Guest Review: A Conflict of Interest

Summary: 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 request: 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. 

In an electrifying debut the likes of which legal thriller fans have not seen since Scott Turow's pulse-pounding thriller Presumed Innocent, Adam Mitzner tells a shocking story of suspense that heralds a bold new voice in fiction. -- Gallery

So many books, so little time -- and that's why I'm so grateful for my dad. I know I would have loved A CONFLICT OF INTEREST by Adam Mitzner, but I also knew that he could read and review it much more quickly that I could. Here are his thoughts:

Alex Miller, criminal defense attorney and partner in a prestigious New York law firm, meets Michael Ohlig at his father’s funeral where Ohlig, a long time friend of Alex’s mother and father, hires Alex to represent him in a securities fraud case. Author Adam Mitzner, with his background as an attorney, brings to life the legal representation and courtroom activity in A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. His give-and-take between attorney and client, between attorneys and judge and between opposing attorneys is great court action and brings a real life feel to how the legal system works. 

But A CONFLICT OF INTEREST is much more than a novel about a securities fraud case. It is a story about complex relationships and betrayal. As the case proceeds through the courts, facts arise that bring much confusion and conflict to Alex’s life including the relationships with his wife and daughter, his parents, his attractive legal associate, his client and his law firm. How the characters deal with each of these conflicts is the real story. Mitzner’s character development is definitely the strong point of the novel as the characters are complex, each with flaws and personal agendas.

A CONFLICT OF INTEREST is a well written easy-to-read legal suspense thriller that will keep the reader turning the pages. There are lots of twists and turns and the surprises never stop until the very end. This is Adam Mitzner’s first novel and I believe it is a great start to a promising career.  

Thanks to Booking Pap Pap for his great review and to FSB Associates for providing a review copy of this novel.