Deck The Hounds is an enjoyable, holiday read. It is part of author David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series. Rosenfelt is an Edgar Award nominee and the winner of the Shamus award. His skill with a lighthearted mystery is sharp and witty. The same sharp humor and likeable, fully realized characters that are in the previous books fill the pages of Deck The Hounds.

My favorite thing about this book is that it deals with homelessness and war veterans. To deal with these subjects in a way that is neither pedantic or too heavy-handed shows Rosenfelt's strong writing ability is combined with a social conscious.

What can I say, as the title says... there are dogs and more dogs. Their presence helps lighten the mood and the real communication and unconditional love between a man and his dog is profound.

I enjoyed this book. I may re-read it before the holiday.

Thank you to NetGallery for allowing me to preview this book. This review is solely my own.

“Deck the Hounds” by David Rosenfelt is not a sappy holiday story with Andy Carpenter listening to carolers and chasing fake Santas; neither are the dogs dressed up in Santa outfits. The book just happens to start out in November. It is Thanksgiving in Patterson New Jersey, and it is not a time to be out on the street and certainly not with a dog.
Regular readers just love Andy carpenter for all the things he is and does. New readers can jump right because Rosenfelt seamlessly incorporates any needed background information into the current the tale or tail depending on whether or not you are one of Andy’s dogs.
Every time Andy runs into a destitute person looking for money, he gives him or her twenty dollars. The current situation is even more heartbreaking for Andy because this homeless person has a dog and needs legal help. Andy is not just reluctant to take on a homeless person as a client, he never wants any clients. He has been trying to retire for years, but he just cannot seem to pull it off. However, because it’s Christmas, Andy takes the case. The whole team is there to assist including Hike, Lynch, Sam, Willie, Edna, Marcus, Vince, Pete, and of course Laurie and Ricky.
Andy Carpenter, doer of good deeds, tells most of the story in his signature first-person style that conveys positions, scenarios, and observations as only he can. Rosenfelt expertly uses alternating points of view to intertwine other storylines and to present information that Andy does not yet know. The chapters are structured so that the story flows easily from one chapter to the next with the first sentence pulling readers into the chapter and the last sentence dangling a little tidbit for later. The pace is consistent, alternating between crime and dog walks, sports and criminals, and conversations and eating. As the body count increases, so do the unanswered questions; it is New Jersey after all. “Too bad the list of things we don’t know is longer.”
There is also a lot of Andy humor intermingled along the way.
“I’m going to have a cup of coffee while she makes herself some kind of healthy shake, composed of every revolting green vegetable known to humanity. She also adds some kind of powder, which I have to assume is a crushed and dried version of a revolting vegetable.”
Rosenfelt excels at storytelling, and each of the plot lines goes to unanticipated places with deviations that keep readers turning the pages. Ultimately, good triumphs evil, not a surprise there, but the details are complicated and unexpected. As always, at the celebration party assorted secrets come out as Andy fills in gaps that participants (and readers) missed.
I received a copy of “Deck the Hounds” from David Rosenfelt, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley. I love Andy Carpenter books, as do readers everywhere, because in the end, everyone lives happily ever after with their dogs.

Andy and his crew are back for another hilarious romp to prove another person innocent of a crime - their specialty! And of course rescue another dog and her soon to be born puppies. Thank you David Rosenfelt - love your books, characters & uncanny sense of humor!!

Andy Carpenter books are always a treat, and this one is no different. Andy, reluctantly as usual, helps a homeless man who is arrested for a murder he didn't commit. That the man has a dog just makes him more innocent in Andy's eyes, and he agrees to keep the dog until the case is resolved. The usual team comes together to help in their unique ways, especially Sam the computer whiz, whose hacking is almost certainly illegal until Andy finds a way to work it into the case legally. The best part of these mysteries is the humor, which Andy is not hesitant to use, even with judges who take a dim view of it. This was another enjoyable read in a very engaging series.

This is another great book in the Andy Carpenter series. You always love the characters and the interaction between them. I love the humor and the dogs. This is a feel good book and I loved it

Just when you decide that your family will do something special for Christmas, the homeless guy you meet on the street to take home is wanted for murder. Does Christmas continue or is it time to say “nice knowin’ ya” ? This is the story of a great family, a happy one with a wife who likes Christmas so much she extends it from Thanksgiving to the end of January. Her husband is afraid the whole neighborhood will think they are nuts or maybe find out they’re nuts. Funny, funny guy. A semi-retired lawyer and his family decide to help a homeless guy for Christmas except…the guy turns out wanted for murder.

I laughed all the way through this book and that was because of the way the author portrayed the main character, Andy. This is the 18th book in a series called “An Andy Carpenter Mystery”. I’m not sure I’m correct in calling this a series but you can find the books numbered many places online. None of that matters. What does matter is this is such a fun read. Andy Carpenter is as much a smart mouth as Harlan Coban’s Jack Reacher. What adds even more fun to the read is the sarcastic asides from Andy. I love sarcastic. There are quite a few characters involved in Rosenfelt’s story. I had no problem keeping them straight and I liked all of his main characters. I liked them because he defined them well enough to allow me to make that decision.

