Every Fifteen Minutes

Bestseller Scottoline (Keep Quiet) casts an unflinching eye on the damaged world of sociopaths in this exciting page-turner. The personal life of Dr. Eric Parrish, chief of the psychiatric unit at Havemeyer General Hospital in Philadelphia's suburbs, is even more of a challenge than his job. His wife, Caitlin, has filed for divorce, and, as a result, he rarely gets to spend time with his seven-year-old daughter, Hannah. Distraction arrives in the forms of Kristine Malin, an attractive medical student, and a friendly, flirtatious friendship with emergency doctor Laurie Fortunato. Things start to unravel for Eric when he has to field a sexual harassment claim and is implicated in the murder of a young woman. The misfortunes pile up, and both his career and his custody battle for Hannah are placed in jeopardy. Many characters who seem to be gunning for Eric are likely candidates for a sociopathic diagnosis. Once the red herrings are dispatched, the identity of the culprit who plots his downfall is a genuine surprise. Agent: Molly Friedrich, Friedrich Literary Agency. Author tour; 250,000-copy first printing. (Apr.)