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A Conflict of Interest of Mitzner, Adam Reprint Edition on 27 March 2012
Alex Miller is a criminal defense attorney and, at thirty-five, the youngest partner in one of the most powerful law firms in New York City. He's a man at the top of his game with the life he's always dreamed of, complete with a devoted wife, who remains patient with his long hours and high-stakes cases, and the love of a beautiful young daughter.At his father's funeral, Alex meets Michael Ohlig—a mysterious and nearly mythic figure in Miller family history—who presents Alex with a surprising to represent him in a high-profile criminal investigation . . . an alleged brokerage scam that has lost hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. Wealthy beyond words, Ohlig insists he's done nothing wrong, and Alex, who's experienced enough to know that clients always lie, uncharacteristically believes him.As the facts come out, shocking secrets are revealed that threaten everything Alex believes in–about the law, his family, and himself. Yet Alex's desperate need for the truth propels him to unscrupulous depths, and to confront a past defined by deception and a future in jeopardy . . . with the realization that one false step could destroy everything Alex holds dear.
Mass Market Paperback
First published May 17, 2011
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About the author
Adam Mitzner
16 books534 followersI grew up in East Brunswick, New Jersey, which is about an hour outside of New York City. I graduated from Brandeis University with a B.A. and M.A. in politics, and from there went directly on to law school at the University of Virginia.
After law school, I joined the litigation department of a large New York City law firm, and after a few more stops, am currently the head of the litigation department of Pavia & Harcourt LLP, which is located in midtown Manhattan. Pavia & Harcourt.
I have written 8 novels -- A Conflict of Interest (2011); A Case of Redemption (2013); Losing Faith (2015); The Girl From Home (2016); Dead Certain (2017); Never Goodbye (2018); A Matter of Will (2019); and The Best Friend (2020).
Nothing pleases me more than hearing from readers, so please email me at adam@adammitzner.com
After law school, I joined the litigation department of a large New York City law firm, and after a few more stops, am currently the head of the litigation department of Pavia & Harcourt LLP, which is located in midtown Manhattan. Pavia & Harcourt.
I have written 8 novels -- A Conflict of Interest (2011); A Case of Redemption (2013); Losing Faith (2015); The Girl From Home (2016); Dead Certain (2017); Never Goodbye (2018); A Matter of Will (2019); and The Best Friend (2020).
Nothing pleases me more than hearing from readers, so please email me at adam@adammitzner.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
September 25, 2016
I love legal thrillers!! This one fit the bill perfectly! All the courtroom drama and cliff-hanging suspense you would ever want in a book.
The main character is Alex a corporate litigator in NYC that spends more time in the office than with his family. A long time family friend, Michael asks Alex to represent him in a lawsuit the government has filed against him. Little does he realize this decision will affect his future both personally and professionally.
The first book I have read by this author, and can't wait to read more. Where most don’t deliver on the courtroom action, this one did not disappoint. There is the usual lead up to the trial but the court room drama dominates most of the book. It even has a few Perry Mason moments that prevent it from becoming predictable. Love that!
As with all good thrillers, there were tasty twists and turns to keep your attention throughout. Some I saw coming....others I did not.
If you like legal thrillers with strong characters, depth and legal action then you will enjoy this standalone. It was a fast and easy read that I didn't want to put down.
The main character is Alex a corporate litigator in NYC that spends more time in the office than with his family. A long time family friend, Michael asks Alex to represent him in a lawsuit the government has filed against him. Little does he realize this decision will affect his future both personally and professionally.
The first book I have read by this author, and can't wait to read more. Where most don’t deliver on the courtroom action, this one did not disappoint. There is the usual lead up to the trial but the court room drama dominates most of the book. It even has a few Perry Mason moments that prevent it from becoming predictable. Love that!
As with all good thrillers, there were tasty twists and turns to keep your attention throughout. Some I saw coming....others I did not.
If you like legal thrillers with strong characters, depth and legal action then you will enjoy this standalone. It was a fast and easy read that I didn't want to put down.
March 8, 2012
Adam Mitzner's A Conflict of Interest features cover blurbs comparing it to Scott Turrow's Presumed Innocent.
And in many ways, those blurbs are right. Like Innocent, Interest features a conflicted, first-person protagonist involved in a legal battle that is a test of his personal and professional ethics. However, as the novel unfolds, it quickly becomes apparent that not only did Mitzner borrow the style of Turrow's debut legal thriller, he also borrowed a few of the plot points along the way.
It's a shame really because for the first half of A Conflict of Interest I found myself thinking that Mitzner could be the next great voice in the field of legal thrillers.
At his father's funeral, Alex Miller meets Michael Ohlig, a friend of his parents. Ohlig is in the cross hairs of the U.S. government for an alleged brokerage scam and hires Alex to represent him. The one stipulation Ohlig has is that Alex can't tell his mother. Miller agrees and is assigned a young, up and coming potential partner, Abby to help defend Ohlig.
Meanwhile at home, Alex's marriage to his wife has hit a but of a lull. The two have a five-year-old daughter, but much of the passion has gone out of their marriage. As Alex struggles with the distance he feels from his wife and his feelings surrounding his father's death, he finds himself engaging in an emotional affair with Abby, even though such a thing is strictly forbidden by his legal firm.
Of course, there's more to Ohlig than meets the eye. Throughout the first half of the book, Alex keeps coming back to a feeling he has that Ohlig is innocent. Certainly, Ohlig professes this and stands by it, refusing to allow Alex to pursue a plea deal and wanting to get up and defend himself and his brokerage firm.
The first half of the novel is compelling, page-turning and fascinating. It's once we get to Ohlig's first trial and the first huge twist in the story that the A Conflict of Interest begins t unravel a bit. The court room scenes are good but they lack the bite of the novel's opening pages. They also lack the interest of whether Alex will continue his affair with Abby or choose to back to his wife, whose affections and support run hot and cold.
It's once the trial starts that revelations begin to come fast and furious, some of them earned, but many feeling like they were taken from the pages of Presumed Innocent, including the ultimate resolution of the Alex and Abby story thread. (I can't say much more without giving away huge SPOILERS).
It's a shame really because for the first half of the book, Interest feels refreshingly new. It's just in the final half that the book collapses under its own weight and offers a few too many moments of deja-vu from other legal thrillers.
And in many ways, those blurbs are right. Like Innocent, Interest features a conflicted, first-person protagonist involved in a legal battle that is a test of his personal and professional ethics. However, as the novel unfolds, it quickly becomes apparent that not only did Mitzner borrow the style of Turrow's debut legal thriller, he also borrowed a few of the plot points along the way.
It's a shame really because for the first half of A Conflict of Interest I found myself thinking that Mitzner could be the next great voice in the field of legal thrillers.
