3.5 stars

This fun series is a spin-off of David Rosenfelt's humorous 'Andy Carpenter' mystery books, set in Paterson, New Jersey. Andy is a criminal defense lawyer who's assisted by a team of private investigators called 'The K Team.' In this second K Team novel, one of the private detectives is accused of murder. The book works fine as a standalone.

*****

Andy Carpenter's wife Laurie, an ex-cop, was his law firm's private investigator until she joined the K Team, which now does Andy's detective work. The members of the K Team are Laurie; Corey Douglas, a retired cop, and his dog Simon Garfunkel, a K-9 German shepherd who worked with Corey at the Paterson Police Department; and Marcus Clark - the toughest, scariest guy on the planet.The K Team is also assisted by Andy's accountant/computer hacker Sam Willis, who often uses 'extra-legal' means to get information.

As the story opens a woman named Lisa Yates is shot in the street. Former cop Corey Douglas feels guilty about Lisa's death because he thinks he let her down. As a Paterson, NJ police officer, Corey had investigated a domestic violence report at Lisa's house. Corey was sure Lisa's boyfriend Gerald Kline hit her, but Lisa refused to press charges. Thus, other than threatening Kline, Corey was helpless to assist the injured woman.

Now that Lisa is dead, Corey is sure Kline killed her. When the police can't find evidence against Kline, Corey and the K Team decide to investigate themselves. Before long Kline is murdered as well, and Corey - who was known to have an animus towards the man - is arrested for murder. Andy becomes Corey's defense attorney, and the K Team turns its energy toward finding the real killer.

The squad believes the same person killed Lisa and Kline, and looks for connections between the two victims. The investigators learn that Lisa did data entry work at Ardmore Medical Services, which stores medical records for use by doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, etc. And Kline was a headhunter for medical service agencies and gave seminars about working in the medical services industry.

Thus medical services seems like a common factor in the murders, and the detectives hone in on and interview executives and employees of Ardmore Medical Services. This alarms the CEO of Ardmore (not a spoiler), .and leads to additional murders, including an attempt on Corey's life.

The Paterson police and the district attorney don't believe the ongoing crime spree is connected to Kline's killing, and Corey's murder trial is put on the fast track. This chagrins and frustrates the K Team, whose investigation keeps running into dead ends.....almost like someone is manipulating them.

Rosenfelt's mysteries follow a pattern, and the reader can expect amusing banter among the characters, a huge conspiracy perpetrated by the evildoers, a trial scene where Andy shows his cleverness and mettle, and fun scenes with the dogs - including Corey's German shepherd Simon Garfunkel, and the Carpenters' golden retriever Tara and basset hound Sebastian.

The book's fun continues into the acknowledgements, where Rosenfelt thanks the many people who (allegedly) helped with his writing career. You'll probably recognize some of the names. 😃

I enjoyed this cozy mystery, and recommend it to fans of the genre.

Thanks to Netgalley, David Rosenfelt, and Minotaur books for a copy of the book.

Fantastic. Even the acknowledgements are hilarious. Can't say the story is funny, although it does have its moments of comic relief. It did keep me guessing and I was wrong, of course. The guilty parties seem obvious, but there is so much more to the tale. Speaking of tails, Simon comes to the rescue as needed. I am eager to read the further adventures of the K Team. Thanks to the publisher for providing a copy via NetGalley.

I loved it! Much tighter story line than the last one, Andy Carpenter was involved, and I think his character is important for the character interplay. So much better with him in the story.

Animal Instinct is the second book in the K Team series by David Rosenfelt. I enjoyed reading his Andy Carpenter Mysteries, and I was happy to see some of the main characters from that series are also in these spinoff books. This works well as a standalone.

I have been happy to have books in this series to read. I like the characters—it’s an interesting mix, and the plot is tangled enough that I didn’t have a clue who was behind the murders until the end; although, it really made sense when they were revealed. By the end of the book, everything was neatly wrapped up.

This is a series I will enjoy reading, and I’m looking forward to the next book.

Corey Douglas and his K-9 companion Simon Garfunkel are both retired police officers. They have moved on to be part of an investigative team working in the private sector, often for attorney Andy Carpenter.

