“Bark of Night is a treat, especially for those who love thrillers and dogs.” — Associated Press The next novel in David Rosenfelt’s witty, heartfelt mystery series featuring lawyer Andy Carpenter and his faithful golden retriever, Tara. When defense lawyer Andy Carpenter’s veterinarian asks to speak to him privately at the checkup of his golden retriever, Tara, the last thing Andy expects is … retriever, Tara, the last thing Andy expects is Truman. Tiny, healthy, French bulldog Truman was dropped off days ago with instructions to be euthanized by a man everyone thought was his owner. But now the owner is nowhere to be found.
Andy is furious. Who would want to euthanize a perfectly healthy dog with no explanation? He is willing to whisk Truman away to the Tara Foundation, the dog-rescue organization which is Andy’s true passion. They will find a home for Truman. But that’s not all the vet tells Andy. Thanks to Truman’s chip, it’s discovered that the man wasn’t Truman’s owner at all . . . Truman’s real owner has been murdered.
It’s now up to Andy – with help from his loyal sidekick Tara, Truman and the rest of the gang – to solve this case. In the latest in the popular Andy Carpenter mystery series, David Rosenfelt’s charmingly clever wit and love of dogs are back and better than ever.
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“Bark of Night” by David Rosenfelt is book nineteen in the series featuring Andy Carpenter and that wonderful golden retriever Tara. Regular readers will find everything they love about Tara and the gang, and new readers will jump right into this offbeat yet compelling story, wondering how they missed the previous books. The book opens with a shadowy, clandestine meeting in a hotel at the Tampa airport. The identities are fake but the danger and intrigue are not.
The action changes to the familiar first-person narrative by Andy Carpenter, reluctant defense attorney, and pro-active owner of Tara Foundation, a dog rescue group. Carpenter lives in Paterson, New Jersey with wife and former police officer Laurie, son Ricky (now 10 and away at summer camp), dogs Tara and Sebastian, and his TV remotes. He loves Patterson, but is realistic about where he lives. “If I were to look deeply into Paterson’s history, I imagine it was actually discovered by a settler named Urban Blight.” He does not especially want to take on legal work, but he is good at what he does; just ask him. “He actually thinks another lawyer might be as good as me. That in itself might make him a candidate for an insanity defense.”
When not making the world safe for dogs everywhere, he hangs out at Charlie’s Sports Bar with friends Vince Sanders, editor of the local newspaper, and Pete Stanton, captain of the Homicide Division of the Paterson Police Force. They tolerate Carpenter’s unconventional demands because he picks up the food and drink tab. When he reluctantly has to work, he relies on Sam Willis, accountant and resident computer hacker, Edna, puzzle champion and office manager, Hike Lynch, the other lawyer in the firm, and Marcus Clark, who scares people, especially Carpenter.
Carpenter is asked to find a home for Truman, a French bulldog who had been abandoned at the veterinarian’s office; of course, he agrees, “We’ll easily find him a good home.” However, there are complications, big complications. The person who dropped the dog at the vet was not the owner, per the chip, and the registered owner, James Haley, a documentary film maker from Toledo, Ohio, had been murdered a few nights previously. Carpenter reports all of this to Stanton.
“Where’s the dog now?” “You mean my client?” I ask. “He’s in my protective custody.” “He’s evidence in the case,” Pete says. “We’re willing to come in and talk anytime. In the meantime, I’ll send a copy of his paw prints to forensics.” Now “lawyer” Carpenter has a client and a crime to solve.
The companion part of the story unfolds with deception, cunning, and viciousness. A “hit man” murdered James Haley for a hundred grand in cash, fifty of it upfront, and delivered the computer, the video equipment, and the memory card from the camera to a mob enforcer. Despite having just killed the dog’s owner, he did not kill the dog, and took him to the vet instead. Naturally, there are more murders of people to come, many more.
Carpenter continues his commentary, talking to readers in his usual sarcastic, self-deprecating way, all the while evaluating the problems at hand, and slyly manipulating his cadre of colorful characters to do whatever he wants them to do while keeping everyone safe and fending off the bad guys.
Andy Carpenter has an unconventional attitude about life and an uncanny ability to come to the brink of disaster and still live happily after with kids, dogs, and reformed criminals. I received a copy of “Bark of Night” from David Rosenfelt, Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Corporation. Rosenfelt’s books are always refreshing; Andy Carpenter never just does the same old things with new names. Every book is compelling, interesting, and above all funny. I recommend the entire series.
Bark of a Night is the newest Andy Carpenter book for 2019. Tara would definitely give this 5 barks. David Rosenfelt has been able to sustain the level of humor and mystery in every Andy Carpenter book and this one is no exception. Andy takes Tara to visit the vet for a small problem; a request for a discussion has Andy imagining dire circumstances. The vet got a request to euthanize a healthy dog and he needs Andy’s advice. Truman, a French bulldog was owned by a recent murder victim and there is a mystery surrounding his appearance at the clinic.
