'Twas the Bite Before Christmas is the 28th (!!!) Andy Carpenter legal procedural mystery by David Rosenfelt. Released 10th Oct 2023 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. Ebooks with interactive formats are great; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.

For current fans of the series, this is a good one. It's full of the same sarcastic, warm humor and the same ensemble cast as previous entries in the series (with the absence of Edna, who's found a second career, planning her wedding destination which changes with alarming frequency). Andy Carpenter is, of course, central to the story and still trying to figure out how to stay retired and avoid working. This is such a long running and consistently well written series that saying it's "more of the same, worked around a different mystery" should be enough of a recommendation by itself. Although it's the 28th book in the series, the mystery is self contained and the necessary back-story is written in albeit with a few major spoilers for previous books. I heartily recommend the whole series.

This is pure comfort reading. It's got a likable protagonist, an engaging mystery, humorous dialogue, and a solid climax, denouement, and resolution. I adore Andy's supporting team, and of course Marcus and Laurie are there to save Andy and keep him in functional form to perform his courtroom magic. As always there are adorable canine characters aplenty, adding a lot of fun to the story.

The audiobook has a run time of 6 hours and 33 minutes and is expertly narrated by Grover Gardner who manages to juggle the various accents and characters of all ages and both sexes without problems. I found myself grinning and laughing along several places with the wonderful narration. The read was definitely enhanced by the narrator. The sound and production quality are high throughout the recording.

Four and a half stars for both the text and audiobook versions. All around fun read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Once a year the Tara Foundation throws a Christmas party for the people who adopted rescue dogs. Andy Carpenter is NOT a fan of eggnog. So he is relieved when Pete Stanton, homicide detective and his friend, calls him outside. He warns Andy that one of his party guests is about to be arrested.

Andy, retired and avoiding working as an attorney, ends up believing Derek’s (Bobby) story, and agrees to represent him. Andy’s cases are never simple and neither is this one. The investigation will become complex and uncover some ugly issues from mobsters and drugs to murder.

Andy’s crew includes his wife Laurie (an ex-cop) and her K-9 team, Marcus, and a guy he calls on for quiet IT work. The series dogs Tara, for whom the rescue foundation is named, Andy’s pug Hunter, and Sebastian. I love the stories of the doggos that this time also includes Bobby’s two foster failures, Sasha and Jake.

As always, I enjoy the courtroom scenes with Andy doing his best to alienate everyone with his legal wrangling of appropriate precedent. Andy always keeps his eye on proving a provable alternative to his own client.

Along the way is the signature Andy Carpenter sense of humor, the wise-cracking, snarky observations narrated beautifully as only Grover Gardner can deliver. He has sold this character many times over and the author’s love of dogs shines through every time. You gotta love them.

This series is always an easy go-to. My only problem is that they are too short.

Poor Andy Carpenter. He keeps trying to retire from being an attorney, but life just won't let him. Here it is Christmas, and again Andy has to step up to help someone accused of murder. Of course, the accused always has a dog related connection... David Rosenfelt's books are fun and entertaining -- "Twas the Bite Before Christmas," Rosenfelt's 28th Andy Carpenter novel, is no exception. Come on! Who doesn't love a mystery that makes you laugh out loud from time to time.

This time Bobby, who foster's dogs for Andy's dog charity, is in the witness protection program when a gang member is murdered -- a member of the gang who Bobby used to belong to and testified against years ago. As usual it isn't really the thrill of solving the mystery or the procedure of how to solve the crime that captives the reader. Rather it is the fun you have just along for the ride as Andy, his wife Laurie-the PI, the amazing computer hack-Sam, and Marcus-the scariest person alive, find the real killer. And of course, the dogs! Always, the dogs who punctuate the story with humor and good feelings. After all, it is Christmas!

My rating 4 of 5.

This ARC title was provided by Netgalley.com at no cost, and I am providing an unbiased review. 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas was published on October 10, 2023.

Another great read by David Rosenfelt. Andy has a new client and nothing is as it seems. Turns out his new client is in the witness protection program. It looks like he left the program in a big way by committing murder. It is up to Andy to prove otherwise. Lots of appearances by new dogs and one of Andy's finally gets to do his own thing. Loved it and love the narrator. Can't wait for the next adventure.

I love this series. The characters quickly become dear friends, and each new book is like a wonderful visit. Andy Carpenter is as snarky and brilliant as ever. The relationship with his wife and team mates is a humorous and as engaging as ever and Patterson New Jersey is as crime filled as ever. Even when I read one of these it is the narrator's voice I hear in my head - he does an excellent job. Highly recommend this very enjoyable read.

I have no idea what more I can say about this series. I can say it is in my top 5 series of all time. I can say that I recommend it to absolutely everyone. I can say that listening each book is like reconnecting with old friends.

This series has everything for me and something for everyone. There is Mystery/Crime Solving, Family and Friends, Humor, and more. Oh, and DOGS!! We can't forget them!

