Customer Reviews

New Tricks

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The pun is simply too obvious and alluring to avoid, but with apologies to all, David Rosenfelt's writing is going to the dogs. Rosenfelt is the author of an entertaining courtroom mystery series featuring New Jersey attorney Andy Carpenter, a criminal defense lawyer with a unique law practice. Andy inherited a small fortune from his father. This wealth allows him the independence to practice law when and for whom he chooses, and his small coterie of co-workers includes several unique and talented individuals.

Andy is a dog lover. Previous books in the series have involved canines as central figures in his cases. Even his own golden retriever, Tara, has played a prominent role. In NEW TRICKS, Andy has another canine client, Waggy, a Bernese mountain puppy who he must shepherd through a custody battle in court.

Waggy's custody is the subject of a courtroom battle between the heirs of the recently murdered Walter Timmerman, a multi-millionaire pharmaceutical baron. Timmerman's homicide has caused a rift between his widow Diane and Walter's son Steven, a prime suspect in Walter's murder. After accepting the assignment as guardian of the dog, Andy proceeds to the Timmerman estate to take custody of his client. Shortly after his arrival, an explosion rocks the house killing Diane. Steven is now more than a suspect; he is the defendant in a double-murder case. Fortunately for him, Andy believes he is innocent.

The Carpenter regulars all make appearances in NEW TRICKS. His hypochondriac associate, Kevin Randall, does the heavy legal lifting while fighting off every disease known to man. Edna, his office assistant, makes work avoidance an art form. Every lawyer must have sources in law enforcement and journalism, and Andy has Lieutenant Pete Stanton of the Patterson, New Jersey Police Department, and Vince Sanders, editor of the local newspaper. My favorite of the Carpenter clan is Marcus Clark, the part investigator, part bodyguard who protects Andy during his frequent moments of peril. Marcus is unlike any man, and Rosenfelt's humorous descriptions of this gentle muscleman make for entertaining adventures.

Last, but certainly not least, is the love of Andy's life, Laurie Collins. Laurie served as an investigator for Andy, then a client, and eventually left New Jersey to become chief of police in a small Wisconsin community. Andy and Laurie's romantic relationship has had its ups and downs. Returning to New Jersey for a brief visit, Laurie is shot by an assassin whose intended victim is Waggy. As Laurie's life hangs in the balance, Andy discovers that the case against Steven is far more complex than he originally thought. Rosenfelt always keeps his plots topical, and NEW TRICKS is no exception. There is an interesting discussion of DNA research and technology woven through the novel, which may well prove to be a motive for the murders.

Rosenfelt writes wonderful courtroom scenes, laced with humor and sarcasm. Andy gets away with quite a bit in court, as he often baits prosecutors, judges and police officers. The quirky humor is endearing and enjoyable. Along the way, there are also some unique and unforeseen plot twists and turns. Rosenfelt keeps the action moving both in court and in Andy's personal life. NEW TRICKS is a great read whether you are a fan of the series or a newcomer.

--- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman

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!

[...]

I've said it before and I'm saying it again now -- no matter what limitations David Rosenfelt might have in his life, the ability to tell a consistently good, suspenseful and humorous story isn't one of them. With New Tricks, his seventh book featuring Attorney Andy Carpenter, Rosenfelt continues to be one of the freshest voices among today's mystery writers. This stems from his ability to provide interesting plots, credible courtroom drama, lots of humor and well-developed major and minor characters. Andy Carpenter, the main character who is a wise-cracking suburban New Jersey defense attorney, is one that stays in your mind even after you finish the book and is one that I'm looking forward to 'hang out' with in his future legal adventures. Plus, his dog, Tara, is one I wish I had. In New Tricks, Carpenter's devotion to dogs and legal skills merge when he represents an adorable Bernese mountain puppy, whose owner was brutally murdered in a custody fight. I highly recommend New Tricks if you're in the mood for a fast-paced, easy read. However, you might want to first consider reading Open And Shut and First Degree and/or some of the other books in this series, which I think will further your appreciation of New Tricks.

I have truly loved all prior Andy Carpenter tales (tails?)....However, I found much too much repetition (some understandably necessary for newcomers to the series) but also the novelty of the first three books has worn thin for me. Now it just feels as though the author is following the same outline for each story (all of it becoming rather mundane and tedious). I say all this with a broken heart but I need original stuff to make me happy.

Love the Tara angle in each book and she is a true heroine for many reasons. I do like Andy et al., but I'd like (and HOPE) the next book takes a much different turn so I may go back to my giggling (sometimes raucously) thru a David Rosenfelt book
and look forward to the next in the series.

This was a quick easy, laugh out loud, fast read. I've already passed my copy along, I hope that it is not too long a wait for Andy's next adventure.
Loved this new book, it was back to Andy Carpenter whose sarcasm I just love.

David Rosenfelt brings back Andy Carpenter, a New Jersey dog loving defense attorney. In this installment of the series Carpenter is asked to decide the custody of a dog after his owner is murdered. The options - the son of the victim or the evil step-mother. Before he can make any decision the step-mother is killed and the son is arrested for the murder.

Enter Andy Carpenter, defense attorney. He agrees to take the son's case. It is a decidedly uphill battle, all the evidence points to his client. In typical Rosenfelt fashion there are twists and turns galore. Returning in these pages are Laurie Collins (long time love interest of Andy), Pete Stanton (his police buddy), Vince (local newspaperman), Tara (his beloved dog) along with his FBI contact and Marcus (the bodyguard and investigator).

