes that work so well is avoiding making the central protagonist a financier. Instead Attending Psychiatrist Ben Cowper is dragged into that world via his very high profile patient. It's not until Cowper's in way too far, and things have gone very wrong for investment banker Harry Shapiro that Cowper realises he's stepped right into a very deep hole, that may actually have been dug with intent. This device cleverly allows the author quite a few opportunities to explain the world to the fictional outsider, allowing the reader to eavesdrop on the clarifications. Allows the reader to learn a few things along the way without having to feel like the only neophyte at the altar of High Finance.
Of course the book is styled as a thriller, and there has to be a bit of action, a few lurking villains and a bit of romantic tension. The big difference is that in A FATAL DEBT the action isn't all energiser bunny and over the top heroics and the lurking villains have expensive tastes in suits and transportation methods. Perhaps the romantic interest could have been shelved in the "oh no not that old chestnut" drawer as it didn't contribute a whole lot to a plot that was, overall, a refreshingly excellent look at the world of white collar crime.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
Luckily I don't often pay a lot of attention to book blurbs and the next one that pops up on the Review Queue will be the one I at least have a go at reading. Half a dozen chapters in and the urge to go looking for a bit of detail about the author's background became quite overwhelming because A FATAL DEBT was shaping up to be extremely engaging. Gapper is chief business commentator and associate editor of the /*Financial Times*/ and a regular on the BBC and CNN. His previous books are non-fiction discussions of real-life financial disasters. He has now written a very good thriller.
It won't be surprising at all if those with more financial world knowledge are able to match up the circumstances and the people to real life versions, as it was difficult to ignore the sneaking suspicion that there's some facts behind the storytelling. It will also not be particularly surprising if that level of recognition makes absolutely no difference whatsoever to enjoyment levels of the book. A FATAL DEBT worked particularly well for a reader with absolutely no idea who anybody could be based on, nor what particular High Finance scandals were recognisable.
Part of what makes that work so well is avoiding making the central protagonist a financier. Instead Attending Psychiatrist Ben Cowper is dragged into that world via his very high profile patient. It's not until Cowper's in way too far, and things have gone very wrong for investment banker Harry Shapiro that Cowper realises he's stepped right into a very deep hole, that may actually have been dug with intent. This device cleverly allows the author quite a few opportunities to explain the world to the fictional outsider, allowing the reader to eavesdrop on the clarifications. Allows the reader to learn a few things along the way without having to feel like the only neophyte at the altar of High Finance.
Of course the book is styled as a thriller, and there has to be a bit of action, a few lurking villains and a bit of romantic tension. The big difference is that in A FATAL DEBT the action isn't all energiser bunny and over the top heroics and the lurking villains have expensive tastes in suits and transportation methods. Perhaps the romantic interest could have been shelved in the "oh no not that old chestnut" drawer as it didn't contribute a whole lot to a plot that was, overall, a refreshingly excellent look at the world of white collar crime.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/revie...
June 24, 2012
The crash of the Wall Street Market ushered in a new era of consciousness of the wrongdoings of those running the U.S. financial system. Fatal flaws came to light, and the American people demanded retribution for the misuse of their money. When the government, in an attempt to hinder a looming economic depression, bailed out large financial institutions, the lives of millions of Americans were instantly changed. There was a large focus on the impact of these events on lower and middle-class citizens, but in "A Fatal Debt", debut author John Gapper creates an imaginative thriller, focusing on a CEO who also saw a drastic change of life after the financial crash.
Harry Shapiro had it all. A high profile position as owner and president of a top financial institution at the heart of Wall Street provided him with the luxurious lifestyle most people can only dream of. Unfortunately, the combination of one sour deal, in this case the purchase of a smaller, struggling company, and the market crash left a lasting mark on Shapiro's life. After a public hearing finds Shapiro at fault for the collapse of his company, the once confident financier is left jobless and depressed.
