In this 27th book in the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the Paterson, New Jersey defense attorney represents a Hollywood actress accused of murder.

*****

Ever since he inherited a large fortune, defense lawyer Andy Carpenter takes very few cases. Instead, Andy likes to hang out with his wife, son, and dogs; watch sports; schmooze with his friends; help run a canine rescue operation called 'The Tara Foundation'; and so on. Still, Andy accepts the occasional client when there's a good reason.

Andy is a sarcastic quipster whose frequent wisecracks make him unpopular with cops, prosecutors, and judges. So it's lucky that Andy knows his way around a courtroom, because he needs all his skills to defend film star Jenny Nichols.

Jenny Nichols grew up in Paterson, and is in town to film a movie in New York. As it happens, Jenny and Andy dated very briefly in high school, and - now that Jenny is a famous celebrity - Andy mentions this 'dating history' every other minute, to anyone and everyone.

In any case, Andy arranges a dinner party for Jenny at his favorite eatery, Charlie's Sports Bar. The guests are having a good time, enjoying the food and drinks, when the party is crashed by Jenny's ex-boyfriend, and current co-star, Ryan Griffin. Ryan is rude and pushy and insists that Jenny leave the party with him. Instead, Ryan and his bodyguards get thrown out by some of the guests, who know their way around a fight.

The next morning Ryan is found dead in the New Jersey house where Jenny is staying. Ryan was stabbed with a kitchen knife, and Jenny is arrested for murder. Andy immediately agrees to represent the actress, and he and his wife Laurie invite Jenny and her miniature poodle Mamie - who was adopted from The Tara Foundation - to stay with them pending trial.

Andy knows the best way to exonerate Jenny is to find the real killer, and he engages 'The K Team' detective agency to make inquiries. The K Team investigators are: Andy's wife Laurie - a former police officer; Corey Douglas - a retired cop; 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.

In a scene where Andy and The K-Team are interviewing Ryan's belligerent bodyguards - Ruben, Danny, and Gurley - Ruben challenges Marcus to go out in the alley. Andy notes, "We just wait for the resolution of the dispute between the Moron Formerly Known as Ruben and Marcus. Unless Ruben has a marine battalion waiting in the alley to have his back, he is in major trouble. And even then......"

In addition to The K Team, Andy calls in his accountant Sam Willis - who can hack into any computer anywhere; his assistant attorney Eddie Dowd - who's especially good with paperwork; and his secretary Edna - who's too busy scouting locations for her destination wedding to actually do any work (so far Edna has ruled out North Korea and Somalia). Andy also flies out to Hollywood to get the scoop on the victim, Ryan Griffin.

Andy learns that Ryan was independently wealthy; was a producer as well as an actor; was a heavy drug user; was involved with a new streaming service; and was connected with a Belorussian gangster called Sergey Bondar. When more dead bodies turn up, Andy feverishly tries to prove that thugs were involved in all the homicides, including Ryan.

In between working hard to prepare for trial, Andy walks his dogs; watches baseball games; worries about his 14-year-old son Ricky's summer trip with a teen group; and so on. Musing about Ricky's vacation, Andy observes, "He's leaving tomorrow for the teen tour. I have this irrational fear that he's leaving a little kid, but in eight weeks is going to come back twenty-two years old, with a full beard wanting his own apartment."

Andy and his team eventually unearth a diabolical scheme that could conceivably happen in real life.

I'm a fan of the Andy Carpenter mysteries but this book isn't among the best in the series. The story has too many ancillary characters and the plot is confusing. Still, I enjoyed the mystery novel, which has a lot of Rosenfelt's usual humor.

Thanks to Netgalley, David Rosenfelt, and St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for a copy of the book.

Ooh, you read my mind David Rosenfelt!

Andy Carpenter is a wanna-retire criminal defense attorney from Paterson, NJ. His cases are usually related to dogs or their owners. Andy's a top-notch lawyer who pretty much never loses a case as far as I can tell (I'm still not caught up with the series) but I always wonder WHEN.