At his father's funeral, Alex Miller meets Michael Ohlig, a friend of his parents. Ohlig is in the cross hairs of the U.S. government for an alleged brokerage scam and hires Alex to represent him. The one stipulation Ohlig has is that Alex can't tell his mother. Miller agrees and is assigned a young, up and coming potential partner, Abby to help defend Ohlig.
Meanwhile at home, Alex's marriage to his wife has hit a but of a lull. The two have a five-year-old daughter, but much of the passion has gone out of their marriage. As Alex struggles with the distance he feels from his wife and his feelings surrounding his father's death, he finds himself engaging in an emotional affair with Abby, even though such a thing is strictly forbidden by his legal firm.
Of course, there's more to Ohlig than meets the eye. Throughout the first half of the book, Alex keeps coming back to a feeling he has that Ohlig is innocent. Certainly, Ohlig professes this and stands by it, refusing to allow Alex to pursue a plea deal and wanting to get up and defend himself and his brokerage firm.
The first half of the novel is compelling, page-turning and fascinating. It's once we get to Ohlig's first trial and the first huge twist in the story that the A Conflict of Interest begins t unravel a bit. The court room scenes are good but they lack the bite of the novel's opening pages. They also lack the interest of whether Alex will continue his affair with Abby or choose to back to his wife, whose affections and support run hot and cold.
It's once the trial starts that revelations begin to come fast and furious, some of them earned, but many feeling like they were taken from the pages of Presumed Innocent, including the ultimate resolution of the Alex and Abby story thread. (I can't say much more without giving away huge SPOILERS).
It's a shame really because for the first half of the book, Interest feels refreshingly new. It's just in the final half that the book collapses under its own weight and offers a few too many moments of deja-vu from other legal thrillers.
June 30, 2017
Our hero, Alex Miller, is the youngest ever partner at a prestigious NYC law firm, working - seemingly all the time - as a criminal defense attorney. He's married to a wonderful, beautiful woman and has the perfect 5 year-old daughter. So of course we know his life is about to change drastically- for the worse - and it does.
During his father's funeral he is approached by, and decides to represent, his father's "best" friend in a securities fraud case. What the reader learns - and Alex too, although not as quickly - is that everything is not as it seems - the case, Alex's marriage, his client, his partners and peers - this phenomenon so prevalent that the "twists" become predictable very early on - which doesn't help in the thriller/suspense department.
Without spoiling these plot twists I found this book very muddled, much too predictable to be a thriller, yet not deep enough to be a character study. The characters are not very likeable, which is not a problem in and of itself - although I believe the reader is supposed to empathize with many of them. Mrs. Alex, an artist, is a shrew; happy with the financial perks of being married to a successful man, but unhappy with her life and blatantly passive/aggressive with her over-worked husband. Alex's client, portrayed as both mysterious and confident, is incredibly and predictably manipulative - keeping Alex in the dark every step of the way. Even Alex's mother, distraught after the sudden death of her husband, has an agenda of her own.
And poor Alex, hard-working yet angst/guilt-ridden, is caught in the middle of all this - Pathetically making one bad decision after another - in his marriage, with his client and specifically with a co-worker - constantly paying the price, yet never learning from his mistakes.
This is a very long book. Topics such as the mechanics of law firms' billing procedures, voir dire (jury selection), whether a defendant should testify and even what nosh is served when lawyers sit down for a meeting, are all covered in minute detail - so if you are new to "legal" novels and/or never watched an episode of Law and Order, this is an excellent primer. If you are familiar with the above, the term repetitive clutter comes to mind.
Conflict of Interest has received rave reviews - so I am somewhat in the minority here in rating it "below average" at best. The attempt by the author to emulate Turow - or at least mimic him - is an admirable starting point - but doesn't pan out in the finished product.
Pass on this one.
During his father's funeral he is approached by, and decides to represent, his father's "best" friend in a securities fraud case. What the reader learns - and Alex too, although not as quickly - is that everything is not as it seems - the case, Alex's marriage, his client, his partners and peers - this phenomenon so prevalent that the "twists" become predictable very early on - which doesn't help in the thriller/suspense department.
Without spoiling these plot twists I found this book very muddled, much too predictable to be a thriller, yet not deep enough to be a character study. The characters are not very likeable, which is not a problem in and of itself - although I believe the reader is supposed to empathize with many of them. Mrs. Alex, an artist, is a shrew; happy with the financial perks of being married to a successful man, but unhappy with her life and blatantly passive/aggressive with her over-worked husband. Alex's client, portrayed as both mysterious and confident, is incredibly and predictably manipulative - keeping Alex in the dark every step of the way. Even Alex's mother, distraught after the sudden death of her husband, has an agenda of her own.
And poor Alex, hard-working yet angst/guilt-ridden, is caught in the middle of all this - Pathetically making one bad decision after another - in his marriage, with his client and specifically with a co-worker - constantly paying the price, yet never learning from his mistakes.
This is a very long book. Topics such as the mechanics of law firms' billing procedures, voir dire (jury selection), whether a defendant should testify and even what nosh is served when lawyers sit down for a meeting, are all covered in minute detail - so if you are new to "legal" novels and/or never watched an episode of Law and Order, this is an excellent primer. If you are familiar with the above, the term repetitive clutter comes to mind.
Conflict of Interest has received rave reviews - so I am somewhat in the minority here in rating it "below average" at best. The attempt by the author to emulate Turow - or at least mimic him - is an admirable starting point - but doesn't pan out in the finished product.
Pass on this one.
May 23, 2011
A Conflict of Interest by Adam Mitzner is a fantastic debut that satisfied all my requirements for a fast-paced and addictive legal thriller:
1. Accurate depiction of the law- The author is a practicing criminal defense lawyer so I had high expectations. Verdict: He knew his stuff. Mitzner took the time to explain in layman's terms all the legal maneuverings, even citing cases and statutes. These were seamlessly woven into the narrative, just enough to give his plot some cred and still sustain my interest. He even had a convincing explanation for why the trial in the case commenced so fast. (I love Law and Order but when the suspect goes on trial the day after he/she's apprehended bugs the heck out of me!)
2. The plot continuously delivered intriguiging twists - some of which I saw coming from the first chapter - but enough that surprised me to the last page. Well-done.
3. And this is key - Mitzner had fully developed, complex characters, none of whom are saints or devils (despite the fact that he's a defense attorney defending a rich CEO). I am a pro-prosecution kinda gal and Mitzner had me rooting for the defense team - that takes skill! Alex's troubled relationship with his enigmatic wife, his dubious relationship with his client, and the dangerous possibility of an extra-marital relationship with a co-worker were all layered and realistic. Mitzner lavished care and effort into building believable, flawed characters, upon whom, surprisingly even after the revelations of the last chapter, I could not pronounce judgment. Like real life, sometimes there are no winners or losers even when you get the verdict you deserve.
