What more can be said about the latest David Rosenfelt mystery, Santa's Little Yelpers, than it is another fun mystery containing dogs, lots of good characters and just enough lawyering to keep it interesting. I always enjoy the continuing saga of Andy's life and look forward to the next edition.

Thank you for the opportunity to give an honest review. It was an enjoyable read. I was hoping for more depth though.

This book was so good and well written, with a great mystery and a cute dog! The storyline was interesting and entertaining characters makes this book hard to put down! I would highly recommend this book to everyone!

Andy and his team do it again!

Twenty six books into this series and I’m still not tired of Andy Carpenter. I love his self deprecating sense of humor. He is an all around nice guy and pretty darn smart. I hope I’m reading about him for many years to come.

ARC from Netgalley.

In Andy Carpenter’s household, the Christmas season lasts from Halloween to February due to the insistence of his Yuletide-loving wife, Laurie. While Andy grumbles, he mostly doesn’t mind, and is downright feeling the holiday spirit as December rolls around and one of the employees at his dog rescue, the Tara Foundation, asks for his help in overturning a former court conviction for manslaughter.

Before the Tara Foundation, Chris Myers had been in prison for two years after being found guilty of accidentally killing a man in a drunken fight. According to witnesses, he’d gotten into an argument with another patron at a bar. They’d gone outside to settle their differences, where a man named Charlie Burgess had seen Chris punch Joey Bonaventure’s lights out. Joey fell, hit his head on the pavement and died.

Chris swears that none of that happened. Sure he’d had a lot to drink that night, but he’d poured himself into a cab and gone home immediately after settling his tab. He doesn’t even recall ever talking to the victim. The witness accounts, however, were more than enough to send him to jail.

Fast-forward some years later and Charlie’s guilty conscience has finally gotten the better of him. He approaches Chris, saying he wants to come clean and recant his testimony but only wants to make his sworn statement once, after which he’s planning on getting out of town as quickly as possible. He’d been put up to testifying against Chris by some very dangerous people, and now wants to do the right thing in the safest way possible.

Which is where Andy comes in. As their area’s most formidable, if reluctant, defense attorney, he seems like a natural fit to help Chris clear his record. Trouble is, Charlie quickly changes his mind about recanting. An irate Chris goes over to Charlie’s to argue with him about this. When an unknown assailant uses their argument as cover to shoot Charlie dead, a terrified Chris takes off, but not before he’s seen by a neighbor. The cops come calling soon after and Chris is charged with actual murder.

Andy believes his client’s story, even before his own investigative team – headed by Laurie, herself an ex-cop – corroborates what Chris has to say. But who, then, would want to kill Charlie? As Andy and his team attempt to unravel the truth, their own lives are put in danger, with unwanted visitors paying them a nighttime call. Luckily, Laurie is prepared for this, quietly telling her husband:

QUOTE
[“]Go into [our son]’s room, close the door, and make sure he does not come out… Stay in there with him… no matter what.”

“What’s going on?”

“Andy, please just do it now. We have visitors.”

So I do it. I know that Laurie is shielding me and Ricky from an obvious danger, but this is no time to argue the point. In our house, unlike on the <i>Titanic</i>, we don’t protect the women and children first. Here it’s the lawyers and children that have the first crack at the lifeboats.
END QUOTE

This role reversal is a common theme of the Andy Carpenter series, as our wise-cracking lawyer is definitely more formidable in the courtroom than he is outside it. Fortunately, his team not only keeps him protected, but is also willing to help him suss out the truth as they travel far and wide to investigate seemingly obscure leads in their quest to find justice for their clients.

For all that, Andy pretty much stands alone in the courtroom. This time, his case opens with a tricky legal dilemma that is another reversal of his usual preferences, as he files a motion to suppress Chris’ previous manslaughter conviction from the hearing:

QUOTE
But the reason this position is so unusual for me is that I might not want to win. I don’t mean initially; I wouldn’t have filed the motion if I didn’t at this moment think we would be better off prevailing. [Charlie] testifying against Chris at the earlier trial provides a perfect motive, and it would be devastating for the jury to hear it.

But…and it’s a big but… this could change down the road. If we can get enough evidence to introduce [...] alternate possible murderers, then the landscape changes entirely. Because the frame-up that we would be alleging spans both crimes.
END QUOTE

The legal and investigative maneuverings ring true as always, as Andy and his team uncover a conspiracy that will have them roping in unlikely allies in order to not only exonerate Chris but also solve several other murders, while preventing even more from happening. The plot twists are exciting, the banter witty and the overall experience deeply satisfying, as I’ve come to expect from all the books in this series. Twenty-six installments in and this continues to be my go-to for excellent legal defense drama in the vein of Erle Stanley Gardner’s classic Perry Mason novels, only with David Rosenfelt’s trademark modern (and dog-loving!) twists.

