In the year 2000, Linda DeFruscio was forced to make an unthinkable decision. Someone whose genius she admired immensely, a business associate and dear friend, committed a terrible crime. In response, she could cut off their friendship and avoid the risk of losing friends, clients and her own peace of mind-or, she could trust her gut and try to save some aspect of her friend’s humanity. Cornered is Linda DeFruscio’s story of her long and often complex association with Dr. Richard J. Sharpe, the millionaire dermatologist from Gloucester, MA who was convicted of killing his wife. Beautifully written and surprisingly tender, Cornered allows the reader an upfront view of the fragility of genius and the decline into madness, all while casting a second light on how one woman’s refusal to turn her back resulted in momentous changes in her own life. …Cornered is an impossible-to-put-down psycho-thriller and one of the best books I have read. Joseph A. Russo, M.D., F.A.C.S., Plastic Surgeon The mistakes and dysfunctions of the adults surrounding Linda DeFruscio in her youth paved the way for the inordinate compassion she displays as an adult. While her story uncovers much about the nature of mental illness, it also reveals the power of tolerance, mercy and love. Joan Heartwell, author of the memoir Hamster Island