Andy is his typical irreverent, wise-cracking self. Rosenfelt never telegraphs his storyline and keeps you turning the pages.

High-brow snobs are never going to love books like this: there just aren't enough multisyllabic words or hidden messages to make this worthy in their eyes. However, those of us who read to be entertained are going to be thrilled with this installment in the Andy Carpenter legal thriller series. Andy is back to his wise-cracking ways, he song-talks with his accountant, bugs the judge, and solves a mystery that keep you entertained every step of the way.

It's always fun catching up with Andy Carpenter, the snarkiest defense lawyer in Paterson, New Jersey. Andy took a year off after having defended a golden retriever in court (PLAY DEAD), but he's back now in David Rosenfelt's NEW TRICKS. His last case has garnered him a less than complimentary rep as an advocate for canines and the nickname "Lawyer to the Dogs." As if dude's not maverick enough.

It doesn't bode well for Andy when a cranky judge taps him for even more dog-sitting duties as part of his next pro bono case. Bertrand II, (a.k.a. "Waggy") is the frisky Bernese mountain puppy of recently murdered pharmaceutical magnate Walter Timmerman, and since Waggy happens to be the pup of a champion show dog, custody of him and his good genes is being fiercely contested between Timmerman's widow and his son. Andy's job is to take care of the dog until an arbitration is made. So far, easy-peasy.

But Andy's case rapidly, er... goes to the dogs. He collects the puppy from the Timmerman mansion and departs, only to have the mansion explode moments later with the widow still inside. Suddenly Andy's little pro bono is bumped up to a full blown, very high profile murder trial. But Andy Carpenter, as ever armed with supreme sarcasm and a crew of quirky associates, isn't afraid to make an argument.

Seventh in the series, and still going uber strong. David Rosenfelt keeps on writing courtroom thrillers that you want to read. NEW TRICKS is compelling and suspenseful and a very funny read and, really, Rosenfelt makes for such a refreshing change of pace from the more serious spinners of courtroom thrillers (dudes like Turow and Martini and Grisham). There are twists and turns in NEW TRICKS, so many and so unexpected that you might get a neck sprain from all the whiplash. And, really, it may be that NEW TRICKS has more twists in it than in any other Andy Carpenter novel. Some other stuff which pop up in the book: an FBI cover-up, DNA tampering, a quick peek into the world of competitive dog shows, assassins, Marcus in action... and Andy effing up pretty big time, this sabotaging his chances for winning his murder case (and his chances were already bleak).

Confounding murder mystery aside, the courtroom shenanigans aside (which are this time comparatively toned down), the character interactions are what I eat up in this series. Rosenfelt's character development continues to be on point. Andy Carpenter is a fantastic protagonist and he's back to doing what he does best, which is thumb his nose at conventions and hurl sardonic remarks at pretty much everyone and their grandma. Andy is backed by a winning supporting cast, and that definitely includes his hypochondriac associate Kevin who toils in the Law-dromat (a place where one can wash clothes and also get free legal advice) and the intimidating Marcus, who is kind of a version of Hawk from Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels, but even less loquacious. The two most important ladies in Andy's life also surface. His police chief girlfriend Laurie Collins visits from Wisconsin, bringing us a more intimate long distance romance. If we don't yet realize just how much Laurie means to Andy, we most definitely find out in this book as there are major developments. And then there's the awesome golden retriever Tara. A big concern of Andy's is how well Tara reacts to a new dog in Andy's life (Turns out, she's cool with Waggy). I really like that Andy treats Tara like a real person, and I like Rosenfelt's descriptions of the patient Tara tolerating Waggy's boundless energy and enthusiasm. David Rosenfelt's affection for dogs shines clear and strong.

Off the top of my head, in terms of breeziness and sheer likability, Paul Levine's SOLOMON VS. LORD series is the only thing which comes close to the Andy Carpenter stories. Still, whenever you're in the mood for a seamless blend of taut courtroom drama and lighthearted, smartalecky storytelling, chances are David Rosenfelt's the best guy to lawyer up with. Can't recommend him enough.

David Rosenfelt writes clever, dog friendly mysteries. His wise guy dialogue is good natured and so New Jersey that you can't help but keep reading, even if its for the next wise crack. Rosenfelt's local color is full of life and the plots keep you interested. All in all, though, its the hilarious dialogue that keeps you begging for another biscuit. Carry on, David! We want more.

Received David Rosenfelt's new Andy Carpenter book, NEW TRICKS. Read it in one sitting. Not his best but entertaining enough. Wish he'd had more direct participation by Waggy, the Burmese Mountain Dog puppy! Tara (Golden Retriever Extraordinaire), of course, was her usual magnificent self. The "mystery" wasn't much of one - knew the culprit from the first introduction.

Andy maintains that odd mixture of doofus and competent attorney combined with intensity and extreme laziness! If I go into the plot at all for this review, it would necessitate spoilers. I'll just say that if you've read the previous Carpenter books, this will be more of the same. If you HAVEN'T read any of them, please do but start with the 1st one - not this last one.

All in all, this one doesn't come close to the quality of the first 6 (?) in the series but, hey!, it has dogs!