When Corey learns that Lisa Yates has been killed, he is brought back to a case that he wasn't happy about. Corey was called to a domestic situation between Lisa and her live-in boyfriend Gerald Kline but, when Lisa wouldn't accuse Gerald even though he obviously hit her, Corey's hands were tied. Now, for his own piece of mind, he decides to look into what first appears to be a drive-by shooting. Corey's sure that Gerald had something to do with it.

Corey is assisted by the rest of the K Team - Laurie Carpenter and Marcus Clark with assists by Andy Carpenter, Sam Willis, and Simon Garfunkel. Corey is surprised to be called to Gerald's home one evening for what he is told is evidence. When he arrives, Gerald is dead. Corey calls the police but a couple of days later he is arrested for the murder. Someone has built a really nice frame right around Corey including blood spattered track clothes.

Andy is drafted by Laurie to take Corey's case and the whole team tries to find out what is going on...because the bodies just keep piling up.

I liked that the story was from Corey's point of view because he is quite a character. I liked the twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing almost to the final page.

Fans of the Andy Carpenter mysteries will enjoy this series too. They have the same wit, quirky characters, and interesting plots that the other series has.

David Rosenfelt allows guarantees a good read. This book is no exception. This time round the K Team investigate a mysterious death that involves one of their own. Fortunately, Andy Carpenter is available to save the day! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Corey Douglas and his German Shepherd (Simon) are retired police officers who have formed a team with another retired cop, Laurie and an investigator, Marcus. They call themselves the K-Team. In this second book in David Rosenfelt’s new series, the K-Team becomes involved in an unsolved murder. This is a murder that Corey takes personally. When he was still on the force the victim was involved in a domestic dispute but Corey was unable to protect her. Now he’s convinced that her abusive boyfriend is guilty of her murder and the K-Team is determined to help him find the truth.

Several of the characters in this new series are familiar to anyone who has read Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series and, indeed, Andy does make some brief appearances. The Rosenfelt humor is still present, as is the comradery that exists between these friends. Animal Instinct is an enjoyable read, with a good plot and great characters. Mr Rosenfelt has stepped up to the plate with a new and entertaining series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

I enjoyed this second book in the K Team series more than the first, as it seems to be hitting its mark and settling in. Of course in my opinion, any David Rosenfelt book is a good one. I like his style of writing, his cast of characters, and the joy I always find reading his books, despite the subject.

Retired cop-turned-private-investigator Corey Douglas is a man with a conscience. When he learns that a woman he had been unable to help when he was on the beat has been murdered he feels somehow guilty and calls his K Team of investigators together to try to bring her justice. Corey never expects the investigation will lead to him being jailed.
The K Team is a colorful crew that got started assisting New Jersey attorney Andy Carpenter in his more difficult cases before branching out on their own. Its name honors Corey’s former K-9 partner, German shepherd Simon Garfunkel, who is a member of the team and shows up a little more in this book than in the previous one. The other members are retired cop Laurie Carpenter, who is Andy’s wife, and taciturn “muscle” Marcus Clark. As Corey says, between them, he and Laurie probably know every cop in New Jersey. Marcus, on the other hand, has good connections with the other side of the law. Occasional help, legal and maybe a bit illegal, is provided by Sam Willis, an accountant and tech whiz. In this book, the team, as well as the K Team series, hits its stride.
David Rosenfelt can be counted on to deliver a good story with interesting characters, but what makes his books so popular is almost certainly the humor (well, and also the dogs!). Narrator Corey Douglas has the same wry-but-not-mean New Jersey sense of humor as Andy Carpenter, and it is especially fun when Corey and Andy have a conversation. You gotta love a book where even the Acknowledgment section at the end makes you laugh!
One of the popular features of the Andy Carpenter series that was missing in the first book in this series is the dramatic and entertaining trial episode, and I was delighted to see it is back in Animal Instincts. Andy’s style may be a bane to the opposing attorneys and to the judges, but it is a delight for the reader. A good example is when the prosecutor objects to evidence Andy wants to introduce and says he wants some time to look at applicable New Jersey law. Andy says, “I would have hoped the prosecution …would have been familiar with New Jersey law. The defense should not be delayed in the search for truth because the prosecution is uninformed.” The opposition responds, “That is outrageous, Your Honor.” “Which part?”, Andy asks. “You just admitted you were uninformed. I was supporting your position.”
You can enjoy this book without reading The K Team, but you may as well start there, because you will want to go back and read it. Better yet, read the whole Andy Carpenter series, too, and get to know the whole crew better.
I received an advance review copy of Animal Instinct from the publisher and Netgalley.