This is how Ben Cowper, a young psychiatrist at New York's Episcopal Hospital finds Shapiro. When Harry's wife discovers her husband in his study, clutching a handgun, she immediately brings him to the hospital. After a short assessment of the man, Ben believes that Shapiro is suicidal and that he should be kept in the hospital for further evaluation. But Harry will have no part of this diagnosis. At the encouragement of the hospital, which received generous donations from the Shapiro family, Ben decides to release Harry from the psych ward and to treat Harry at his home.
After a chat with Harry, Ben feels that he is making some progress. Shapiro seems content with his situation, and willing to work with Ben. A few days later, Ben is shocked to learn of a fatal shooting in the Shapiro's mansion. With the profile of Shapiro's psychiatric condition suddenly raised, Ben finds himself inside a murder investigation that could lead loss of his job, medical license, and even his life.
Gapper has created an edge of your seat thriller that grabs you from the very beginning. Drawing on the events surrounding the market crash, he introduces fascinating characters into the high-stakes world of Wall Street. Despite losing a bit of urgency in the last third of the story, the opening events are strong enough to propel the reader through the rest of the book. A mixture of murder investigation, legal thriller, and medical drama, "A Fatal Debt" is a fast paced novel that should not be missed.
Harry Shapiro had it all. A high profile position as owner and president of a top financial institution at the heart of Wall Street provided him with the luxurious lifestyle most people can only dream of. Unfortunately, the combination of one sour deal, in this case the purchase of a smaller, struggling company, and the market crash left a lasting mark on Shapiro's life. After a public hearing finds Shapiro at fault for the collapse of his company, the once confident financier is left jobless and depressed.
This is how Ben Cowper, a young psychiatrist at New York's Episcopal Hospital finds Shapiro. When Harry's wife discovers her husband in his study, clutching a handgun, she immediately brings him to the hospital. After a short assessment of the man, Ben believes that Shapiro is suicidal and that he should be kept in the hospital for further evaluation. But Harry will have no part of this diagnosis. At the encouragement of the hospital, which received generous donations from the Shapiro family, Ben decides to release Harry from the psych ward and to treat Harry at his home.
After a chat with Harry, Ben feels that he is making some progress. Shapiro seems content with his situation, and willing to work with Ben. A few days later, Ben is shocked to learn of a fatal shooting in the Shapiro's mansion. With the profile of Shapiro's psychiatric condition suddenly raised, Ben finds himself inside a murder investigation that could lead loss of his job, medical license, and even his life.
Gapper has created an edge of your seat thriller that grabs you from the very beginning. Drawing on the events surrounding the market crash, he introduces fascinating characters into the high-stakes world of Wall Street. Despite losing a bit of urgency in the last third of the story, the opening events are strong enough to propel the reader through the rest of the book. A mixture of murder investigation, legal thriller, and medical drama, "A Fatal Debt" is a fast paced novel that should not be missed.
November 3, 2014
‘A Fatal Debt’ by John Grapper started off great but soon went downhill for me. Dr. Cowper, a psychiatrist was on night duty gets called to attend to Harry Shapiro. That was out of the usual standard procedure. The psychiatrist is usually third in line to see the patient but Harry Shapiro got to skip the second step.
The Shapiros were wealthy and had made such large donations to the hospital that their engraved names were prominently displayed and there promises of more large gifts. Rules were being secretly broken.
At first, Mr. Shapiro seemed to be at risk for harming himself; he had lost his extremely well paying CEO job and seemed depressed. The author has Dr. Cowper go over some very interesting information about suicidal patients, some of which I already knew. But one thing nagged at me. Mr. Shapiro has a summer estate in the Hamptons, how could he been admitted for observation and possible treatment with his Medicaid card. Dr. Cowper states that he wanted to save hassles with the insurance company. This is in an Advanced Reading Copy so I am not if that was a mistake or what, I just don’t understand it.
