A Case of Redemption

By: Adam Mitzner

Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's Summary

The second electrifying thriller from the "gifted writer" (Publishers Weekly) and author of A Conflict of Interest.

A high-profile attorney in the middle of a leave of absence following a personal tragedy is drawn back into the legal arena amidst a media firestorm when he agrees to represent a popular rap artist accused of brutally murdering his pop star girlfriend. With its powerful voice, pause-resisting tension, and strong cast of characters, Adam Mitzner’s novels are reminiscent of such best-selling authors as Scott Turow and John Grisham.

©2013 Adam Mitzner (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Mitzner's courtroom drama is Grisham-like in suspenseful before-the-bench action....a wicked ride, with more loops and flips than Coney Island's Cyclone." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"Ah, the crucible of the courtroom! Adam Mitzner understands its appeal so very well. Devotees of legal suspense will find themselves happily at home, zinging with the intrigue, reeling with the twists, and ultimately well fed with a satisfying (if shocking) resolution. And if you've been away from the fictional halls of justice for too long, A CASE OF REDEMPTION is where you need to come back." (Jamie Mason, author of Three Graves Full)

Excellent

I loved this book.The only reason I took one star away from the "story" is because I saw the ending coming a little earlier than I would have liked. That said, everything else was fantastic. The character development. The plot. The twists and turns as the two attorneys keep uncovering more and more lies their client has told. And the PERFORMANCE! Mr. Collins does an absolutely phenomenal job with each and every line, each and every voice, bringing the story to life almost like if you were watching it happen.

I really liked Mr. Mitzner's first book. This one is even better. As I said in my review for his first, I hope he writes fast!

52 of 55 people found this review helpful

A New Genre for Me - and I'm Hooked!

This was my first time listening to a legal thriller, and I can safely say I'm hooked. I had always shied away from the genre, assuming that the plots were too fantastical - but this story has a ripped-from-the-headlines feel, creating a relevancy that will attract both newbies like me and established thriller fans. Mitzner delivers a character driven narrative, while seamlessly blending romance, criminal law, and suspense, keeping me guessing until the very end. Kevin T. Collins does a marvelous job narrating - the emotion that he pours into each character captivated me from the start. I felt all of the triumphs and setbacks of the case, and I found myself deeply invested in its outcome. I really hope that this duo works together again, but in the meantime I'm going hunting for more from both the author and the narrator.

41 of 45 people found this review helpful

I Don't Agree With the Reviews

I just finished listening to A Case of Redemption and rushed to the computer to write this review. No synopsis here - just my feelings about the book.

I did not enjoy this book and I would never recommend this book to a friend. I actually almost gave it 2 stars. I had read many positive reviews so I went in with high expectations. I keep wondering if I listened to the same book everyone else did. I get that books are a very personal matter. I wish I could explain more clearly (without giving anything away) why I felt I wasted my time.

I wanted to quit the book many times but hung in there because the last chapter was suppose to be so "shocking" - yet I found nothing shocking about it. This is coming from someone who rarely can figure out an ending.

This was not a page turner. I wasn't filled with suspense. I didn't find the characters likeable. The judge was so over the top - I almost fast forwarded through some of the court scenes.

I will stay clear of Collins as a narrator. His voice was forced, irritating and he over enunciated. Although, I think he did switch between characters well and had no issues with how he did female voices.

If you want to read a good crime/court room or suspense novel - stick with the likes of Grisham,Turow, Wm Landay or M. Connelly.

72 of 80 people found this review helpful

Wanted to like it

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. The ending was obvious to me too early on. The characters were superficial. Mr. Collins narration was often excellent, but he has a habit of making his voice go up at the end of sentences--I don't mean questions here--that drives me nuts. I tried to ignore this at first, but by the middle of the book I found myself repeating whatever he said when he did this.

10 of 11 people found this review helpful

Can An Ending Redeem An Entire Novel?

Stumble upon a true 5-star novel and you are grateful for heft. Five hundred pages reading ... 15 hours listening ... GREAT! The more, the better. You just don't want the story to end. With A Case of Redemption, though, the 11-hour heft of the novel is a weakness, and redemption comes only in the last 100 minutes or so.

Admittedly, legal thrillers rarely deliver a solid 5-star experience. By their nature, they ARE formulaic (at least usually). The protagonists recognizably fall into one of a very few "types" ~ world weary veteran ... naive young go-getter ... fallen star wounded by life. And, of course, the plots usually follow the same investigation ~ discovery ~ revelation ~ trial ~ verdict pattern. Of course, there are exceptions (Turow, Connelly, early Grisham), and THEY redeem the genre.

A Case of Redemption is not one of those rare and welcome exceptions. But it is not entirely formulaic either. There are surprises here. There is a late plot twist (or two). And it is these surprises that ultimately earn A Case of Redemption a listen.

Otherwise, though, the tale is disappointing.

Character development, for example, is largely unconvincing. Do we really believe a year of binge drinking can just stop, in a few days, because a pretty girl asks you for a favor you aren't sure you should grant? Do we really believe a new job, reluctantly accepted, can instantly vanquish debilitating grief? Do we really believe that at the same time a lawyer is faced with a growing body of lies from his client, he will become increasingly convinced of that client's innocence?

