Andy Carpenter's new case takes place during the Christmas season. An old friend of his partner Willie Miller has been accused of murder. Andy is, as always, reluctant to take the case. He likes being a mostly retired lawyer. He doesn't need the money. But he'll do anything for a friend. He isn't so sure that Tony Birch didn't commit the murder but both Willie and Tony's rescue dog Zoey have faith in him.

Tony Birch has outgrown and outlived his gang past. He served time for involuntary manslaughter after a fight that should have been considered self-defense if two of his fellow gang members, and people he considered his friends, hadn't testified against him. Now, he's the owner of his own auto repair shop.

Tony's supposed victim is one of the men who testified against him during his manslaughter trial. Adding more fuel to the investigation is that the police found the murder weapon buried in his yard and loosely covered with a handkerchief holding Tony's DNA.

When the body of the second witness is discovered things get even grimmer. He was killed in the same manner and with the same gun as the first victim. Tony doesn't have an alibi for either of the two murders and has no idea why anyone would be trying to frame him for the crimes.

Without another suspect, Andy and his team have to dig deep into Tony's past to try to find someone who wants him convicted of the two murders. The investigations lead them into the gang landscape of New Jersey and put them in contact with Luther, the man who runs the Blood Dragons, and to the death of an eight-year-old girl who was accidentally shot during an attempted robbery which was actually Luther's gang's attempt to get payment from someone who owed him drug money.

When a number of other people who had connections to the child's death also start dying, Andy becomes more convinced that Luther is trying to clean up loose ends. And then Luther and his top lieutenants are killed too...

I really enjoyed this story. I like that it is told in the first person by Andy. I liked his sarcastic voice. I liked that he would do anything for his friends. I liked his devotion to his dog and to rescuing other dogs.

3.5 stars

In this 22nd book in the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the attorney represents an ex-convict accused of murder. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Ever since he inherited a large fortune, New Jersey defense lawyer Andy Carpenter takes very few cases. Instead, Andy devotes his time to hanging out with his wife, son, and dogs; schmoozing with his friends; helping run a canine rescue operation called 'The Tara Foundation'; watching sports; and so on.

Still, when Andy's ex-con friend Willie Miller, who helps run The Tara Foundation, implores the lawyer to defend his old cellmate Tony Birch, Andy (reluctantly) says yes. Tony Birch once belonged to a gang called the Fulton Street Boyz, and is accused of killing two former gang members who ratted him out to the cops, sending him to prison for three years.

Tony has been out of jail for six years now, running an auto repair shop, and Andy deems it unlikely the ex-con waited this long to get revenge. Moreover, Andy learns that the Fulton Street Boyz was a satellite gang of The Blood Dragons, which is led by a thug called Luther.

Andy thinks Luther may have killed the dead Fulton Street Boyz and framed Tony. Things get even more complicated when additional bodies turn up, all of them connected to gang activity is some fashion.

Once Andy gets the Tony Birch case, he prepares his team to defend the ex-con. Andy's crew includes a new hire, attorney Eddie Dowd, who's a former football player; secretary Edna - who does no work; and computer genius Sam Willis - who can hack anything.

Andy is also assisted by his wife Laurie, an ex-cop who runs a detective agency. Laurie's partners are Marcus Clark - the scariest man on Earth; Corey Douglas - a former cop; and Simon Garfunkel - Corey's ex K-9 partner.

All this takes place during the Christmas season, which - in Laurie's eyes - lasts four months. This means four months of Christmas decorations and Christmas music, which is a tad too much for Andy. Andy observes, "It doesn't take me long to get sick of Bing Crosby telling me that Santa knows when I've been sleeping and when I'm awake."

Andy's a good husband, father, and doggy-daddy, and he's very attentive to the family pooches Tara and Sebastian. In this book Andy also helps care for Tony's dog Zooey, who's staying at the Tara Foundation while her owner is in the clink awaiting trial.