"...I had no inkling that Michael Ohlig would become the central thread in all that followed. Even now I can hardly fathom how it came ot be that a man who had never been anything more than a minor character in the story of my life would come to dominate it.
"Perhaps stranger still, Michael Ohlig would undoubtedly say the same thing about me."
1. Accurate depiction of the law- The author is a practicing criminal defense lawyer so I had high expectations. Verdict: He knew his stuff. Mitzner took the time to explain in layman's terms all the legal maneuverings, even citing cases and statutes. These were seamlessly woven into the narrative, just enough to give his plot some cred and still sustain my interest. He even had a convincing explanation for why the trial in the case commenced so fast. (I love Law and Order but when the suspect goes on trial the day after he/she's apprehended bugs the heck out of me!)
2. The plot continuously delivered intriguiging twists - some of which I saw coming from the first chapter - but enough that surprised me to the last page. Well-done.
3. And this is key - Mitzner had fully developed, complex characters, none of whom are saints or devils (despite the fact that he's a defense attorney defending a rich CEO). I am a pro-prosecution kinda gal and Mitzner had me rooting for the defense team - that takes skill! Alex's troubled relationship with his enigmatic wife, his dubious relationship with his client, and the dangerous possibility of an extra-marital relationship with a co-worker were all layered and realistic. Mitzner lavished care and effort into building believable, flawed characters, upon whom, surprisingly even after the revelations of the last chapter, I could not pronounce judgment. Like real life, sometimes there are no winners or losers even when you get the verdict you deserve.
"...I had no inkling that Michael Ohlig would become the central thread in all that followed. Even now I can hardly fathom how it came ot be that a man who had never been anything more than a minor character in the story of my life would come to dominate it.
"Perhaps stranger still, Michael Ohlig would undoubtedly say the same thing about me."
July 12, 2017
Raised in a modest background, Alex Miller is now the junior partner in one of the top law firms in New York City. At his father's funeral he meets a man named Michael Ohlig, a long-time friend of the family who was present when Alex's parents met. Ohlig takes him aside at the cemetery and asks Alex to represent him in a stock fraud case.
Ohlig is charged with assigning his sales crew to aggressively sell a stock, concentrating on seniors, but with the knowledge that the stock would be worthless as soon as Ohlig is able to get rid of the shares.
Working from a $2-million retainer Alex begins working 16-20 hour days, rarely seeing his own wife and child while he's almost constantly in the company of a beautiful young attorney who is a candidate for partnership in the firm. Alex finds he can only resist temptation for so long as he and the other attorney go beyond flirtation. Meanwhile Alex learns that Ohlig has a secret about his relationship with Alex's family that may interfere with how hard Alex wants to work in keeping Ohlig a free man.
Mitzner certainly isn't the first attorney to write a legal thriller, but he does a better-than-average job of making the intrigues of the courtroom and office politics interesting. More than a few attorney/authors get involved in courtroom minutiae or never master characters and dialogue. Mitzner has chops in both and is able to swing a dramatic twist with the best of them. What I didn't like about the book isn't necessarily his fault. It's just difficult to watch a lead character screw up his life, particularly over sex. But Alex Miller is an honest character. He's obsessed with his career and has trouble relating to or understanding his own wife. He finds himself very attracted to a co-worker. He's not the first or last in fiction or real life to go through it. That doesn't make it easy to watch but I suppose that is as much praise for the realism of the character as a criticism.
The final surprise of the book turns on a piece of evidence hidden by one of the characters, and in the context of the book it seems like a particularly strange thing to do. And given the number of prosecutors who hate to be wrong this new evidence initiates a change that I don't think would be as easy as the book makes it seem. Those things aside it's a tight drama with a fair amount of sexy and romantic interplay between the two attorneys. It works on the level of both a drama and a mystery with plot shifts that seem to come from nowhere even though they fit with the whole of the book.
Ohlig is charged with assigning his sales crew to aggressively sell a stock, concentrating on seniors, but with the knowledge that the stock would be worthless as soon as Ohlig is able to get rid of the shares.
Working from a $2-million retainer Alex begins working 16-20 hour days, rarely seeing his own wife and child while he's almost constantly in the company of a beautiful young attorney who is a candidate for partnership in the firm. Alex finds he can only resist temptation for so long as he and the other attorney go beyond flirtation. Meanwhile Alex learns that Ohlig has a secret about his relationship with Alex's family that may interfere with how hard Alex wants to work in keeping Ohlig a free man.
Mitzner certainly isn't the first attorney to write a legal thriller, but he does a better-than-average job of making the intrigues of the courtroom and office politics interesting. More than a few attorney/authors get involved in courtroom minutiae or never master characters and dialogue. Mitzner has chops in both and is able to swing a dramatic twist with the best of them. What I didn't like about the book isn't necessarily his fault. It's just difficult to watch a lead character screw up his life, particularly over sex. But Alex Miller is an honest character. He's obsessed with his career and has trouble relating to or understanding his own wife. He finds himself very attracted to a co-worker. He's not the first or last in fiction or real life to go through it. That doesn't make it easy to watch but I suppose that is as much praise for the realism of the character as a criticism.
The final surprise of the book turns on a piece of evidence hidden by one of the characters, and in the context of the book it seems like a particularly strange thing to do. And given the number of prosecutors who hate to be wrong this new evidence initiates a change that I don't think would be as easy as the book makes it seem. Those things aside it's a tight drama with a fair amount of sexy and romantic interplay between the two attorneys. It works on the level of both a drama and a mystery with plot shifts that seem to come from nowhere even though they fit with the whole of the book.
July 24, 2017
4 Stars
Reviewed on: https://5171milesbookblog.wordpress.com/
I had mixed feelings before heading into the book. Don't get me wrong, the blurb sounded great, but it was rather the fact that this book was a legal thriller. I don't know how you feel about it, but legal jargon could be another language altogether. Given the fact that I am not an English native speaker, I was even more concerned. In the end, that concern was unfounded. Although I had to look up the German translations of most of the legal terms, Adam Mitzner also provided the reader with detailed explanations, which I really appreciated.
The only times I come in contact with the US legal system is when I watch Suits or How To Get Away With Murder. I really enjoy watching those but I often don't understand why something happened or why a lawyer made that exact move. In addition to them speaking really fast, I miss explanations. In the rare case that the actors do explain their moves to the audience, they do it with even more legal terms, which doesn't help me at all, unfortunately. Mitzner, however, painted an entire legal picture right from the start and let the reader not only witness an entire case from the beginning, over to the trial preparations, the trial itself and finally to the conviction, he also explained the lawyers' reasons behind certain moves.
