Jeffrey (Jeff) F. Robertson
Special Council
McDermott Will & Schulte LLP
"Rich Morvillo's Patient's Privilege is a stunning debut novel that masterfully combines the pulse-pounding tension of a psychological thriller with the suspense of courtroom drama. Centered on a shocking murder and its aftermath, the story dives deep into the tangled intersections of doctor-patient privilege, criminal law, and the moral dilemmas that test both the justice system and the human psyche. Morvillo's background knowledge shines through, bringing authenticity to every legal and psychological twist, while his storytelling ensures you'll be hooked from the first page to the last. For fans of tightly woven suspense who crave both riveting drama and thought-provoking insight, this first novel is an absolute must-read-you won't want to put it down."
Steven Ferri
Managing Editor
Digital and Social Media
Voice of America
"Morvillo delivers a masterful psychological crime thriller that grabs you from the first page and never lets go. With clinical precision and a shocking twist that upends everything you thought you knew about ethics, law, and privacy, Patient's Privilege is a novel that lingers long after the final page."
Ellen Murphy
Partner
Seyfarth Shaw
"Drawing on his own experience as an accomplished criminal defense lawyer, Rich Morvillo skillfully blends the tension of a criminal investigation with the complexities of the doctor patient privilege to create a gripping story in Patient's Privilege. Morvillo weaves together the ethical dilemmas of the privilege with the suspense of uncovering the truth, creating a push-pull between justice and secrecy. Each of the characters is flawed in his own way, adding depth to the tangled web of lies and motives. The ending completely caught me off guard and left me thinking of the novel long after I finished it. Excellent read!"
Howard Lee Kramer
Author
Hitching To Bowie
"Patient's Privilege is a riveting murder mystery with constant twists and turns. It's a page-turner that will keep you guessing about the story's outcome until the end. Morvillo masterfully weaves aspects of criminal defense and medical privilege into this fascinating novel that's full of surprises."
Andrew Frank
Chief Operating Officer
KPR Centers
“In Patient's Privilege, Rich Morvillo delivers a story that is both thought-provoking and impossible to put down. His compelling narrative combines riveting suspense with profound ethical insight while exploring the complex boundaries of professional ethics, confidentiality, and betrayal within the world of psychiatry. Incisive and gripping, Patient's Privilege is a novel that is sure to linger in the mind long after the final chapter."
About
Rich
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Rich Morvillo, a nationally recognized lawyer, co-chairs the White Collar Defense and Investigations group at a large international firm. His legal journey began at Fordham University School of Law, and he started his career as a trial attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Enforcement. A frequent speaker at professional seminars, he has published extensively on white-collar criminal matters, including the Fifth Amendment and ethical considerations for preparing witnesses. He taught an ethics course for eight years in the master's in securities law program at Georgetown University School of Law. His unique perspective, shaped by his major in psychology at Colgate University, intersects with his expertise in criminal investigations, resulting in a thrilling novel where ethical rules and evidentiary norms constrain the search for truth. In addition to practicing law, Rich is currently working on another legal thriller. Richard resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife, two children, and two dogs.
Behind
PATIENT'S PRIVILEGE
Synopsis
Timothy Shea, a clinical psychologist with an elite clinic, is suddenly thrust into the middle of a criminal investigation. While the circumstantial evidence against him is compelling, he maintains his innocence, claiming he is being framed. With the help of his lawyer and an investigator, Timothy conducts his own investigation, searching for evidence to debunk what seems to be proof beyond a reasonable doubt. He discovers a deep, dark secret involving patients at the clinic—one that embroils renowned psychiatrist Abner Reeves. Professional ethics, the patient’s privilege, prevent Timothy from revealing what he has found because it was disclosed in therapy sessions. And the patients are not cooperating even though Timothy wants to expose Dr. Reeves’ treachery for their own good. But there is a more compelling reason to pierce the privilege: the confidential information he uncovered is crucial to his defense.
Timothy tries working within the system to circumvent the privilege. Knowing that Timothy is hamstrung by ethical constraints, Dr. Reeves hides behind the privilege to thwart efforts to expose him. He wages a campaign to discredit Timothy, feeding information to the police that implicates Timothy in the criminal activities under investigation. On the verge of being tried for these crimes, Timothy attempts to turn the tide on Dr. Reeves by using the privileged information as a sword. During the final stages of their battle to see whose version of the truth will prevail, Dr. Reeves unleashes a gripping story that all but seals Timothy’s fate. Can Timothy fight back against a carefully constructed narrative sponsored by a cunning professional with something he is desperate to hide?
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PATIENT'S PRIVILEGE is a roller-coaster ride pitting two strong-willed individuals against one another. One is fighting for his life, the other for his hallowed reputation and career. What is truly at stake, however, is the truth.
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Published by Mascot Books
I nearly went into the field of clinical psychology when I graduated from Colgate University but, like my father and brother, opted for law school instead. As a lawyer, I share with physicians and psychologists the ethical obligation to maintain client confidences. The fiduciary has a relationship of trust and confidence with the beneficiary and is not permitted to misuse information belonging to the beneficiary for their own purposes without authorization. For example, in the context I am most familiar with—the law of insider trading—the fiduciary may not misappropriate confidential information belonging to the beneficiary for the purposes of trading in securities.
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My novel deals with a diabolical faithless fiduciary. It came to me as I reflected on an old insider trading case against a psychiatrist who allegedly used information learned in therapy sessions to trade in stocks mentioned by a patient. That got me thinking about what would happen if an unscrupulous doctor took advantage of what they learned from a patient outside the world of securities trading. What if a misguided therapist used confidential information against a patient who fears disclosure of their secrets?
This calls into question a related set of ethical principles. Like the attorney-client privilege, the doctor-patient privilege generally safeguards confidential communications between a psychiatrist (or therapist) and their patient. While the patient is free to waive that protection, the circumstances in which others may invade it are necessarily circumscribed, but not non-existent.
PATIENT'S PRIVILEGE explores the limits to the privilege as a barricade against truth. Can Timothy Shea pierce the privilege when his patients and their doctor oppose it? Is there an exception that will frustrate Dr. Reeves’ reliance on the privilege to conceal his misdeeds? In the real world, there would be other ways of attacking the fiduciary breach than I use here, but I employed editorial license to make the story interesting and reasonably authentic. And, in doing so, I provide a glimpse into criminal and internal investigations.
