You just have to love all of David Rosenfelt's books, all of his characters and his "tongue in cheek" sense of humor.

For me, this was absolutely a perfect book to read as an antidote to the stress and gloom of the COVID19 crisis. I had not read any of the previous Andy Carpenter novels, but I will be going back to catch up on them. I loved the self-deprecating humor, the easy writing style and the mystery itself. It was a fun read with no real violence (yes, someone dies, but no graphic details) and a truly likeable main character I felt right at home with (often not the case these days). Oh, and dogs – he loves dogs – so how much better can he be? And though it is well into the series – this is book #21 – I didn’t feel at all at a loss for not having read any previous ones. Highly recommend this.

Thanks to NetGallery, St Martin's Press and the author for an ARC of this book for me to review.

I have read many, but not all, of the Andy Carpenter books and this one may be my favorite to date. Since I am both a dog lover and a friend to several lawyers, I am always intrigued with both sides of his books. I get a kick out of Andy’s attempts to avoid taking clients and his “all in” commitment once he does. His love of dogs shines through in each book. I really couldn’t put this book down once I started it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Muzzled by David Rosenfelt. Another Hit - Andy Carpenter has to be one of the best characters in a mystery/suspense series. Funny and very clever dialog, along with a good plot, will have you guessing till the end.
Andy and his team take on a client, Alex, who appears at their animal shelter to pick up his dog. The only problem is that his soon to be client is supposed to be dead - killed with two others on a yacht that exploded. When the police zero in and arrest Alex for the murders,. Andy reluctantly takes the case - he believes the client is innocent. Mostly because he loves his dog and Andy loves dogs, but also because the case against him is shaky at best.
Andy and his team return again to find out who the killer or killers are and in the meantime, manage to engage the reader the whole way thru.
A few typos - but I give this book 5 stars - fans will like this one for sure...

This book is an awesome read. The plot grabs you at the beginning and keeps you interested throughout. It’s filled with suspense that makes it hard to put down. It can be read as a standalone, but you really don’t want to miss any of the Andy Carpenter series. They all are well written with great plots and interesting characters. There is mystery, crime, humour and best of all I love the dogs.

This one was probably closer to a 4.5 rating for me but I definitely enjoyed it enough to round it up to five stars. Number 21 in the series was the first one I've read and David Rosenfelt did such a great job of bringing in all the historical significance of the lives of the characters that I found my footing in the series quickly and easily. From general skimming of the descriptions of some of the series books I had expected that the dogs would have had more role to play in this story. So, just so I'm clear, the dogs play a large part in the lives of characters in the book, but this isn't a series about working dogs.

Andy Carpenter is trying very hard to retire from his legal practice but finds himself defending a man accused of double murder. The team Andy has surrounding himself with is substantial; some are employees of Carpenter's law firm, some are colleagues from his dog rescue organization as well as his wife, an ex-police officer, and her associates. The activities involve investigating the crime as well as courtroom scenes when Carpenter presents evidence for the defense.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and find I am thankful there are so many previous books I can read. I would have liked for Carpenter to have been a little bit less inclined to think so poorly of himself but I know that isn't going to happen because his persona is too fully established now.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for an e-galley of this novel.

I loved this book! Who doesn't love dogs and suspense, all rolled into one mesmerizing story?? It was difficult to stop reading and get some sleep for a night or two...but I'd do it again. Highly recommended.

*My thanks to the author and publisher (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. It's greatly appreciated!*

Any book that involves a dog in any way is probably one I am going to read! I have read a couple other books from David Rosenfelt and enjoyed them, so I knew I was going to say yes to this one! Rosenfelt does a great job, in my opinion, of combining mystery with humour. His books always have a crime that needs solving, some courtroom drama, a dose of humour in the writing for good measure and of course, there is always a dog! My only critique is that the dogs are not often main characters in the stories. The book is narrated by the main character Andy Carpenter and I always love his sarcasm! He is a retired lawyer who seems to always come back into the game when a dog is somehow involved in the case. In this one, Andy's friend takes in a dog who was owned by a recent murder victim. Only the guy wasn't actually murdered. He managed to escape and stayed hidden for weeks in fear that his life was still in danger. But now he calls in the hope's of getting his beloved dog back and so Andy knows immediately that there is so much more to this man's story and agrees to take the case. It was an entertaining read and the story kept me engaged. I am new to Rosenfelt's books but this is the latest in a long line of Andy Carpenter mysteries! Overall, a good book. I would continue to read more from him in the future! Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for my review copy!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