Saddle up you’re in for a twisting ride. With a plot that goes from 1 simple opening of a cold case to connections to suspects and victims seemingly separate yet ultimately intertwined. Marcus makes his welcome appearance forever silent yet one of the gang.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Good to know that most of the easy reading crime or legal investigation thrillers in the Andy Carpenter ilk are alive and well in Rosenfelt’s new K Team’s series. All the favorite characters are there, including Andy Carpenter. This series is all about Corey Douglas and his also retired K-9 partner, Simon Garfunkel.

In this episode, Corey is made aware of the death of a domestic violence he responded to when he was still on the force—and has had a guilty conscience since that he couldn’t do more. He’s positive it was Lisa Yates then partner who killed her. But confronting him only lands him in jail on trumped up charges of murder.

It’s an Andy Carpenter spin-off. You know the DV can’t be so simple. And, no, it isn’t and the more his own K team and then Andy Carpenter investigates, the more complex it becomes.

Before either Corey or Andy can get to the bottom of the complicated narrative, they land in court—one of my favorite parts of these novels—the courtroom scenes.

I’m surprised that this novel actually goes to verdict before the entire stratagem is exposed in the conclusion.
Still, I had to laugh at the writer who couldn’t stand not including his usual level of hilarity throughout the book and waited to expose it in his acknowledgements.

I read Book 1, The K Team and enjoyed; thought it just a little reserved, looking for its own separate foundation on which to build. Book 2 is a successful sophomore entry, firmly establishing the series, and can be read as a standalone. 4.5 stars

Thank you Negalley for the opportunity to preview Animal Instinct by David Rosenfelt. This is a relatively new series but features the engaging Andy Carpenter. This series is just as good, features some of the regular characters including Laurie, Marcus, and much more.
Fans of will enjoy this book and won't be disappointed. Rosenfelt's sense of humor is just so good. I laugh out loud everytime i read one of his books.

Really entertaining!

I am a huge fan of the David Rosenfelt Andy Carpenter mysteries. They are fun, clever, and good mystery stories. I wasn't sure about this new K-Team series and actually wasn't overly fond of the first one. I wanted to read the second in the series to see if it was better -- and it definitely was. The main characters are familiar to any Rosenfelt reader and he doesn't spend a lot of time introducing them. Corey Douglas, the former police officer and caretaker of the dog Simon Garfunkle, is the first person narrator of this story. As I read the first book in the series I had trouble remembering that Corey, not Andy, was the narrator but in this story that was much clearer. The plot was tightly structured and I didn't figure out the bad guys until the end. I enjoyed this mystery with a little humor thrown in very much and would recommend it to light mystery readers (light, not cozy) and Rosenfelt fans. Readers should be sure to read the acknowledgements at the end. They are very entertaining!

This is another great read by David Rosenfelt. His books are ones that I can recommend to customers and know they will be enjoyed. I highly recommend this series

I don't know what it is about this author and his books but I can't read enough of them. Easy reads and very down to earth. Andy is always there to help a friend but not right away. He has to have a good reason to. Just as in this book I i give the animal most of the credit. Once you pick up one of these books you can't stop until you get to the end to find out who the real winner is. Fast moving, great characters and story you can actually believe. Thank you Net Galley and St. Martins Press for this ARC and I look forward to more books from this author.

ex-cop, law-enforcement, lawyers, retired-K-9, family, framed, friendship, fraud, greed, murder, murder-investigation, snark-fest, private-investigators*****

It really doesn't matter if you've read any of the Andy Carpenter books, this stands alone as a winner! Corey Douglas and his K-9 partner, Simon Garfunkel, have recently retired from the police force only to join up with a former colleague, the ex-cop wife of early retired lawyer Andy Carpenter. The first body and Corey's reaction to what he views as a failure on his part several years ago are what result in the second murder and Corey's arrest. But that's not the last body even though Corey's case goes to trial. Another great story!
And when you're all done with the story, cross your legs and read the acknowledgements ;) and laugh your sox off!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!