Do yourself a favor and pick up one of these books. They can be read as standalones but if you want to see the relationships form, start from the beginning. I highly recommend the audiobooks. Grover Gardner is an incredible Andy Carpenter. I need these to be made into a tv series!!

Formula Rosenfelt. It always starts with a friend needing a lawyer because they are charged with murder. But somehow they are always different and entertaining. The case of "who done it" is always interesting and ALWAYS comes together in the end...no loose ends. And I love the court room drama and the cross examinations.
The recurring characters are helpful to maintain color and devotion to the series.
It's a great series...I have read them all...and always look forward to the next one.
My only negative is the title. Didn't really fit other than the event took place around Christmas. No dog bite and the trial went beyond New Years...sooo?
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the book Twas the Bite Before Christmas, author David Rosenfelt continues his bestselling Andy Carpenter Mystery series. Once again, much to Andy’s chagrin, he has a new case and it’s at Christmas time. Derek who adopted 2 dogs from Andy’s Tara Foundation is arrested for murder. But as they dig into the case, Andy discovers that Derek is not really Derek but Bobby who is in witness protection for testifying in a double murder case. And the murder victim has ties to Derek’s, I mean Bobby’s, old life. This is a Christmas story like no other!
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 really enjoy this series. I laugh out loud at some point every time I read one and this installment was certainly no exception. The writing is great and witty, which I love. The series is pretty formulaic - you know what you are getting into when you start one, but they're still a lot of fun to read. Unfortunately, I feel like it's starting to lean a little too heavily into the mafia type characters for my taste. I'm really hoping future installments don't all head in a similar direction.

With that said, I am still looking forward to the next installment and I can't wait to see which case falls into Andy's lap next.

I listened to the audio narrated by Grover Gardner and this is definitely the way to go. He is a perfect Andy.

3.5 stars

I am drawn to every David Rosenfelt book simply because there are dogs on every cover. I can’t help it. I love dogs and if there are dogs on the cover of your book I’m going to want to read your book. In my first book by him, I was shocked by just how little the book had to do with dogs and was too distracted by that to fully enjoy the story. Now I know what to expect and I can confidently say ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas is my favorite book by the author.

This is the in 28th book in the Andy Carpenter series. I have not read them all, I am at a total of 5 so you definitely do not need to know them all to enjoy this. I would say this is just fine as a standalone although I did have prior attachments to the characters which did help my enjoyment. 

The story again follows Andy while he tries to prove his friend's innocence in a murder charge. Andy is hunting for who the real murderer is all while this case is on trial. I really loved both the trial side of this story and the investigation side. Both sides are written perfectly. You are given a huge amount of detail but it was never so much where you would be overwhelmed. 

I really like Andy as a character. I see him as a mix between Nick Pirog’s Thomas Prescott character and then Andy Griffith’s Matlock. In between chapters, I found myself humming the tune to Matlock like we were going to a commercial break. I wish this was a joke and I was making it up but it’s really what I found myself doing.

In the other books I read by Rosenfelt I didn’t find any of the endings to be shocking or have a twist. This time I found the ending to be a shock and I really enjoyed it. I like how Andy explains the process of how he got the conclusions he got to.

The Andy Carpenter series is a series with great characters and even better covers. This is a great entry into the series and is friendly for newcomers.

The narrator has done a great job of expressing the often excited and/or disbelieving thoughts of Andy Carpenter. The story flows so well, it's over before you know it. I'm usually not a audio book fan because my imagination weaves some pretty exciting pictures but this audio lived up to the best I could do!!!!


Book #28 in the Andy Carpenter series and if you have not read them.....you are seriously missing out. I fell in love with Rosenfelt's eccentric laywer, Andy Carpenter in 2002 and have remained faithful to this cast of characters ever since. Each book's title has a canine reference and dogs play a big part in each book. If the characters don't love dogs, they will most certainly become victims in this mystery/ thriller/ legal procedural/ comedy/ series. The books are so well written, you fly through them, Rosenfelt always leaves you wanting more. If you love Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum or Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone, you will definitely love Andy Carpenter. My family and friends often receive copies of his books for their birthdays or Christmas. This one is out just in time for them to get it in their stockings this year.

📕 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*****I received this audiobook free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

First of all I LOVE this author! I first discovered him when I read his book Dogtripping and was hooked! Then to find out he wrote books that were murder mystery court cases I was PUMPED!! To have my favorite genre with a few dogs sprinkled in really make the story!

I really liked the story. Andy Carpenter (main character) always gets the difficult cases to unravel. This was another one!

The narrator was great. I have listened to others in this series on audiobook as well. I highly recommend!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

A little bit of NY. A little bit of Jersey. A little bit of Mafia. A little bit of gangs.
A whole lot of DOGS!!
And a great cast of characters!!

This one has it all. Add to that that it's a short read...and a Christmas story...what else could you ask for??
Starts out at a Christmas Gala at the adoption agency for the rescue dogs.
And things start to go wrong. One of the guys is arrested...one that Andy (the lawyer) loves...
And he's on the case...so watch out!
Loved every little bit of this one!