I enjoyed this book until page 28, and then it got bogged down with Dr. Cowper’s personal life. I didn’t understand the romance part. I did not enjoy reading about it; I did not feel that I could identify with Dr. Cowper and any of his family, Mr. and Mrs. Shapiro. I tried to read faster in hopes of finding something interesting. It seemed to me that the book could have been written in such a way that it could have been a page turner but I found myself pushing to get to the end of each chapter.
To sum it up, after the 28th page, the book started to drag and I couldn’t see where it was going and I didn’t care anymore. A small hope keep me reading and reading but I still could not get engaged.
I cannot recommend this book.
I received this book from the publishers of this book as a win from Library Thing and that in no way influenced my review.
The Shapiros were wealthy and had made such large donations to the hospital that their engraved names were prominently displayed and there promises of more large gifts. Rules were being secretly broken.
At first, Mr. Shapiro seemed to be at risk for harming himself; he had lost his extremely well paying CEO job and seemed depressed. The author has Dr. Cowper go over some very interesting information about suicidal patients, some of which I already knew. But one thing nagged at me. Mr. Shapiro has a summer estate in the Hamptons, how could he been admitted for observation and possible treatment with his Medicaid card. Dr. Cowper states that he wanted to save hassles with the insurance company. This is in an Advanced Reading Copy so I am not if that was a mistake or what, I just don’t understand it.
I enjoyed this book until page 28, and then it got bogged down with Dr. Cowper’s personal life. I didn’t understand the romance part. I did not enjoy reading about it; I did not feel that I could identify with Dr. Cowper and any of his family, Mr. and Mrs. Shapiro. I tried to read faster in hopes of finding something interesting. It seemed to me that the book could have been written in such a way that it could have been a page turner but I found myself pushing to get to the end of each chapter.
To sum it up, after the 28th page, the book started to drag and I couldn’t see where it was going and I didn’t care anymore. A small hope keep me reading and reading but I still could not get engaged.
I cannot recommend this book.
I received this book from the publishers of this book as a win from Library Thing and that in no way influenced my review.
March 19, 2013
‘THIS NOTE IS LEGAL TENDER FOR ALL DEBTS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE. I’d come to ask about a fatal debt.’
Ben Cowper, a psychiatrist at a prestigious hospital in New York, has just been assigned an emergency patient. His patient is Harry Shapiro, who is a prominent donor to the hospital and was formerly a powerful investment banker. Harry Shapiro is now jobless and bitter, and possibly suicidal. His wife is worried about him, but when Harry rejects an extended voluntary stay in hospital, Ben releases him. There’s politics involved as well: an involuntary stay in hospital might impact on the Shapiro’s continued financial support of the hospital.
Just days later, Ben learns that there has been a shooting death in the Shapiro’s mansion. It looks like Harry has committed murder and, as the doctor who released him from hospital, Ben is in the spotlight. Especially as madness may be Harry Shapiro’s defence against murder.
‘Don’t talk to the hospital or the insurers or the police until you’ve spoken to him. And don’t go visiting any more prisons. You need a lawyer.’
Ben Cowper’s life is turned upside down. The hospital is interested in protecting its own interests, the District Attorney believes that Ben knows more than he’s telling, and the Shapiros seem to have some secrets of their own. Can Ben find out the truth?
‘While I was useful, they bought me, too.’
I found the setting interesting, and the use of the psychiatrist as the protagonist instead of the financier made it easier for the author to provide information about the financial world to readers. We learn, as Ben Cowper does, about the high stakes involved, about the murkiness surrounding certain events and people. Ultimately, though, the characterization of Ben Cowper didn’t work for me, nor did the ending, and this made what I would have described as a good read into an okay one.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Ben Cowper, a psychiatrist at a prestigious hospital in New York, has just been assigned an emergency patient. His patient is Harry Shapiro, who is a prominent donor to the hospital and was formerly a powerful investment banker. Harry Shapiro is now jobless and bitter, and possibly suicidal. His wife is worried about him, but when Harry rejects an extended voluntary stay in hospital, Ben releases him. There’s politics involved as well: an involuntary stay in hospital might impact on the Shapiro’s continued financial support of the hospital.
