This legal thriller is a page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The Best Friend will keep you up at night trying to figure it out!

The third in the Broden Legal Series, The Best Friend, is an enjoyable legal thriller. Adam Mitzner is becoming one of my favorite authors. Consistently good reads!

I admit I thought "this isn't really my kind of thing" a couple times early on in the book, and then I realized I couldn't stop reading and really wanted to know where it was going. The prose is fairly workmanlike, and the narrative - even the trials, which you might think would merit a bit more detail - is brisk to the point of hurried, but it also doesn't get bogged down, it's just more of a beach read than a long courtroom procedural.

The sections from different viewpoints technique works really well here, and the twists feel earned rather than jammed in. There was one event that I thought deserved more attention, until I realized it's addressed in previous books in this series, and then I was grateful that the author didn't rehash it all in case I decided to read the other ones.

Despite the energetic pace, there are a few good moments of insight about marriage, friendships, betrayal, guilt and redemption, and some engaging explanations of parts of the law and the judicial process. The judge in Nick's second trial is an absolute badass and I love her.

This was an enjoyable and diverting pandemic read.

Great legal mystery. If you like the law you will enjoy this. Great character development. Really enjoyed this.

My Best Friend is a great book! The characters are well-drawn, there are backstories that add to the overall plot, and each section is told from a different point of view, giving the reader a full picture of events. The story is very well-written and the characters are believable and realistic. As the story unfolded the emotions and motivations of the characters are revealed.

Well written, convincing murder trial that will have you guessing until the end.

The Best Friend by Adam Mitzner is the third book in the Broden Legal Series. In the first two books of the series, Clint Broden is a secondary character and Ella the daughter is the main character. In this novel, Clint is front and center defending his best friend in court.

I loved that Mr. Mitzner decided to give us the backstory to Clint. And in doing so, provide the reader with several great storylines throughout the book. I wasn’t able to put the book down as I was hooked from page one and just had to know.

As with most of Mr. Mitzner books, he has great characters and evolving storylines that capture your attention from page one. He is quickly becoming my favorite legal thriller author. I highly recommend any of his books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Adam Mitzner, and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ book.

This novel was fun to read, and I had no trouble staying with it once I dove in. . . I've spent 30 years in a law firm, and it was fun to follow the processes and case flow, with insight on the strategy. That said, the writing is clear and well-explained for those who may not be familiar with some of the terms and processes. POV switches, which can sometimes confuse me if they are not clear, were well-executed and added interest.

Using Franz Kafka's quote at the beginning was brilliant:

My guiding principle is this: Guilt is never to be doubted.

The main character, Mr. Clinton Broden, was easy to have empathy for. . .so many things happening in his life, and yet he makes time to honor his lifelong friendship by providing service and sacrifice to his best friend Nicky. Other characters were well-fleshed out, but not so over drawn that a reader could see the writing on the wall. . . . it kept me guessing and second-guessing. I love a good mystery! Especially about lawyers. But a lawyer is a tricky character – and are often drawn too slick, too smart and too cold and calculating. All my years have taught me that they are some of that, sometimes, but in their real lives, well. . .are not.

This is my first read of the author’s work – I’m tracking down his other novels to catch up!

4 stars.

Thanks to Adam Mitzner, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC and the opportunity to read and review this book!

This is the first book I read by this author and I have to say I was not disappointed. Loved the character development and storyline. I wish there was a little more in the middle especially regarding Clint’s daughter, but overall awesome legal mystery without too much boring legal explanations. There was just enough to entertain and explain without causing the reader to lose interest. I will definitely be looking for this author’s other books.

No one should ever doubt their own guilt.

Clint Broden and Nick Zamora were childhood friends. Clint now an upcoming lawyer and happily married and Nick an upcoming author just recently married. They had a long standing joke between them that if one of them ever killed anyone, the other would come help with the shovel. Was it a premonition of what was to come? Clint received a call from his office from an emotional Nick that his wife died in their bathtub. The testing of what a friendship is when Clint stood by his friend and ultimately represented him when he was charged with murder. He believed that Nick was innocent. It was his job to cast doubt to the jury.

The narration is done in 3 parts in this legal thriller. Clint as he describes his friendship with Nick, his marriage to Anna along with their hopes and dreams. It was detailed as the trial went on and his strategy to set Clint free.

Anna his wife and after the trial how she desired to start a family. She put a hold on her dreams to be an actress when she realized that being a mom was the best act she ever dreamed of.

Nicky after the trial moved to California and became the successful author. His new marriage and the how friendships seem to die on their own until you need them once again.

A good thriller has many turns and twists and to give anything away is death to a book. This book deserves to be read with anticipation as it deals with friendship, marriage, and forgiveness. A bit of redemption tops it off. Adam Mitzner does well in head games with his characters. Highly recommend.