Alex Miller was a likable character right from the start. He did everything he could to help is father's oldest friend. In the course of the story, however, it became clear that Alex is not a superhero after all and only a normal guy with real problems. I really enjoyed reading about Alex' professional life and was also intrigued with his personal life that played an important role in this novel, too.
Michael Ohlig, the old family friend, was a very dubious character to say the least. I had a very hard time to figure him out, since he was very mysterious and difficult to read. His whole character was questionable and up until the very end of this novel I didn't know what to think of him.
The story itself started off a little slow for me. A slow paced story is nothing bad per se, this is just my personal opinion, since I am used to more fast paced ones.
If you're wondering how an entire story can be about a high-profile criminal investigation case, prepare yourself for some surprises. I really enjoyed the depths of the story as well as the connection between even the littlest and inconspicuous things. Although I had a few minor turns and twists figured out, the big plot twists, however, I did not see coming.
After reading the novel, you wouldn't think that A Conflict of Interest was Mitzner's debut novel. The story was very well plotted and the characters were very thought through.
I guess what made the book even better was that Mitzner's knowledge about everything legal came from experience. Mitzner is a lawyer in NYC himself, and although I think that he researched maybe a few things, he drew most of the story from his everyday work life.
I really enjoyed reading my first legal thriller and I will definitely pick up another book by him.
**********
Review to come!
Reviewed on: https://5171milesbookblog.wordpress.com/
I had mixed feelings before heading into the book. Don't get me wrong, the blurb sounded great, but it was rather the fact that this book was a legal thriller. I don't know how you feel about it, but legal jargon could be another language altogether. Given the fact that I am not an English native speaker, I was even more concerned. In the end, that concern was unfounded. Although I had to look up the German translations of most of the legal terms, Adam Mitzner also provided the reader with detailed explanations, which I really appreciated.
The only times I come in contact with the US legal system is when I watch Suits or How To Get Away With Murder. I really enjoy watching those but I often don't understand why something happened or why a lawyer made that exact move. In addition to them speaking really fast, I miss explanations. In the rare case that the actors do explain their moves to the audience, they do it with even more legal terms, which doesn't help me at all, unfortunately. Mitzner, however, painted an entire legal picture right from the start and let the reader not only witness an entire case from the beginning, over to the trial preparations, the trial itself and finally to the conviction, he also explained the lawyers' reasons behind certain moves.
Alex Miller was a likable character right from the start. He did everything he could to help is father's oldest friend. In the course of the story, however, it became clear that Alex is not a superhero after all and only a normal guy with real problems. I really enjoyed reading about Alex' professional life and was also intrigued with his personal life that played an important role in this novel, too.
Michael Ohlig, the old family friend, was a very dubious character to say the least. I had a very hard time to figure him out, since he was very mysterious and difficult to read. His whole character was questionable and up until the very end of this novel I didn't know what to think of him.
The story itself started off a little slow for me. A slow paced story is nothing bad per se, this is just my personal opinion, since I am used to more fast paced ones.
If you're wondering how an entire story can be about a high-profile criminal investigation case, prepare yourself for some surprises. I really enjoyed the depths of the story as well as the connection between even the littlest and inconspicuous things. Although I had a few minor turns and twists figured out, the big plot twists, however, I did not see coming.
After reading the novel, you wouldn't think that A Conflict of Interest was Mitzner's debut novel. The story was very well plotted and the characters were very thought through.
I guess what made the book even better was that Mitzner's knowledge about everything legal came from experience. Mitzner is a lawyer in NYC himself, and although I think that he researched maybe a few things, he drew most of the story from his everyday work life.
I really enjoyed reading my first legal thriller and I will definitely pick up another book by him.
**********
Review to come!
August 29, 2017
This was my first Adam Mitner book, though I have since read his other, 'A Case of Redemption'. I liked them both, though this one was my slight preference. The story centers around a NY lawyer who gets involved in a case that, at first, seems quite simple, but as these things go, becomes exceedingly convoluted and personal.
It's a very tightly-written and fast-paced book. There are elements of a thriller, but also a focus on family and romance.
As far as legal thrillers go, this is the best I have read so far, easily better than Grisham, in my opinion. The plot is almost instantly very intriguing and for someone who has not clue about the legal system and being a lawyer, there was a great deal of information on that too, but not in an in-your-face boring way, if that makes any sense:)
My only real critique is that I didn't really like any of the characters very much. The 'good guys' were nice enough, but not overly memorable, in fact I have already forgotten most of the names. But don't let that keep you from giving it a go, it's really quite entertaining and engaging.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
It's a very tightly-written and fast-paced book. There are elements of a thriller, but also a focus on family and romance.
As far as legal thrillers go, this is the best I have read so far, easily better than Grisham, in my opinion. The plot is almost instantly very intriguing and for someone who has not clue about the legal system and being a lawyer, there was a great deal of information on that too, but not in an in-your-face boring way, if that makes any sense:)
My only real critique is that I didn't really like any of the characters very much. The 'good guys' were nice enough, but not overly memorable, in fact I have already forgotten most of the names. But don't let that keep you from giving it a go, it's really quite entertaining and engaging.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
August 19, 2017
I've been reading lots of legal thrillers lately. Some people might find this thick novels often full of legal maneuverings and lawyer authors trying to explain to layman readers how trials work to be dry, but if done well, I find them interesting, in the same way I was able to wade through Moby Dick and its long chapters on cetaceaology. A Conflict of Interest is less dry than most and the author spices up this legal tale of stock swindling with a bit of family drama, infidelity, and murder.
Alex Miller, the protagonist, is a young partner in a big New York City law firm. He's making tons of money, he has a beautiful wife and daughter, and everything is going right in his life. Until his father dies.
At his father's funeral, he meets an old family friend, someone who introduced Alex's parents to each other. Shortly thereafter, this friend, Michael Ohlig, comes to Alex to represent him. It turns out he's an extremely rich owner of an investment company and he's about to be charged by the U.S. District Attorney's office for fraud. Basically, he's accused of a penny stocks pump-and-dump scheme. This part is only moderately interesting, the main tension in the story being the question of whether Alex actually believes in his client's innocence despite all evidence to the contrary.
In the process of defending his father's old friend, he works closely with a beautiful young female associate in his firm. This goes to predictably bad places.
And then his mother dies, and the man Alex was just defending is accused of murdering her. This is the big twist that takes up the second half of the book. Once again, Alex has to wrestle with what he actually believes vs. what he says in court, except this time he's on the other side.
This was an engaging book, though I have to say I really didn't like Alex and I thought he acted like an idiot at several points in the book (and not just at the point where he decided to cheat on his wife and sleep with a coworker). Particularly when he commits perjury when he knows that the opposing counsel is capable of putting someone on the stand to contradict him - there was a more or less reasonable explanation for why the showdown I expected didn't happen, and the little twist at the end to cap off the family drama portion of the novel was also believable if frustrating. But at the end of it all, I found it a little hard to sympathize with anyone, especially Alex.