A man tries to pick up his dog, who he has been separated from. The dog is at Andy Carpenter’s rescue. A woman who reunites people with their lost dogs facilitates the reunion but she thinks the man is using an assumed name because he is the man whose yacht blew up recently and he is presumed dead. She turns out to be right. Alex, the presumed dead man is then suspected of blowing up the boat in order to kill his associates who were on board and Andy, who just wants to be retired from lawyering ends up taking the case.

Somehow I have missed reading the last several Andy Carpenter novels but I am glad I am back on track. I love Andy and his whole entourage and more importantly, I love how essential dogs are to all of his stories. This was a good quick read and a good mystery with some much needed humor. I have had 5 rescue dogs myself and I love how dog rescue is always a part of the story and I greatly respect the author and how much he has been involved in dog rescue. Looking forward to Andy’s next case.

David Rosenfelt has done it again. I adore his Andy Carpenter mystery series with its endearing and quick witted characters. His unusual twists and turns just make his books a delightful and entertaining read. His love for his dogs are just an added plus. I always look forward to his next novel I am absolutely addicted to this author.

When I realized this is book 21., I am embarrassed to say I have not heard of him before. With a good healthy balance of comedic wit and mystery. I found this one hard to put down. I was chuckling and wincing, at times on the same page, and it made me want to read more. Highly recommend this book and author, now to go back and read some of the earlier ones. Great series.

Muzzled is an entertaining and well written mystery. Love books with pets . Good plot and quirky characters. I received an arc from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

In a bad mood? Read an Andy Carpenter book. In a sad mood? Read an Andy Carpenter book. In the middle of an isolating pandemic? Definitely read an Andy Carpenter book. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face, make you laugh out loud, and delight in the irreverent and funny humor that is David Rosenfelt’s trademark. Plus the added bonus of wonderful characters, a mystery/crime to solve, and of course, the love of dogs.
Muzzled starts with a boat explosion killing the three people on board, but when a friend of Andy’s gets a call from one of the dead men asking to pick up his dog, the story begins. Is one of the three men alive, is it his dog, and what happened on that boat and why? Andy and his team of wife, friends, and Marcus become embroiled in figuring out who set the lone survivor up, and why?

Andy Carpenter is asked to defend Alex, a man who looks to be guilty of a double murder, but since Alex is devoted to his dog, Aggie, Andy agrees to take his case. Did Alex blow up a boat and kill two of his colleagues? How did the explosive residue get in his house? And why didn’t he report to the authorities after the explosion? Of course, it’s not all about the case. Andy’s description of a walk with his wife Laurie and Sebastian, a sluggish basset hound, will resonate with anyone who has ever walked a slow dog. Andy says:
“I like taking walks with Laurie, but only when Sebastian is with us. Left to her own devices, Laurie is a fast walker. She treats it as exercise, and keeping up with her makes me feel like I’m on the Bataan Death March. Sebastian is my antidote to that; he lumbers along at such a slow pace that even I have no trouble keeping up. When it comes to going from point A to point B, I’ve seen sofa beds move faster than Sebastian.” With all that’s going on in the world, I’m trying to read books that aren’t depressing. When I find one that’s got great characters, an engaging plot, humor, and dogs, that’s like winning the reading lottery, and Muzzled fits the bill perfectly. Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Andy Carpenter is unabashedly in love with dogs. Rosenfelt's entire Andy Carpenter series is devoted to Andy's experiences with dogs--taking care of them, rescuing them, or just having a life at their side. In Muzzled (Minotaur Books 2020), Book 21 in the series, Andy once again finds a good reason to be forced out of his self imposed retirement from criminal law to help a dog. A man who was supposed to be dead shows up at Andy's home for rescued dogs--the Tara Foundation--in search of his dog. He has been hiding from the thugs who tried to kill him while succeeding in killing two of his business partners, but reveals himself out of worry about his dog. When he shows up at the Tara Foundation to claim his best friend, the dog goes nuts over his lost owner. How could Andy not defend a man who is so deeply loved by his dog?