A Special Thank you to Thomas Mercer and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

4.5 stars! The Best Friend is the third in the Broden Legal series by Adam Mitzner, and it is my first read by this author. The book can be read as a standalone and I did not note any references to previous books in the series. This book is a solid legal mystery, It is not a thriller and not really all that suspenseful but a good read with a fluid writing style that I enjoyed. The whodunnits, whowuzzits and why are obvious, but I still really enjoyed the novel and watching how the stories unfolded. The book describes several major events and POV’s in the lives of two best friends from childhood, Attorney Clint and Writer Nick, and the POV of Clint’s wife, Anne. We are introduced to the friends in their late 20’s early 30’s when Nick is accused of murdering his bride of one month (motive – having an affair). Clint, currently building a legal practice of his own, drops everything and jumps in to defend BF Nick. The legal arguments were interesting, Nick is found not guilty by reasonable doubt (not really a spoiler) and Clint’s career as a Criminal Law attorney skyrockets. Skip forward thirty+ years and the estranged but still best friends are embroiled in the murder trial of Nick’s second wife (no comment). Again, Clint (who is now a Criminal Lawyer superstar) steps up to the plate and defends his Best Friend – the legal procedures and arguments in this latter case are even more interesting and dubious. The major related events in Anne’s life are not being disclosed here to leave at least some of the possibly unexpected to your imagination.

I will be looking for this author again and I am interested and curious to read another in the series. I really loved the book and only rounded down to 4 stars because of the predictability of events in the novel (I like to be gobsmacked). Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Set in changing times and locations with a multiple POV narration, THE BEST FRIEND builds the story of a young lawyer who defends his friend during two very different times and trials. I have read Adam Mitzner's previous titles but you could easily enjoy this book as a stand alone because at the end, you will go look for his back titles. They are good! While his legal background is definitely a big piece of the story, the growth of the friendships and relationships in the book set the tone for a story sure to keep you guessing until the end. It's really a shame I can only give the story 5 stars!

This is the third book in the Clint Broden series. I have read the first one and this one. I feel like the book can be read alone.
I really enjoyed the different points of views and the different time periods, 1986,2003,2020. The first one is Clint in the beginning of his career, the second Anne, his wife, a little later, then his best friend, Nick, then Clint again in present time.
The backstory and the different points of view really helped build the story. I have read several of Mr. Mitzer’s books and I felt this one was one of his best. I was drawn in right away and read the book in just a couple of sittings.
Thank you, Thomas and Mercer and Net Galley, for an advance copy for an honest review.

Clint, an attorney, repeatedly tells himself: "Twenty-seven-year-old women are not supposed to drown in the bathtub." His best friend Nicky has been arrested for the murder of his wife. Clint defends Nicky in the trial in 1986. Every night, he goes home and tells his wife Anne about what happened in court.
I thought the whole book would be about that trial. Surprise, surprise, it isn't. The story jumps to 2003-4, and again to 2020. Surprises galore.
The author, Adam Mitzner has a great way with words and characterizations. For example: he tells about three types of noble lawyers. The first type is the defender of the innocent such as Perry Mason and Atticus Finch. The second type are the civil rights warriors like RBG.
This has been one of the best books I've read so far in 2020. I thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishers for the privilege of reading this.

Adam Mitzner is a practicing attorney in New York who has somehow found the time to write eight legal thrillers set in New York. Just about a year ago, I reveiewed A Matter of Will, and began my review by saying “I don’t recall reading anything by Adam Mitzner, and I have no idea why!” Somehow, between then and now, I forgot about him, but thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, I recently received a copy of The Best Friend (in exchange for this honest review) and found it to be pretty much perfect as an escape for someone who’s been sheltering in place for a few months!

This is #3 in the Clint Broden series, but even though I haven’t read either Dead Certain or Never Goodbye, I found this one to be fine as a standalone. It gives a great deal of Clint’s backstory as it bounces back and forth between present day and thirty-plus years ago. When Clint was just starting his legal career in New York, he defended his BFF Nick Zamora in a case that made headlines and kickstarted Clint into his role as THE sought-after attorney for the rich and famous.

Although Clint had suspicions about the circumstances surrounding the drowning death of Nick’s wife back then, he chose to believe his friend hadn’t murdered his wife of one month. But their friendship wasn’t the same after that, and for the next few decades they went their separate ways. Nick comes back into Clint’s life, once again accused of killing his wife (this time a trophy fit to be seen on the arm of the megastar author and celebrity Nick has become). As the story unfolds, it seems possible that Clint might have a reason to agree to take the case other than wanting to prove Nick’s innocence.

It’s a fun read, well plotted with some interesting ethical dilemmas and fully developed characters. Like I said, I’ll be seeking out more of Mr. Mitzner’s work, and give this one five stars.

