This is another good Andy Carpenter legal thriller that was a quick listen.
Andy Carpenter is a millionaire lawyer who would rather be retired and working with his dog rescue, Tara’s Foundation, named after his golden retriever. But Andy is continually pulled in to representing people he knows, or are friends of friends, who are in desperate need of his services. A famous actress, Jenny Nichols, who rescued a miniature French poodle from Tara’s Foundation, has now been accused of killing her current costar. Few people know that Andy dated Jenny in high school so of course he is going to step up to take on her defense.

All of the usual investigation team get pulled in to help. This includes Andy’s wife, Laurie, a former Paterson police officer, Marcus, Andy’s brutish bodyguard, Sam, the finance / computer wizard, and investigator Corey with his K9 partner, Simon. The team begins to pursue connections that bring threats to Andy’s life.

The pattern of these stories is similar. It seems pretty clear the accused is innocent. The actual killer is often attached to the mob, a terrorist group, or similar crime syndicate that has an obscure connection to the victim. Andy and his team are able to gather details but may not be able to get admissible evidence in time for the trial. At the last minute some evidence or admission (often with the help of Federal agents) is delivered to save the case.

Even though this story fits the repeated pattern, the investigation into connected clues and ‘Andy snark’ make the story worth the read/listen. This is an on-going legal mystery series I enjoy and recommend. I have missed a few stories in the middle of the series and I am glad that the later stories are able to be read as stand alone stories with the proviso that you have read the first several books so that you get to know Andy and his team.

Audio Notes: Grover Gardner has this series down pat. He provides the perfect accents and attitudes of the characters. I totally enjoy listening to Gardner’s performance of this series.

Source: June 2023 NetGalley. My Rating 4.5.

While listening to this, my phone stopped working. Once I received my new phone and downloaded the Netgalley app I lost all my downloaded audiobooks. I was unable to finish.

This is totally one of my top 5 series ever and this newest release didn't disappoint.

It's becoming really hard to review these books now with this being 27.

All I can really say, if you aren't reading this series, you are missing out. It has absolutely everything in it and something for everyone. The mysteries/crimes are great, the cast is phenomenal, the family element is strong, and you will totally laugh out loud.

I am actually sad that I am caught up. I am not rereader but I will definitely reread this series again. I recommend it to everyone I can.

The audiobooks are fantastic. Grover Gardner IS the voice of Andy Carpenter!!

I had an advanced audio copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Grover Gardner deserves so much credit for bringing Andy Carpenter to life in this series. He really is the perfect Andy.

The very early books in the series were, in my opinion, a bit more exciting. The later books all seem to follow a similar pattern. Sometimes that can feel familiar and comfortable, but other times it grows tiring. If I could change one thing about the last several Andy Carpenter books, I would cut down on the amount of humble-bragging Andy does. It is the intro of every recent book and it's growing old. We know his wife is the most beautiful woman in the world - even more beautiful than the Hollywood actress he is currently representing. We know Marcus is tougher than superman. I'm sure these things are here for the benefit of new readers, but it's a lot of repetition for those of us returning for book 27. Having said all of that, there's a lot to like here. I always enjoy the mystery itself, Andy's humor, the teamwork of the investigative crew, and Grover Gardner's narration.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for providing a complimentary review copy of this audiobook.

These books slay me.

I wonder if the ridiculous covers and punny titles are meant to lower your expectations.

So, when you read them, you're surprised and charmed by their sly wit and tight plot.

I love the main character: Snarky and wry and clever.

The dogs never play in as much as I'd like, but I'll forgive the author, as his call backs "Did I tell you we dated in high school?" always made me SOL (snort out loud).

My favourite part, though, is that the author is PROLIFIC and I get to enjoy several of his books a year. I'm already looking forward to T'was the Bite Before Christmas.

7.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for this droll ARC.

Another winner in the Andy Carpenter series! I have always been impressed by David Rosenfelt's ability to keep Andy's character consistently sarcastic and funny throughout the long series. I'm always excited to see a new Andy Carpenter out!



I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

If you haven’t read the Andy Carpenter series, you have a lot of catching up to do. Rosenfelt began with his dog-loving attorney mysteries in 2002’s Open and Shut. The truth is I don’t really READ the Andy Carpenter mysteries — I enjoy them on audio, read by Grover Gardner who does an excellent job and his reading is the main reason I enjoy these books so much.

Normally, I don’t favor cute, dog-filled mysteries as they are too “cozy” for my tastes. But these mysteries are only somewhat cozy — there is no small group of suspects, the courtroom and investigation is mostly realistic, and the sleuths are professionals. But indeed there are dogs in every story line, no violence on the page and these are an “easy” read without gore but lots of laughs.

Flop Dead Gorgeous is as good as the twenty-six Andy Carpenter mysteries before it. In this outing, a famous actress who Andy once dated is accused of murdering her actor boyfriend in her kitchen. Andy has been trying to retire for about twelve books, but circumstances keep pulling him back in. All the familiar characters are there — Andy’s wife and son, big bruiser Marcus, the elderly computer nerds, and of course, all the dogs, though in Flop Dead they pay a smaller part then usual. Grover Gardner does a wonderful read of the novel per usual. Sometimes you just want a familiar cast playing out pretty much the same story.

