THE BEST FRIEND

5 stars out of 5

Wow. Just wow. Not that I'm terribly surprised, mind you - I've read two other books by this author (although not in this series) and loved them both - but this one pretty much blew me away.

In 1986, struggling defense attorney Clint Broden lands an unexpected client: His best friend, Nick Zamora, who's been charged with the murder of his new wife Carolyn, a successful attorney in her own right. Nick, an aspiring writer, insists he's innocent; out of loyalty if nothing else, Clint agrees to serve as his attorney - even though he has a few misgivings. But he makes his living defending people he strongly suspects are guilty; after all, they, too, are entitled to a fair trial.

What happens in the courtroom changes both men's lives; 30 or so years later, Nick has left New York for Los Angeles, realizing his lifelong dream of becoming a respected writer of novels, screenplays and other lucrative assignments. Clint, who gained fame at the conclusion of Nick's trial, is in demand as well; he and his wife, Anne, have two mostly grown daughters (one a talented singer who takes after her mother) and all's right with both men's worlds.

Until it isn't. What are the chances that lightening will strike twice? Nick and Clint haven't spoken since Nick moved to the other side of the country, but now they must as Nick once again is desperate for legal help from his old friend. But many other things have changed, especially in Clint's mind. Old suspicions die hard (pun intended), so will he be able to let bygones be bygones at any cost? Chapters shift from Clint to Nick to Clint's wife, Anne, giving readers insights into what's really going on (including plenty of surprises). I wish I could be more specific, but revealing much more would spoil the excitement for other readers.

So for now, all I can do is profusely thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. I'm still trying to catch my breath - highly recommended!

The Best Friend by Adam Mitzner (Thomas & Mercer, April 2020); 319 pp.