Review of "Sudden Death: An Andy Carpenter Mystery" by David Rosenfelt

In this 4th book in the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the Paterson, New Jersey criminal defense lawyer represents a professional football player.

*****

Since Andy Carpenter inherited twenty-two million dollars from his father, he doesn't NEED to work. But Andy hasn't had a case in three months, and is itching to get back in the courtroom.



A possible case comes up when Paterson, New Jersey Homicide Captain Pete Stanton summons Andy to the home of Kenny Schilling - a star running back for the New York Giants.



Kenny is holding off the police with a gun, INSISTING on speaking to Andy. Kenny says he found the bloody corpse of Tony Preston - a wide receiver for the New York Jets - in his bedroom closet, but Kenny contends he didn't kill the man, and has no idea how the body got into his house.



Kenny says he panicked when the cops showed up, and he needs a good lawyer. Andy is skeptical at first, but comes to believe Kenny was framed, and agrees to defend the running back.



Andy's team includes his investigator and girlfriend - former cop Laurie Collins;



law associate Kevin Randall;



Marcus Clark - the toughest guy on the planet, who watches Andy's back and squeezes information out of bad guys when needed;



Sam Willis - an accountant and computer hacker extraordinaire.



Andy's secretary Edna - a crossword puzzle aficionado, who goofs off more than she works;



and Adam Strickland - a Hollywood screenwriter who's helping with this case for a screenplay he's writing.



Laurie discovers that the victim, Tony Preston, was using AND dealing drugs, and Andy decides to work up a SODDI (some other dude did it) defense - the idea being that a drug kingpin called Cesar Quintana had Tony killed. The drug lord doesn't appreciate the attention Andy's stirring up, and sends goons to Andy's house, so it's a good thing Marcus is on the job.



Things get even more complicated when Andy's team learns that young football players across the country have been dying unexpectedly, from sudden heart attacks and road accidents. Can this be related to the murder of Tony Preston?



Andy is well-known for throwing everything plus the kitchen sink into his defense maneuvers, and prosecutor Dylan Campbell - who's no slouch himself - resists and objects with all his might.



Among the highlights of the Andy Carpenter series are Andy's quips, jokes, and sarcastic comments.



For example, when prosecutor Dylan Campbell drags his feet providing discovery, Andy tells the judge: "There is the matter of discovery your honor. We've discovered that the prosecutor does not seem to believe in it. They have not turned over a single document to us." Campbell explains the weekend got in the way of turning over the material, and Andy jibes, "Since I had no evidence to examine your honor, I spent some time over the weekend looking at the rules of discovery, and it quite clearly states that the prosecution must turn over documents as they receive them, even if God forbid, it interferes with their weekend. I might add that they were able to find the time during that same weekend to provide information to the media. Perhaps if I had a press pass I would have a better chance of getting the information the discovery statute requires." Of course, Andy prevails, infuriating Campbell in the process.

Another fun anecdote revolves around Detective Pete Stanton, who's a close friend of Andy's. Pete offers to pass on some information about the case over dinner, and Andy observes: "Since I've inherited my fortune, Pete's goal is to make me poor again. He does this by selecting the most overpriced restaurants he can find and then stuffing himself to the point where he has to be lifted out of his chair with a crane while I pick up the tab.....it would be cheaper to bribe the jury."



As always in this series, there are plenty of courtroom scenes, with Andy demonstrating his knack for cross-examining witnesses and throwing the prosecutor off his game. 😊



In the midst of all this, Andy is dealing with a personal issue. His girlfriend Laurie is thinking of moving back to her hometown in Wisconsin, where she has a good chance of becoming police chief. This puts Andy on the horns of a dilemma. Does he go to Wisconsin with Laurie? Does he convince Laurie to stay in New Jersey? Only time will tell.



The tale has plenty of twists and surprises, and armchair detectives will be challenged to identify the killer. For me, the book has too much chitchat about Andy and Laurie's love life, but this is an entertaining addition to the series, recommended to fans of Andy Carpenter and humorous mysteries.

 Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live" by Susan Morrison

Lorne Michaels (b. 1944) is a Canadian and American television writer and film producer. He's probably best known for creating and producing Saturday Night Live (SNL), which has been on the air from 1975 to the present.


Lorne Michaels

This biography of Michaels toggles back and forth between Lorne's life and career, and the step-by-step preparations for the SNL episode that aired on November 3, 2018 - with host Jonah Hill and music guest Maggie Rogers.


Jonah Hill


Maggie Rogers

As always, the Writers' Meeting for the Hill-hosted show took place on the Monday before - October 29, 2018 - at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where SNL is based. The Writers' Meeting is where writers pitch ideas for sketches, and the following six days - during which the skits are tested and rewritten and rehearsed and winnowed - culminates in a live broadcast on Saturday night at 11:30, before a worldwide audience of millions. Preparations for the November 3 episode, under the eagle eye of Lorne Michaels, are described in great detail, and should interest fans of the show.


Original Cast of SNL. Not Ready for Prime Time Players: John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Dan Aykroyd, and Gilda Radnor

It seems like Lorne Michaels was destined for show business from the get-go. The SNL creator was born Lorne Lipowitz in Toronto, Canada, to parents Florence and Henry Lipowitz. The Lipowitz family loved the entertainment industry, and they would watch movies and TV shows, and talk about the actors and actresses. Lorne daydreamed about acting, writing, and directing, and he put on musicals in summer camp, wrote funny items for his high school newspaper, contributed comedy sketches to the school's 'Frolics', acted in school shows, etc.


Young Lorne Michaels

Teenage Lorne's friend (and later his first wife) Rosie Shuster was the daughter of comedian Frank Shuster, and Frank taught Lorne the fundamentals of television production.


