Santa’s Little Yelpers by David Rosenfelt
Andy Carpenter Book 22

I have read or listened to most of this series and they are all very similar but this one seemed so familiar that I had to go back and check to see if was really a new book. It is and it was entertaining but mainly because I enjoy the humor. Also I’m so far into this series, it would be hard to give up. Not sure I would love it as a first time reader.
Thanks to Netgalley.

I have been a fan since day one, book one and, now, at #26, I'm an even bigger fan of Andy Carpenter and the Team. The background is Christmas but mostly only as the mystery is set in December. It isn't a big deal unless you happen to be Andy's wife, Laurie, who starts the Christmas music with the Thanksgiving turkey and has to be convinced to turn it off by Valentine's Day. It drives Andy a bit crazy.
This time one of the people Andy works with at the Tara Foundation is the soon to be client in trouble. Chris was a lawyer who hit rock bottom due to booze and lost his job at a very upscale law firm. Heck, one of the partners has a birds eye view of Central Park. Sadly, Chris found himself convicted of a crime he did not commit and spent time in prison. He asks Andy to help him prove he was framed when the key witness recants. Then he recants again and Chris tries to confront him only to end up arrested for his murder. Cue Andy and his quirky team. It's a team of people plus a great dog who I would want on my side if I got into a sticky, "looks impossible" situation.
I could go on and on and on but I'll stop here so I don't let slip a clue or a laugh. The fun of reading an Andy Carpenter mystery is the anticipation of twists, turns, red herrings and a big dose of well written humor. And dog stuff, too. Andy is seen by many as a major pain in the tush - may he never, ever change. The world needs more like him.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was expecting more of the story to be about the golden retrievers and Christmas.. I particularly am bothered by book titles not reflective of the story. The story was just o.k. Predictable because you knew that somehow the defendant would be proven innocent. Thanks to #NetGalley and #Santa’sLittleYelpers for advanced digital copy.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S SANTA'S LITTLE YELPERS ABOUT?
There's a new employee at the Tara Foundation—he's an ex-con, and an ex-lawyer (the former led to the latter). Chris is clear that he was wrongly convicted, but is trying to rebuild some sort of life and move on from there. Andy, Willie, and Sondra are happy to have him on board—especially because one of the shelter's dogs just had a litter, and Chris has taken mom and her pups into his house until they're ready to be adopted.

But since this is an Andy Carpenter novel, you know what's coming next—the dog lover introduced at the beginning of the book is headed for trouble. Chris is told by the major witness in the case against him that he was lying and will recant in court. But before Andy can get anything filed on Chris's behalf, the witness changes his mind. Chris goes to confront him, the witness is murdered, and, as we all expected, Chris is arrested for that crime.

It's up to Andy, The K Team, and the rest of Andy's team to try to prove him innocent of the murder—and maybe the initial crime.

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK (A LITTLE) LIKE CHRISTMAS...
I'm not sure why Minotaur keeps doing these Christmas-themed Carpenter novels—there's very little Christmas-y (or other holidays) in them. The Christmas content in this one is less than usual—don't worry, there's enough to justify this being considered a holiday novel or to satisfy those who want that content. But just enough for that—not one sentence more.

I should stress—I'm not complaining about this. I'll take any excuse for an Andy Carpenter novel, and this gives us two in a year—and some of these "Christmas" novels have been better than the others released that year. I'm just wondering.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT SANTA'S LITTLE YELPERS?
Between the 25 previous books in the series and the 3 K-Team books, I like to think I'm pretty familiar with Rosenfelt and his bag of tricks—the series and I are old friends by now, and while I have a ball with these books, I pretty much see most things coming. Or so I thought. Sure, most of the book went as I expected, and I was enjoying it as much as I expected to. And then Rosenfelt pulled off a twist that I didn't see coming—my interest and appreciation for the book increased.

And then he did it again. I wouldn't have guessed that by book 29, Rosenfelt would be surprising me twice in one book. I'm not saying that I don't appreciate the twists and the turns of the stories in most of his books, because I really do—but I usually know something like them is coming—I didn't see either of these coming at all. (I do think I should've been in the ballpark for one of them, though, if I'd been on my game). And because of these reveals, a lot of the book played out in ways I didn't fully expect. I love it when an author does this.

Are all semi-savvy readers going to experience this? Not necessarily—but you just might.

Even without that—this is a classic Andy Carpenter book, there's some good Ricky material, Laurie and Marcus get to do their thing—Corey and Simon Garfunkel get some nice moments, too. Sam Willis (very minor spoiler) gets some out-of-the-office work, which is fun. And Andy meets a new judge and prosecutor and doesn't totally alienate them (I'm not sure he endears himself to either, either).