Just days later, Ben learns that there has been a shooting death in the Shapiro’s mansion. It looks like Harry has committed murder and, as the doctor who released him from hospital, Ben is in the spotlight. Especially as madness may be Harry Shapiro’s defence against murder.
‘Don’t talk to the hospital or the insurers or the police until you’ve spoken to him. And don’t go visiting any more prisons. You need a lawyer.’
Ben Cowper’s life is turned upside down. The hospital is interested in protecting its own interests, the District Attorney believes that Ben knows more than he’s telling, and the Shapiros seem to have some secrets of their own. Can Ben find out the truth?
‘While I was useful, they bought me, too.’
I found the setting interesting, and the use of the psychiatrist as the protagonist instead of the financier made it easier for the author to provide information about the financial world to readers. We learn, as Ben Cowper does, about the high stakes involved, about the murkiness surrounding certain events and people. Ultimately, though, the characterization of Ben Cowper didn’t work for me, nor did the ending, and this made what I would have described as a good read into an okay one.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
June 1, 2012
I won this book in the goodreads giveaway program and really enjoyed it. I am surprised at the typical rating reviewers have been giving it, because I think it deserves a better review and rating. It was interesting, written well, it flowed smoothly, the pacing was good and the characters were developed. In addition, the plot, though it followed the typical timeline and flow of the mystery genre, was original and offered some insight into our current financial problems. It gave a cynical but probably honest view of the wealth, greed, narcissism, and excesses of Wall Street, which ultimately led to our housing market crash. My biggest problem with this novel, however, was the actions and poor decisions that the main character continuely made, which ultimately led him to dig himself deeper and deeper into a hole which he could not climb out of, but due to a unforeseen turn of events at the end, was able to exonerate himself completely. The mistakes he made, seemed for lack of a better word, just plain stupid - he was a smart professional, and should have know better. They were explained away by the characters lack of experience, naiivity, and issues from the past, which may be true, but in my mind it made the character seem and act just plain immature. However, it also made him seem very human and a kind of anit-hero, as opposed to the typical investigator in most mystery novels. Finally, it was hard to understand his girlfriend's reactions as well, especially why she stayed with her employer, when she started to suspect that something was not quite right, and why she wasn't wasn't forthcoming with the police or with her boyfriend. Having said this, I would definately recommend it.
July 12, 2012
In “A Fatal Debt,” Dr. Ben Cowper is a psychiatrist working in the Harold L and Nora Shapiro pavilion of Episcopal Hospital and is pulled into a world of financial and personal greed and power when a very wealthy patient arrives at the hospital and he is asked to treat him. The man appears to present a possible suicidal threat. The Doctor is faced with making a choice on whether to forcibly commit this wealthy donor for psychiatric treatment or allow him to return for home with his loving wife for out patient treatment. At this point Dr. Cowper (Ben) begins to make a series of decisions that will change not only his life but the lives of many others.
Shortly after discharging his patient, there is a murder in which his patient is involved. Ben finds himself directly in the web of questioning and blame. As the plot continues to develop he is pulled further into the complexities and seduction of high finance, power, greed and self-serving interests of many rich and famous people. The police involved are not supportive of Ben as he becomes more professionally and personally involved in the lives of many connected with his patient Shapiro. He tries to reconcile the accusations and the truths from the many characters to find answers for himself and his own questions. There is a growing circle of entanglement and unanswered questions.
This book was well developed with good characterizations, except for the main character. I would hate to think that a professional psychiatrist would have made the decisions that Ben did throughout this story. I felt that he was made to be too gullible and self-doubting for a professional of his reputation. I will give the story a 4. I think Gapper has great potential and will read his next book.
Shortly after discharging his patient, there is a murder in which his patient is involved. Ben finds himself directly in the web of questioning and blame. As the plot continues to develop he is pulled further into the complexities and seduction of high finance, power, greed and self-serving interests of many rich and famous people. The police involved are not supportive of Ben as he becomes more professionally and personally involved in the lives of many connected with his patient Shapiro. He tries to reconcile the accusations and the truths from the many characters to find answers for himself and his own questions. There is a growing circle of entanglement and unanswered questions.