When the police arrest him for allegedly killing his business partners, the clock starts ticking. Andy must figure out who the real killers are before they murder this man and leave his dog without its best friend.

I’ve read almost every book in this series. All are told with a sense of humor that makes even serious events a bit lighter.

“Dad, can we go bungee jumping?” Ricky asked. I’ve got to be careful with my answer. He’s asking a serious question, albeit one that horrifies me. I can’t overreact, hurt his feelings, embarrass him, or appear dismissive. I need to imagine how my response will sound when he repeats it to a therapist later in life. “Are you nuts?” is what I finally come out with. It’s possible that I didn’t fulfill my previously stated criteria for a good answer."

"She always has a look of pure joy on her face when she finishes. I guess she and I have that in common. If I was crazy enough to exhaust myself by pedaling furiously to nowhere, I would also be happy when it was over."

"The only word allowed to precede the reason for calling is hello."

Most are well-paced with likable supporting characters and clever plot twists. Some aren't up to this high bar but this one is at the top. Rosenfelt devotes lots of each book to dog events (walking them, feeding, playing with them). Dogs add color and depth to his books but not in the way, say, Margaret Mizushima does in her series, Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries, about a working dog who solves crimes (see the next review, Hanging Falls). That's not good or bad, just what it is.

In the end, I couldn't put the book down, finished it in record time, always wanting to turn the page and see what happens next with the wonderful dogs.

--to be reviewed on my blog WordDreams

Muzzled opens with two murders on a yacht followed by an explosion. The boat’s owner escapes and is then arrested for the murders. You wouldn’t expect such a situation to provoke a lot of smiles, but this is author David Rosenfelt, and he manages the humor while still showing sympathy for the people involved. Indeed, sympathy is lawyer Andy Carpenter’s biggest problem. He has plenty of money and a happy life, and he really does not want to go back into the courtroom (a sentiment with which prosecutors and judges fully concur), but he can’t resist helping someone who needs him, not when that person is a dog lover.
This is the 21st book in Rosenfelt’s series about New Jersey dog lover and lawyer (in that order!) Andy Carpenter, so, of course, the big question is whether it lives up to the rest of the series. The answer is YES! All of the elements that have made the series so popular are here in force. Narrator Andy is full of the wry comments and deprecating humor that make me laugh out loud (and make my long-suffering husband wish I would read elsewhere). Andy’s quirky team, including taciturn muscleman Marcus, computer ace and accountant Sam, and, of course, his wife, retired police detective Laurie, are back at work to help Andy solve the murders, win the case, and stay alive.
Muzzled once again shows Andy’s soft heart and wry observations. On the one hand, before he goes to see his client, he tells us he will be visiting two jails that day, “ The first jail is the Passaic County Animal Shelter. While prisoners in human jails often claim to be innocent, here the inmates really are. In most cases the humans that abandoned them or carelessly let them run off are the guilty ones and should be in a cage eating cheap kibble.” On the other, there is his assessment of the jurors chosen for the trial ,”The only thing they all have in common is that they couldn’t figure out a way to get out of jury duty.”
For me, and I suspect for most of Andy’s fans, the tone of the book, with the likable characters and humor, is the outstanding feature of the series, but Rosenfelt does not neglect to provide a good solid plot to keep up your interest in between laughs. Muzzled tells a good story, as usual, including a shocking surprise near the end that made me gasp aloud.
If you are new to the series, you can enjoy this book without reading any of the others, but I would suggest you read the first book, Open and Shut, to get the background for Andy’s team and their circumstances, after which you can enjoy the books in any order.
When Rosenfelt introduced his new series, The K Team, which features Andy’s team but gives Andy himself a backseat, many of Andy’s fans were concerned that Rosenfelt was going to abandon the Andy Carpenter series. I am glad that he is following up fairly quickly with a new Andy Carpenter to let us know that is not the case. As long as there are sympathetic dog lovers in New Jersey accused of serious crime, Andy Carpenter will be coming out of retirement to defend them. Maybe the prosecutors and judges would love to muzzle Andy, but his fans love to hear about his feats.