It's a good time, a clever case, with some typical quotable lines. Everything an Andy Carpenter fan wants—and, as always, this would be a good jumping on point for a newbie looking for an enjoyable mystery/legal thriller to read.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books via NetGalley in exchange for this post and my honest opinion--thanks to both for this.

Andy is a criminal defense lawyer who doesn't want any clients. Because of the money his father left him and some lucrative cases, he is able to not work and spend his time with his friend, Willie, running the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue that he and Willie formed. He is married to Laurie, they have a young son, Ricky, three dogs and he is enjoying his life.

Chris, a volunteer with the Tara Foundation, was wrongfully convicted of murder and served his time. A witness was paid to say he saw Chris kill a stranger behind a bar and that's what put him behind the bars. The witness has approached Chris to confess that he did lie and he wants to come clean but he'll only speak with Chris. When the witness changes his mind, Chris is determined to change his mind but the witness is shot dead in front o f him. Panicked Chris runs from the house and is quickly arrested for murder. But this time it seems he has a reason ... revenge. Andy takes the case because they are friends and Chris is a fellow dog lover. Andy can't prove that Chris didn't do it so he has to come up with alternative scenarios as to who else could have done it.

This is the 26th in the Andy Carpenter series (I've read them all but somehow missed #25) and I have been liking this series. Even though it is part of a series, it works as a stand alone (so you don't need to have read the ones before it to know what is going on). I like the writing style as it was funny, sarcastic and amusing. It was written mostly in first person perspective in Andy's voice.

I like Andy ... I think he would be a hoot to be around and he's quite generous with his time and money (he never charges for his services). Part of Andy's team is the K-Team (Laurie, a former police officer and now an investigator; Marcus, an investigator with "persuasive" reasoning skills; Cody, a former police officer; and Simon Garfunkel, Cody's former canine partner). Sam is his accountant who is also a computer hack who wants to be part of the action.

Another great addition to the long running series that will be just as good as a standalone! Andy has just agreed to look into a witness who has recanted the testimony which sent Chris, an attorney to prison after a bar fight, when Chris is arrested for murdering that same witness. Nothing is ever as it first appears when Andy once again unretires to represent a client and that's the case here as well. What's the connection between a Mob boss, a nuclear physicist, a weird cult in a small town, and Chris? No spoilers from me but the whole team gets involved. And it's Christmas which is Laurie's favorite time of year (but not Andy's). The holiday doesn't figure much, to be honest, except as part of an ongoing joke about Laurie. Know that this does all come together in the end, in a somewhat unlikely way. If I have a quibble it's that Rosenfelt didn't push the Marcus door open a bit more. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great page turner.

I am a fan of David Rosenfelt’s series and the latest addition doesn’t disappoint. Solid writing, familiar characters and a great twist at the end make this a winner!

This book is so good! It hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. I loved the characters, the dogs, and it has just the right amount of mystery and suspense to keep you turning the pages. Grab this book and settle in for a great read. Loved it!
I received a complimentary copy from St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Laurie and I would bond right away over Christmas. This series has very interesting characters. I would definitely want the K Team on my side if I were in trouble. This was an interesting storyline and very easy to follow along. I get a kick out of Andy’s personality and snide remarks. What more could you want? Puppies, dogs, great characters and an interesting storyline. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own. I can’t wait to catch up with them again.

I reviewed this for the final issue of Mystery Scene Magazine which will release on 11-15 you can read my full review there.

This is a perfect cozy mystery to get you into the holiday spirit. In this one, Andy helps a new employee who was wrongly accused of a crime when he ends up in jail for a second time for a crime he did not commit. It doesn't take long to figure out that the two crimes are connected, but can Andy prove it and clear his friends name?

