Publishers Weekly
08/02/2021
Edgar finalist Rosenfelt’s jaunty 24th Andy Carpenter mystery (after Dog Eat Dog) opens on a snowy November night in Paterson, N.J. Semiretired defense attorney Andy is walking his dogs in the park when Tara, “the greatest golden retriever the world has ever known,” discovers a hand protruding through the snow. It turns out to be connected to the body of Paterson’s mayor, Alex Oliva. The police are quick to arrest journalist Bobby Nash, who had written a negative story about Oliva, which turned out to be false and cost Bobby his job. Vince Sanders, the editor of the local paper and a longtime buddy of Andy’s, refuses to believe his former employee capable of murder and begs Andy to defend him. Soon homicides and attempted homicides are “popping up all over.” In the end, Andy must put his life in peril to draw out the bad guys. Rosenfelt matches crisp action scenes with wry dialogue, and he pithily conveys his characters’ shared histories. Newcomers as well as established fans will enjoy this installment. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
Praise for David Rosenfelt and The Andy Carpenter Mysteries
"Silent Bite is highly recommended and is proof that each new installment in the Andy Carpenter Mystery series is a winner." — Portland Book Review
“Dog lovers won’t want to miss this one.” – Publishers Weekly on Dachshund Through the Snow
“This book was a romping good time, perfect for taking a break through the stressful holidays.” — Dogster Magazine on Dachshund Through the Snow
“All the elements dedicated readers will be expecting, wrapped up in a festive Yuletide setting.” — Library Journal (starred review) on Deck the Hounds
“In each and every book, Rosenfelt manages to make the reading both humorous (laugh-out-loud funny) and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful.” —HuffPost on The Twelve Dogs of Christmas
“Heartwarming.” — Associated Press on The Twelve Dogs of Christmas
JUNE 2022 - AudioFile
Golden Voice narrator Grover Gardner takes on the 24th investigation of lawyer Andy Carpenter in Patterson, New Jersey. During a snowstorm, Andy and his intrepid dog, Tara, discover the body of the mayor of Patterson. Together with his team of investigators, Andy susses out the murderer and untangles a web of corruption involving local and Detroit mob figures. Gardner croons and booms as he voices the host of New Jersey natives and transplants. But as the complex investigation progresses, Gardner frequently drops his characterizations, making many of the characters sound the same, a disappointment for fans. Still, his Jersey accent is spot-on and contrasts well with Carpenter’s cultured tones and the flatter vowels of Michiganders. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2021-08-18
It wouldn’t be Christmas in Paterson, New Jersey, without a dead body covered by snow in Eastside Park.
It’s a bonus that the corpse is that of Paterson Mayor Alex Oliva and that it’s discovered by Tara, the beloved golden retriever of Andy Carpenter, the city’s most work-averse lawyer. As usual, Andy’s inclined to walk away from his discovery, but that quickly changes with the arrest of disgraced reporter Bobby Nash, whom Andy’s old pal, executive editor Vince Sanders, fired after a story he reported exposing a pay-to-play scheme that linked businessman Richard Minchner to Oliva’s gubernatorial campaign was proved false and Bobby’s principal informant, election committee member Theresa Minardo, said she’d never talked to him. Andy doesn’t owe Vince a favor, but when Vince points out that he’d certainly pay up if he owed Andy, he reluctantly takes on Bobby’s defense. It’s a good thing, too, since the case is about to blow up—literally for Theresa Minardo and several other locals hanging around structures that shadowy forces seem to have targeted for demolition. Bobby is poisoned during his stay in the prison hospital; prosecutor Dylan Campbell is clearly licking his chops over the surfeit of forensic evidence linking Bobby to the crime; and as Andy prepares his impossible defense, he can’t help wondering why the killer, after shooting Oliva in his driveway, would take so much trouble to dump his body a mere three blocks away.
Very little mystery, with surprisingly muted canine roles. The wily prosecutor turns in the single strongest performance.
