"At Any Cost unravels the twisted story of Rod Covlin, whose unrepentant greed drove him to an unspeakable act of murder and betrayal that rocked New York City. Wealthy, beautiful, and brilliant, Shele Danishefsky had it all. After climbing Wall Street'scorporate ladder to the top, she was eager to build a family with her much younger husband, a handsome Ivy League grad named Rod Covlin. But when Rod's hidden vices, from online gambling to rampant affairs, began to break through the surface, marital bliss soon gave way to a volatile divorce battle. Covlin was entirely supported by Shele's successful career, and her threats to cut him out of her will-and cut him off from the millions their two children would inherit-would destroy his lavish lifestyle. Inlate December 2009, Shele made arrangements to meet with her lawyer and change her will. She would never make it to the meeting. Two days later, on New Year's Eve, Shele was found dead in the bathtub of her Upper West Side apartment. Police ruled it an accident, and Shele's deeply Orthodox Jewish family quickly buried their loved one without an autopsy. But her death was only the first obstacle in Covlin's ruthless pursuit of her fortune. As the two families waged war over custody of Shele's children-andtheir inheritance- Covlin concocted a series of increasingly unhinged schemes, even plotting to kill his own parents, to get his hands on his wife's money. And as investigators closed in on Covlin, he decided in a final, desperate act to frame his own daughter for her mother's death. Journalists Rebecca Rosenberg and Selim Algar reconstruct the ten years that passed between the day Shele was found dead and the day her killer was finally brought to justice in this chilling portrait of how one man's irrepressible greed devolved into obsession, manipulation, and murder"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

An account of the 2009 murder of Wall Street millionaire Shele Danishefsky also describes how the killer, her estranged husband, concocted a series of violent and increasingly unhinged schemes to claim his late wife’s fortune. 30,000 first printing. - (Baker & Taylor)

At Any Cost unravels the twisted story of Rod Covlin, whose unrepentant greed drove him to an unspeakable act of murder and betrayal that rocked New York City.

Wealthy, beautiful, and brilliant, Shele Danishefsky had fulfillment at her fingertips. Having conquered Wall Street, she was eager to build a family with her much younger husband, promising Ivy League graduate Rod Covlin. But when his hidden vices surfaced, marital harmony gave way to a merciless divorce. Rod had long depended on Shele's income to fund his tastes for high stakes backgammon and infidelity--and she finally vowed to sever him from her will. In late December 2009, Shele made an appointment with her lawyer to block him from her millions. She would never make it to that meeting.

Two days later, on New Year’s Eve, Shele was found dead in the bathtub of her Upper West Side apartment. Police ruled it an accident, and Shele’s deeply Orthodox Jewish family quickly buried her without an autopsy on religious grounds. Rod had a clear path to his ex-wife's fortune, but suspicions about her death lingered. As the two families warred over custody of Shele’s children—and their inheritance— Rod concocted a series of increasingly demented schemes, even plotting to kill his own parents, to secure the treasure. And as investigators closed in, Rod committed a final, desperate act to frame his own daughter for her mother’s death.

Journalists Rebecca Rosenberg and Selim Algar reconstruct the ten years that passed between the day Shele was found dead and the day her killer faced justice in this riveting account of how one man’s irrepressible greed devolved into obsession, manipulation, and murder.

REBECCA ROSENBERG received her master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University. A staff reporter at the New York Post, she currently covers Manhattan Supreme Court. She has been a featured journalist on NBC's "Dateline," CBS's "48 Hours," and the Investigation Discovery network.

SELIM ALGAR graduated from U.C. Berkeley and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He has been a staff reporter at the New York Post since 2005 and covers the New York City Department of Education. His work has appeared in the New York Times, New York Magazine, The San Francisco Examiner, The Austin-American Statesman and NBCSports.com.

Booklist Reviews

A successful finance executive, Shele Danishefsky was eager to focus on her personal life when she met Rod Covlin; they quickly married and started a family. But things turned ugly as Covlin grifted, lied, and cheated on her. Danishefsky wanted to avoid divorce due to her Orthodox Jewish faith, but ultimately saw no other option. As the divorce and custody battles raged, Covlin made wild accusations and Danishefsky began to fear for her life. Days before a meeting to ensure Covlin didn't receive a dime of her money, Danishefsky was found dead in her bathroom. Police dismissed it as an accident, but as the Danishefsky family warred with Covlin over custody and Danishefsky's inheritance, suspicions remained. Nine years later, in 2018, Covlin was charged with Danishefsky's murder. New York Post reporters Rosenberg and Algar clearly lay out Rod's motive and despicable character in the book's first half, leaving little doubt of Covlin's guilt. The second half is a detailed retelling of the trial. True-crime fans may be disappointed, but courtroom drama buffs will relish this. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

Library Journal Reviews

New York Post journalists Rosenberg and Algar provide a detailed account of the long road to justice for Shele Danishefsky Covlin, a Manhattan wealth manager who in 2009 was strangled by her abusive husband, Rod Covlin; a decade later, Covlin was convicted of the murder. From the moment the police entered Danishefsky Covlin's apartment, they made mistakes that would long delay the trial and conviction, such as readily accepting Covlin's claim that his estranged wife had fallen in the bathtub and drowned. The investigation was further stymied when a rabbi advised the devout Danishefsky family against an autopsy. Rosenberg and Algar deftly humanize Danishefsky Covlin, covering her childhood, friendships, and career. The book reveals how patterns of an abusive relationship may seem obvious, but repeated calls for forgiveness from the abuser and family considerations can prevent many from leaving their abusers. At times, the narrative suffers from an awkwardly verbose style—perhaps a shortcoming of dual authorship, as the writing becomes more fluid in later chapters. VERDICT A vivid portrait of the complications that family dynamics, religious considerations, and investigative errors produced to obfuscate justice, and the depths to which an abusive master manipulator is willing to go to continue that obfuscation. True crime fans will be satisfied.—Bart Everts, Rutgers Univ.-Camden Lib., NJ