Editorial Content for The Brothers Kenney

Critically acclaimed author Adam Mitzner has been called a master of the mystery genre. For my money, he also is one of the best legal thriller writers in the business. His latest effort, THE BROTHERS KENNEY, is different from anything he previously has penned. It’s a family drama wrapped up inside a murder mystery that sets up suspects, motives and opportunity in a case that initially appeared to be straightforward

Our protagonist, Sean Kenney, was once a major track star in high school and later at the collegiate level at Villanova. His coach was pumping him up towards an Olympics run and telling him that he was as good as a sure thing to bring home gold for the US. Unfortunately, things do not always work out the way they do in our dreams. Now, thirty-something Sean has abandoned his home and family in New Jersey and is barely scraping by a meager existence in New Orleans.

"This is Adam Mitzner at his most clever as he builds the mystery elements that permeate the story to a satisfying and somewhat unexpected finale."

All of this changes when his sister, Katie, shows up at his apartment one day. She has brought bad news with her: their father, who had been suffering from dementia for two years following the death of their mother, has passed away. She has purchased him a plane ticket, and they’re going to fly back to New Jersey for the wake and funeral. Knowing that he is probably not going to return to New Orleans, Sean throws all of his clothes in a single duffel bag and accompanies his sister to the airport.

When they arrive at Katie’s place, Sean is met by her husband Ben, who has lost much of his hair and put on a few pounds. Katie lives in the house they all grew up in as it was easier to care for their father there. Sean had been gone for over two years and lost touch with everyone, including his only brother and sister. He is given a stiff drink as Katie prepares to deliver devastating news. Before she can say anything, their very alive father enters the room --- still in the throes of dementia but not dead. Katie reveals that their brother, Kick, is the one who died. He took his own life with a gunshot to the head and did not leave a suicide note.

Sean does not know how to wrap his mind around this. Kick was his hero. He followed in his footsteps at track and field in high school, only to surpass him in college. Kick went in a different direction, building a career in finance and becoming quite wealthy as a result. Even though Sean had not seen him in years, he had spoken with him briefly when Kick called on his own birthday. He told Sean that he had gotten himself in trouble but looked forward to seeing him again. Knowing that Kick would never lie to him about anything makes Sean positive that something else is at play here, and he intends to get to the bottom of it.

Nothing is quite as it seems on the surface of THE BROTHERS KENNEY. Sean’s mission to find out the true nature of Kick’s death not only becomes extremely personal but also develops into his own redemption tale. This is Adam Mitzner at his most clever as he builds the mystery elements that permeate the story to a satisfying and somewhat unexpected finale.