A twisting and turning murder mystery with heart, The Brothers Kenney offers up an unpredictable search for answers wrapped within a tale about ambition, failure, atonement, and family drama. Adam Mitzner latest novel hits hard with emotion and life’s lessons while delivering a thrilling whodunit that’ll keep you guessing.

In the wake of a family tragedy, Sean Kenney returns to East Carlisle, New Jersey after a two-year absence, having fled after being overwhelmed by the failure to realize his only dream. While trying to secure forgiveness from his family for his prior actions, Sean continues to struggle with the cause of his brother’s death and won’t stop investigating on his own despite the insistent pleas of his sister. But despite his troubled past and the impact that had on the relationship with his family, Sean is convinced something more sinister is at play. And he won’t stop until he proves his instincts are correct. Even it if means burning down everything in his life that he’s desperately hoping to repair.

The Brothers Kenney is a book that’s more about family, dealing with failure and finding your purpose than it is about finding the truth behind a tragic death. That’s not to say the investigation portion of the story takes a backseat, because it’s incredibly relevant to Sean’s soul searching and offers a highly intriguing, twisty, suspenseful and compelling mystery that keeps you on your toes and tugs at your emotions. But at its core, this is a story about how you deal with disappointment and regret. How you can move forward after being intensely focused on one goal for so long that you don’t know what to do next. How resilience is a critical part of being human. And how it’s never too late to seek forgiveness, find redemption and discover a new purpose for your life. Lessons we can all relate to and reflect upon.

The Brothers Kenney is a well paced read that draws you in slowly but surely to the story of The Kenney Brothers.

Sean returns home after being estranged from his family and had only recently spoken to his brother Michael.

Its not for a reunion that he returns but for a funeral for one of his immediate family.

Sean is suspcious of the manner of death and as he makes ammends to those he hurt, he is determined to find out what really happened.

The book is both family saga and mystery that will have you turning the pages quickly to see if Sean is right.

I could not put the book down as I raced to the final page.

This is my first but not last Adam Mitzner book and I will be adding his books to my TBR pile.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the privilege of reading and reviewing The Brothers Kenney.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 13, 2024
Adam Mitzner is a lawyer and author of ten novels, including his newest, “The Brothers Kenney”. I have to admit that I was unfamiliar with Mitzner before this, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. “Brothers” is a thought-provoking and emotional suspense novel centred around failure, forgiveness and family, and it is a unique read in a class all its own.
Sean Kenney is a former track star, whose only childhood dream was to compete in the Olympics. Now, that dream is unrealized, Sean is divorced and estranged from his family. Until the day his sister calls him to tell him horrible news- Sean’s brother, Michael, has died by suicide. Although estranged from Michael until very recently, Sean is convinced that Michael would never take his own life. Going against the wishes of his own family, Sean chooses to investigate on his own, determined to prove that his brother was murdered. If Sean is wrong, however, he risks losing the family he has left- forever.
Told through Sean’s perspective, “Brothers” touches on deeply emotional and sensitive topics, especially pertaining to suicide. Is Sean in denial, refusing to accept what his family and the police have already decided- that Michael took his life? Or is something else afoot and Sean is the only one who can find out the truth? As the story goes on, both sides could be true, and Mitzner makes sure that the reader is left speculating until the very, twisty, turny, end.
There is some minor financial language that will require some deeper concentration if you are not money-knowledgeable (like me), but it did not deter me from wanting to know how the novel ended. It is relevant, so Mitzner needed to include it, but he summarized it in the easiest way possible, making this particular topic generalizable for readers.
Sean is relatable to anyone who has unrealized dreams. They may not be Olympics-level, but any of Sean’s struggles will touch a nerve with readers. Through it all, however, he is still a character I was invested in and I wanted to succeed. The ending was unexpected and bittersweet, but I felt satisfied in the conclusion of Sean’s plotline.
Overall, Mitzner’s writing is creative and well-developed and the plot is intriguing and unique. I’m not sure how to classify “Brothers”, as it falls somewhere in the family drama/mystery/domestic suspense category, but it is a great read worth exploring!

This is the first book I have read by Adam Mitzner, and I see why this author has such a fantastic reputation for writing.

The characters in this book felt incredibly realistic as they weren't perfect. I don't want to give too much away because the summary is quite vague as to what is really going on. The book centers around Sean who up and left his wife and children two years ago. After a traumatic death that has shaken the family, Sean returns home in search of forgiveness.