That said, it was a good, meaty legal suspense drama, and I'll seek out more books as this was apparently Mitzner's debut novel.
Alex Miller, the protagonist, is a young partner in a big New York City law firm. He's making tons of money, he has a beautiful wife and daughter, and everything is going right in his life. Until his father dies.
At his father's funeral, he meets an old family friend, someone who introduced Alex's parents to each other. Shortly thereafter, this friend, Michael Ohlig, comes to Alex to represent him. It turns out he's an extremely rich owner of an investment company and he's about to be charged by the U.S. District Attorney's office for fraud. Basically, he's accused of a penny stocks pump-and-dump scheme. This part is only moderately interesting, the main tension in the story being the question of whether Alex actually believes in his client's innocence despite all evidence to the contrary.
In the process of defending his father's old friend, he works closely with a beautiful young female associate in his firm. This goes to predictably bad places.
And then his mother dies, and the man Alex was just defending is accused of murdering her. This is the big twist that takes up the second half of the book. Once again, Alex has to wrestle with what he actually believes vs. what he says in court, except this time he's on the other side.
This was an engaging book, though I have to say I really didn't like Alex and I thought he acted like an idiot at several points in the book (and not just at the point where he decided to cheat on his wife and sleep with a coworker). Particularly when he commits perjury when he knows that the opposing counsel is capable of putting someone on the stand to contradict him - there was a more or less reasonable explanation for why the showdown I expected didn't happen, and the little twist at the end to cap off the family drama portion of the novel was also believable if frustrating. But at the end of it all, I found it a little hard to sympathize with anyone, especially Alex.
That said, it was a good, meaty legal suspense drama, and I'll seek out more books as this was apparently Mitzner's debut novel.
June 4, 2011
At first glance of A Conflict of Interest, I jumped at the opportunity to read this book. I wanted to read it because my husband loves reading law and learning law, he is studying Criminal Justice and then wants to go to law school (we live 5 minutes from his dream law school). About 1/3 of the way into the book, you’ll learn the meaning behind the title of the book. A Conflict of Interest is full of secrets and lies that make you question every character in this book. All throughout, I wondered why any of the characters did what they did. Their reasoning behind their actions are revealed and it all begins to make sense. A Conflict of Interest is Adam Mitzner’s first novel, and he’s a master at keeping the reader immersed within the pages of his book.
I did not agree with some of the decisions Alex Miller made, nor the actions he took. There were times that I pitied him and others that I despised him. Sometimes I felt he got what he deserved but then I’d root for him to all work out for the best.
I could see A Conflict of Interest made into a movie or even a mini series. The characters were relatable and real to me. After reading the book, I can understand why each character did what they did. They each had their secrets that eventually came out and the characters faced them. There were twists and turns that kept my interest. I read this book in less than 3 days, since I didn’t want to put it down. The novel, A Conflict of Interest in a page turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
I did not agree with some of the decisions Alex Miller made, nor the actions he took. There were times that I pitied him and others that I despised him. Sometimes I felt he got what he deserved but then I’d root for him to all work out for the best.
I could see A Conflict of Interest made into a movie or even a mini series. The characters were relatable and real to me. After reading the book, I can understand why each character did what they did. They each had their secrets that eventually came out and the characters faced them. There were twists and turns that kept my interest. I read this book in less than 3 days, since I didn’t want to put it down. The novel, A Conflict of Interest in a page turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
April 22, 2016
I had read A Case of Redemption and enjoyed it so I thought I’d follow through with the first in the series (backwards, I know). It features attorney Alex Miller, a partner at a large law firm who agrees to take on a securities fraud case for an old friend of the family, Michael Ohlig. Ohlig it turns out was an old family friend and that’s when things begin to get complicated as Alex develops a hard-on for the associate working on the case. That causes lots of repercussions, and I should stop now before descending into that nether-world of spoilers. Conflicts, indeed.
There must be something about lawyers who write books about the law. They all seem so cynical and dispiriting. E.g.,
"Finally, three weeks after my initial meeting with Ohlig, the first meeting of the joint defense group convenes. Every lawyer is accompanied to the meeting by an associate, all of whom are women. Quick math tells you that, with ten lawyers at a blended hourly rate north of $1,000, these meetings cost more than ten grand every sixty minutes. This meeting will last about an hour, but I’m sure everyone will bill it at two, including travel and rounding up, and then the associates will all write memos recounting what happened, which the partners will review, and then the memos will never be looked at again. All in, this meeting will cost Ohlig about $40,000.”
There must be something about lawyers who write books about the law. They all seem so cynical and dispiriting. E.g.,
"Finally, three weeks after my initial meeting with Ohlig, the first meeting of the joint defense group convenes. Every lawyer is accompanied to the meeting by an associate, all of whom are women. Quick math tells you that, with ten lawyers at a blended hourly rate north of $1,000, these meetings cost more than ten grand every sixty minutes. This meeting will last about an hour, but I’m sure everyone will bill it at two, including travel and rounding up, and then the associates will all write memos recounting what happened, which the partners will review, and then the memos will never be looked at again. All in, this meeting will cost Ohlig about $40,000.”
May 17, 2011
Alex Miller is an attorney. He works for Cromwell Altman. While attending his father’s funeral, Alex is approached by a man named Michael Ohlig. Mr. Ohlig wants to hire Alex to represent him. It seems that Mr. Ohlig helped a lot of stock brokers keep from losing a bunch of money, by advising them to sell their shares from a company that was going under. It is Alex’s job to prove that Mr. Ohlig had no prior knowledge that this company was going under. What Alex under covers will bring more questions than answers.
While, I did like this book, the characters just didn’t reach out and grab me. I wanted them to. Though, the detail that went into explaining the whole attorney side of things and the process from taking on a client to gathering evidence, putting the case together and the trial was interesting. I did have one somewhat favorite character and that was Michael Ohlig. There was something about him that was mysterious and he had this air about him that he didn’t care. Though, he was not self-centered. He did help to draw Alex out of his shell. Alex is a bright up and coming attorney. I am sure, I will see him grow in the next book. This is a good first novel from new author, Adam Mitzner. A Conflict of Interest could stand up in court!
While, I did like this book, the characters just didn’t reach out and grab me. I wanted them to. Though, the detail that went into explaining the whole attorney side of things and the process from taking on a client to gathering evidence, putting the case together and the trial was interesting. I did have one somewhat favorite character and that was Michael Ohlig. There was something about him that was mysterious and he had this air about him that he didn’t care. Though, he was not self-centered. He did help to draw Alex out of his shell. Alex is a bright up and coming attorney. I am sure, I will see him grow in the next book. This is a good first novel from new author, Adam Mitzner. A Conflict of Interest could stand up in court!
to-read-own
January 22, 20161/22/16 Kindle Daily Deal $1.99, $3.49 to add Audible.