Did I mention there are dogs?!

My score 4 of 5.

This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. Flop Dead Gorgeous was published on July 4, 2023.

This is every bit the ridiculous, silly, cozy mystery it looks to be.

I’ve never read an Andy Carpenter novel before, I assume there’s plenty I’m not aware of because I’m new to them. However, I jumped right into this with no trouble whatsoever. The premise and characters are laid bare right away. Andy’s a lawyer, he and his wife run a dog rescue, he briefly dated actress and murder suspect Jenny in High School. he’s determined to prove her innocence, despite having been hoping to retire.

So I wasn’t surprised by the direction that this went, as I said before, this is very obviously a tongue in cheek cozy mystery. It’s self aware and humorous for the most part (though I do admit I occasionally rolled my eyes.) There’s some fun twists along the way, but really this wasn’t about the suspense or the mystery for me. This is pure entertainment, slapstick narration and over the top dramatics.

I can’t quite say this will be a new go to series for me, I won’t likely be going back to start from the beginning and read them all. But I will honestly say that if I needed entertainment on a long drive or something, I’d be happy to pick out another one of these as an audiobook.

Audio 5/5- It’s a lot like listening to a radio comedy. Very well performed and with a lot of care in the delivery of sarcasm. I’d recommend easily and go back for more.

As usual, David Rosenfelt slays with his usual humor and style in this installment! I feel like a part of the Andy Carpenter family/PI practice each time I read his books! I haven't read his entire backlog of books yet, but they are definitely on my TBR! I can't wait for the next in the series to come out!

Sarcastic, dry, witty, with.a bit of snark. Flop Dead Gorgeous was an absolutely enjoyable listen! The narrator had just the right bit of sarcasm in his voice to keep me amused and deftly told a tale of murder and revenge with a serious dose of who-dun-it to keep me guessing through out the story. I have to admit I had an image of Humphrey Bogart in the Maltese Falcon as the main character Andy throughout the book—just a little bit less macho! Characters were well-written and didn’t follow all the traditional rules of a murder mystery. Great book!

Thanks to @NetGalley, @macmillan.audio and @minotaur_books for gifting me an audio ARC as well as an eARC. I love these books they keep me engaged and make me laugh!
It is absolutely fascinating to me how David Rosenfelt can keep a consistent high quality in this series of now 27 legal procedurals - they are still witty, fun and compelling ! When I have read a new installment in this series I hand it right over to my husband, we both love them and we both work in legal professions
In this book we have defense attorney Andy
Carpenter still unsuccessfully trying to retire for good when yet another case drops in his lap. A former Highschool girlfriend turned actress is in town and after an evening out with Andy, his wife and friends wakes up to a dead colleague in her kitchen how did he get there? Who killed him ?
Suddenly the actress is in jail and Andy is on the case and taking her of her poodle Mamie, of course.
I love this series for it's keen insight into legal proceedings and legal thinking and it's quick witty banter - it is much smarter than the at times cutesy covers or titles would have you believe ! This is so fun!

I have to admit that the reason I listen to the Andy Carpenter series is that Grover Gardner narrates them. He has such a distinctive voice and it works so well with Andy’s sarcasm and humor. I’ve never read on of the series in print, and I have no desire to stray from the audio versions.

This time around Andy is defending hometown girl turned Hollywood star, Jenny Nichols. And of course, Jenny has a dog, Mamie, who she adopted through Andy’s rescue program. She is accused of killing her former boyfriend, current co-star, Ryan Griffin.

Andy, of course, wants to get a “not guilty” verdict but the evidence is not in their favor. So he and his team get to work on trying to figure out who really killed Ryan and why. They uncover a lot in their digging including money laundering, organized crime, Interpol’s most wanted, cybercrime, drug trafficking, and murders. Even with all the complications, I did manage to guess who the killer was, which is honestly a bit disappointing since I don’t try too hard.

Yes, Rosenfelt has a formula, but it works. Flop Dead Gorgeous is clever and funny and has some adorable dogs.

Another great installment in the wise-cracking Andy Carpenter series.

When Andy learns that his former high school girlfriend (and current famous movie star) has been accused of murder, he just can't stand by and see her go to prison. So, even though he's tried repeatedly to retire from being an attorney, he immediately starts doing what he does best, stirring the pot to see what floats to the surface.

In this case, it's a lot! A fugitive of the FBI, three dead bodies in a park, a new streaming service, and a whole bunch of questions. Oh, and a house guest for the foreseeable future!

The cast of quirky characters just makes the story that much more enjoyable. If you like smart alecs and smack talk, you'll love Andy Carpenter!