Part of the charm of the Andy Carpenter books is the humor, and new character, attorney Eddie Dowd - who loves sports expressions, adds to the fun. Eddie is replacing Andy's old partner Hike, who's moving away, and Eddie says, "I'd just like to say that it's a pleasure to pinch-hit for Hike, and as long as I'm in the lineup, I'll give a hundred and ten percent." Eddie also talks about legal matters in terms of spiking balls, the end zone, making a play, a slam dunk, and so on.

Andy can follow the baseball, football and basketball allusions, but says "If [Eddie] starts making cricket or badminton references, I'm going to be lost."

Andy's snarky humor permeates the story, including the courtroom scenes, and the book provides a lot of laughs. For instance, Andy has to chitchat in one scene and he remarks, "I'm forced into make conversation mode. It is not my favorite mode; 'cherry pie à la' is my favorite mode."

This is a fun cozy that would appeal to fans of the genre.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (David Rosenfelt), and the publisher (Minotaur Books) for a copy of the book.

The always-entertaining Andy Carpenter strikes again!
The last thing wanna-be-retired lawyer Andy Carpenter wants is a new client, but when his good friend Willie Miller asks him to defend Tony Birch, a former cellmate of Willie’s who has been charged with murder, Andy knows that friendship trumps his desire not to work. And when he finds out that Tony’s rescue dog Zoey is sitting at Willie’s missing Tony, he knows he has to do his best to reunite them.
What can you say about the 22nd installment of a series that I and many others have thoroughly enjoyed since book 1? Fortunately, I can say that narrator Andy is still at the top of his game, both legally and with his wry commentary on human nature, including himself, about whom he comments “I’ve never been big on self-introspection, or even self-awareness. I don’t even take selfies. Pretty much the only self I can identify with is selfish.” The law profession does not escape his wit either: “Willie has a way of making everything simple; he would have flunked out of law school.”
As usual, Andy has his usual supporting cast to help him out, including a new fellow attorney, Eddie Dow, a retired pro football player, to replace Hike, who has fallen in love and moved to South Carolina. Eddie has left the game but not the vocabulary, and he spices up the discussions with football jargon.
Andy may be both a reluctant and skeptical lawyer, but he is committed to his client, and he turns in his usual stellar performance in the courtroom, all the while annoying the heck out of the judge and opposing counsel.
My only very mild disappointment with the book was the relatively low presence of the dog theme other than Tony’s connection with Zoey and Tara’s and Sebastian’s companionship with Andy .
If you have not read other books in the series , you can enjoy Silent Bite anyway, but I highly recommend you read the first book, Open and Shut first, to get the backstory, after which you can enjoy them in any order. There is not a bad one in the bunch, and I am confident you will want to read them all.
Despite the Christmas-themed title, Silent Bite does not involve holiday celebrations, but I am sure it will be on many Christmas lists!

Once again, Andy is not allowed to retire after Willie asks him to help out a friend accused of murder. As the body count mounts, Andy is clutching at straws to save his client. As always, he is full of wise cracks as he fights to save the day.

I am an Andy Carpenter fan. This is #22 in the series and #16 for me.
I believe this just might be my favorite… I am like Laurie; I go a bit nutty with Christmas!
Much to my delight there is usually an Andy Christmas novel. If anyone else is like me, you may want to read: “Deck the Hounds”, “Twelve Dogs of Christmas”, and/or “Dachshund through the Snow”.

I just love this series. Andy always has me laughing out-loud ~ I do enjoy his wit.
This is my second Andy Kindle e-book. Typically I get the audio as narrator Grover Gardner IS Andy Carpenter! In fact, as I am reading this I can hear Mr. Gardner’s deadpan voice.

I enjoy courtroom drama ~ Andy always has a twist ~ kind of a wait for it ~ as I know it is coming.

Yes! this series follows a formula and only strays a little. In this case, the ending is a bit different but I like it!

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eGalley of this book. This file has been made available to be before publication in an early form for professional review purposes. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 13, 2020.