Oooh this was good! I love a good legal thriller. However, the danger can be that once you've read the best of this genre, others fail to impress. This did not fail.

Told by three narrators - Clint, a lawyer, is wife Anne, and his best friend, Nick the writer - the reader gets great insight into events from a variety of perspectives. By using three narrators the author reveals little snippets of information that help us complete a mental jigsaw puzzle over the course of the book.

Clint and Nick have been friends since childhood but they are very different men. Clint is dependable, hardworking and smart, Nick is a bit of a playboy and struggling writer but they complement each other well. Adam Mitzner does well to make the characters feel rounded and realistic in all their traits and flaws. Anne is also constructed in this way and I really empathised with her and bought into her story.

I also loved that it was told across three different time periods - 1986, 2003 and 2020. This served to not only give us background to the three characters but keep the pace and only give us relevant plot.

Some incidents in the book were totally unexpected and I love being surprised as it doesn't happen nearly as often as I would like.

I felt like this was right in the same category as Steve Cavanagh whose books I have loved recently. I'm definitely going back to previous titles from Adam Mitzner!

Thanks to Thomas and Mercer publishers and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this brilliant book.

Clint Broden and Nick Zamora have been best friends since they were children. They often said their relationship was better than siblings, since they actually liked each other. Their story begins in 1986, when Clint is a young attorney and Nick is bartending while writing his first novel. During this time, Nick is accused of a serious crime and his friend, Clint, is by his side as his lawyer and defender. As the story progresses, the two friends’ careers develop and they move apart. And, finally, thirty years later, Nick again finds himself again in need of a friend and Clint, older and much wiser, reappears to be by his side.

Although this is the third book in a series, it never felt like it. The characters are well-drawn, there are backstories that add to the overall plot, and each section is told from a different point of view, giving the reader a full picture of events. The story is very well-written and the characters are believable and realistic. As the story unfolded the emotions and motivations of the characters are revealed.

I have enjoyed every Adam Mitzner book I’ve read and The Best Friend is no exception. It’s a great legal thriller with an interesting and well conceived plot, and great characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

This is a remarkable blend of a legal thriller and a story of strong personal relationships enduring, or not, over time. In the opening section, Clint is representing his childhood friend Nicky who has been accused of murdering his wife. I thought this was going to be the only plot line of the book, and early on, wasn't expecting more than a standard fare did he, or didn't he, court case with a surprise at the end. The story of the trial moves quickly though, and I realized it was wrapping up and I was only a quarter of the way into the book. After the trial, we jump ahead many years, and Clint's wife Anne picks up the story from her perspective, including recollections of how the trial impacted everyone's lives since. This is followed by two more sections, one narrated by Nicky, and a final narration by Clint. I like where this book took me, again, Mitzner has created characters that are easy to connect with and make you want to read their stories. The characters are complex, their flawed, and even the ones I like make decisions that are hard to agree with. Although this is technically the third in a series, it's only that because of recurring characters, it's a wonderful stand-alone book. I thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story was very well written with a fascinating cast of characters. The author is a fine writer who takes the trouble to make his plot solid and reasonable and his characters realistic.
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Best Friend is first a legal thriller. It’s a courtroom procedural tightly wrapped in anxiety and hope. It’s a mystery. But most of all, it’s a story about friendship, about family and relationships. It’s about how you choose who you love and how you keep those people in your life.

Clint Broden and Nick Zamora have been best friends since childhood. In 1986, Clint is a struggling lawyer with a new practice. He’s married to Anne, an aspiring singer. Nick is a writer, working nights as a bartender. When Caroline, his wife of 5 weeks, is found drowned in the bathtub, Clint rushes to help. The resulting investigation and trial become the first part of the book. The second is Anne’s story in 2003. It links the past to what will come in the future, the present day, when Nicky once again turns to Clint for help.

Strong, well described characters who seem like people you might meet and a layered plot that reveals a conclusion that spans time and place make The Best Friend the best legal thriller I have read. Should my review seem a little flat or perhaps lacking in places, do not blame the book, I’m doing my best to avoid spoilers so you can read it all straight through, just as I did. 5 stars, I wish I could give more.

Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Adam Mitzner for this ARC.

Author Adam Mitzner has written a twisty, juicy tale of best friends, so close they think of one another as brothers, and the competition that silently runs through their relationship as one depends upon the other to defend him in a court case. Well, not just any court case, a murder case that will ultimately make both friends very famous. After which, they will part ways without resolving the undercurrent in their relationship. I will not provide any more details because THE BEST FRIEND is a book best read without preconceptions or much advance warning, other than, it is a great story and worth every minute spent reading. It is fast, engaging and the twists are exciting. This was my first by the author, although the third in the series. I have gone in search of the earlier books, this was just that good. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.