Feathered Quill Book Reviews

 #Authorinterview with Dan Buzzetta

Today, Feathered Quill reviewer Diana Coyle is talking with Dan Buzzetta, author of The Manipulator.

FQ: One of the first things I do when I read a book by an author I’m unfamiliar with is read the author’s bio to get to know them better. Would you please tell us a few things about yourself so that new readers, like myself, can learn about you?

BUZZETTA: I'm a husband, and a father to three wonderful children ages 23, 21 and 16. I'm also a business trial attorney and partner in the New York City office of a national law firm. I'm very involved in my local community in New Jersey. In 2024, I was elected to a three-year term on my hometown's governing body and I'm also a volunteer firefighter. And, of course, I fulfilled a life-long dream of becoming a published author with the release of my debut novel, The Manipulator, published by Severn River Publishing, in August 2025. Of all the titles I have, the one I'm most proud of is being called "dad."

FQ: Can you please tell our readers a brief synopsis of your book, The Manipulator, and what specifically makes your book unique?

BUZZETTA: The Manipulator tells the tale of a young Harvard Law School-educated attorney named Tom Berte who is living a story-book life in New York as a hot-shot lawyer in the world's largest and most prestigious law firm where he is on-track to becoming a partner. Unexpectedly the managing partner of his firm recommends Tom for a job in the U.S. Department of Justice as the Executive Deputy Attorney General. The job offer seems too good to be true, but it is just the latest in a long-line of successes and achievements that always seem to fall in Tom's lap. After accepting the position at the DOJ and moving to Washington DC with his wife, Brooke, Tom is tasked with bringing to justice the enigmatic mastermind of an international criminal syndicate named Cosimo "Nino" Benedetto who spends his days sailing the Mediterranean on a floating fortress. As he investigates Benedetto and the syndicate he controls, Tom discovers that things aren't always as they seem. He uncovers connections between his former law firm and the criminal empire he's determined to dismantle, and long-hidden secrets that hit much closer to home. He also discovers that his life and career have been manipulated as part of a high-stakes gamble by those he's pursuing. But the ultimate manipulation occurs when Tom is forced to choose between justice and protecting those closest to him.

In addition to being a legal thriller, The Manipulator is a book about family, loyalty, the pursuit of justice, and the discovery of secrets that lead you to question whether lies and protecting those closest to you from harmful truths can be compatible with the love a family shares.

FQ: I loved how well-written and detailed The Manipulator was and how you wrapped the storyline around Thomas Berte, a rising star of the law firm he worked at: Balatoni, Cartel & Colin. Readers see everything through his eyes right from the start and are working alongside him as he is assisting on the AMX case. The story accelerates to the start of what seems to be a joyous new job proposition, the position being Executive Deputy Attorney General in Washington D.C. What made you want to create a storyline specifically set that Tom would get this prestigious promotion, but then have his life spiral out of control once accepting the position?

BUZZETTA: The idea for The Manipulator came to me thirty years ago when I was still a law student. I was drawn to the notion that things that seem too good to be true often are, and the unfortunate reality that those at the pinnacle of success often have the furthest and farthest to fall. But it's also a story of redemption and discovery and the theme that, ultimately, good triumphs over evil. Even when things seem bleak, "doing the right thing" can still lead to the best of outcomes.

FQ: What made you decide to have Tom the suspect of criminal misdoings?

BUZZETTA: I wanted Tom to face a moral dilemma where he's accused of serious crimes and facing the option of giving in to dark forces to protect himself or pursuing justice even if it means exposing long-hidden secrets about his past and his own family. This plot line heightened the tension and and makes Tom a tragic and sympathetic figure. Most people at one time or another have been accused of doing something they didn't do. How people respond to those situations says a lot about their character and integrity.

FQ: Are there any future novels in the works? If so, can you tell us any information about them?

BUZZETTA: My second novel in the Tom Berte series, The Winter Verdict, will be released in 2026 and takes place five years after we last see Tom and Brooke in The Manipulator. Tom has dropped the trappings that came with being a successful lawyer at a big-time law firm and holding the number two position at the DOJ. He's learned a lot about himself and his family and is now a small town lawyer who stumbles upon a big plot that has the potential to harm millions of people. And Tom has the ability to stop the massive destruction if he can just find the evidence in time and convince the authorities to believe him. He's in a race against time where the final verdict is literally the difference between life and death.

FQ: Where do you look upon for inspiration for what you write?

BUZZETTA: The world we live in which is constantly presenting all of us with pitched battles of good versus evil and justice versus dishonesty. I don't mean to sound too Pollyanna-ish but there's a lot happening in our society everyday that makes you question whether there is enough justice in the world and whether good can triumph over bad. I like writing about this theme, and I continue to believe that in the end our moral compass can lead to a correct and just result.

FQ: Please tell us what is your writing routine like?

BUZZETTA: I like writing in the early morning before my family awakes and while the world is still asleep. Mornings provide me with a sense of new beginnings when my mind is full of ideas and inspiration and I'm highly motivated to work. I tend to write in my home office or in a small cabin we have in the mountains about a three hour drive from my home. I only drink one cup of coffee a day and it's in the morning when I write. I like to savor my coffee while thinking about exciting plot points. I particularly enjoy writing on weekend mornings, from 6 to 11 am and then spend time with my family.

FQ: To wrap up our interview, is there anything you would like to add to tell our readers?

BUZZETTA: I have just a simple message: I know my books won't bring about world peace or change the world we live in. My goal is simply to entertain and give folks a respite from the issues they face in their everyday lives with easy to read books with short chapters that hopefully keep readers interested and wanting more. There are obviously a lot of books out there for readers to choose from, and most readers I know have a limited amount of time to devote to reading. So, if you choose to read my books, thanks in advance and I hope you enjoy it.