Thanks to David Rosenfelt, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I have enjoyed the books I’ve read in the Andy Carpenter series. There is always drama … courtroom and real life as well as humor. I particularly enjoyed Andy’s constant reminding the reader that he had dated Jenny Nichols, the person accused of murder. The mystery has you hanging in through to the end. Andy’s brain works a little different than most people and so it is fun to see how he interacts with people and how he works out the clues to come up with the final “whodunit.” This is a good mystery series and I look forward to additional books by the author, David Rosenfelt.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

3.5 ANDY CARPENTER WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT HE DATED JENNY NICHOLS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

Of course he is now married and she is a movie star. He loves his wife and the couple came into Jenny's orbit again through their dogs. Thins are going great for Jenny, that is until she is arrested for the murder of her co-star. She turns to the only lawyer she trusts. Yes, you guessed it, the guy she dated in high school, Andy Carpenter

Such a fun series, Andy has such a sardonic sense of humor. Has no hesitation in making fun of himself. the cases are interesting and all the main characters have their own special strengths and weaknesses.

Grover Gardner has become the narrated voice of Andy. He is excellent.

Once again Andy Carpenter has failed to retire from his law practice. And thank goodness for that - I would surely miss his entertaining cases! This one centers on a girl Andy dated in high school who went on to be a very successful Hollywood actress. When she's in the area to film a new movie and ends up accused of murdering her co-star, Andy can hardly turn down her case. And it's quite a case - while Andy feels sure Jenny didn't do it, couldn't have done it, proving it is an entirely different matter. It's another fun installment in the series - full of humor and heart and a good mystery as well. And as usual, Grover Gardner's narration of the audiobook is perfection - at this point I can't imagine experiencing these books any other way.
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

In the book Flop Dead Gorgeous, author David Rosenfelt continues his bestselling Andy Carpenter Mystery series. Once again Andy is coming out of retirement. And this time he is helping Jenny Nichols, a girlfriend from high school, who is now a famous actress. But when Jenny’s costar and ex-boyfriend is found stabbed in the back, in her house, with her kitchen knife, will Andy be able to save her from prison?
This was a great fun story that continues the series. The audio-book narration was very good by long-time narrator Grover Gardner. I would recommend this book and the series. I received a copy of this audio-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for providing an unbiased review.

3.75

If you read (or in my case, listened to) the previous 26 books in the Andy carpenter series, you know there is a long-standing formula of some sort of international terrorism/assassin, not discovered until the last moment. I won’t toy with you and tell you there isn’t an international conspiracy, but it’s not exactly the bulk of the plot.

By the way, I am reviewing this as an experienced Andy Carpenter reader to date. I almost never recommend starting in the middle of a series and I don’t think this is any exception. He does go back over things, but there’s plenty he doesn’t mention. For example, in this book, only one parent can go to the crime scene because the other needs to stay home for Ricky. This scenario is a good spot to review his background and adoption as he’s lived a harder life than most kids his age.

In the 26th book of the series, we immediately meet the hometown girl turned Hollywood star who Andy repeatedly reminds people he dated in high school. It’s not long before she’s charged with murder and it’s a pretty slam dunk case for the prosecution. I won’t get into anything that might spoil the story, but it was interesting and a little different. If you’re looking for a major departure and don’t just enjoy these books for what they are, you should probably have quit at about number five. There’s not as much interaction with the supporting cast of characters, but I liked the situation in the story and enjoyed it. I once thought Grover Gardner was a little annoying, but now I enjoy, listening to the books and associate him completely with Andy Carpenter. He embodies the carefree, and obliviously vain Andy.

On a separate note, as a basset fan (RIP Ruby), I wish they would give Sebastian a little more credit and not always be quite as pathetic as he is portrayed. Bassets are such a fantastic and expressive breed. Yes, they can be lazy and are surely food motivated, but there could be a little bit more to him than just that. I also wish Ricky showed some sort of special bond with, or even recognition of, him considering that he was Ricky‘s dog when they found and adopted him upon the death of Rickey’s father.

I’ve never read an Andy Carpenter story that didn’t leave me laughing and smiling with sleuthing. Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt is no exception! Andy gets roped into representing a famous actress, which on a side note, he dated in high school. Andy’s sarcastic wit is exactly what the high profile case needs. Andy has connections that allows him to tease out leads and unravel the mystery. The regular crew, dogs and all, are present and bring their normal charm as well. I didn’t find it to be predictable and rather enjoyed the storyline. Especially Andy’s travels to LA. If you’ve never experienced Andy Carpenter’s style of representing someone, you’re missing out! You can read in any order, but you’ll definitely appreciate some of his backstory if you read others first.
I had the added privilege of listening to an audiobook narrated by Grover Gardner.

I absolutely love the Andy Carpenter books. Andy is such a great character. I can just relate to his witty way of doing thing and love how he gets himself into situations knowing that Marcus, Lori, and the rest of the gang can bail him out. In this one he gets reacquainted with a high school friend who had adopted one of the dogs from the shelter he helps support and she winds up getting accused of murder. Of course Andy has to help her out and take care of the dog in the meanwhile. I really enjoyed seeing how it was all tied together and the twist that happened along the way. I also really enjoy the narrator. I have a feeling if I ever heard him in public I would expect him to be Andy. Can't wait for the next adventure and see if Andy ever gets to actually "retire" and what happens next with Edna.