New Tricks (Andy Carpenter Series #7)

Page Turner

If you are looking for a page turner, you found it. I read it really fast. It's funny and you do laught. The plot, although implausible, is fun. He's lost me a few times with his "song talking" because I'm back in the Sinatra age and those few things confuse me. But, I couldn't put it down and it sure is escapist reading great for the beach or on a plane. Captivating....sure. If you are looking for a fun read, you found it and it's Jersey....like Evanovich or Harlan Coben. I'll keep buying him.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Readers will appreciate David Rosenfelt's terrific legal thriller

In Paterson, New Jersey, someone murders pharmaceutical VIP Walter Timmerman. A custody battle over the late man's Bernese mountain puppy Waggy pursues between his widow Diana and his son, Steven. A judge directs lawyer Andy Carpenter to represent Waggy's interest.

Andy, who already has a canine roommate Tara, picks up Waggy from Diana. Just after he leaves with the dog, a bomb explodes in Diana's house killing her. The police who already suspected Steven in his father's homicide, arrest him for Diana's murder. He hires Andy to represent him. Soon afterward, Andy's girlfriend, visiting Wisconsin police chief Laurie Collins, is shot while playing with the two dogs; leading to the attorney to conclude someone wants Waggy dead with Laurie accidentally getting in the way.

Having defended canine interests in court before (see PLAY DEAD), defense attorney Andy Carpenter does not blink when he is ordered to serve as Waggy's lawyer. The story line is fast-paced from the moment Andy brings his client home and never slows down even with super spins and twists. Readers will appreciate David Rosenfelt's terrific legal thriller as DNA plays a major role in the attempts to kill Waggy and anyone protecting the canine.

Harriet Klausner

1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

New Tricks may be a new book but it is a good, old-fashioned great read!

Returning in the latest installment of this series is Andy Carpenter the lawyer that has found himself billed as both the "Lawyer to the Dogs" as well as a dog lunatic. Yes he has represented his fair share of canines and yes he does love dogs especially his own and absolutely he is trying to keep his rescue foundation thriving, but this is not a title he appreciates since he is trying to practice law with clients that do not have four legs. But Andy finds himself again being assigned to represent a dog in a custody case after its owner is unceremoniously murdered in the wrong part of town and his new wife and son are fighting over custody. This on the surface appears to be a simple enough case but of course it is not because that would make Andy's life uncomplicated which it is anything but since he inherited millions, the love of his life, Laurie, moved too many states away and his dog Tara started questioning his every move.

Before the dog in question, a hyper Bernase Mountain Dog and descendant of a Westminster Best in Breed named "Waggy", is even in the car the widow is blown up in her house right after Andy walks out. With a blink of an eye the widow's step son and other litigant for Waggy's custody is arrested by the police for her murder as well as his father's. That would seem enough for anyone to deal with but wait that isn't the half of it as Andy decides the son didn't do it and takes it upon himself to represent him against the murder charges. Of course he still has to keep the dog safe even with the bodies piling up and the distraction of his girlfriend Laurie in town for an extended visit. Before too long though this case becomes even more personal as Laurie is mistakenly shot and critically wounded when the gunman tries to kill Waggy. Andy has so much going on in so many directions that he is having trouble sorting through the good from the evil but Laurie will recover, Waggy will find the right home and Steven his client will get off on the charges. Or so this is how it plays out in Andy's head!

With help from Laurie's investigator Marcus, his partner Kevin and the sprinkling of various branches of law enforcement here and there Andy works through the details to get to the answers which never seem to add up. For every answer there is a wall thrown up that throws off the direction he is pursuing but he however does know that the one common factor is Waggy Nothing seems clear except it all revolves around Waggy and while this dog is valuable due to its lineage is that enough for someone to want it dog dead? Andy doesn't believe it is but trying to figure out the dog's value and get his client off on the murder charges is more than enough for today so let's see what tomorrow has in store.

This book is absolutely a delight from page one. I did not expect to dislike it as mystery's are always fascinating but this angle of man, dog and client is wonderful as well as it is entertaining. I do not believe you need to be a dog lover to fall for Andy and his troop of characters because there is enough for everyone all around with a mystery, a little love angle and some very interesting people who Andy has surrounded himself with. Wonderful does not begin to describe this book and if you don't own it you absolutely should!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommend

Once again David Rosenfelt has a winner! You never know what the next page brings. Suspense, great humor and a page turner.

Dogs, mysteries, legal escapades -- New Tricks is great fun!

