Monday, September 23, 2019

First Degree by David Rosenfelt


First Line: Opening day. Said separately, they're just two ordinary words.

You just don't expect a man to waltz into your office and confess to murder, but that's exactly what happens to lawyer Andy Carpenter shortly after a police officer's body is found burned and decapitated. What's even more shocking is the person who becomes the number one suspect: the love of Andy's life, P.I. Laurie Collins, ex-cop and well-known enemy of the dead man.

Things are looking bleak during Laurie's trial. Andy is definitely going to have to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat in order to keep the woman he loves out of prison, but if anyone can do it, Andy can.

I don't know what kept me from this series for so long; it pushes all the right buttons for me. Nice, convoluted mystery, humor, dogs, and a wonderful cast of slightly oddball characters. I may not know what kept me from this series, but I do know that I intend to savor every single one. Who knows? There may be an Andy Carpenter Week (or two) in my future.

In this second book of the series, Andy is gathering together a first-rate "family." We're introduced to the very scary Marcus, whom Rosenfelt admitted he modeled after Robert B. Parker's Hawk in his Spenser series. Willie Miller, whom Andy defended in an earlier trial, makes himself at home with Andy and Laurie, and then there's the brilliant lawyer Kevin Randall who quit practicing because he couldn't face the possibility of either sending an innocent man to prison or letting a guilty man go free. And then there's Tara, the golden retriever that only seems to leave Andy's side... for Laurie's. This is ensemble casting at its best, ready and willing to expand for characters like Barry Leiter, a young man with a short role who punches a hole straight through your gut.

I would imagine that all true dog lovers like me roll their eyes whenever a normally well-behaved dog starts barking up a storm and its human ignores all the fuss. Well, that happens in First Degree, too, and I'm hoping that Andy learns to pay attention.

First Degree has a marvelous cast, laugh-out-loud humor, and a fun mystery with plenty of twists. As I read, I knew the identity of "Mr. Big," but I certainly hadn't filled in all the particulars. Now that I've read the first two books in the series, all I can say is that I'm looking forward to book three with a definite twinkle in my eye. Haven't made Andy Carpenter's acquaintance? There's no time like the present!


First Degree by David Rosenfelt
eISBN: 9780446507516
Grand Central Publishing © 2004
eBook, 256 pages

Legal Thriller/Humorous Mystery, #2 Andy Carpenter mystery
Rating: A+
Source: Purchased from Amazon.


9 comments:

  1. This is a really charming series, Cathy. I like the wit in it, but it also has some solid plots, too. And the Andy Carpenter character is solidly crafted. Oh, and there's the whole dog thing... :-) Glad you liked this so well.

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    1. I am so glad I finally got around to reading this series. I think I have a lot of pleasurable hours ahead of me!

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  2. I love this series, one of my favorites. If I think about needing a respite from blood and gore in real life and fiction (not to mention Washington's insanity), I get an Andy Carpenter book. It is a staycation for me with these books.
    I just read Bark at Night a month ago. And just as witty as ever -- laugh outloud is right.
    I have not read this one, but I"m putting the dachshund book on reserve.

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    1. I'm fast thinking of this series as a "respite series," too. I really enjoyed meeting him at The Poisoned Pen.

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  3. He seems like a great guy from all I've read about and seen on his website and Facebook page over the years with a slew of dogs. When I saw his website before he moved to Maine and saw dogs (mostly Golden Retrievers) everywhere, even on the coffee table and all over the floor, I knew he was a kind, generous person.

    And then I read the fantastic "Dogtripping," about the trip with 25 dogs cross country to Maine (with photos) and volunteers, I knew he was a good person. The book is also full of short chapters about various dog rescues he and his spouse carried out.
    And the five dogs who sleep in their bedroom, many on their bed.

    If you haven't read that, you should. And it's funny.

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    1. As a matter of fact, Dogtripping was on sale for under $2 a week or so ago, and I didn't waste any time downloading it to my Kindle.

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  4. But are there photos? The color photos of the dogs in the hardcover are wonderful. Those dogs had first-class accommodations in the vans.

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    1. Yes, Kathy, the Kindle version does include the photos.

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  5. Good! The dogs had triple-A accommodations.

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