I am reviewing this for the Autumn issue of Mystery Scene Magazine and you will have to read it on their web page or print issue in Mid October

When I get my mitts on the annual “Carpenter Christmas” book, I immediately check the date. As of today, there are about 100 shopping days until Dec. 24th. That’s the day I actually buy gifts (which pretty much explains some of my choices).

These are the only holiday themed books I regularly read, partly because I empathize with Andy. Like him, I tire of Xmas carols early, though thankfully no one in my house starts playing them in July (looking at you, Laurie…). But this book marks a couple of changes to the long running series which I’ll get to.

What hasn’t changed is Andy’s dream of retirement. Yeah, not happening. Once again his quest for permanent slackerdom is thwarted & this year it’s Willie’s fault.

Tony Birch once shared a prison cell with Willie but since being released 3 years ago, he’s opened his own garage & led an exemplary life. So when the body of an estranged childhood friend is found, it’s a bit of a shock when police arrest & charge Tony with murder. Ditto after the second body pops up. Tony has no idea what’s going on.…he just knows he needs that Carpenter guy who freed his friend.

Andy can’t say no to Willie so the case is a go & the digging begins. Turns out there’s actually a silver lining to working through the holidays…..they rarely play Xmas carols in jail or the court room.

With Andy comes the rest of the team plus Laurie’s partners Marcus, Corey & Simon the Wonder Dog. At this point, I won’t mention the rest because there’s been a change to the starting line-up. Yup, one of the old (ir)regulars has moved on & been replaced. And no, I’m not telling.

Which brings me to the second change. This series has always been known for its humour & much of that was due to the MC being a smart-ass. It’s a hard act to maintain without it becoming “schtick” & maybe that’s why the author has dialled it down in this outing. There’s still plenty to make you smile but it’s the investigation/mystery that takes centre stage & it’s a cracker.

In alternate chapters, we’re privy to some nefarious stuff going on in the background but even then, I bet you’ll have trouble spotting the person behind it all. If you’re read previous books, you know it’s like spending time with old friends….albeit somewhere people around you expire at an alarming rate.

Anyhoo, it makes for an effortless read that keeps you on your toes. An intricate mystery, great characters & a herd of dogs….pretty much all you need.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Silent Bite by David Rosenfelt. Andy Carpenter is at it again. He's out of retirement - this time as a favor for his best friend, Willie Miller,
One of Willie's friends from his jail house times is again accused of a crime and Willie says he didn't do it - and that's good enough for Andy (eventually). Andy loves to be in retirement.
Rosenfelt once again keeps humor and a great story to keep you highly involved in the plot. Returning cast of characters and a mystery are the ingredients to another success.
Loved this one - 5 stars.

Of you're a fan of intricate crimes, a team who back each other up with their various talents (including a very strong man who mumbles) a self-deprecating 'retired' lawyer and many wonderful dogs you must read this. A new addition to the team is an ex-football player who may or may not drive Alex crazy with his sports analogies. If course Vince & Pete are there to eat and drink free as usual.
The wry humor is always spot on and intelligent. The story weaves seamlessly. Stick with this author and you'll never go wrong
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Andy and the gang are back to solve another case, but Hike decides to stay in North Carolina and a new team member is brought in, Eddie Dowd.

Merry Christmas. Happy holidays. Seasons Greetings. Andy Carpenter. These are terms readers have come to identify with the Christmas season. Thankfully, for us, David Rosenfelt is the Santa Claus of writers and gifts us with another new book for the holidays. Rosenfelt doesn't disappoint with the latest entry in his delightful series. His main character still excels in badinage (which never fails to produce literal laugh out loud moments). There are thrills and plenty of nefarious activities to keep the reader eagerly turning the page. The characters we've come to know and love are back. However, this time we get the added bonus of a new member to the team. The Christmas season seems to begin earlier and earlier with each passing year, but it's never too soon to enjoy a seasonal treat from David Rosenfelt. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy.

