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I usually avoid this tunnel. It is one of three main passageways between New York City and Northern Jersey, where I live. I prefer the George Washington Bridge, where oxygen is plentiful and it doesn't feel like I'm driving through an enormous MRI machine. The fact is, I don't come into New York that often, and when I do it's rarely during the absurdly misnamed "rush" hour. But I needed to go to the NYU law library to do some research for an appellate case I'm handling, and I was stuck in court all day, so here I am.
I have two choices. I can ponder my impending death by suffocation under all this mud and water, knowing my loved ones will forever wonder whether my final resting place was in New York or New Jersey. Or I can think about the case, and what my strategy will be if the Court of Appeals turns us down. I go with the case, but it's a close call.
My client is death row inmate Willie Miller, a twenty-eight-year-old African-American convicted of murdering a young woman named Denise McGregor in the alley behind the Teaneck, New Jersey, bar where he worked. It's a case my father, Nelson Carpenter, prosecuted seven years ago, when he was the State District Attorney. Ironically, it's also my father's fault that I'm on the case now.
I think back almost two years to the day I was at home watching the Giants play the Redskins on television. It was a frigid, windy, December Sunday, the kind of day that passing would be difficult, so each team would try to run the ball down each other's throats. My father had come over to watch the game with me. He was never a big football fan, and my fanaticism about the Giants was clearly learned elsewhere. But he had been joining me to watch the games with increasing regularity since my mother died a year before. I don't think it's that he was liking football any more; I just think he was liking loneliness even less.
It must have been halftime that he brought it up, since if it were during the game I never would have heard him. "Do you remember the Willie Miller case?" he asked.
Of course I did. My father had sought and received the death penalty; this was not something I was likely to forget.
"Sure. What about it?"
He told me that some information had recently come to his attention. He wouldn't tell me how, or even what the specific information was, but he said that he had learned that a juror lied in voir dire, a significant lie that could result in a new trial if revealed to the court.
He was grappling with what to do with the information, since revealing the specifics would amount to breaking a privilege. Yet as an officer of the court he felt uncomfortable with concealing it, since Willie Miller was entitled to have the truth come out.
"How would you feel about representing him on an appeal?"
"Me?" I'm sure my mouth was stuffed with potato chips, so it probably came out "Mnnpphh?"
"Yes. You could have an investigator look into it, find out the facts without me having to tell you, and then go to the appeals court."
The case, as I remembered it, was open-and-shut. Willie Miller, even when seen through my skeptical defense attorney's eyes, was a murderer. I was not about to get involved in an appeal based on a technicality. What if it succeeded? I'd have to go through a trial I was bound to lose.
"No thanks."
"It would be important to me."
There it was, the sentence from which there was no defense. In my family, when you asked a favor of someone, it was acceptable to refuse. But once the person said that it was important to them, it crossed a line and became an absolute imperative. We did not use those words frivolously, and they carried an awesome weight.
"Then I'll do it."
"You've got no chance, you know."
I laughed. "Then why the hell is it so important to you that I enter the swamp?" That is how we referred to legal cases that dragged on forever with little or no chance of ultimate victory. "Because the man is on death row."
The Giants kicked off to start the second half, the Redskins drove the length of the field for a touchdown, and I was on a case that might well leave me forever stuck in the Lincoln Tunnel.
But, no! Suddenly, without warning, a burst of speed by the cars ahead lets me gun the accelerator to almost five miles an hour. At this rate, there's a chance I might make it home in time to leave for court tomorrow morning.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt Copyright © 2002 by David Rosenfelt . Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Anonymous
Posted September 18, 2011
I really liked this murder mystery and upon finishing it, I went on to read five more David Rosenfelt novels! Hs style is great! I love it when Andy goes against the grain of legalese and still comes out the winner! The dialogue is very refreshing and brought many laughs--not something I find in many courtroom dramas!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.It was an okay book. It had many unexpecting events take place. The plot took a while to really pick up speed. I have to admit my favorite character is Tara, the golden retriever. :) I hope the next book is better than this one.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.bearkram
Posted June 16, 2011
i loved this debut book and i plan to start the others in the series soon. writing style was not too heavy but just right
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Posted April 25, 2011
This is a very good book. Witty and suspenseful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.jdee01
Posted December 20, 2010
Just finished #1 & 2 in the series and rate both 4 stars. I just added all the rest (except cannot find #4) to my list to buy. Fast reads, witty, and informative. Gets right to the point and does repeat things over and over. Will recommend to my friends. J.Dee
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Vic7
Posted February 23, 2010
Loved it. Can't wait to finish the last one. Hope there is more coming, really loved Andy.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.scoda
Posted February 20, 2010
I Also Recommend:
When the latest Rosemfelt book made the best seller list, I decided to start at the beginning of the series with #1 first. I immediately ordered the remaining 6 of the series and can't wait for the newest one to be published. Each book is a page turner with a surprise ending. Great reading!
