Nemesis - David Pinto

Elliot has everything: A successful medical practice, New York City townhouse, beautiful wife and family, and a powerful, independent mistress. Ted, Elliot’s close, long-time friend, relishes his booming law practice, beautiful wife, fast car, and his sexual dynamo of a mistress. Both competitive to a fault, Elliot and Ted don’t realize that their long nights of erotic exploits transpire with the same woman, Lindsey. That all changes the day she is murdered. Evidence points to Elliot’s culpability and Ted gallantly defends his friend in a vicious courtroom battle. But as Elliot’s sordid affair airs in court and the nightly news, observers begin to suspect that he’s taking the fall for someone else. Sex, murder, deception and betrayal. Will justice be served—and to whom?

“A courtroom thriller depicts a friendly rivalry turned deadly.

Elliot Barrett’s life is an enviable one. He’s a prestigious physician with a thriving practice, a well-appointed home in New York City, a devoted wife, and two loving children. He risks it all when he becomes romantically involved with Lindsey Anderson, the seductive daughter of a patient. When she turns up dead, the police immediately blame Elliot. There is incontrovertible evidence placing him in her apartment and damning if circumstantial evidence suggestive of a sexual affair. Elliot decides to deny the tryst and enlists the help of his best friend, Ted Lapoltsky, a successful lawyer, to defend him. Unbeknownst to Elliot, Ted also had an affair with Lindsey and wanted to leave his wife for her, a design she squarely rejected. Ted and Lindsey had become locked in a passionate argument about it, and when she revealed she was also seeing Elliot, Ted grabbed her in a jealous fury, causing her to hit her head and sink into unconsciousness.  While Ted defends Elliot, he’s careful to avoid even a hint of self-incrimination. He also revels in the opportunity to see his prudishly judgmental rival publicly disgraced.

A captivating legal thriller that’s impressively unpredictable.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“Spellbinding… A tight, cinematic, onrushing narrative… The novel has the simmering heat of 9 ½ Weeks and the excruciating, white-knuckle legal machinations of Scott Turow’s best works.”                               

—M.J. Moore, Neworld Review

“I loved Nemesis… The setup of the two lifelong friends is marvelous, and the trial scenes especially good. The plot moves along beautifully—full of large and small surprises—and even the minor characters are deftly drawn. Lindsey is an exquisite creation… Bravo and bravo.”

—Jay Neugeboren, award-winning author of The Stolen Jew and Imagining Robert