In <i>Flop Dead Gorgeous</i> Jenny Nichols a famous star visits her hometown. Andy and her dated while in high school. She also rescued a mini French poodle from Andy's Tara Foundation.

During dinner with the Carpenters, Jenny's ex and co-star Ryan shows up and makes a scene. The next morning, Ryan is found dead at Jenny's house! Even though Jenny alerted the cops about the body, they had no suspect but her. Evidently, Andy becomes Jenny's lawyer but sure has a tough case to solve this time.

Did I mention Andy use to date Jenny Nichols, the famous actress? It's all for laughs and giggles and Andy does it better than anyone. He constantly reminds us of this info which made me laugh out loud every single time. The audiobook read by Grover Gardner is fantastic and he's the best here as Andy.

Gasp! Andy Carpenter loses a case?! You will have to read or listen to find out the details. I love David Rosenfelt's books! I think I have read them all. There are always dogs involved in his books since Mr Rosenfelt and his wife are dog rescuers, a big plus for me. I love listening to Grover Gardner's narration of the audiobooks. He IS Andy Carpenter. His voice, inflections, and pace are perfect. He nails Andy's snarkiness, wit, and humor perfectly. Andy is a lawyer wealthy from an inheritance so he doesn't have to work but he always gets drawn into cases. His reputation always precedes him with the police and judges who consider him a pain in the rear. In this book, Andy is defending movie star Jenny Nichols whom he dated in high school, as he will work into conversation whenever he can. His case doesn't go according to plan. I want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for giving me a copy of the latest book in this series I love so much.

I will say I have found this s decent read. Not great, but good. The narration is very good. The story is entertaining.

When semi-retired lawyer is pulled into a murder case by a ex-girlfriend, oh and starlit things get tense. Andy and the rest of the team (K team) are on the case but can they get to the end and convince the jury in time?
This is another wonderful book by David Rosenfelt and made better by the narration of a great voice actor Grover Gardner. They are a great team and all of the books that I have had the pleasure of listening to have been awesome. The characters, story line, suspense and action are all great and I love the dog aspect of it as well, that is just the cherry on top. If you have not read or preferably listened too any of Mr. Rosenfelt’s books give them a try I hope you like them as much as I do.

3.5⭐ I rediscovered Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series by way of his related later series The K Team. I have now read three of each: installments 1, 7, and 27 of the former, and installments 1 through 3 of the latter. The writing seems consistent, so if you dig one, you'll probably dig more. Like the others, I found Flop Dead Gorgeous to be mildly funny, sometimes in a sarcastic way.

Andy mentions a team member who likes to talk like a film detective, which is how I feel about narrator Grover Gardner. Like most voracious readers, both audio and visual, I create an image of how the characters look and sound. Gardner and I just aren't on the same page. That's a me problem. I'll get over it.

Specific to this installment, Andy is constantly reminding us that he dated Hollywood star Jenny in high school. I think this is part of Rosenfelt's shtick. It became too much. Neither canine Tara nor team member Marcus appear as much as I would have liked. I'm especially partial to Marcus, who speaks very little but whose use of his physical stature makes every situation crystal clear.

I gave my rating a slight boost toward the end to reward the nice little twist that I absolutely should have—but didn't—see coming. As soon as it landed, I completely remembered the set-up.

As I've mentioned in a previous review, Rosenfelt gives enough background information to allow this book to stand alone. I'll keep reading the series whenever I feel the need for a decent light mystery.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Minotaur Books, for the audio ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. Publication is expected July 4.

This is the 27th (!!) book in the series. This is a series that you need to read/listen to in order. If you like the first book, you’ll love this one as the books get better as the series goes on. The narrator is the same throughout the series and he does a wonderful job. No complaints as this series never gets stale! Highly recommend the entire series!!

Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt
Andy Carpenter Mystery Book 27
Narrator, Grover Gardner
I still enjoy these audiobooks after all these years. Andy Carpenter is an endearing level one smart ass. This was a good addition to the series. Not too much of the dogs in this one but good anyway.
Grover Gardner is excellent as usual. For me he is the voice of Andy Carpenter.

This is the 27th installment in this series and I have to admit I’m becoming a little tired of the formula of these books.

In this book we have the same set of characters, Andy, his wife Laurie, their computer wonder, Sam and Marcus, their muscle man. There is also a menagerie of dogs that enjoy visiting during all of their long investigative meetings!

This time the person that Andy is “talked into” representing is a Hollywood actress. Jenny Nichols who grew up in Patterson, NJ and Andy will be quick to tell you he dated her in high school.

Jenny wakes up one morning to find her ex-boyfriend in her living room, murdered. She is innocent and needs to prove it.

We spend a lot of time following up leads, many of which go nowhere.

But never fear the group of canine lovers eventually will find the murderer and Andy can go back to watching football, at least for a while.

I keep reading or listening to this series because I have looked up The Tara Foundation. It is real and is named after Andy’s first golden retriever. The foundation has helped a lot of dogs that were abused or abandoned and for that I applaud him.

Grover Gardner is the perfect narrator for Andy. I didn’t find the amount of atmosphere or sense of place as I have in some of the other books. I loved one that was set in Maine and others set during the Christmas season, etc. It just adds a little more to the enjoyment.

I personally think that you have to have read at least a few of the earlier books to understand the characters' connections.

I received the audiobook of this novel from MacMillan audio through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to listen to and review this novel.

Flop Dead Gorgeous is the third novel in the Andy Carpenter series that I have listened to. I really enjoyed this one, so much that as soon as it ended I immediately started another Andy Carpenter. In this one Andy is the defence for a now famous, old high school sweetheart. With not much to go on, and a neat and tidy case for the prosecutor, Andy has his work cut out for him. After making a plea to the public they receive an anonymous tip, will it be what he needs to put forward a believable defence for Jenny.
Narrated by Grover Gardner. I enjoy his narration so much. He definitely has the comedic timing necessary to elicit more than a few giggles while listening.
Highly recommended!

Once again, this is a great addition to the series. The banter is always so fun in these books. This one has a little bit of a twist in it, which was great.

Each book in this series is a complete story on its own, however there is a lot of background to the characters that will be missed if you skip a bunch. You can absolutely read this as a standalone and Rosenfelt gives enough information to get a feel for the characters, but you won't get all of the history and intricacies of the relationships.

I have to admit that the books do tend to be a bit formulaic. Andy wants to retire and suddenly someone needs him to defend them in court. He believes them to be innocent and grudgingly agrees to take on the case. There are certain additional things that you can expect in every book, but the formula works. The books are fun and witty. I look forward to each new release.

I try to listen to all of the books. Grover Gardner's voice is just perfect for Andy. It is always an enjoyable listen.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to an ARC audio of this book.
Though David Rosenfelt's books always have a dog referral in the title and dogs show up in the story, these books are not about dogs. Andy, our hero, owns a dog and Jenny, who Andy dated in HS and is now star quality famous, also owns a dog. Jenny is accused of murdering someone she recently dated and Andy and his wife, Laurie, don't believe she is guilty and Andy sets out to prove it.

As one reviewer said, "Listening to Grover Gardner narrating a David Rosenfelt novel is like sliding into favorite slippers at the end of a long day: One feels the joyful gratification of a perfect fit." So true. There is actually quite a good story with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. But Andy is so self-deprecating that the story takes a back seat to Gardner's narration of Andy being Andy.

This is a fun book which I recommend -- it is not a thriller.