Attorney Andy Carpenter is a wise-cracking, dog-loving, and long-distance relationship balancing, trust fund baby. He makes the most of his time now that he has the luxury of choosing his cases. In his own words: "I've been on a three month vacation from work. I find that my vacations are getting longer and longer, almost to the point that vacationing is my status quo, from which I take infrequent 'work breaks.' Two things enable me to do this: my mostly inherited wealth and my laziness."

When Carpenter's assigned to represent a dog in a custody dispute, the case gets complex quickly. Carpenter narrowly misses being killed and the dog's claimants quickly drop in number. Acting as an amateur sleuth and lawyer, Carpenter finds himself in the middle of a complex and dangerous plot involving the dog, a drug company, and a struggle for a huge fortune. Carpenter faces the absurd, the dangerous, and the crazy with a keen sense of humor -- and takes on the challenge of unraveling the mystery behind the Bernese mountain dog and finding him a home.

Witty, fun, and a good read, New Tricks is sure to appeal to folks who enjoy legal thrillers, mysteries and dogs.

ISBN-10: 0446505889 - Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; Reprint edition (July 1, 2010), 384 pages

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Going to the Dogs

This is the first novel I have read from David Rosenfelt and it won't be the last. I am a true dog lover and this book with Tara (attorney Andy Carpenter's Golden Retriever) and a Bernese Mountain Dog puppy named Waggy met my canine quotient.

Andy Carpenter becomes the trustee of a Bernese Montain Dog puppy named Waggy when his owner is shot and then the owner's wife is blown up. Andy ends up representing the son, who has been accused of killing his father and stepmother, and it's not long before Andy believes that someone is out to kill Waggy.

People are dropping like flies and it's up to Andy to figure out whodunit before Waggy bites the dust.

Andy's snappy dialogue and repartee with his wife and friends is reminescent of Earl Emerson's books with Attorney Thomas Black.

Good Stuff

Fresh writing, odd characters and dogs. Throw in an explosion, a murder or two and what more do you need? This is a fun read that is well written, witty and exciting. If you don't read it in one sitting, you'll spend the day waiting to get back to it. A really good read.

Fun Andy Tale with Andy trying to save an Innocent Man and a Dog

This is a great tale that keeps you guessing until practically the last page. Andy must defend a client he knows for sure is innocent but cannot use any of the proof that his client is innocent because of the way it was obtained. Andy must summon all his witty, retort led courtroom acumen to take other tacks in winning the freedom of his client (Steven). Steven is accused of murdering his father and there is a ton of "circumstantial" evidence linking him to the crime and practically nothing to prove that he didn't do it.

Also, Steven's step-mother is killed and the culprit seems to also want a purebred litter of a champion, pup to also die. Everthing seems to point back to DNA experiments that Steven's father was working on. Such experiments seem to have aroused the interest of the FBI (the author has to always figure a way to get Cindy Spodek into his tales) and an international hitman.

It is up to Andy to get his client off, protect the dog and his own life. To do it he calls on his usual cast of characters (Laurie, Kevin, Sam, Pete and the indestructible Marcus).

The book goes at a fast pace and is hard to put down. Probably the best Andy Carpenter tale since his initial appearance!

really good book for dog lovers.

I really liked this book, because it featured dogs promenintly in the plot. Although this writer wrote previous books, I read this one 1'st. It might be helpful to read his previous book, to get a feel of the characters, but it's not a necessity.

Woof, woof, woof!!!

Always excited when David Rosenfelt has released another book. Great escapist fiction, with lots of smiles throughout, and always a cohesive mystery tale. Love his supporting cast of characters and his sense of humor. While I might not remember the core story a month later, I definitely enjoy his books as I'm reading them. This one did not disappoint, and I eagerly await the next.

Mysteries are not at the core of my reading, but DR makes it worth straying from literary fiction.

Great for Dog lovers

If you like dogs and good mysters this is for you. An enjoyable read with many twists and turns. This is the second or third of his books I've read. As soon as I knew he had a newbook, I bought it.

Not worth the price of hardcover.

It feels like the only that changed was the type of dog in this story. I wait till it comes out in paperback not worth the hardcover price. I wouldn't continue with this series.

love this series

David Rosenfelt brings back attorney Andy Carpenter in "New Tricks", his fifth book in the series. Andy, the dog lover that he is, is told by the courts to decide where a cute little puppy belongs. Not an easy task when murder happens and Andy and his sarcastic nature decides to investigate further. His romance deepens with the love of his life Laurie. Rosenfelt has developed a great cast of characters and keeps me entertained and laughing with each new Andy Carpenter story.

Love it!

I expected more of a 'dog book' but this was fantastic! The author's humor adds so much! I love this book

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.