This book is packed with family drama that felt more real than your typical thriller. As more and more of the mystery behind the death is revealed, we get a deeper look at everything.

The pacing in this book was perfect. It kept me engaged without rushing through anything and I never felt like it was slow or boring.

I will be looking for more from this author.

The Brothers Kenney is a family drama oriented mystery. It opens with Sean Kenny receiving news about his brother's suicide from their sister. He fell out with Michael two years ago, but he is sure his brother would never do this, so he starts digging.

As simple as this premise is, it never fails to engage. So, yes, I wanted to know what happened between brothers who were close and why is Sean so certain Kick was harmed. I especially liked all the running references since both brothers Kenney were fast-track runners with Sean on a verge of greatness. The story touched on some interesting themes like how people (fail to) cope with just about missing out on professional success in sports and how it affects them and the complex relationship between siblings and . Kick (Michael) and Dash (Sean) had talent in abundance, but Kick also had the smarts and got a degree in business which led him to a successful career and a lot of money. I kind of wish we saw more scenes in the past between brothers exactly because there was so much left untapped regarding jealousy confused with self-disappointment mixed with love.
So, yes, the family drama was well written, Sean had a lot of talks with female members of his family who served well as a soundboard to his unresolved issues.
All the issues with this novel I had come from mystery part. I initially went with the idea that Sean is convinced his brother was murdered because he knows him. It's the irrational kind of reasoning, that's just part of the human nature and it's always fascinating. Sean jumps from conclusion to conclusion suddenly, without any firm evidence, mostly because it's the narrative that fits his belief about his brother. It's the fly in the ointment as they say, part of character's development I liked thinking about. But, in reality, the more I've read the more I realized it was not the author's intention at all. The way mystery has unraveled is totally contrived and it got into territory of fantastical. I think that the point would be better made if it didn't go to such a convoluted explanation of people with special skills, setups and incompetent investigation. The final twist, the feather in the hat of every domestic thriller author, was just over the top. The story would benefit more if the resolution was rooted in reality especially because that initial premise, of familial relationships, regrets and remorse was so relatable.
This is my first Mitzner novel and I may check out his legal thrillers. This one is more on a domestic thriller side, easy to read and simple to digest.

Thank you NetGalley and BlackstonePublishing for the copy of The Brothers Kenney by Adam Mitzner. This was a family drama centering on Sean’s journey to find himself after a devastating disappointment in his youth. There’s also a mystery that Sean investigates that serves as a good backdrop to the story of his life.. There were so many characters it was difficult to keep track of them all at first. The writing style was uneven, but once I got into the book I really enjoyed it. If you're looking for a fast and easy read, this is perfect!

The Brothers Kenny by Adam Mitzner is an interesting mystery wrapped up as a family drama. Sean Kenny and his brother were always in competition for track records, the love of their father, and their success. They have a falling out and years pass without speaking, until Sean receives word that his brother committed suicide. Sean insists that it was murder and seeks out the culprit, all while trying to piece his own life back together.
The story is entertaining and intriguing. I enjoyed the family dynamics and the mystery. Watching Sean struggle through finding himself and watching his character development was the best part of the story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed Adam Mitzner's A Conflict of Interest and Love Betrayal Murder and this is another good one. Mitzner's characters are beautifully developed and his stories take very interesting twists and turns. Sean Kenney has been estranged from his wife, two daughters, and the rest of his family for two years when he is forced to return home to New Jersey after a devastating death in the family. No-one but Sean seems to think that the circumstances surrounding this death are suspicious, so he takes it upon himself to uncover the truth. Many secrets, lies, and deceptions are revealed taking a significant toll on family relationships. This is a very quick read at 266 pages and I finished it in two days. I look forward to Adam Mitzner's next book. Thanks to #netgalley #blackstonepublishing and #adammitzner for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read other Mitzner books, which mainly land in the "legal thriller" realm, but this one is a flat-out Who-Done-It mystery/thriller. 'The Brothers Kenney' does not follow the usual formula of a murder and then an investigation. This follows Sean Kenney, laden with intriguing characters, suspicion, and romance. This one drew me in and kept me captivated as the story unfolded and the dynamics of the complicated relationships Highly recommend!!