David Rosenfelt's latest entry in his long-running series featuring criminal defense attorney, Andy Carpenter. But there is no need to read any of his prior novels to enjoy this murder mystery. Asked by a now famous movie star he had dated briefly in high school to handle issues associated with the estate of his late mother, he is drawn into defending her when she is accused of murder. The author does a great job weaving the intricacies of criminal trial procedures into a story about the legwork by private investigators involved in mounting a criminal defense for a client in whose innocence Carpenter and his wife (a former police officer who serves as one of his private detectives) deeply believe. This story will keep you going from start to finish.
The narrator was terrific. Great plot and great listening experience.

Another fun book by David Rosenfelt. Not much I can say that differentiates it from his other books. We're pretty much to the point where if you've read one, you've read them all. Still an enjoyable time though. The narrator does a good job, as always. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of Andy Carpenter will not be disappointed. There’s everything we expect including lots of sardonic humor and a gripping court case.
This time, Andy is representing Jenny Nichols. She’s a famous actress who grew up in Patterson and adopted a dog from the Tara Foundation. Oh, and did Andy mention he dated her a few times in high school?
As always, Andy thinks he knows who’s behind the murder. But, can he introduce the necessary information in the court case?
Rosenthal is proof that an author can use a formula without it becoming boring. I am always pleased that he can put together a mystery where I’m left wondering how it will all play out. These books are the perfect entertainment, not deep but always engaging.
I listened to this and Grover Gardner is Andy! I will admit to hearing his voice even when I’m reading one of these books.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.

I began reading this book in print format when I was lucky to win an ARC from Goodreads. Then I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC audiobook from NetGalley. Narrator Grover Gardner brings the characters in this series to life!

This story was classic Andy Carpenter. The whole crew was on hand for the case/mystery. All of the "Groucho Marx style" humor was well-written. Even the ending was a bit of a surprise. The book definitely didn't disappoint!

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Goodreads for the print ARC and thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty-seven books in! I read Flop Dead Gorgeous in May, and already have started the book coming out in October, Twas the Bite Before Christmas. That is how much I absolutely love this series by David Rosenfelt.

Lights. Cameras. Action. Why is that? First of all, Andy should stop saying he is retired, because he takes case after case. In this case, he is defending an ex-girlfriend, and she is a movie star and comes with all of the glitz and glamour. Of course she has a dog, a dog she has adopted from Andy's organization, The Tara Foundation.

This Andy Carpenter series ties in with his spinoff series, The K Team, so not only do we have Andy's wife Laurie, there are Sam, a computer whiz; Marcus, his security guard; and ex-cop Corey, the latter two you see a lot of with Laurie in the K Team books. Oh, it was so nice to see Edna in this book. I remember when I was binge reading the series in January how averse Edna was to work, and I simply adore her. Fabulous continuity, but enough of a backstory for first time readers of a book in this series.

As per his regular style, Andy does more than take on his newest client, he also investigates the murder she is being accused of. Considering the victim died in her kitchen makes this no easy feat. With his usual charm, humor and intelligence, Andy is certainly up to the task.

You absolutely have to love Andy's love for dogs, as well as to how Laurie feels about them as well. I hated for this book to end, especially since I had it as an audiobook ARC expertly narrated by the talented Grover Gardner, but I also got the October title as an eARC and am reading it now.

I have no idea how I missed this series at the beginning but I am thrilled to be reading each book as it comes out as David Rosenfelt has written an addictive series.

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Cute

If you have read one of the Rosenfelt series you have pretty much read them all. That is not a bad thing. They are light, amusing, and have a decent plot. You will have no trouble sleeping because of graphic violence.

This has still trying-to-retire defense attorney Andy Carpenter helping out a celebrity (who he repeatedly reminds us that he dated briefly in college) who is accused of killing a former partner. The plot was good and forgettable. In fact, I read it yesterday and already forgot who did it.

I really like the series. I listen to the audio books and they are a great accompaniment while I am working.

Recommended and I am adding the next in the series to my waiting list.