It doesn't hurt to have a Golden Retriever of your own!
KathyK
Posted December 12, 2009
I have been looking for different authors to read, since many of my favorite authors are deceased, seem to have retired or are not writing books as frequently as they did. After reading this book, the first in the Andy Carpenter series, I have now purchased three more -- guess no more needs to be said as to how much I enjoyed this book!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.JT05
Posted October 4, 2009
I Also Recommend:
I happened to pick up Open and Shut when my current list of "must read" authors had nothing new. I found an enjoyable story with characters-both two and four legged-that held my attention through the entire read. Many of us wish we had Andy Carpenter's lifestyle but the way he decides to deal with his windfall is both touching and enviable. Andy comes across as a good guy with a sense of humor about himself and life and is refreshing to read. I enjoyed my first Andy Capenter story enough to go back and purchase two more in the series.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.doggies
Posted May 3, 2009
David Rosenfelt does an excellent job of pulling you into the story of OPEN and SHUT! My book club chose this for an "easy" read, but now we call it an "Excellent" read.
Rosenfelt has you wondering "who did it" through out the book. You think you have it solved and then there is a new twist. The ending is SO unexpected.
Great read!!!
NYer
Posted January 10, 2009
I picked up this book at the airport and found my cross country flight was the fastest ever. I loved the story and the writing. I have recently purchased all of David Rosenfelt's books and love them all. I am so happy to find a new author that I enjoy.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 27, 2007
I absolutely could not put this book down! Andy Carpenter's sense of humor is what made the book. As soon as I finished it, I went out and ordered his other 4 books. David Rosenthal is now one of my favorite authors along with James Patterson, Stuart Woods, Phillip Margolin, Janet Evanovich. Harlan Cobin, Robert Crais and Sue Grafon. That's a pretty high ranking for a first book. I do hope the rest are just as great.
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Posted March 16, 2006
I enjoyed this book very much. I consider it a perfect summer read. Not so heavy that you need to think a lot, but still with enough suspense to keep you going.
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Posted March 1, 2004
An easy reading book that doesn't bore you with mundane details. Whenever I read a crime story, I know that clues are left for us to try to figure out the ending.... but this time I never saw it coming. Andy is so down to earth and a nice guy that if he didn't grow up with the senator's daughter, they probably never would have gotten married. I am glad this didn't get in the way of the truth.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 11, 2003
Quick easy read...hated to see it end...Recommend this book highly.
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Posted September 9, 2003
This story starts out slowly and never gets up to speed. The book suffers from a constant interjection of weak and distracting attempts at wiseguy humor as thought or spoken by the main character. A reader is left wondering how this person gradusted from high school, let alone law school.
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Posted July 5, 2002
This is a great book if you enjoy courtroom mysteries,witty main characters, and a storyline that grabs you from the first page to the last. I loved every page and just wish it had lasted longer. I can't wait for Mr Rosenfelt's next book.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.In New Jersey judicial circles, the name Nelson Carpenter is legendary as the former District Attorney earned the respect of the entire state. In Passaic County, Nelson¿s oldest born, defense attorney Andy Carpenter abuses that reputation that enables him to avoid contempt charges due to his questionable courtroom antics that irritate judges and prosecutors, but frees his clients.
Nelson asks Andy to defend Willie Miller in the felon¿s appeal of a murder conviction that the older Carpenter prosecuted. Witnesses stated that they found the accused standing over the murdered corpse of Denise McGregor and Willie¿s fingerprints and blood were all over the murder weapon. When Nelson dies while attending a baseball game with Andy, the latter knows he must honor his father¿s last wish of him. As he begins to become more familiar with the Miller case, Andy is stunned to inherit a fortune and find a seemingly incriminating photo of his dad. Soon someone threatens to kill Andy if he insists on working the Miller appeal.
OPEN AND SHUT is a fabulous legal thriller that is at its best when Andy stays on center stage as a loose cannon attorney. When the subplot involves Andy¿s personal relationships with his wife and his private investigator, it loses an edge though having the sleuth capable of kicking butt is a nice gender bender twist. Overall, the story line is fast-paced providing readers a thrilling ride through the New Jersey judiciary system. Jurors will discover David Rosenfelt¿s debut is quite appealing and sentence the author to providing more tales starring Andy.
Harriet Klausner
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 27, 2010
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Anonymous
Posted August 26, 2010
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Overview
"There is nothing like a golden retriever. I know, I know, it's a big planet with a lot of wonderful things, but golden retrievers are the absolute best. Mine is named Tara . . . The only problem she has ever caused is that I spend so much time with her in the mornings that I am almost invariably late for work."Whether dueling with new forensics or the local old boys' network, irreverent defense attorney Andy Carpenter always leaves them awed with his biting wit and winning fourth-quarter game plan. But Andy prefers the company of his best friend, Tara, to the people he encounters in the courtroom. Tara, a golden ...