This book was well developed with good characterizations, except for the main character. I would hate to think that a professional psychiatrist would have made the decisions that Ben did throughout this story. I felt that he was made to be too gullible and self-doubting for a professional of his reputation. I will give the story a 4. I think Gapper has great potential and will read his next book.
June 14, 2012
I couldn't put down A Fatal Debt. Fortunately, I started the book while traveling to Boston so I had nearly 4 hours of uninterrupted reading.
John Gapper gives us a smart, ambitious and sympathetic lead character/amateur sleuth in Dr. Ben Cowper. Ben is on duty when Harry Shapiro, the man donated the funds and for whom a hospital wing at New York-Episcopal is named, arrives at the hospital. Ben's initial treatment of Harry makes and impression but it is still a surprise when billionaire Harry Shapiro bypasses the department head and specifically requests for Ben. The novel captures the nuances of hospital and departmental politics from the point of view of a promising but junior member of staff. These passages particularly resonated with me.
A Fatal Debt is a thriller where the action comes from complex financial transactions in the world of investment banking and Wall Street. The drama comes from divided loyalties, upended friendships, and the upheaval of ordinary lives. John Gapper takes us to these new landscapes and private worlds full of white collar crime - and on a complex and engrossing read
ISBN-10: 0345527895 Hardcover $26.00
Publisher: Ballantine Books (June 26, 2012), 288 pages.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.
John Gapper gives us a smart, ambitious and sympathetic lead character/amateur sleuth in Dr. Ben Cowper. Ben is on duty when Harry Shapiro, the man donated the funds and for whom a hospital wing at New York-Episcopal is named, arrives at the hospital. Ben's initial treatment of Harry makes and impression but it is still a surprise when billionaire Harry Shapiro bypasses the department head and specifically requests for Ben. The novel captures the nuances of hospital and departmental politics from the point of view of a promising but junior member of staff. These passages particularly resonated with me.
A Fatal Debt is a thriller where the action comes from complex financial transactions in the world of investment banking and Wall Street. The drama comes from divided loyalties, upended friendships, and the upheaval of ordinary lives. John Gapper takes us to these new landscapes and private worlds full of white collar crime - and on a complex and engrossing read
ISBN-10: 0345527895 Hardcover $26.00
Publisher: Ballantine Books (June 26, 2012), 288 pages.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.
December 31, 2012
A Fatal Debt by John Gapper is a particular topical thriller with the trouble on Wall Street, and the level of mistrust that exists between Main Street and the rich and powerful.
Psychiatrist Ben Cowper bows to pressure from his bosses to treat a highly connected though fallen Wall Street financier from home, rather than an inpatient setting and ends up trapped in a web of wealth, privilege, and power when his new client is suspected of murdering the former business partner, whom he blames for his downfall. Dr. Cowper's every effort to uncover the truth is blocked by powerful actors determined that the truth remain hidden.
Cowper a flawed character in his own right, realizes quickly that in a world of wealthy and powerful Wall Street types, he has but few friends, and many enemies.
Elements of his observations of the rich remind me of The Great Gatsby though on a far less dramatic scale. That said, the ending and thus the eventual unraveling of the mystery seem more than a little far-fetched, though perhaps people like the Wall Street heavy hitters depicted in the book, would think like that, I can't say.
The twists and turns in this story make it entertaining, but may give the reader whiplash.
Psychiatrist Ben Cowper bows to pressure from his bosses to treat a highly connected though fallen Wall Street financier from home, rather than an inpatient setting and ends up trapped in a web of wealth, privilege, and power when his new client is suspected of murdering the former business partner, whom he blames for his downfall. Dr. Cowper's every effort to uncover the truth is blocked by powerful actors determined that the truth remain hidden.
Cowper a flawed character in his own right, realizes quickly that in a world of wealthy and powerful Wall Street types, he has but few friends, and many enemies.
