Buy This Book: Adam Mitzner's "A Conflict of Interest"

Nearing the top of my TBR pile is Adam Mitzner's debut novel, A Conflict of Interest. Talking about his journey to publication on his website, Mitzner says, "I have always been interested in writing, and yet, oddly enough, never took any courses in college (or after) and actually never seriously tried to write until a few years ago. I showed a first draft of my work to a friend whose brother is an agent for cookbooks, and he suggested I retain a private editor, Ed Stackler. Meeting Ed was the turning point. He was the first person who thought I had publishable talent, and working with him was like taking every creative writing course I missed in college. Of equal importance, when my first novel was finished, Ed hooked me up with my agent, Scott Miller of Trident Publishing."

Mitzner's first novel was close but no cigar with a few publishers, but didn't sell. There was interest among a few houses, but no offers.

So, back to the drawing board. For my next work I decided to try something different from a legal thriller, and I wrote a political one, focusing on the nomination of a Supreme Court Justice. Mitzner misfired with a second novel and was advised by his agent to stick with New York City legal dramas.

"Fast forward another eighteen months (but it actually didn't go by that quickly) and I finished A Conflict of Interest," says Mitzner.

The book sold to S&S imprint Gallery Books and scored a starred review in PW when it was released last month. (Cue the bangin' pull quote!) "Mitzner's assured debut...compares favorably to Presumed Innocent.... Mitzner tosses in a number of twists, but his strength lies in his characters and his unflinching depiction of relationships in crisis. This gifted writer should have a long and successful career ahead of him."

Per the PR:

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. Then, at his father's funeral, Alex meets 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. As Alex gets involved and the facts come out, shocking secrets are revealed that threaten everything Alex believes in—about the law, his family, and himself...