Editor's note: CultureMap editor-at-large Shelby Hodge gave you the scoop on the true crime novel that's the talk of River Oaks Monday. Now, Steven Thomson talks to the author of the book for his insights.

The 10-year sentencing of Dinesh Shah, 44, last week shed light on years of a local con artist extracting wealth from River Oaks families. Although the sentence was in relation to not meeting simple employment probation requirements, "Dinny" has a record that includes pleading guilty to injuring a young girl in 2006, defrauding several families of millions of dollars and the physical control of victims that prosecutors consider brainwashing.

To get under his victims' skin, Shah would present himself under false identities, from CIA operative to attorney. Now, his one-time defense attorney, Michael Phillips, has penned a tell-all, Monster in River Oaks. CultureMap spoke with the lawyer-turned-author to gain an understanding of what it was like defending the man who was accused of abusing and controlling heirs to the Exxon family fortune.

"What emerged during the 2008 trial was how he had ingratiated himself into a Houston family — a very wealthy family," Phillips says. "And then he followed a path of control, and finally, complete domination of the family."

It was only five days after the 2008 verdict that the attorney decided to write an exposé on the local crook. He maintains that he wrote the book as a "lesson" of how easily people can become victims, particularly the elderly and single mothers.

"Of course, a lot of the readers will be interested because this is a book about Houston. It's our neighborhood; it's our city." (Phillips, although a "very successful attorney," does not live in River Oaks.)

However, he maintains that his book has a universal message, saying, "This could happen anywhere."

It's also a warning to Shah. "He was able to force 2.5 million dollars out of his victim, possibly a million more," he says. "He had pled guilty to abuse of a child and was put on probation, but he couldn't stop doing what he does best. He started victimizing other people."

Since Phillips stopped representing Shah in 2008, the criminal persuaded Houstonian Steven Loy to give $9,300 to invest after he was told that Shah was a broker, according to Ch. 13 KTRK. Shah also befriended the 89-year-old father of Jennifer Estopinal. Shah convinced Estopinal's father, an FBI agent who worked on the Kennedy assassination, and his wife to sign over their estates, losing thousands, and when Jennifer tried to step in, he allegedly threatened her.

"When he went in front of Judge Jeannine Barr, (last week) she'd had enough, and sent him to the Texas department of corrections for 10 years," Phillips explains.

The book, which took 18 months to write, has taken off, recalling the fanfare of River Oaks murder mystery Blood and Money. It's been flying off the shelves at Brazos and River Oaks bookstores, and Phillips has a book signing at the West Gray Barnes & Noble on Dec. 18 (at 4:15 p.m.). Amazon.com has also been racking up sales, and the book's already in its second printing with a third 10,000 book printing in the works.

All of this success begs the question: Is Monster in River Oaks headed for the silver screen?

"I don't want this to be a glamorous screenplay," the author states, "Right now, I want the book to remain a lesson." However, he does suggest Keanu Reeves and Carrie Fisher as potential key players, with Sean Penn carrying the lead villain role. "He can be a bad ass," Phillips explains.

The writer says he feels safe with Shah behind bars, but the criminal's current attorney, David Bires, is not pleased with the book. Bires argues that the state court disposed of many allegations against Shah, including six allegations of swindling, because they couldn't be proven. He also says that last week's decision was the result of technical offenses, such as failure to maintain full-time employment, take a psychological evaluation on time and complete community service hours on a regimented schedule.

"'Monster in River Oaks'? I think it's monstrous that his own civil lawyer would write such a book," Bires tells CultureMap. "And I think there's a fair amount of hyperbole being indulged in here."

Because Shah's recent sentence was classified as "non-aggravated," he'll be eligible for parole in 15 months, says Bires. The attorney, who was hired by Shah in May 2010, concludes, "I've been doing this for 40 years. I don't disparage any of my clients no matter what they've been alleged to have done."