A Case of Redemption (39 page)

Heartfelt thanks to the troika that took my work from my family and friends to a readership beyond my wildest dreams: Scott Miller, my agent at Trident; Ed Stackler, a freelance editor who reviews the early drafts; and Ed Schlesinger, my editor at Simon & Schuster's Gallery Books imprint, who does the hard work after I think the
book is finished to make it so much better. In addition to all their good advice and counsel, there are others who work with them to whom I'm equally grateful: Scott's assistant, Stephanie Hoover, and all the people at Simon & Schuster and Gallery Books, including the wonderful people in PR, Jean Anne Rose and Stephanie DeLuca, and my copyeditor, Stephanie Evans.

I also am indebted to the team at FSB Associates, Fauzia Burke, Leyane Jerejian, Julie Harabedian, and Courtney Elise, for getting the word out to the blogosphere about my books and for being great supporters of my work.

Another big difference between the first and second novels is that it is much easier after you're a published author to get people to read your manuscript. The following people, however, were readers even before they knew that their names might someday appear in the acknowledgments of a published book, and I am deeply appreciative of their early insight and comments: Anna Gryzmala-Busse, Clint Broden, Jane Cleary, Gregg Goldman, Sofia Logue, Margaret Martin, Natasha Mayer, Debbie Peikes, Ted Quinn, Elisa Reza, Kevin and Jessica Shacter, Ellice Schwab, Linda Sansotta, Lisa Sheffield, Marilyn Steinthal, and Jodi Siskind.

There is an old joke about how, in an egg-and-bacon breakfast, the hen is involved but the pig is truly committed. In that vein, perhaps even greater thanks must go to those who contributed their names to this book. In each and every instance the character is completely fictional, but it is still fun for me to be able to use names of people I know and shape the character in some way around them. In
A Case of Redemption
, I thank the following for letting me fictionalize them: Linda A. Pielmeier, Jordan Ringel, Steven Weitzen, Marty Popofsky (and his family, who purchased the naming right at a school auction), Kimberly Newman, Nancy Wong, and Lisa Kaplan.

Special thanks in this category to Matt Brooks, one of my closest friends for nearly thirty years. He was helpful in shaping the Matt Brooks character (filling me in on, among other things, the
particulars of private helicopters and blackjack), and I'm only disappointed that the storyline did not permit more of the real Matt Brooks to come through, for there is an entire novel (if not a series of books) that could be built around his real-life persona.

Although some people might think that having two jobs is the worst of all worlds, for me it is truly a blessing. By day I am a partner at the law firm of Pavia & Harcourt, and I am very grateful to my partners and all the lawyers and staff at the firm for being supportive of my nighttime activities as a writer.

My parents, Linda and Milton Mitzner, both died before my first novel was published, but I am grateful that they lived long enough to know that such a day would arrive. Shortly before my father's death, he introduced me to his roommate in the hospital as “my son, the author,” the first time anyone referred to me that way, which is a memory that I will always cherish.

The major life event for me between the publication of
A Conflict of Interest
and
A Case of Redemption
is that I got married, which has enriched my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined. Among them is that I am grateful to be the stepfather to Michael and Benjamin, who bring enormous joy to my life and who never fail to have insightful comments when we try to work out plot points over dinner conversation.

My daughters, Rebecca and Emily, continue to be my greatest inspiration, and nothing quite matches the feeling of knowing that your children are proud of you.

Our puppy (who is three years old, so not quite a puppy anymore), Onyx or Nixie, does not help my writing in any way, but we love her, and so she deserves mention just for that.

Most of all, I want to thank my wife, Susan, to whom
A Case of Redemption
is dedicated, for so many more reasons than I could ever mention. Being a writer's wife is different than I think she imagined, both in the amount of time I'm focused on my work and the number of times I ask her to read the book in draft. Susan has always been
and remains my toughest critic, most ardent supporter, and the best editor and sounding board I could ever imagine. Beyond her help in making this book, and everything I'll ever write, much better than it would have been without her input, I know that without her in my life, I would have never been able to write a word, and with her, it truly does not matter if I ever write another word, for my life is fulfilled beyond what I could have ever imagined.

Also by Adam Mitzner

A Conflict of Interest

Gallery Books

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www.SimonandSchuster.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2013 by Adam Mitzner

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Gallery Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Gallery Books hardcover edition May 2013

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Designed by Renata Di Biase

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mitzner, Adam.

A case of redemption / Adam Mitzner.—First Gallery Books hardcover edition.

p. cm.

1. Legal stories. 2. Suspense fiction. I. Title.

PS3613.I88C37 2013

813'.6—dc23

2012049976

ISBN 978-1-4516-7479-8

ISBN 978-1-4516-7481-1 (ebook)