This series by David Rosenfelt is one of my favorites. Dogs and mysteries...what more do you need? This book is another hit....kept me guessing to the end as usual! Highly recommend!

I wish to express a big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy of Silent Bite. I am always delighted to read a new book in the Andy Carpenter series. It is hard to believe that this is book number 22 as the author always manages to keep his plots fresh and different.

It is hard to resist the beautiful dogs pictured on every book cover. The dogs may only play a minor role in the plots, but their presence earns them their place on the eye-catching covers. Although humorous, these books contain serious, complex criminal cases and interesting courtroom drama. These are excellent, intricately plotted crime thrillers with complicated, well- constructed and believable stories.

These books have contained mob violence, drug trafficking, smuggling, gang-related killings, terrorism, and international conspiracies. Silent Night keeps up with the previous despicable crimes.

Andy Carpenter, a semiretired defence attorney is an enjoyable protagonist and narrator. He has a witty, sardonic sense of humour that is displayed in his sarcastic thoughts and retorts. Being independently wealthy, he only accepts cases where a dog is somehow involved. The cases centre around difficult and dangerous investigations involving Andy, his wife (a former police officer), and friends with various skills. Andy's talents as a defence attorney arguing in seemingly impossible cases always add suspense.

In Silent Night, his client is an innocent man in prison for two murders. He has been previously incarcerated, and evidence against him keeps piling up. He does have a cute dog that is being cared for by Andy's Dog Rescue foundation while its master is in prison.

Andy feels he may have been set up by a mob boss who runs a gang involved in drug sales, sex trafficking, and business protection fees. Soon there are 13 more murders. What is going on? How does all the mayhem and murder relate to his client? Is there a gang war? There is a big twist in the story when Andy is almost shot. At this time the killer and the motive are revealed. I did not anticipate this surprise ending.

The author, David Rosenfelt, actually runs a dog rescue foundation responsible for 4,000 rescues. He is presently the owner of 27 dogs.

law-enforcement, lawyers, murder, murder-investigation, snark-fest, family-dynamics, friendship, private-investigators, gangsters, situational-humor, verbal-humor

No way this could be an unbiased review. I love Andy Carpenter's world with all the dogs, the complicated interesting characters, the excellent plots, and, in these days of a virus, the snarkiness and all the laughs. Andy Carpenter is the snarkiest un lawyer you'll ever meet. His greatest fans are dogs, his wife(a private investigator and former homicide lieutenant with lots of connections), and his son. Andy is a defense lawyer who (sort of) picks his cases, hates going to court, and always wins for the good guys (his clients). This time his partner in dog rescue asks him to defend a friend he met in prison (see books 1 and 2). It's a case of murder and soon becomes a lot more than that. Lots of sleuthing combined with humor and suspense. Another winner in my book!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

The latest in the Andy Carpenter series and a good read for fans of David Rosenfelt. The one disappointing thing about the book is that even though it sells itself as a “ holiday mystery”, there is no real holiday spirit to it. Nonetheless, it has Rosenfelt’s humor and quick wit and it keeps you guessing til the end.

Another wonderful story in the Andy Carpenter series. Each book in this series is full of humor and wonderful characters. Of course The dogs just really make this series special. Highly recommended

Books in the Andy Carpenter series are always wonderful, guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, with a cast of characters cant help but love. Especially the four legged ones.
Andy Carpenter is a semi retired lawyer who doesn’t need or want to work and take on any new cases. He’s most happy with his family, walking his dogs, and helping with the dog foundation he started with a friend. But somehow or other he’s always sucked into a murder case as the defense lawyer. Which then means he has to assemble his diverse and memorable team to find the real murderer. In this instance his friend Willy asks him to help a man who’s accused of two murders and the evidence against him is overwhelming.
A great mystery that’s enjoyable to read, but it’s the wit and sarcasm that is Andy Carpenter which makes this series especially fun to read. No one does irreverence like David Rosenfelt, and I so dearly love his sense of humor.