Sitting in my office I look out the window and stare at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The setting sun envelops the majestic Capitol dome in a soft amber silhouette as it salutes the day’s end. For a moment, time stands still and I’m surrounded by solitude. But not for long. I’m the Deputy Attorney General of the United States of America and for the last few months I’ve been pursuing Cosimo Benedetto, the notorious and enigmatic leader of an international criminal syndicate who, at this very moment, is safely ensconced in his gilded floating fortress sailing the Mediterranean.
I rub my forehead and look at my watch. My head is spinning and my eyesight is blurry. Piecing together evidence of Benedetto’s vast criminal empire is mind-numbing work. Tracing billions of dollars secreted in offshore accounts seems like an impossible task. Just as I hunt down a new lead, funds seemingly vanish into thin air. Benedetto is smart, sophisticated, and thus far has eluded capture and stayed one-step ahead of the authorities.
But how did I get here? Just a few weeks ago I was on the fast-track to becoming a partner in the world’s largest and most prestigious law firm. I graduated at the top of my class from Harvard University and then Harvard Law School where I was on law review. Following graduation, I landed a prestigious position as clerk to a federal judge and later a coveted job as an associate at the law firm of Balatoni, Cartel & Colin, or BCC as it’s known in the legal world. As a lawyer at BCC I made more money in a year than most people make in a decade.
Truth to tell, I didn’t work all that hard or struggle all that much to achieve what I have. Throughout my life I’ve received high grades, was accepted into top schools, and landed plum jobs just as I did when I was unexpectedly plucked from my comfortable life and offered the No. 2 job at the DOJ. I guess I’ve just been lucky my entire life.
Or have I? It’s odd how things always worked out for me and success was always within reach. Was it really just blind luck and good timing? Why was I chosen for this role and why was it handed to me? Did someone groom me to be in this position?
I’m beginning to question everything because things are different now. I look around and see those closest to me, the ones who love me the most and whom I’m supposed to trust. But can I? The pressure I feel to bring Cosimo Benedetto to justice and crush his criminal empire is suffocating me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d suspect I was a pawn in a high-stakes game of chess where the hunter becomes the prey and where discovering the truth can be as devastating as failing to succeed. In the end, pursuing justice will mean uncovering long-hidden secrets. Am I ready for this? Am I ready to learn why someone would take such a personal interest in me and go so far as to manipulate every aspect of my life and career?
THE MANIPULATOR – A “Tom Berte” Mystery, Book 1
Genre: Legal Thriller
Release: August 2025
Format: Print, Digital, Audio
Purchase Link
Rising star attorney Thomas Berte just got the promotion of a lifetime.
And a warrant with his name on it…
Harvard-trained attorney Thomas Berte thought landing the Deputy Attorney General position was the pinnacle of his career.
His first assignment: bring down Cosimo “Nino” Benedetto, the untouchable head of a global crime syndicate. The case should be straightforward―follow the money, build the case, get the conviction.
But nothing is as it seems.
As Tom digs deeper into Benedetto’s empire, he uncovers financial trails leading straight back to his old law firm―the prestigious powerhouse that launched his career. Suddenly the hunter has become the hunted, and there’s only one move left on the board―cut through the setup by getting closer to the man he came to indict.
In a capital where favors pass for law and corruption wears a three-piece suit, Tom must put his career, his ethical code, and his freedom at risk to force the truth into the record.
When the net tightens around the institutions he trusted most, how far will Tom go to prove his innocence?
About the author
Dan Buzzetta is a commercial litigation partner in the New York office of a large national law firm and has been practicing law for over thirty years. The Manipulator, published by Severn River Publishing, is Dan’s debut novel and the first in a four-book series. His second book, The Winter Verdict, will be released in 2026. Dan lives in New Jersey with his wife, three children, and rescue dog Bentley. He is actively involved with his community, serving as an elected official on his town’s governing body and as a volunteer firefighter. Visit Dan Buzzetta online at www.danbuzzetta.com.