A new Andy Carpenter always brings a smile to my face. There’s a feeling of coming home, if home has a sarcastic older brother with an ornery sense of humor.
Chris Myers is a new employee at the Tara Foundation. He’s a disbarred lawyer, having served two years for manslaughter. A crime he swears he didn’t commit. When the man who was the eyewitness to the crime admits he was lying, Chris sees a chance to get his reputation back. But then the man reneges. Well, it’s easy to see where this one’s going… The man is murdered and Chris is arrested for the murder. Of course Andy takes his case.
Rosenfelt has a knack for writing complicated plots. The fun is in the twists he creates and watching how Andy works it all out. I’m always surprised that as the number of books rises, the quality does not slacken off and the plots remain fresh.
I love series with a strong team and Andy’s wife, friends and colleagues all fit the bill. In the last few books, Marcus has taken a somewhat bigger role and the reader gets to see another side of him.
I adore listening to this series as Grover Gardner is the perfect Andy. It’s now to the point that even when I read one, I hear Grover in my head.
My thanks to Netgalley St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Santa's Little Yelpers
An Andy Carpenter Mystery
by David Rosenfelt

4.5 -5 stars
Rosenfelt delivers another fantastic read! I love this series and not many authors are able to write 26 books in a single series without losing momentum. All the necessary elements are here, mooching friends, sarcasm galore, dog rescue and a lawyer who hates lawyering yet somehow keeps getting sucked back into taking a case. I love his constant need of Marcus and Laurie. Rosenfelt delivers a perfect Christmas season book. I cannot wait for book 27!
This book can easily be read as a stand alone too.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

Andy Carpenter a Semi retired New Jersey lawyer solves and defends his clients, Of crimes wrongly arrested for. In his spare time Andy hangs out at a local pub with his cheapskate friends.. He also owns and helps run the Tara Foundation a dog rescue that goes above for the placement of dogs in care. A lite hearted read.

Santa’s Little Yelpers by David Rosenfelt (Andy Carpenter # ) 5 stars

It is that time of the year when there is goodwill toward men and a Andy Carpenter Christmas mystery on hand. Chris Myers, ex-con, ex attorney is fostering an litter of really cute puppies. A new employee at the Tara Foundation, Chris is contacted by the main witness at his trial who states that he was paid to lie on the stand. Unfortunately, he decides to renege on his recant and Chris is furious. When he breaks into the witness’s home, he find the witness packing in hurry. In the middle of arguing with the guy, he is shocked when the guy is shot right in front of him. He runs away and is picked up as the only suspect in the murder. Can Andy and his gang figure out why the witness was killed and why he was paid to lie about the original crime in the first place.

A convoluted whodunit with the typical Andy Carpenter sarcasm in force. Mr. Rosenfelt never disappoints and readers can snuggle up to a familiar mystery where Andy and company saves the day. I will be listening to the audiobook version because Grover Gardner has such a droll voice. Next year’s entries to the Andy Carpenter world “Flop Dead Gorgeous” comes out in July 2023.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for this ARC.

3.5 Stars. I am a big fan of the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt. This is the 26th book, and I have read and enjoyed many of them and hope to eventually read the ones I am missing. This can be read as a stand-alone mystery and court case, and a new reader will have the incentive to read some of the previous books.
Andy Carpenter is a reluctant lawyer. He is the beneficiary of a large inheritance. He and his wife run the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue service aimed at matching dogs with the best owners. He has little interest in practicing law but is always drawn into court as a defence lawyer when the person facing trial has a connection to one dog or several, and Andy is willing to act as their lawyer pro bono. Andy has three dogs at home and does his best legal thinking while walking his dogs.

Looking at the adorable book covers picturing puppies or adult dogs, one might think that these are light cozy mysteries. Actually, they involve complex investigations and court cases where the dogs may play only a small, peripheral role, but they draw the hesitant Andy back into court for the defence. He only wishes to retire and spend time with his family and the Tara Foundation. Andy narrates the story with his usual sardonic, self-deprecating humour and is hilarious.

Andy heads an intriguing cast of characters on the investigation team, but his wife Laurie, a former police officer, could be regarded as the one in charge. She has the fearlessness that Andy lacks. Sam is a genius at computer research and hacking. He wants to get out of the office and play a more active role. Cory is a retired policeman, present with his K9 German Shepherd, Simon Garfunkle. Marcus is a huge, scary man who rarely speaks except for unintelligible growls. He never fights except when it cannot be avoided and is formidable in protecting others when necessary. There is also Eddie, an elderly lawyer. The crimes are serious, but the content is never graphic.

The Tara Foundation has just received a mother Golden Retriever, and her eight puppies. They have the difficult task of accommodating them just before Christmas. Chris Myers, their newest worker, offers to foster them. Chris is a former lawyer who lost his practice when he was jailed for five years for manslaughter. He is on early release as he taught other prisoners to successfully train hard-to-handle dogs. He claims to be innocent, but a witness lied. Now the witness wants to recant his false testimony, and Andy volunteers to clear Chris's name before Christmas. No problem? Now the witness refuses to testify on Chris's behalf. The desperate Chris crawls through the man's window to confront him. Once he enters the house, a shot rings out, killing his witness. A desperate and frightened Chris is seen running from the house. Now he is charged with murder. Andy is strong in his belief that Chris is innocent of both crimes and will defend him in court.

