Mystery

Andy Carpenter is at it again! He takes his dogs, Tara and Sebastian, for a walk following a winter storm, and Tara finds a dead body in the snow! Naturally, Andy ends up getting involved in the case when it is discovered that the dead man is the mayor. And the man accused of his murder is a young journalist, who Andy's buddy, Vince, knows is innocent. In typical Rosenfelt style, the mystery is full of laughs, as well as an involved and complicated mystery. Well written and a very fun read! ( )

Rosenfelt knows how to keep an audience entertained. His lawyer Andy Carpenter, reminds me of Jack Lemon in Grumpy Old Men. He wants to be left alone and semi-retire. He wants to play with his dogs, and not get involved. But when his beloved dog finds a body in the snow, he is pulled back into a case that is about political sabotage, murder, and explosions. This was a fun holiday listen. I love that even thought this is book 24 in the series, you can pick it up as a newbie and not feel left out. This book would probably be considered an edgy cozy mystery. It’s more than cozy, but not full blown Grisham or Sandford, making it an appropriate audiobook for all audiences on long holiday drives. ( )

This is #24 in the Andy Carpenter crime/legal procedural series that always manages to get us laughing out loud.

As this book begins, Andy is walking his three dogs, when one of them, his golden retriever Tara, finds a body in the snow. The murder victim turns out to be the Paterson, New Jersey Mayor Alex Oliva. A young newspaper reporter, Bobby Nash, was arrested immediately. Bobby was discovered almost dead in a car crash with his body full of drugs and the car wiped clean of prints. But more importantly to the police, Oliva’s blood was found in the car, and the mayor’s wife told the police that someone named Bobby Nash had called and threatened her husband the day before.

Everyone knew Bobby had a grudge against the Mayor. Bobby had authored a story accusing the mayor of bribery, but the pay-off checks shown to Bobby turned out to be elaborate fakes. Bobby’s career was ruined, and Oliva’s got a boost. Vince Sanders, editor of the local newspaper and friend of Andy’s, was Bobby’s mentor at the paper. He was convinced Bobby was not guilty of killing Oliva and begged Andy to represent him. Andy didn't want to take the case, but Vince argued that even if Andy didn't owe Vince anything, he could some day. . . . Besides, Vince has taken in Bobby’s puppy while Bobby is hospitalized, and Andy is always a sucker when a dog is involved.

Andy uncovers a convoluted plot of mob-related corruption and quickly becomes convinced that Bobby was framed. As he gets closer to the truth, Andy also has his life threatened. As usual, he is saved by his much braver wife Laurie and Laurie’s muscle, the always amusing, albeit taciturn Marcus. But can he save Bobby? It’s up to the jury, and the outcome is unclear until the very end.

Evaluation: My husband and I look forward to new entries in this series, which, by the way, you don’t really need to read in the order they were written. This one takes place during the Christmas season (four months long in Andy’s house, much to his chagrin), which mainly serves to allow Andy to inject many jokes about the horrors of ubiquitous Christmas music. Andy’s sarcasm and wit are unfailingly entertaining, as are his relationships with the rest of his team, which in this book also includes the “Bubeleh Team” - a group of elderly Jews who like to help hacking computer records and who bake lots of treats for Andy. (Bonus: They don't mind working on Christmas!) For a quick, diverting read that challenges you at the same time, you can’t go wrong with David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series. ( )

This series is amazing. I hesitate to say that each book is better than the last, because each book is so very well written, but the series just keeps getting better and better. Vince has played the do-a-friend-a-favor card, and Andy has a new client to defend. The prosecutor thinks this is an open-and-shut case he can’t lose. Even Andy, at first, isn’t sure of Bobby Nash’s innocence. However, the more Andy investigates the crime, the more sure he is that Bobby has been set up. He’s just not sure he can convince a jury of that fact. It’s an outstanding tale of suspense, detailing the intrigue and danger Andy goes through to defend his client. Oh, yes, there are more murders and some bombings thrown in, just to keep things interesting. Sprinkled throughout, to lighten things up a bit, is Andy’s characteristic humorous way of looking at life. And death, of course. This engrossing tale is highly recommended for mystery readers, dog lovers, as well as everyone else who does not fall into those two categories. ( )