David Rosenfelt continues Andy Carpenter's adventures with the law in Santa's Little Yelpers. Andy is defending Chris Myers for murder of the man who lied on the stand to send him to jail for a crime he did not commit. Things get all tangled up with a big crime boss and a town where strange things are happening. As usual the dogs provide light relief. Enjoy this Christmas cozy.

In David Rosenfelt’s twenty-sixth Andy Carpenter book, it’s the holiday season in Paterson, NJ and Andy’s wife, Laurie, is playing the Christmas music non-stop. But, when a volunteer at the Tara Foundation comes to Andy for help, the team jumps into action. Hopefully it will be all wrapped up before Christmas. However, the situation becomes more complicated and dangerous, and it’s obvious there are many things in play that Andy will have to figure out.

The whole gang is together again in Rosenfelt’s entertaining story and Sam, the wannabe detective is at his best. Santa’s Little Yelpers (with its trademark adorable cover) is a perfect read for the holidays – or anytime for that matter. With humor, good dialogue, and dogs it’s a quick and enjoyable read. This isn’t one of my favorite books in the series, but nevertheless I do recommend it to mystery lovers for its good characters and interesting plot.

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

I love David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter books. I haven’t yet read one I didn’t enjoy,
this year’s new Holiday installment - out this week - is "Santa's Little Yelpers".
In this book we have defense attorney Andy Carpenter, from Paterson, NJ, yet again trying to retire for good when another case drops in his lap, peripherally linked to dogs and his dog charity.
I loved listening to Andy and the gang's newest adventure, it is just so fun to be along for the ride. Even if I I missed the bubelah brigade in this one.

If this is your first Andy Carpenter mystery you will have no trouble keeping up. The dry humor and banter - the legal tidbits, the strategy and planning, the books are just really fun courtroom mysteries. If you are in the mood for a well plotted, intricate mystery with a wintery setting this may be the book for you.

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio and @minotaur_books for the eARC/ ALC in exchange for an honest review !

This is a Legal Mystery, and this is the 26st book in the Andy Carpenter series. I have read all the other books in this series before picking up this book, but I do think you can read this book as a standalone series. I really love this series. Andy's character has a very dry sense of humor, but I feel it works. I found many parts of this book funny, but I wish the dogs had a bigger part in this book. I love that we got a little more about Marcus, and he talked a little bit. I did enjoy the mystery in this book, and the Christmas parts were cute. I did really enjoy how this book ends. There were parts of this book that made me think of another book in this series because I really think there was another book in this series that had a weird town in it. I cannot remember which book it was. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Minotaur Books) or author (David Rosenfelt) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

nother fun addition to the Andy Carpenter series!

As I have said before, this series tends to be a bit formulaic, but I like that about the series. There are times I just want something predictable and fun. Andy isn't a character I would necessarily like in real life, but I find myself laughing at his dry humor. Andy is a lawyer and is once again trying to prove the innocence of his client. This time, his client was previously wrongly convicted and a key witness has admitted to lying and said he will recant his testimony. But he is killed before he can recant and the client is arrested for killing him.

The suspense level is pretty mild. There are usually some secondary characters who end up murdered along the way, usually leading to more clues in the original case. But the main characters are rarely in jeopardy. There are always dogs involved, though they play a smaller role in this book. Usually a dog is the reason Andy gets involved. This time, the client works at his dog rescue organization.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It’s always such a pleasure to read the newest David Rosenfelt. I settle down with a cup of coffee and a group of old friends. Andy, Tara, Laurie, and the gang never disappoint. My dogs and I loved it. 5 paws up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

As always, David Rosenfelt knocked it out of the park. I love the witty tales of “retired” Andy and his dogs. Full of humor this book is sure to become a favorite.

This is a wonderful addition to the Andy Carpenter series and Grover Gardner is the perfect narrator for the series as I listened to the audio version. I really liked the set up to the mystery and it was an interesting one for Andy and friends to solve. If you haven't read all the books in the series you could read this as a stand alone but you will be missing out on alot of fun. All my favourite characters made an appearance and my only complaint is Tara didn't get enough of a part in the story. While this story takes place near Christmas it didn't really feature too much in the story. Can't wait for #27 as these books never get old.

Twisted State of Affairs
This book is part of the Andy Carpenter Mystery series and can be read independently from the others. Our hero is a slightly sarcastic attorney who loves dogs. His wife is a former cop who also loves dogs and keeps their son from being tainted by the crimes they deal with. The couple is surrounded by friends who come in very handy and also love dogs. If fact, they run a dog rescue. That is the source of the lighthearted humor that breaks up the seriousness of crime-solving. The twists and turns in this case are truly mindboggling. The final denouement is very surprising. The facts and clues are all there, but I never correctly guess the outcome of an Andy Carpenter Mystery. These are 'clean' mysteries that will make you laugh and never give you nightmares. I read this ARC for free from Net Galley and the review is entirely my own.