So, Andy Carpenter, reluctant defense attorney is now on the case.. This series is great because of Andy Carpenter’s dialogue and the other characters that inhabit his world. There is a part early in the book that states diving for sponges in the ocean feels like a suffocating and nightmarish experience. Andy compared it to visiting IKEA with Laurie. That part had me laughing on the bus and there were other moments that I had to stifle my laughter. Andy and his team solve the mystery and there is a happy ending. I can’t wait the hear the audiobook narrated by Grover Gardner.
I look forward to Dachshund in the Snow the Andy Carpenter mystery for the holidays.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press (Minotaur Books) for this ARC
These books are both suspenseful and quite funny. I impatiently wait for each successive book.
Love all of David Rosenfelt’s books! “Bark of Night” is no exception. He is one of my favorite authors! Love the Andy Carpenter mysteries!!!
Bark of Night is even funnier than David Rosenfelt’s previous books. I enjoy the good guys and love the bad guys.
I absolutely LOVE the Andy Carpenter mystery series! Bark of Night is the latest in the series, which always features dogs and lots of humor. These are legal mysteries/thrillers, but Andy and his legal team are funny, so that cuts the tension. And David Rosenfelt, himself a strong supporter of rescue pets, has a way of getting across important messages (such as Adopt, Don’t Shop and Spay & Neuter Your Pets) without being preachy. I highly recommend this book, and the narrator of the audiobook series (Grover Gardner) does a wonderful job, in case you enjoy listening to books.
This is #19 of the Andy Carpenter series and they never disappoint. They are told in first person by Andy himself, a wise cracking, sarcastic, and brilliant trial attorney. They always have two of my favorite things – dogs and court room scenes. This one is a good mystery and very entertaining – as are they all. It’s fun to follow Andy and his investigators (which include Laurie, his clever wife and mother of their adopted son, Ricky) as money is no object when trying to clear the newest client from a murder charge. Money is no object because, ever since Andy inherited a pile of cash and started a dog rescue called the Tara Foundation, he spends whatever is needed to keep his innocent clients from conviction. He’d rather not practice law at all (and, in fact, tries to stop and retire at least once during every novel) but clients keep turning up and he’s been winning at trial for 19 books in this series. The books are funny and smart and touching, and I’m ready for the next one already. Thanks Mr. Rosenfelt! Please keep them coming!
The lastest installment of the Andy Carpenter series does not disappont. It has multiple murders, courtroom drama (and humor), and as usual dogs play a central role in the book. This time it is a French Bulldog whose owner has been murdered and a young boy has been accused of the crime. Andy doesn’t really want to take the case but between the dog and the boy’s grandmother(who scares Andy a little) he can’t say no. The book is filled with Andy’s sarcastic quips and Rosenfelt’s quiet humor which often left me chuckling out loud. The mystery was involved and interesting. I especially love Mr Rosenfelt’s books because he is, like Andy in his books, a dog rescuer. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. I highly recommend it.
From the engaging title to the end of the book, this is pure magic! I have been a long-standing fan of Mr. Rosenfelt’s writing and if you have not read the “Andy Carpenter” series (and other books by this author) then it is your loss. Andy inherited a large sum of money and is a lawyer who really doesn’t want to take cases. He wants to spend time with his wife Laurie (a former cop), their young son Ricky and his golden retriever Tara, but crime always seems to get in the way. This non-case starts with a dog named Truman who has been turned in to Andy’s veterinarian to be euthanized although there is nothing wrong with the dog. To Andy, who is a complete dog lover, this is an outrage and he is now on the case. It turns out that it was not the owner who brought the dog to the vet as the owner had been murdered. The case widens from that point and the reader is taken along for the ride as Andy, with his extraordinary wit and brilliance (and protection by Marcus), proceeds to find clue after clue that ends in an amazingly complicated and thrilling ending. I always start a book by this author at the beginning of the day as I know I will have finish it before bedtime! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
This is a captivating mystery and it all begins with a dog. Andy Carpenter is a defense attorney who works when he feels like it as he is independently wealthy. He is deadpan and sarcastic. He comes across somewhat as incompetent. His wife Laurie is an ex-cop who protects him when they are together and then they hire another man to protect him when he is away. The mystery is good, but because of Andy’s characters, things seem to plod. However, there are lots of events that happen, that appear to be non-related, but Andy is able to pull them all together.
I was surprised at everything that was revealed at the end. Good mystery. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
law-enforcement, lawyers, family, friendship, murder, snark-fest
***** Andy Carpenter is the snarkiest un lawyer you’ll ever meet. His greatest fans are dogs, his wife, and his son. Wife is a private investigator and former homicide lieutenant with lots of connections, Andy is a defense lawyer who (sort of) picks his cases, hates going to court, and always wins for the good guys (his clients). The publisher’s blurb is pretty good and sets up the early part of the story, but it’s hard to say more without doing the spoiler thing. Whether you’ve read any of the earlier books or not, you can’t miss with this one. But I have to warn you, I read a fairly recent one and promptly headed off to get the rest!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Received my pre-ordered audio!
I had not read any of David Rosenfelt’s books before this. Thank you Netgalley for gifting me this book to read. I found the lead character Andy Carpenter a interesting and humorous character. I love the way a dog plays such a big part in the mystery too. I will be looking at more in this series.