Barb's Book Reviews: Review of "Play Dead: An Andy Carpenter Mystery" by David Rosenfelt

Friday, April 19, 2024

Review of "Play Dead: An Andy Carpenter Mystery" by David Rosenfelt

In this 6th book in the humorous 'Andy Carpenter' series, the Paterson, New Jersey defense attorney tries to get a new trial for a man convicted of murder.

*****

Ever since he inherited a large fortune, defense lawyer Andy Carpenter takes very few cases.

Instead, Andy likes to hang out with his golden retriever Tara; watch sports; schmooze with his friends; help run a canine rescue operation called 'The Tara Foundation'; and so on. Andy would normally hang out with his girlfriend Laurie as well, but she's taken a job as Police Chief in a Wisconsin town, so they have a long distance romance at present....with visits back and forth.

As the book opens, Andy rescues a golden retriever named 'Yogi', who's headed for euthanasia. Turns out Yogi is really a dog named Reggie, who supposedly died five years ago. Half a decade ago Reggie's owner, a man named Richard Evans, was convicted of murdering his girlfriend Stacy, and getting rid of Reggie at the same time.

Now that Reggie has been found alive, it changes the whole equation, and Andy is hired to try to get Richard Evans a new trial. It's apparent some person (or persons) don't want this to happen, because there are immediate attempts to kill Andy, and when that doesn't work, shenanigans to derail the new trial.

The Andy Carpenter books are very formulaic, and we get the usual humorous quips and sarcasm from Andy;

Andy being protected by the toughest hombre in the world, Marcus Clark;

Andy schmoozing with his friends, newspaper editor Vince Sanders and Homicide Captain Pete Stanton, at Charlie's Sports Bar;

Andy's accountant/computer hacker Sam Willis (illicitly) sniffing out all sorts of important information;

Andy's secretary Edna goofing off; and so on.

The plot is typically convoluted, and involves New Jersey's biggest crime boss; military personnel that perished in the Middle East war; money laundering; several homicides; Andy asking for favors from Pete and Vince; and on. The usual for an Andy Carpenter book.

This isn't the strongest novel in the series, but it's all good fun.

Rating: 3 stars

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Barb's Book Reviews

Friday, April 19, 2024

Review of "Play Dead: An Andy Carpenter Mystery" by David Rosenfelt

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