While investigating Chris's last legal cases and his history, there seems to be some connection between the Mob and a weird town. This town seems to be run by a secretive religious cult who have bought up homes at inflated prices while promising to upgrade the intra-structure. This is Sam's chance to get away from his computers and do some fieldwork. He finds the town's people definitely unfriendly and reluctant to answer questions. His hotel room is bugged, and some sinister men follow him in an act of intimidation. How do the new town officials get the money to buy homes and businesses and evict the former owners? Andy follows up with a visit to the town. They meet with threats, are also followed, and the rooms bugged. Luckily, Marcus is protecting him. They find no improvements that the 'religious sect' had promised. What is discovered later is a large fenced area concealing an enormous pit. I would never have guessed its purpose. It plays a large part in the solution to the mystery and to deaths related to the mysterious town. This very complicated plot includes a complex conspiracy and, when solved, leads the story to a satisfying conclusion.
I would have preferred a less complicated plot and more story about the puppies. However, I loved the fascinating characters, the sense of humour, and the well-paced mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this compelling addition to the Andy Carpenter series.

Fortunately, Andy Carpenter continues to fail at retiring from his law practice, because I love this series. In this 26th installment, Andy agrees to help Chris Myer, one of the employees at the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization he founded years ago. Chris is a former attorney who lost his license to practice law after being (he says) wrongfully convicted of manslaughter. When Chris learns that the key witness against him lied and wants to recant, he asks Andy to represent him to get his conviction overturned. It should be a quick and easy case, but of course nothing is ever what it seems on the surface in an Andy Carpenter novel and Andy finds himself defending Chris against new murder charges. Andy and his team need to uncover why Chris was framed, twice, if they want to keep him from going back to prison. I think this book is one of the best in the series. The writing has plenty of Rosenfelt's dry humor, the plot is unique and creative, the characters are interesting and appealing, and there are golden retriever puppies -what more could you want?

Andy's Christmas break is disturbed when one of the best volunteers at his dog rescue is arrested for murder. Disbarred attorney Chris Myers had already been convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served his term. Now, Charlie Burgess who was witness against him has contacted him to say that he was paid to lie.

When Chris goes to see the wavering witness, he arrives just in time for someone to shoot Burgess. Three hours later, Chris is arrested.

Andy gathers the team together to plan Chris's defense. But there are few ways for them to progress. Chris has always said that he didn't think he killed Joey Bonaventura behind that bar. But he admitted that he was very drunk at the time. Once Andy starts investigating, the first roadblock is that Bonaventura apparently didn't exist. Sam, his computer geek, can't find anything older than six months about him.

While they are trying to find out more about Bonaventura, they also want to look into the cases he was working on at the time of the first arrest and trial. Chris doesn't remember much about them since he was drinking so heavily at the time. But they do provide another avenue for research.

This was another entertaining episode of Andy Carpenter, reluctant lawyer, and his band of colleagues. I liked that it takes place during the Christmas season which gives Andy a lot to be snarky about. Since the story is told from Andy's viewpoint and in his voice opportunities for snark and sarcasm are abundant.

Fans of the series won't want to miss this latest episode.

Andy Carpenter book 26

Andy once again gets pulled into taking on a client even though he insists he is retired.
Chris Myers, a man once convicted of murder now free, contacts Andy for help.
Always maintaining his innocence Chris now claims the only eyewitness to the crime is now willing to testify that he lied on the stand.
But even before paperwork can be filed the eyewitness changes his mind and then is found murdered. With eyewitnesses now see Chris spotted leaving the scene, Andy must now decide if he believes in Chris enough to fight the charges once again.


I love Andy Carpenter, his family (both human and canine), his friends, and the fact he can't quit being a lawyer ...even though he always tries.
Every new book is a like visit with old friends.
A well deserved 5 stars at goodreads
I received this book free from netgalley and am providing a fair and honest review.

David Rosenfelt, as always, keeps the reader engaged with his light-hearted novels. He uses laugh aloud humor plus plot twists as his characters solve the puzzling situation at hand.

Andy Carpenter and his usual cast of supporting characters appear together again in this fun, easy-to-read and entertaining mystery. Santa’s Little Yelpers can be read as a standalone even though it is a part of a delightful, ongoing series, featuring this wealthy, benevolent, dog-obsessed lawyer who gets involved in solving quirky mysteries.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this enjoyable ARC.