Santa’s Little Yelpers is another winner by David Rosenfelt. His Andy Carpenter series is full of snarky remarks, mystery, and fast action. There are so many twists and turns for a good page turner, challenging the reader to figure out how all the events fit together for the truth. Add in some cute puppies at Christmas and you have a great book! These books can be read as a standalone but I recommend all of them!

I love David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter books. I have yet to read one I didn't thoroughly enjoy, and "Santa's Little Yelpers" was no exception. I tore through Andy and the gang's latest adventure as usual, and was sorry to reach the end. Glad to watch Andy figure out the crime, but sorry the book was over.

The Andy Carpenter books follow a pattern; Andy, a millionaire, is a reluctant defense attorney who runs a dog rescue foundation. Someone involved, even peripherally with dogs is accused of murder. The case looks airtight. Somehow Andy gets inveigled into defending him or her. Andy and his various helpers investigate and save the day. I, personally, have yet to solve the puzzle before Andy.

If this is your first Andy Carpenter you will have no trouble keeping up. David Rosenfelt's sense of humor lights up the books without interfering with the plot. If you are in the mood for a really good mystery with a minimum of gore, this is the book for you. Five stars and I wish it could be six.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

The complex mystery, the characters, the witty sarcasm and the “famous” lawyer who just can’t seem to stay retired. Chris Myers learns that a witness lied at his former trial for a crime that he didn’t commit which sent him to prison. In prison he began a rescue dog training program and now works as a helper at the Tara Foundation. Lawyer Andy Carpenter, co-owner of the Tara Foundation, offers to get Chris’ previous sentenced overturned, but before he can, Chris is charged with murdering the witness. Chris, a former lawyer, was working on several cases at the time of his arrest so Andy calls his “team” together to find out if one of his cases was the reason he was targeted. As always, Andy goes out of his way to charge into areas where a sane person might not go, but he has his wife Laurie, a former police officer, and of course Marcus who is…well he’s Marcus! A beautifully executed mystery with Andy solving the case in his usual spectacular manner. At times I was laughing so hard that I had tears in my eyes, especially when I read “If you’re ever playing rock, paper, Marcus…go with Marcus”. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

I discovered Andy Carpenter Mysteries on Netgalley and became a big fan of the series. This is another highly entertaining and compelling novel, one I couldn't put down and read in two sittings.
It's always a pleasure to catch with the well developed and likeable characters, I love the humour and love the canine characters, from Tara to Simon Garfunkel.
There's a lot of funny moments and there's a gripping and fast paced mystery that kept me on the edge and guessing.
It's set at Christmastime but it's a not a festive novel even if there's gifts, trees and so on.
It can be read as a stand alone but be prepared because you will want to read the rest of the series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I have a confession to make. I'm a David Rosenfelt super fan. I've read all of his books. All 26 of the Andy Carpenter series and all 15 of his stand alone books. I don't think he could write a bad book. The Andy Carpenter books are pure entertainment. They rank up there with Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone. I consider his books a treat to myself.
Andy Carpenter is a lawyer. He tries very hard not to have any clients but is a sucker for those he sees being treated poorly. Andy is surrounded by a very well developed set of characters who keep him safe, no matter what he gets into or who he riles up. With the help of his team, he manages to pick up clues and solve mysteries that will have you shaking your head, wondering how you missed that clue.
Santa's Little Yelpers is his annual nod to Christmas. Andy and his wife have different views on how Christmas should be celebrated and Laurie always wins the argument. But Andy always has his faithful friend, Tara, a golden retriver, to share his complaints and problems. This year, Andy manages to find a client and must actually work while trying to enjoy his holiday.
I could easily go on all day about how good these books are, but you should really read them for yourselves. You deserve a treat too. Once you read one of them, you'll be hooked, just like me.

Andy, a New Jersey wannabe-retired lawyer, is back again for a new Christmas-themed dog-filled humorous cozy legal thriller. Santa’s Little Yelpers are eight puppies fostered from Andy’s animal rescue foundation by a discredited attorney named Chris.

Chris just got out of prison for manslaughter. He argues he is innocent. A key witness against him plans to recant his testimony that could clear Chris’ name. The witness changes his mind and is quickly found murdered. Chris has the most obvious motive and is arrested. Andy and his team must find the real killer.

Surprisingly, the dogs were less of a focus in this book compared to most of the books in the series. Still, it is always fun to hang with Andy and the gang. The plot has plenty of twists to keep thriller fans enthralled with Santa’s Little Yelpers too. Overall, a fun easy read. 4 stars!

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.