Could not suspend disbelief.

There are those who can pull off a legal suspense novel (e.g. Scott Turow, Paul Goldstein), but most who try fail because they fail to research enough, or their plot is incredible. Mitzner falls into the latter camp. He doesn't know how the legal system works. I can sometimes live with this if the plot and writing are good enough. (John Grisham, who worked as a lawyer a long time ago, knows, or should know, how the system works, although he sometimes ignores it. He gets away with it because his plots are pretty good and he can write.) Not so here. Mitzner's characters don't live up to their billing, and his plot is ridiculous. Chief examples are the USDC Judge with SCOTUS ambitions, who, for no reason, creates a fatal ethical issue by sitting on a run of the mill criminal case, and Mitzner's "brilliant" protagonist, who, also for no reason, embraces the ethical issue. Mitzner thereby ham handedly created his pivotal plot point: both the Judge and the protagonist are now open to blackmail. Mitzner has his protagonist recognize his plight, but inexplicably, the equally brilliant Judge, cannot. (Grisham would have found an at least facially credible way to create this pivot point.) At this juncture, I simply could not sustain the level of disbelief necessary to continue. I took advantage of Audible's return policy. You needn't. Instead, read anything by Turow and Goldstein.

Marantz's performance was good, maybe better than my four star rating, but it's hard to earn a top of your game rating when your material is poor.

79 people found this helpful

Not a thriller, but a good story.

When I bought this book I was led to believe it was a nail-biting thriller that would keep me on the edge of my seat. However, my expectations aren't the author's fault. Just keep in mind this is not a 'thriller' but rather more of a slow-building drama with a hint of crime and mystery.

David Marantz is a good narrator, but I did find his impression of a woman's voice to be rather annoying. Not a deal-breaker by any means, but worthy only of 4 stars.

16 people found this helpful

Interesting and Entertaining...

I like legal/thrillers. I liked this one even though it was not a "thriller" as such. Nevertheless, this story sucked me in and I really listened because there was just enough mystery/drama. I noticed most, if not all, of the flaws, predictable plot twists, etc. I didn't like the ending so much. The character that turns out to be the murderer was the least suspect, and was also the one implausible suspect! I didn't like the ending because I thought the author was asking me to "suspend my disbelief" a little too much for the ending of a pretty good story that was not over written with too much "character development," just enough to help develop the storylines.

The narrator was pretty good to excellent. I liked his ability to add drama in his voice and how he used his ability to change the sounds and tone of his voice for the different characters. The women voices were good too. Recommend.

9 people found this helpful

Entertaining, and suspenseful with a good plot

An exciting story with believable characters involved in a legal struggle that is accurately portrayed. The murderer was not easily determined. I couldn't guess who did it and dought if many readers will. A basic good old fashion mystery. MD

12 people found this helpful

This mystery lacks excitement

Dont waste your time. The legal aspect is way more interesting than the plot. A definite zero of a book. Performance was great tho

18 people found this helpful

Big waste of time

What disappointed you about Losing Faith?

Flimsy plot and characters. Story poorly developed.

Has Losing Faith turned you off from other books in this genre?

Makes me more skeptical. I like a good mystery but will be much more careful in looking at reviews other than on audible before buying.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disgust that I wasted time listening to this book. I kept thinking, "It has to get more interesting" but it didn't.

Any additional comments?

Enough said.

29 people found this helpful

Tense As A Trampoline Under An Elephant

Okay... I guessed wrong, and picked a guiltless suspect. Sigh... Mitzner makes the shadow of guilt move the way melting ice cream does. Daniel Moynahan used, maybe created, the term, "tangle of pathology". Adam Mitzner is a tangler... he spreads suspicious characters like blood spatter from a bludgeoned head.

Yeah, the plot's improbable. But both the author and David Marantz left my disbelief suspended and, improbability be damned, I liked "Losing Faith".

I write these little reviews, not to do criticism but rather to keep track of who I want to hear in the future and what I'll skip. Fortunately I did not take my advice after hating Mitzner's "Case of Redemption" and. at the advice of a reviewer I trust, bought and loved "Conflict of Interest". Okay, "Losing Faith's" not quite in that league, but it was the sort of judicial whodunnit that I want to keep listening to.

I'm off to read the reviews of Mitzner's "Girl From Home". Maybe it'll be among my next buys. It's a plan, huh? Oh... one last compliment... In this moment of national and international political upheaval as the great ideologies careen against one another and every "artist" feels a compulsion to become a missionary for his/her politics... Mitzner doesn't!! Now if that's not a recommendation...

10 people found this helpful

Predictable, lacking in suspense

Little to no character development. Predictable villains and suspects. Stereotypical big law firm myths. Disappointing.

20 people found this helpful

Great Read !

This book kept me wanting to sit in my car just to listen to more, I was almost late for work sitting right in the parking lot.
It was a good read or listen.

25 people found this helpful

Compelling Legal Thriller

Any additional comments?

I love a good mystery/thriller but haven't really dabbled in the legal thriller... This book popped up on my homepage so I decided to give it a try - I'm about halfway through and I don't want to stop listening :)!

The narration is perfect in my opinion - he changes his voice just enough between characters so you know who is talking, but not so much that it sounds fake or like a cartoon.

And the characters are great (even the nasty ones)!

24 people found this helpful