Lorne Michaels' first wife Rosie Shuster


Frank Shuster

Lorne also steeped himself in culture: Victorian novels, Romantic poets, Shakespeare, newspapers, plays, comedy revues, comedy recordings, etc. Lorne and a friend would also take the bus to New York to sit in studio audiences and meet people working in the industry.

At the University of Toronto Lorne majored in English, and co-wrote and directed the University College Follies, a well-regarded theatrical revue. 'Lorne had organizational skills, a grip on the technical aspects of mounting a show, a knack for spotting talent, and a temperament that allowed people to flourish creatively.' Lorne was honing the talents he'd later need for SNL.

After college, Lorne spent time in Europe, especially London, then returned to Canada in 1966, determined to succeed in the entertainment industry. Lorne and his friend Earl Pomerantz formed a comedy team called Lipowitz and Pomerantz, and performed in local clubs and on radio and television shows.


Lipowitz and Pomerantz Comedy Team (Lorne Michaels and Earl Pomerantz)

Along the way, Lorne changed his name to Lorne Michaels and married Rosie Shuster - who was also a comedy writer. Lorne had originally planned to stay in Canada, but went to Los Angeles at the age of 24, to write for 'The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show'. Going on to write for 'Laugh-In', and with his knack for fraternizing, Lorne met all the right people: talent agent Bernie Brillstein; variety TV eminence Bob Finkel; sitcom writer Bob Schiller; producer George Schlatter; and more.

Lorne soon moved on to other aspects of show business, cultivating his skills. One of Lorne's triumphs is a hilarious skit on 'The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour' called 'The Puck Crisis'. This is a mockumentary about an invasive species that spread Dutch Puck Disease, which devastated the crops of Canada's hockey puck farmers. "Over grim footage of lab-coated scientists examining shriveled pucks drooping from branches, a dead-serious voiceover explains the blight's origins: puck pests, or puctococci, were accidently carried over on the sticks of a touring Dutch hockey team." This skit - and numerous others - stood Lorne in good stead as he pursued future endeavors.


SNL cast member Gilda Radner challenges the show's guest, professional football player Fran Tarkenton, to an arm wrestling competition on set


Will Ferrell on SNL

Lorne's ascent up the entertainment industry ladder is thoroughly documented by author Susan Morrison. Starting early on, Lorne worked with talents like Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Teri Garr, Candace Bergen, Neil Young, James Taylor, Garrett Morris, Albert Brooks, Lili Tomlin, Buck Henry, Richard Pryor, Molly Shannon, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Pete Davidson, Norm Macdonald, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon, and on and on - creating many symbiotic relationships with show business folk. Lorne also became close friends with famous people like Paul Simon, Mick Jagger, and Paul McCartney, which added to his glittery image.


Paul McCartney and Lorne Michaels


George Carlin on SNL


Eddie Murphy on SNL


SNL cast members Bill Murray, John Belushi, Garrett Morris, and Steve Martin are seen hanging out backstage on set


Kristen Wiig, Tina Fey, and Bill Hader on SNL


Chris Farley on SNL

On the subject of SNL, the book covers every aspect of the show, from conception, to creation, to birth pangs, to success, to Lorne leaving for five years, to good and bad shows, to sketches, to political philosophy, to budgets, to drug dealers on the set, to awards, to Lorne's management style, to props, to everything else you can think of. If you're interested in the people connected with SNL - producers, directors, writers, assistants, actors, actresses, comics, mimics, musicians, guest hosts, costume designers, supporters, detractors, critics, what have you - this is the book for you.


The control room for SNL in the late '70s was just as busy of a place as it is today, as the show has been live since its inception


Dennis Miller, Dana Carvey, and Tom Hanks on SNL


Joe Piscopo appears in a sketch impersonating David Letterman. As the comedian looks in the camera, his cue cards can be seen in the wings


Kenan Thompson on SNL

SNL has been on the air for half a century, and is the parent of a huge 'family'. Morrison writes, "When graduates of the show reunite for anniversaries, they feel a kinship across the decades. They are an elite tribe, like astronauts." And producer/comedian Paula Pell remarked, "It's like Lorne had a hundred children with nine wives. It blows your mind, the amount of connective tissue he's created in the world of comedy."


Paula Pell


Steve Martin joins magician Harry Anderson at a cast party after the show in the early '80s. To this day, the cast still gathers for an after-party following each episode


Candice Bergen practices her opening monologue during rehearsal for an episode in which she was the host. She was the first woman to host SNL and did so five times between 1975 to 1990

Part of Lorne's legacy includes show business ventures beyond SNL, and Morrison writes about these as well. The author also discusses Lorne's personal life: his mother, father, extended family, wives (Rosie Shuster, Susan Forristal, and Anne Barry), friends, lifestyle, homes, favorite restaurants, vacations, parties, gift-giving (Lorne has a knack for thoughtful presents), and so on. (Note: Lorne and Alice Barry have three children, Sophie, Henry, and Edward)


Lorne Michaels' second wife Susan Forristal


Lorne Michaels and his third wife Alice Barry


Lorne Michaels with his children Sophie, Henry, Edward

Morrison did an enormous amount of research for this 600+ page biography, which tells us a lot about Lorne Michaels. It would seem Lorne's most important legacy is the 'healing laughter' provided by SNL, which can draw a smile, and help us go on, even after a disaster or bad news.

It feels like every famous person in the modern western world is mentioned in this book, which I'd recommend to readers interested in the entertainment industry, especially fans of SNL.

Thanks to Netgalley, Susan Morrison, and Random House for a copy of the book.

Rating: 4.5 stars