This felt like a departure from the author’s previous works. It dragged a bit at times (for a shorter novel this is concerning) but I overall enjoyed it. The mystery was a bit fantastical and I don’t feel the characters were fleshed out enough - it gave a bit of lifetime movie to me. I really like this author for his legal dramas so hoping the next one is back to that.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think my students will like this one, esp the athletes, but really the story of two brothers is relatable to most everyone. This is a story about personal responsibility and self acceptance. The main character is forced to look at himself and all his relationships as he tries to come to terms with his brother's death, deemed a suicide but he doesn't believe it

This is the story of two brothers, of a family needing healing and forgiveness, a mystery, a love story, a man growing up and a tribute to running. A short read, sometimes too detailed re running for me, but overall an interesting read.

I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Sean Kennedy gets a disturbing call his brother has committed suicide. No way he doesn’t believe this. The last time they talked his brother said he needed his help and they would see each other soon. As he delves into his brothers life he discovers disturbing things. Will he find the answer to his brothers death?

A little different from the usual fare from Mitzner but equally enjoyable.
I gave it the following SCORE:
Setting: Small town in New Jersey, present day
Characters: Sean Kenney and his brother, Michael Kenney, and a fascinating cast of other family and in-law members.
Overview: Sean was an Olympic-level 1,600 yd runner who moved away from his family until he learned of the death of his brother, Michael. Sean does not believe the death was suicide and, despite the opposition from his sister, other family members and his former track coach, he is determined to follow his instincts and negligible clues to pursue the murderer.
Recommendation: I rate this book 5 stars
Extras: Not the usual murder mystery fare, this story has a lot more going for it with complex family dynamics and parallel plots that go down surprising paths.
Thanx to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing, Inc. for the opportunity to provide this candid review.

The Brothers Kenney is the fourth book I've read that has been written by Adam Mitzner. I'm officially a fan and he has become one of my must-read authors! This book is the first non-legal one I've read and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the legal books this author has written. Welcome to an intriguing whodunit!

Both a family saga and a riveting mystery, The Brothers Kenney follows Sean Kenney as he searches for evidence to prove his brother didn't commit suicide. At times I felt Sean acted a bit naive, but it's still a twisty journey through suspicious circumstances and I recommend it!

Many thanks to both #BlackstonePublishing and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Brothers Kenney. This book has an expected publication date of August 13, 2024.

#AdamMitzner #Family #Mystery

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Adam Mitzner’s “The Brothers Kenney” is a riveting exploration of family dynamics set against the backdrop of a suspenseful mystery. The novel opens with Sean Kenney, who returns home to confront the death of his brother Michael, ruled a suicide—a verdict Sean refuses to accept. As the black sheep of the family, Sean’s quest for truth is met with resistance from all sides, including his sister, sister-in-law, ex-wife, and the police department.

Mitzner’s narrative is a labyrinth of emotions, where rivalry, jealousy, forgiveness, and regret are not just themes but characters in their own right. The author examines these relationships with a keen eye, revealing how they are magnified within the competitive nature of the Kenney brothers. The story is not just about solving a mystery; it’s about understanding the depths of familial love and the lengths one will go to protect it.

The prose is sharp and engaging, with a wit that cuts through the tension of the plot’s twists and turns. Readers will find themselves deeply invested in the Kenney family saga, rooting for Sean as he peels back layers of family secrets to uncover a truth that might be more complex than he ever imagined.

It’s a novel that promises to keep readers on the edge of their seats, while also tugging at their heartstrings—a combination that only a writer like Mitzner could deliver.

The Brothers Kenney. A heartfelt, heart warming story of family, foibles and loss. A death that brings questions. A finale that brings a gasp. And a look into the depths of love of family and what it means to stand up for truth. I love Adam Mitzner’s books. They are different from your run of the mill suspense/mystery. I gives his characters heart . They’re never perfect but full of human shortcomings. Can’t wait for his next one.

Rivalry, jealousy, forgiveness, regret are familiar to many families, but with two highly competitive brothers they’re even more common. Sean is summoned home because of the death of his brother, Michael. It’s been ruled a suicide, but Sean doesn’t believe it. So the family’s black sheep goes to work to prove his brother’s innocence despite the disapproval of his sister, sister-in-law, ex-wife, the police department, and others. Many different relationship are put under the microscope.