Elements of his observations of the rich remind me of The Great Gatsby though on a far less dramatic scale. That said, the ending and thus the eventual unraveling of the mystery seem more than a little far-fetched, though perhaps people like the Wall Street heavy hitters depicted in the book, would think like that, I can't say.
The twists and turns in this story make it entertaining, but may give the reader whiplash.
August 1, 2012
Dr. Ben Cowper is an attending psychiatrist at Episcopla hospital. Enter Harry Shapiro an ex Wall Street Banking Exec and his wife Nora. Harry has been depressed ever since the market fell and he was forced to resign after losing billions of dollars. Nora found him with a gun and was afraid that he was going to kill himself so she brought him to the hospital. Ben admits him and thinks that he is done with them. But Harry insist on Ben treating him and then insists on going home. With Harry's insistence that he is fine and the prodding of the hospital president Ben releases him.And then someone dies and Ben is in a whole lot of trouble with no help from the hospital and the only one who can help him is Ben himself.
This is John Gappers first novel and I hope not his last because I am now a big fan. From the first page to the last he had me hooked. It is a fast paced and compelling read that has a little bit of something for everyone. I won this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
This is John Gappers first novel and I hope not his last because I am now a big fan. From the first page to the last he had me hooked. It is a fast paced and compelling read that has a little bit of something for everyone. I won this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers.
April 30, 2013
I actually ended up really enjoying this book. I never saw it ending the way it did....I starting thinking along that line eventually, but not until it was basically already revealing itself! John Gapper definitely belongs in the writing world. I have not read his other book, but I look forward to reading (and owning) more of his work in the future. I have always and a love for crime novels, but so many authors get it wrong. John Gapper was spot on. He created a story line that works, and could even be real, while he also keeps the reader into it. It was very thrilling. A perfect who-done-it-whats-gonna-happen-next book. I would suggest this book to anyone who is into crime novels, thriller novels, or any other novels that are along the same line.
I won this book on Goodreads First Reads.
I won this book on Goodreads First Reads.
May 10, 2012
3.0 out of 5 stars - Be skeptical...don't believe everything. Verify.
I enjoyed this suspense thriller about a psychiatrist who gets involved in a patient's revenge plot that leads to murder.
Dr. Ben Cowper is called to the ER to evaluate a patient who may be dangerous to himself or others. He's stunned to find that the identity of the man he's asked to treat is none other than disgraced Wall Street banker, Harry Shapiro. In a convoluted series of events, Ben's life is turned inside out as he becomes involved in a fight for his own career and his life.
There was a lot of interesting financial information in this novel and I would have rated it higher except for the ridiculousness of the romance that the author throws in. If that had been left out, the book would have been one I'd recommend for the uniqueness of the topic: malfeasance, greed, and revenge in the banking industry!
I enjoyed this suspense thriller about a psychiatrist who gets involved in a patient's revenge plot that leads to murder.
Dr. Ben Cowper is called to the ER to evaluate a patient who may be dangerous to himself or others. He's stunned to find that the identity of the man he's asked to treat is none other than disgraced Wall Street banker, Harry Shapiro. In a convoluted series of events, Ben's life is turned inside out as he becomes involved in a fight for his own career and his life.
There was a lot of interesting financial information in this novel and I would have rated it higher except for the ridiculousness of the romance that the author throws in. If that had been left out, the book would have been one I'd recommend for the uniqueness of the topic: malfeasance, greed, and revenge in the banking industry!
May 30, 2012
I am about 1/3 of the way through and I am enjoying this a lot. A couple of surprises already. This is a little different murder mystery, with Wall Street and high finance and psychiatrists all involved. Planning to spend the day by the pool tomorrow and finish it up.
Look forward to another book by this author.
I am finished now. The book did not live up to my early expectations. I think the characters could have been better developed. I would have liked more details on the Wall Street workings that could drive a person to despair. The relationship between the protagonist and the personal assistant just wasn't credible.