5 stars for me!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for the ARC of the Audiobook which releases October 10th.

#TwasTheBiteBeforeChristmas by #DavidRosenfelt

Follow me on Instagram at BookReviews_with_emsr.

‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt is a holiday mystery surrounding the death of a mobster. When an unsuspecting resident gets tangled up with the law, secrets start unraveling and Andy Carpenter, defense attorney, must try to make sense despite all the twists and turns.

Told from Andy’s point of view, ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas is filled with humor one liners that will keep you laughing. The mystery was interesting and the police procedural portions helped hold the suspense as twists came to light. The story seemed plausible which is always a plus for me and I liked the court scenes.

My only complaint is there could have been more dog scenes 😜, no one would complain about more dogs.

I give this one 5 paws up! 🐾 🐾🐾🐾🐾

Thank you Minotaur Books for my complimentary copy of ‘Twas The Bite Before Christmas and to NetGalley for my complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Why oh why is this the first I am hearing of the Andy Carpenter Mysteries? David Rosenfelt is a genius!
He combines a cozy mystery with a relatable Defense Lawyer and DOGS !! This is the 28th book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. I am adding all the previous books to my ever growing TBR.

Andy has a wonderful support staff and I love how they work together. They go above and beyond to solve this mystery. Andy has such a great sense of humor. And while I know not everyone is a fan of dry humor/sarcasm I am totally there for it ! The little bit at the beginning about soccer had me in stitches.

I paired the audiobook with my physical book and I am glad I did. Grover Gardner was able to project all the sarcasm and whit of Andy perfectly. His enthusiasm is spot on and it seems as if he is enjoying reading the book as much as I was enjoying listening to it.

I’ve read and listened to several books in this series. They never disappoint! I love how the author introduces a new dog in each book. The narrator does a great job with the books. I can’t imagine anyone else narrating the books. He makes me laugh.

I am reviewing both the audio book and the story so please keep that in mind if you are reading this review and trying to decide which edition to buy.

First the audio. I love this narrator. He makes the main character come alive and really enhances the sarcastic voice of the lawyer/main character.

Now to the story. This is a mystery and courtroom drama. This is my third book in this series and I have enjoyed each one. In Twas the Bite Before Christmas a fellow foster failure is arrested for murder and Andy Carpenter takes on the task of defending him and, with his wife's detective agency, finding the actual guilty party. Along the way there are run-ins with mob bosses and crime syndicates.

#GroverGardner #narrator #DavidRosenfelt #AndyCarpenter #McMillanAudio #MinataurBooks #Netgalley #ARC

Thank you NetGalley and David Rosenfelt for this audio ARC.

This was actually an enjoyable read. I wasn’t sure about it in the beginning but as the chapters went on I liked it. Solid read and I recommend. It had a great plot twist and great characters.

'Twas the Bite Before Christmas is a cozy mystery/legal thriller with a sardonic protagonist who'd be insufferable in real life but served some hilarious one liners as a character. It was a fun, light read!

I haven't read any of the other Andy Carpenter books (this is #28) so it definitely works as a standalone. I do want to caution that this is not a Christmas story, despite the cover and title, so don't pick this up if that's what you're looking for. It unfolds during the holiday season, but the holidays aren't really in the background other than a toss away line here or there.

When Derek, a casual friend of Andy's, is arrested for murder, Andy reluctantly takes on his case (and his two dogs - he's much happier to take those on than he is the work). Now with five dogs at home, Andy sets out to unravel the mystery behind his friend's arrest.

It's part mystery and part legal thriller, with a lot of time spent in court (and that part is surprisingly fun, too). It's cozy through and through, and even though I'm a cat person I enjoyed every bit of this story.

Thanks, NetGalley and Avon, for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Andy is a defense lawyer who also runs a foundation. The book starts off with a holiday party at the Tara Foundation but one of the guests, Derek, gets arrested. Andy decides to temporarily become his defense attorney until Andy can decide if he actually wants to take on the case; Andy also takes in Derek's 2 dogs while he's "away". Now with 5 dogs in the house, Andy starts to unravel the mystery behind the arrest of his friend. I didn't find the dogs had much of a role in the book, they were kind of in the background of it all. There were a lot of characters in the book which I realized I needed to pay close attention to or else it was confusing. The story involves gangsters and lots of gang activity and Andy finds himself getting pulled into the different gang activity to investigate the mystery. I did find the book was well laid out and the mystery was well put together with many layers to the story. I did like Andy's dry sense of humor, it added some entertainment to the book and helped keep my attention.

Personally, I didn't really see what this had to do with Christmas, it was set during the holiday season but Christmas was really only mentioned a couple times. I had a hard time getting into the story but I didn't really love the narration by Grover Gardner, I found it to be a bit monotone which made me lack enthusiasm about the book. However, when I was halfway through I went back to the beginning and it was easier to stay attentive. I realize now that this is part of a long series so it may have just been the fact that I came into Andy's storyline at book 28.

All in all, I thought it was a good story but I had a hard time with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5890803876