Author: David Rosenfelt
Series: Andy Carpenter #21
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 304
Date of Publication: July 7, 2020
My Rating: 4 Stars
In David Rosenfelt's newest Andy Carpenter mystery, Muzzled, Andy and his beloved golden retriever, Tara, are back on the case as a favor to a friend.
Andy Carpenter is a lawyer who would rather not practice law. He'd rather spend his time working with the Tara Foundation, his dog rescue organization, and being with his family and his two dogs, Tara and Sebastian. But when a friend asks him for a favor that involves both dogs and his lawyerly expertise, he can't say no.
Andy's friend Beth has found a stray that seems to have belonged to a murder victim--in fact, the man and two of his colleagues died in an explosion a few weeks ago. But when the murdered man contacts Beth, asking for his dog back, Andy knows there must be more to the story. The man claims his life is in danger, and that's why he disappeared. As much as Andy doesn't want to get involved--anything to avoid a new case--he can't help but come to the rescue of a man who'd risk everything, even his life, to reunite with his dog.
MY THOUGHTS:
When I received the ARC of Muzzled by David Rosenfelt, as well as the books that came afterward, I went back to the very beginning with book #1, Open and Shut, and loved it so much that I binge read every single book that was available to me as of January, 2023, and so in two weeks' time I read 30 of these delightful books, and they include four books in the spinoff series, The K Team.
One thing made abundantly clear in these greatly enjoyable books are two things about Andy Carpenter - he loves dogs and he desperately wants to retire as a defense attorney. During the course of his life and career, Andy landed a settlement that has left him with millions, so he does not need to work. However, in this book of the series, when his friend Beth pleads with him to take on a case, one that involves two dogs, Andy finds that he cannot say no. In fact, if ever a dog is involved, then so is Andy.
With a wealthy man is accused of murder and even of faking his own death, Andy steps in. Those familiar with this series will of course see Andy's dogs, Tara and Sebastian, his wife Laurie and other recurring characters. This book has a homey feel - literally like you are at home among friends, no matter what crime is being investigated by Andy, Laurie and other members of his tightknit team.
Since I came into this so late, all but the newest book coming out this October were available as audiobooks, so I took that route, and was delighted that Grover Gardner has narrated each and every book so far, including the latest one I have listened to that comes out in July, Flop Dead Gorgeous.
One thing I love about the series, Andy and even the narrator, is the way the humor comes through. Andy is witty and sarcastic, although he treats his clients - and of course, his dogs and any other dogs that always seem to become a part of things - with the utmost respect.
Now, I have to talk about Tara, one of the loves of Andy's life. He is more than tethered to her and I love that. I also love the ever so lazy Sebastian, another dog of Andy's. Food and sleep is all Sebastian needs, so even going for walks is just a bit too stressful for him.
With the backstory woven in to each successive book in the series, it is not necessary to read them all or even in order, but if you are a series fanatic like me then go for it. Let me tell you, you will not be disappointed.
Many thanks to Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
I have gotten to this dubious position with absolutely no planning, and at no stage in my life could I have predicted it. But here I am.
My childhood was relentlessly normal. The middle of three brothers, loving parents, a middle-class home in Paterson, New Jersey. We played sports, studied sporadically. laughed around the dinner table, and generally had a good time. By comparison, “Ozzie and Harriet’s” clan seemed bizarre.
I graduated NYU, then decided to go into the movie business. I was stunningly brilliant at a job interview with my uncle, who was President of United Artists, and was immediately hired. It set me off on a climb up the executive ladder, culminating in my becoming President of Marketing for Tri-Star Pictures. The movie landscape is filled with the movies I buried; for every “Rambo”, “The Natural” and “Rocky”, there are countless disasters.
I did manage to find the time to marry and have two children, both of whom are doing very well, and fortunately neither have inherited my eccentricities.
A number of years ago, I left the movie marketing business, to the sustained applause of hundreds of disgruntled producers and directors. I decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote and sold a bunch of feature films, none of which ever came close to being actually filmed, and then a bunch of TV movies, some of which actually made it to the small screen. It’s safe to say that their impact on the American cultural scene has been minimal.
About fourteen years ago, my wife and I started the Tara Foundation, named in honor of the greatest Golden Retriever the world has ever known. We rescued almost 4,000 dogs, many of them Goldens, and found them loving homes. Our own home quickly became a sanctuary for those dogs that we rescued that were too old or sickly to be wanted by others. They surround me as I write this. It’s total lunacy, but it works, and they are a happy, safe group.
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