September 1, 2018
I can't remember the last time I disliked a fictional character as much as I dislike Alex Miller. And "dislike" is too mild a word. I spent most of the book thinking that if he was standing in front of me, I'd punch him in the nose. (Disclaimer: I've never punched anyone in my life, but for Alex, I'd make an exception.)
I just couldn't get past his "poor me" self-pity schtick. He had *everything*: a beautiful, loyal, kind, supportive wife. A sweet, healthy daughter. A great career. And still he mopes around, depressed and unhappy, and rather than taking responsibility and working on himself, he decides that making goo-goo eyes at his "incredibly sexy" coworker and then eventually jumping into bed with her would be the way to go.
On top of that douchebag move, he treats his client like shit. He goes from believing in the man's innocence to doing a complete 180 based on -- wait for it -- learning that the man was sleeping with Alex's mother for the past thirty-six years. Can we say "hypocrite"?
Yeah. I turned the last page feeling utterly disgusted. With Alex, sure, but also with myself for reading the whole damn book.
I just couldn't get past his "poor me" self-pity schtick. He had *everything*: a beautiful, loyal, kind, supportive wife. A sweet, healthy daughter. A great career. And still he mopes around, depressed and unhappy, and rather than taking responsibility and working on himself, he decides that making goo-goo eyes at his "incredibly sexy" coworker and then eventually jumping into bed with her would be the way to go.
On top of that douchebag move, he treats his client like shit. He goes from believing in the man's innocence to doing a complete 180 based on -- wait for it -- learning that the man was sleeping with Alex's mother for the past thirty-six years. Can we say "hypocrite"?
Yeah. I turned the last page feeling utterly disgusted. With Alex, sure, but also with myself for reading the whole damn book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2017
I love thrillers and add the legal to it, it becomes even more fascinating.
Alex's father has just passed away and he finally gets to meet the all illusive Michael Ohlig. Someone he has heard about most of his life but never met. When they do meet Ohlig asks Alex to represent him in a criminal investigation that is going on with one of his companies.
Alex has a lot to take in. His dad just died and this mystery friend just asked him to represent him. Alex's job has him already working way too much, and he doesn't think his wife would appreciate the added load.
I guess he should have listened to his wife! ;) Nothing good happens when you don't listen to your wife...hehe Plus his marriage was already in a lull...
Needless to say, as soon as Alex takes Ohlig's case things in his personal life, and work life start to change.
Work is getting confusing. It seems that Ohlig and his life are more intertwined than he thought. As secrets come out, Alex finds out that mixing his personal life and his work life together is a recipe for disaster.
I really enjoyed this book. It kept me on my toes and the narrator was great. I devoured the book in just a couple of days. Usually I only listen when I am cleaning or driving, but I found myself with my ear buds in listening to it all the time.
Without giving the ending away, I love how everything is discovered and how Alex has to face the choices he has made.
If you like legal thrillers, I think you will enjoy this one. I listened to it and I think I am glad I did. There is a lot of legal stuff in there that I probably would have skipped over if I was reading it....but it is important. I would have missed some things if I read it.
Content: Language, and sexual innuendo, and some sex, but I don't remember it being explicit.
Source: I bought this book on Audible for myself. I was not compensated in any way for the review. These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.
Alex's father has just passed away and he finally gets to meet the all illusive Michael Ohlig. Someone he has heard about most of his life but never met. When they do meet Ohlig asks Alex to represent him in a criminal investigation that is going on with one of his companies.
Alex has a lot to take in. His dad just died and this mystery friend just asked him to represent him. Alex's job has him already working way too much, and he doesn't think his wife would appreciate the added load.
I guess he should have listened to his wife! ;) Nothing good happens when you don't listen to your wife...hehe Plus his marriage was already in a lull...
Needless to say, as soon as Alex takes Ohlig's case things in his personal life, and work life start to change.
Work is getting confusing. It seems that Ohlig and his life are more intertwined than he thought. As secrets come out, Alex finds out that mixing his personal life and his work life together is a recipe for disaster.
I really enjoyed this book. It kept me on my toes and the narrator was great. I devoured the book in just a couple of days. Usually I only listen when I am cleaning or driving, but I found myself with my ear buds in listening to it all the time.
Without giving the ending away, I love how everything is discovered and how Alex has to face the choices he has made.
If you like legal thrillers, I think you will enjoy this one. I listened to it and I think I am glad I did. There is a lot of legal stuff in there that I probably would have skipped over if I was reading it....but it is important. I would have missed some things if I read it.
Content: Language, and sexual innuendo, and some sex, but I don't remember it being explicit.
Source: I bought this book on Audible for myself. I was not compensated in any way for the review. These are my own PERSONAL thoughts on the book.
June 8, 2018
Listened to this on a road trip with my mom and she requested a legal thriller. I had purchased this on a daily deal so we selected it. Overall we were disappointed but bonded over our many critiques including the slow pace, our dislike of the main character, the author’s love of describing most all of the female characters as having model looks and brains too - wow! And the description of his marriage caused many an eye roll from us. We listened to the end and enjoyed guessing the plot points and were surprised by one so that earned it a second star.
May 26, 2018
This was a very enjoyable read, there were conflicts and twists with each situation. The writer brought life to the characters and made you keep turning the page . Interesting life plots and how they were approached.
July 19, 2021
Realistic, well written, and throws some curve balls toward the end. You can imagine things like this occurring in real life. This book definitely does not restore your faith in mankind.
January 27, 2018
Whew! I love legal thrillers and this one was filled with all kinds of surprises. Alex Miller is an attorney for one of the most powerful law firms in New York. He's married to Elizabeth and they have a young daughter, Charlotte. When he's asked to defend Michael Ohlig on a charge of securities fraud, Alex is thrilled. It could be the biggest case of his career. The firm assigns Abigail Sloane to work alongside him.
Ohlig supposedly cheated his clients out of millions but for some reason Alex believes him when he proclaims his innocence. He dives into his work, devoting many hours in building Michael's case. This forces him to also spend a lot of time with Abby. An attraction develops which results in one night of passion between them. Alex feels so guilty afterwards and tells Abby he has to consider his family first, which Abby seems to accept.
From this point the book really takes off and the twists and turns build up until they reach a very unexpected conclusion in the end. Really enjoyed this one. I was drawn right into the story and didn't want to put it down. Alex was extremely likeable even though i got aggravated at him cheating on his wife. He was willing to endanger his marriage and everything he has at home for a woman who seems to have no qualms about possible consequences. I don't want to say anything further for fear of giving a major plot twist away.
