Larceny (Electronic book text)

When greed is your mistress and power her aphrodisiac, people become expendable.

Set in Philadelphia PA, Larceny presents an intricate web of deception and diabolical revenge, where avarice and lust create a backdrop for murder. When self-made millionaire, Richard Gillespie senses his firm is crumbling, he develops a complex plan to save his legacy. Gillespie uses Dr. Bridgette Lonerghan, a university executive, to access a valuable portfolio of inventions. The inventor, Dr. Joseph Ralinski, pocketing millions from side deals over the years, compels high-ranking university officials including Provost Iconera; to set sights on toppling Ralinski's financial fortress.

Lonerghan becomes a pawn in a game of ego and greed between Gillespie and his nemesis, Louis Jacobsen - head of the university's Technology Transfer Office, her former lover. Jacobson loses focus when he discovers his unfaithful wife is drugging him into spousal submission and plots his revenge.

"This deal is getting interesting," Gillespie observes. "Three people, three angles. Jacobson, greed and selfishness; Iconera, self-righteousness coupled with mistrust; and finally Ralinski, self-importance and arrogance. The only common denominator is 'self'. The question is how to play this to gain the maximum advantage."

FBI involvement escalates the tension and the body count starts to rise.