The plot provides little relief. For much of the novel, the plot is entirely predictable. There is really little doubt of the identity of the villain. We can tell who it is before the characters seem to know, even though they have all the information we do (this is a first person narration, after all). And while we come to loath the villain, he is unidimensional; Mitzner never reveals more than a stereotype and only lightly explores motive.

Perhaps least forgivable are the errors of law and practice that litter Mitzner's courtroom scenes. Would it really have been that difficult to fact check this sort of thing?

All these weaknesses notwithstanding, you may well conclude that A Case of Redemption is itself redeemed by the surprising conclusion. For me, it was. The hour or two from the last of the courtroom action, through the end of the novel, made this listen, on balance, a worthwhile investment of time and credit.

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IMPORTANT: Since the late plot twists are such "ah ha" moments, you will want to be especially careful of spoilers. Unfortunately, there are some in other reviews here. If you want to experience all the surprises as Mitzner intended (and not at the hands of an Audible reviewer) avoid the reviews entitled, "At Last ... A GOOOD Book" and "Suspenseful."

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Finally, a few words about the narration. Collins is an able reader who maintained an appropriate pace throughout his narration. However, he has trouble with some pronunciations (why is this so prevalent among readers?). And, more important, he made a remarkably poor choice in the "voice" he selected for Dan, the main protagonist (and first person narrator). Dan is a 40-something man who has been beaten down by tragedy, which he faced by retreating from the world and into a bottle. Collins "voice" for him, on the other hand, is youthful and immature. The disconnect is especially jarring every time Dan mentions his age.

So, do you spend the credit, and more valuable, 11 hours of your time? If you have not yet experienced legal thrillers by the masters of the genre, go there first. Scott Turow, Michael Connelly or John Grisham can, and often do, deliver full 5-star listens. On the other hand, if you have plumbed those works, enjoy the genre, and relish late plot twists and surprising endings, then redeem your credit here.

19 of 22 people found this review helpful

MUST READ!!!!!

If you could sum up A Case of Redemption in three words, what would they be?

Compelling ... Suspenseful ..... Surprising.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The main character Dan was my favorite in the book of course. His character was very well defined and developed. He could at times be likable an unlikable.

What does Kevin T. Collins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator was great! His voice and performance brought the story images to mind.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I didn't want to pause the book at all.

23 of 27 people found this review helpful

Good Story, Well Performed

My second novel by Mitzner and happy to report both were well done. Collins delivered the story with just the right amount of inflections to add to the shock and awe scenes and yet keep the story believable and dramatic. I've listened to some very average novels lately and this one was a nice upgrade. Five stars don't come easy from me, but I think Mitzner deserves the award...hope you agree. Cheers

20 of 24 people found this review helpful

The only book I've written a review for!,,

If you could sum up A Case of Redemption in three words, what would they be?

Great. Captivating. Shocker.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Case of Redemption?

The ending takes you by surprise. Just when you think you know what's going to happen the opposite does.

What does Kevin T. Collins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

You could feel the characters emotions.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Legal thriller

Any additional comments?

One the best books ever. I've never written a review before that's how good this book is.

20 of 24 people found this review helpful

I wasn't wow-ed

I had been listening to a lot young adult books for a while, and I was browsing through my library and saw that I hadn't listened this book yet. I bought it a while ago, but when it was time to download a new book, the cover didn't sell me, and I didn't waste my time checking to look at the summary, but I'm glad I finally did.

I don't know if I enjoyed this book so much because it was finally not a sci-fi YA novel, or if because I really think it was good. I thought about the book even when I wasn't listening to it. It was surprisingly predictable, I knew who-done-it pretty early on, but I still enjoyed it. I thought the ending was underwhelming, but I'm still glad I listened to it, although I probably wouldn't recommend it to others.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Awful narration

Would you try another book from Adam Mitzner and/or Kevin T. Collins?

Adam Mitzner is ok but Kevin T Collins is getting on my nerves

If you’ve listened to books by Adam Mitzner before, how does this one compare?

First time

What didn’t you like about Kevin T. Collins’s performance?

Nothing

Do you think A Case of Redemption needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Too early to tell

Any additional comments?

I feel that I wasted my money on this book

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Thumbs Up!

The second legal drama in the series but with a different lawyer, with one or two crossover characters from the first novel but is definitely a standalone. I enjoyed it a lot more then the first book our high profile attorney easily carrying the one person narrative and taking us through the complex American legal system easily. Again I could not put this down, the casualness of the curve balls thrown had me glued and entertained - wonderful,

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Best yet

I had read another Mitzner book and thought it was ok. I was a little reluctant to try another. Most of the reviews were good, but as always there were a few which tried to put me off. How wrong they were. This story is about a different lawyer and is really enjoyable. Great narration brings the story to life. Well worth listening to.

Gripping

What did you like best about this story?

The story is intriguing with its twists and turns. I finished this novel in record time, it was so compelling.

Which character – as performed by Kevin T. Collins – was your favourite?

LD

Great book A****

I enjoyed listening to this book. He is one of my favourite authors.
:)
I am glad that I bought this

1 of 3 people found this review helpful