If you're a fan of legal thrillers this is one you don't want to miss. The author has done an excellent job of capturing and holding your attention throughout the story. Looking forward to reading more of his work.
Ohlig supposedly cheated his clients out of millions but for some reason Alex believes him when he proclaims his innocence. He dives into his work, devoting many hours in building Michael's case. This forces him to also spend a lot of time with Abby. An attraction develops which results in one night of passion between them. Alex feels so guilty afterwards and tells Abby he has to consider his family first, which Abby seems to accept.
From this point the book really takes off and the twists and turns build up until they reach a very unexpected conclusion in the end. Really enjoyed this one. I was drawn right into the story and didn't want to put it down. Alex was extremely likeable even though i got aggravated at him cheating on his wife. He was willing to endanger his marriage and everything he has at home for a woman who seems to have no qualms about possible consequences. I don't want to say anything further for fear of giving a major plot twist away.
If you're a fan of legal thrillers this is one you don't want to miss. The author has done an excellent job of capturing and holding your attention throughout the story. Looking forward to reading more of his work.
July 28, 2015
We've read about these people in the newspapers. We've seen plenty of OMG posts on the web. The guy who has the picture perfect life, wife, family, job, and how shallow his life is behind that curtain. The plot has been used from the early 20th Century on. Successful lawyer puts his time into his craft and neglects everything else. He loses his sense of value and his grounding in ethics (both professional and personal). And, when a crisis hits, he is unable to cope. What does he lose? Everything? Something? Nothing? That's what will keep most reading this pot-boiler to the end.
I might have been tempted to set it aside, except for one thing that Adam Mitzner does that got me hooked and kept me turning the pages. His narrator and chief protagonist, Alex Miller, is a dynamite lawyer who gives us many insights into how litigation is managed; how a big NYC law firm is run; how you go about trying a case; and, what you are thinking about your fellow lawyers while all of this is going on.
Most of the characters are stock: the beautiful wife (who doesn't understand her husband's profession or its demands); the trusting young daughter; the beautiful and super-competent associate at the law firm; the smarmy client who he chooses to defend; the opposing counsel; the assistant US Attorney; the mother living in Florida. Perhaps, providing us with some back stories on these characters would have taken too much space. With such, I would have been able to add a star or two. Maybe that needn't matter for a summer read.
I might have been tempted to set it aside, except for one thing that Adam Mitzner does that got me hooked and kept me turning the pages. His narrator and chief protagonist, Alex Miller, is a dynamite lawyer who gives us many insights into how litigation is managed; how a big NYC law firm is run; how you go about trying a case; and, what you are thinking about your fellow lawyers while all of this is going on.
Most of the characters are stock: the beautiful wife (who doesn't understand her husband's profession or its demands); the trusting young daughter; the beautiful and super-competent associate at the law firm; the smarmy client who he chooses to defend; the opposing counsel; the assistant US Attorney; the mother living in Florida. Perhaps, providing us with some back stories on these characters would have taken too much space. With such, I would have been able to add a star or two. Maybe that needn't matter for a summer read.
August 22, 2018
Alex Miller, a criminal defense attorney in NYC has it all... wife, Elizabeth and five year old daughter, Charlotte. Their apartment overlooks Central Park. As a partner at his law firm, he is highly respected.
At his father's funeral, Alex is approached by a long time family friend, Michael Ohlig. Michael asks Alex for help in a case where hundreds of elderly people have lost their life savings after purchasing what seems to be a bad stock and questions rise as to whether Michael knows when it is being sold to unsuspecting investors...a correlation to Bernie Madoff is made. Michael asserts his innocence and integrity, but Alex has his doubts as the plot unravels. There are other indiscretions that take place and twists and turns that keeps this book an interesting "page turner." At times I gasped and at times I guessed correctly.
Mr. Mitzner tells an interesting story. As a reader, I was intrigued within the very first page and veraciously read this novel in no time. I am particularly fond of the descriptive words Mr. Mitzner uses throughout the novel. I found myself looking up words from time to time and often thought, "good word" or "excellent description." I find it important for the writer to use varied descriptive language to help the reader envision the story as it is unfolding. I also enjoyed the reflective turmoil the hero goes through. As a reader, I'm always rooting for the hero to be a man of integrity and honor, even if he made mistakes.
The novel does not disappoint. I find Mr. Mitzner's works worth the read for a good murder mystery and drama.
At his father's funeral, Alex is approached by a long time family friend, Michael Ohlig. Michael asks Alex for help in a case where hundreds of elderly people have lost their life savings after purchasing what seems to be a bad stock and questions rise as to whether Michael knows when it is being sold to unsuspecting investors...a correlation to Bernie Madoff is made. Michael asserts his innocence and integrity, but Alex has his doubts as the plot unravels. There are other indiscretions that take place and twists and turns that keeps this book an interesting "page turner." At times I gasped and at times I guessed correctly.
Mr. Mitzner tells an interesting story. As a reader, I was intrigued within the very first page and veraciously read this novel in no time. I am particularly fond of the descriptive words Mr. Mitzner uses throughout the novel. I found myself looking up words from time to time and often thought, "good word" or "excellent description." I find it important for the writer to use varied descriptive language to help the reader envision the story as it is unfolding. I also enjoyed the reflective turmoil the hero goes through. As a reader, I'm always rooting for the hero to be a man of integrity and honor, even if he made mistakes.
The novel does not disappoint. I find Mr. Mitzner's works worth the read for a good murder mystery and drama.
February 23, 2016
Loved Adam Mitzner's Losing Faith (2015) Top Books of 2015; while dying to catch up with Mitzner's two earlier books, Case of Redemption and A Conflict of Interest, choosing audio, due to travel.
A CASE OF REDEMPTION exceeded all my expectations-- both page-turners. Loved, loved the author, the characters, and the suspense - so my style--a huge Grisham fan, and lover of legal thrillers and courtroom dramas. A Case of Redemption, has it all, and the twist at the end, I did not see coming-brilliant!
Loved A Case of Redemption a 5 star winner; and A Conflict of Interest delivers yet another back-to-back legal thriller, by Mitzner!
Enjoyed the Palm Beach County connection, since I reside in Palm Beach County, and as always, the audio was quite engaging with an ideal performance, making for for a suspense filled combo!
Check out Mitzner's upcoming, The Girl From Home , Coming April 5, 2016-- Explosive!
A CASE OF REDEMPTION exceeded all my expectations-- both page-turners. Loved, loved the author, the characters, and the suspense - so my style--a huge Grisham fan, and lover of legal thrillers and courtroom dramas. A Case of Redemption, has it all, and the twist at the end, I did not see coming-brilliant!
Loved A Case of Redemption a 5 star winner; and A Conflict of Interest delivers yet another back-to-back legal thriller, by Mitzner!