I love this book. this is the 21st book in this series and I have loved them all. It is like visiting all friends when you read this books. Of course the dogs steal the whole show. This author always writes such good mysteries and his books flow through the whole story, not choppy like some books.. They are so full of humor that I often find myself laughing out loud.

As always David Rosenfelt's books can make your bad feelings into good feelings. Reluctant lawyer, Andy Carpenter is loving life in semi-retirement until an acquaintance in the dog rescue world calls. She claims a man, presumed dead is returning to claim his dog. If you want to know what happens next you'll need to pick up the latest in this page turning series.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for allowing me to escape the current stay at home order with this fun book to read and review!

Muzzled is #21 of this stand-up comedy/mystery/dog-related legal procedural crime series. We have not read all of them, but it’s not a problem to follow the plots no matter which book you pick up.

Andy Carpenter, the main character, is a “semi-retired” criminal defense attorney in Paterson, New Jersey who hates to work, but keeps taking on new litigation anyway, albeit reluctantly. Usually a case comes to his attention because of some involvement of a dog. Andy, who came into a lot of money from a previous win in court, prefers spending time with his dog rescue foundation to doing legal work, or any work at all, for that matter.

This book begins when a luxury boat explodes off the coast of New Jersey, shortly after a passing boat saw a dead body on the deck. The luxury boat was registered as having three passengers, all from a local pharmaceutical company. The men on board are presumed dead, but then one of them, Alex Vogel, shows up at Andy’s dog rescue foundation to claim his dog, positively identified as Alex’s by a chip. Alex told Andy he had been in hiding because he heard the two men who came on the boat, first shooting the other two passengers and then blowing it up, say they were actually looking for him; he happened to be down below when they boarded, and he was able to hide.

Andy agrees to help Alex, mainly because Alex’s dog seemed so happy to see Alex that Andy concluded Alex had to be a good person, and therefore was probably innocent. But the police aren’t so easily swayed, and they arrest Alex for the murder of his two colleagues.

As is typical in these books, more murders follow, as do implications of mob involvement, stock manipulation, and money laundering. The complications in this book weren’t as difficult for me to follow as they have been in the past, and Andy’s sense of humor is always welcome. Also typical is a resolution that isn’t happy for all involved, but seems more true to life because of it.

Evaluation: What could be more fun than Andy’s self-deprecating snarky commentary on everyone and everything? All of the author’s books in this series are quick reads and uniformly enjoyable.

Andy Carpenter is a lawyer with a sideline in rescuing stray dogs, and his client, Alex Vogel, was originally thought to have murdered in a boat explosion—that is, until he showed up under a false name to claim his beloved dog. Now he’s suspected of murdering the two others on board the boat and faking his own death. Andy, being a man of inaction, wants no part of the case, but after seeing how overjoyed Alex and the dog are to be reunited, he can’t believe Alex is a murderer and reluctantly decides to take him on as a client. Andy and his entourage investigate the crime and the real motives behind it while tangling with various mobsters and other criminals. Andy’s flippant commentary keeps the mood light even as the bodies start piling up, but when he gets into a courtroom he gets serious and seems surprisingly effective. The ending is not entirely positive, but the criminal investigation is a success. I was unfamiliar with this series, but the book worked well as a standalone. The appeal of this solid investigative team is definitely strong enough to carry them through many books.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance review copy.