The book was entertaining and could have been much better. It has a refreshingly new take on a murder mystery.
Look forward to another book by this author.
I am finished now. The book did not live up to my early expectations. I think the characters could have been better developed. I would have liked more details on the Wall Street workings that could drive a person to despair. The relationship between the protagonist and the personal assistant just wasn't credible.
The book was entertaining and could have been much better. It has a refreshingly new take on a murder mystery.
June 3, 2012
Harry Shapiro, a former Wall Street banker, is admitted to the hospital for psychiatric tests after losing his prestigious job. His wife thinks he is suicidal and wanted him to be evaluated. Ben Cowper, the psychiatrist, wants to admit but Harry is soon released and a few days later there is a death at his Hampton’s home. Ben Cowper’s life is soon turned upside when his home is vandalized and his attacked.
Filled with a lot of financial data that is interesting, but falls flat on mystery and thrills. Although, it is well written, I didn’t connect with Cowper and therefore couldn’t absorb myself into his predicament.
Filled with a lot of financial data that is interesting, but falls flat on mystery and thrills. Although, it is well written, I didn’t connect with Cowper and therefore couldn’t absorb myself into his predicament.
July 22, 2012
This is a murder mystery that isn't bad, but isn't great either. A lot of the background is well set for the characters and some of the plot twists are interesting, but overall I felt that the book just lacked something...and what that is, I'm not sure! Perhaps too many things just were beyond the sensibility for the main character to have taken on himself. I found it difficult to believe him (or in him) some of the time which smacks of a credibility problem for the book as a whole. That said, it was a fine mystery set against a financial world backdrop (read: huge money maker fallen from grace publicly) which is very current.
October 29, 2012
Protagonist is a psychiatrist - a dweeb of the first water. Author writes that upon arriving at an aerodrome, the person on land pronounced 'about' as 'aboot' therefore, he wrote, the drome must have been close to the Canadian border. I have never, anywhere in Canada, heard anyone pronounce 'about' as 'aboot'. Where DO they get this peculiar idea? Someone straight off the boat from Glasgow might say it...the American underling at the US Embassy in Holland years ago said the same stupid thing. The book is plain old lousy. The author is a columnist for the Financial Post - he should stick to what he knows.
January 25, 2013
I tried to like this book, but I just couldn't get into it. No matter how much I tried to visualize and relate to the main character, Ben, I struggled until about 75 pages into the story when I just gave up. The topic didn't particularly interest me (the financial crisis and big-ego bankers), but because of the mystery/thriller aspect, I thought I'd give it a try. It just didn't stick with me.
I really felt like something crucial was missing - character development maybe? I don't think I'll stick around to find out.
I really felt like something crucial was missing - character development maybe? I don't think I'll stick around to find out.
June 18, 2012
A Good Reads giveaway! I'm looking forward to trying out this new-to-me author and it looks like it could be a great fast paced story! ...I really want to give this book 2.5 or maybe even 2.75. I so wanted to like this story and it started out great! I couldn't wait to see what happened next and then about the middle, it just kind of died. I wondered where we were going with the story and found I wasn't really caring for the characters any more and had to force myself to finish.
September 8, 2012
I'd probably really give this book a 2.5 in rating. It was okay, but I thought it kind of ... just 'on-going'...maybe seemed alittle 'flat', with the ending coming together abit quickly. I believe this is the author's 1st book, so I think he does have a good start though. It was a fast, easy read & I appreciate that.
I also appreciate that I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway!
I also appreciate that I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway!
August 26, 2012
Great premise and interestingly similar to what happened during the financial crisis but the hero in this book is all over the place an has too many side stories to keep up with. At times, it seems the writer could not figure out how to transition a relationship or idea so it is just inserted abruptly.
November 9, 2012
I'm not a big fan of mysteries in which psychiatrists play a major role or financial mysteries and this is both. I did manage to follow most of the logic which means the author used simple enough explanations that the math impaired reader can cope. It's probably a lot more fun if you reaaly understand what is going on.
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