Enjoyed the Palm Beach County connection, since I reside in Palm Beach County, and as always, the audio was quite engaging with an ideal performance, making for for a suspense filled combo!
Check out Mitzner's upcoming, The Girl From Home , Coming April 5, 2016-- Explosive!
December 21, 2013
Still no reply after 5 Emails to the publisher about the missing 30+ pages. And I've been unable to find a reprinted paperback version, even though they've pulled the first print!
It's a shame because I was really enjoying this novel. I probably would have purchased more books from this new writer!
UPDATE:
I found, I read and I loved this debut, legal thriller, 'A Conflict of Interest', by Adam Mitzner. Though I never heard back from the Publisher about my first book ( the one with 30+ pages missing), I can not hold that against the author.
So many excellent reviews have been written about this book and the authors talent, I worried it would fall short. How wrong I was. If this is any indication of the next generation of legal thrillers, I believe we have a winner here. The pace is fast, the plot is well conceived, the characters well developed and most important, the author brings to life the legal system in all its follies. I can't wait to crack open Adam Mizner's follow up novel to see if he can continue to keep the bar he set, high.
It's a shame because I was really enjoying this novel. I probably would have purchased more books from this new writer!
UPDATE:
I found, I read and I loved this debut, legal thriller, 'A Conflict of Interest', by Adam Mitzner. Though I never heard back from the Publisher about my first book ( the one with 30+ pages missing), I can not hold that against the author.
So many excellent reviews have been written about this book and the authors talent, I worried it would fall short. How wrong I was. If this is any indication of the next generation of legal thrillers, I believe we have a winner here. The pace is fast, the plot is well conceived, the characters well developed and most important, the author brings to life the legal system in all its follies. I can't wait to crack open Adam Mizner's follow up novel to see if he can continue to keep the bar he set, high.
January 31, 2012
Ostensibly a legal thriller, this turns out to really be the story of 35 year old lawyer Alex Miller.
Junior partner in a prestigious firm, husband to a loving but emotionally distant wife, father to adorable 6 year old. We first meet him at his father's funeral. Other traumatic events ensue. Life's questions get answered.
Alex is probably a fine lawyer but the case (securities fraud perpetrated by family friend) is only a vehicle to move Alex from one emotion to the next.
I wanted more of the legal wrangling and (much) less of Alex's emotional travails so was disappointed. This is a first novel and is not badly written but just did not engage me.
My recommendation is to not waste your time but YMMV.
Junior partner in a prestigious firm, husband to a loving but emotionally distant wife, father to adorable 6 year old. We first meet him at his father's funeral. Other traumatic events ensue. Life's questions get answered.
Alex is probably a fine lawyer but the case (securities fraud perpetrated by family friend) is only a vehicle to move Alex from one emotion to the next.
I wanted more of the legal wrangling and (much) less of Alex's emotional travails so was disappointed. This is a first novel and is not badly written but just did not engage me.
My recommendation is to not waste your time but YMMV.
July 11, 2012
First time novelist Adam Mitzner does quite a good job overall in A Conflict of Interest. The plot is compelling and there are a good number of twists and turns. Some were surprises and some were not. A long time mystery reader might see them coming. I did learn some things about courtroom procedure as the author uses his background in law to his advantage. The book reads easily and will keep your interest. If I have a complaint is that sometimes his characters react to events in ways that I have trouble getting myself to believe. I have sympathy for characters that I think I shouldn't and have no sympathy for ones that I think I should and I don't think this was the author's intention. That said, the book is worth reading and I do look forward to Mitzner's next book.
June 29, 2012
I listened to the Audible edition of "A Conflict of Interest" and have to thank Mr. Mitzner for helping me to lose weight: I was so absorbed in the plot lines, that I spent much more time working out that I normally would.
I have never read legal thrillers but this book has made me change my stance. The plot is intricate and multi-layered. Characters are remarkably consistent and believable yet absolutely surprising. Mitzner has woven a compulsively readable (or listenable) cast of characters into a plot line that is both surprising yet eminently believable.
I hope he is working on yet another book.
I have never read legal thrillers but this book has made me change my stance. The plot is intricate and multi-layered. Characters are remarkably consistent and believable yet absolutely surprising. Mitzner has woven a compulsively readable (or listenable) cast of characters into a plot line that is both surprising yet eminently believable.
I hope he is working on yet another book.
April 28, 2020
I loved this book! About halfway through, the initial mystery was resolved and I wondered where it was going, then 80% of the way through another resolution, then...well, let's just say it was really well done. Not great literature, but totally what I wanted: entertainment, well done, just one minor quibble with editing ("much adieu" LOL)and I STAYED UP FOR HOURS TO FINISH IT LAST NIGHT - long time since I have done that. I recognized some of the settings, people, quirks, phrases from his second book (which I actually read first) but that didn't detract at all. I can't wait for his next one...
January 24, 2015
Wow! A new legal suspense author for this reader. Enjoyed the story immensely.
The protagonist is human. Not a hero, not a superhero, just a man trying to find his way in a world that I know very little of.
There were some things I saw coming, although not where I thought they would which was great. There were surprises which was even better and I really enjoyed Mitzner's writing style. "Entering a prison is a sobering experience. Until you've done it, you simply cannot imagine how powerful the sound of a metal door locking can be." (pg 361)
If a fan of legal thrillers, this author is worth checking out.
The protagonist is human. Not a hero, not a superhero, just a man trying to find his way in a world that I know very little of.
There were some things I saw coming, although not where I thought they would which was great. There were surprises which was even better and I really enjoyed Mitzner's writing style. "Entering a prison is a sobering experience. Until you've done it, you simply cannot imagine how powerful the sound of a metal door locking can be." (pg 361)
If a fan of legal thrillers, this author is worth checking out.
September 17, 2011
Although I liked the main character, the book ended up becoming
tedious. Perhaps there were too many details about fraudulent brokerage firm
operations and the legal issues around them. Also, once I knew there
would be twists, there weren't many
choices available since the cast of characters was limited.
tedious. Perhaps there were too many details about fraudulent brokerage firm
operations and the legal issues around them. Also, once I knew there
would be twists, there weren't many
choices available since the cast of characters was limited.
February 27, 2012
Terrific courtroom mystery/drama in the vein of Scott Turow and just as good. Fine multi-layered characters, and a story with interesting and occasionally unexpected angles. Terrific reader as well. Yes, I saw a key final twist coming from a long way off, unusual for me, but that didn't spoil a thing. This tale kept me hooked!
February 22, 2012
I've decided I don't like books written in 1st person, present tense. Annoying. I bought this book on Audible because of the great reviews but was so disappointed. Not at all like Grisham or Baldacci. Don't waste your time. I kept waiting for it to get better or the mystery to evolve but it was a terrible story line and annoying characters.
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