A well-written book with a clean flow that makes it an enjoyable read.

***This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are definitely my own.

It’s Christmastime, and Andy and Laurie invite a homeless veteran with a pregnant canine companion to stay in their garage apartment. It seems like a good idea, until Don is arrested for murder. Of course, Andy takes his case because he believes his client is innocent, but the question remains: who killed the wealthy businessman, and left Don’s hat there to incriminate him? Humor, great characters, and an exciting plot makes this latest Andy Carpenter mystery a must-read.

Andy Carpenter, do-gooder and defense attorney extraordinaire, sees a homeless man and gives him some cash and PetsMart gift card, not realizing the man will end up being a client soon enough. Because, according to Laurie, it's Christmas! Throw in a pregnant pooch, Andy's crack team and you've got a very Merry Christmas indeed!

This is the 18th installment of the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt and still going strong! I'll drop what I'm reading to catch up on Andy and his friends everytime!

Andy is a criminal defense lawyer who doesn't want any clients. Because of the money his father left him, he is able to not work and spend his time with his friend, Willie, running the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue that he and Willie formed. He is married to Laurie and they have a young son, Ricky, so he is enjoying his life.

It's the Christmas season and Andy and Laurie befriend a homeless man with PTSD named Don and Zoey, his dog, and offer to let him live in the apartment above their garage. When Andy is interviewed in the newspaper after Don has been attacked, he gives Don's name. The next thing they know, Don is being arrested for a two year old murder. Don said he didn't do it and that he didn't even know the victim and Andy feels inclined to defend him. Zoey turns out to be pregnant and Willie takes care of her at the rescue.

This is the eighteenth in the Andy Carpenter series (I've read them all). I enjoyed this book and am enjoying this series. I find with most series that by the time an author has come this far, the series isn't good and the author is pounding out the books just to get a paycheque. That's not the case with this series ... the author is able to keep this series fresh and fun.

The story was interesting and there were some twists and turns along the way. Even though it is part of a series, it works as a stand alone (so you don't need to have read the ones before it to know what is going on). I like the writing style of this author as it was funny, sarcastic and amusing. It was written mostly in first person perspective in Andy's voice but is sometimes in third person perspective when the focus is on the bad guys.

I like Andy ... I think he would be a hoot to be around and he's quite generous with his time and money (his two best friends continue to take advantage of his tab at their favourite bar). He loves their dog, Tara, and thinks she's the best dog in the world. They also has another less lively dog named Sebastian. Part of Andy's team is Laurie, his wife and former police officer and now his investigator. Hike is his associate who is the most depressed and pessimistic person ever. Marcus, an investigator with persuasive reasoning skills, continues to provide protection when it's most needed (which is often since Andy is a self-professed coward). Sam is his accountant who is also a computer hack leading a team of elderly hackers.

4.5 stars
Christmas, puppies, veterans and murder... What more could you ask for in a book?

Rosenfelt has delivered yet again! Andy Carpenter is still a wise cracking, do-gooding lawyer who hates being a lawyer. He finds himself defending a homeless veteran whose DNA was found at a murder scene.
This Christmas edition “Deck The Hounds” is fresh, funny and delivers a satisfyingly good mystery. Once again, Rosenfelt kept me guessing until the very end. I so appreciate a writer who can keep me guessing and entertained without resorting to sex or cussing. I just love the characters in this series of books especially Edna and Andy’s faithful dogs Tara and Sebastian! I have yet to read one of Rosenfelts books that haven’t gripped my attention from the first page. It is very hard to believe this is his 18th book in this series! One of the most unique aspects of this series is the ability to pick up any one in the series and not be confused by characters or background.

I highly recommend this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own.

#NetGalley #DeckTheHounds #StMartinsPress

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Deck the Hounds by David Rosenfelt.
Another Hit!!!! Andy Carpenter is an attorney in New Jersey - he is charming, witty, and can be quite the "jackass" when he wants to be - He is one of the best characters in fiction today.
Rosenfelt takes the reader on another roller coaster ride - An army veteran is charged with murder - the police find his DNA, he has a history of violent behavior, and he is homeless. On the surface he appears to be guilty as charged, but Andy Carpenter doesn''t think so and will prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. As usual, the Andy works with the evidence which is overwhelmingly not in his client's favor. As usual, Andy will "piss off" as many cops, good guys and bad guys as possible. The plot is excellent and will keep you guessing till the end.
The usual cast of characters join Andy in this case and again, as usual, they add comedy and conviction to the plot.
This series just never disappoint - Rosenfelt is just so good. When you laugh out loud, literally, reading the Andy Carpenter series because it is written in such as way that the characters come alive.
I would love to see NETFLIX or AMAZON pick this series up and put it on TV - that's how good it is.
Another hit for David Rosenfelt and fans of this series will not be disappointed at all - 5 STARS!!!!

Suspense, Smartassery, and an Extension on Christmas

I really like Andy Carpenter, not only because he's compensating for being a wealthy lawyer by running a dog rescue charity, but, also because he's such a wiseguy. With a well-developed cast of characters, the dialogue won my heart from the beginning. But honestly, it wasn't much of a contest. This is a highly entertaining book.

The author has adeptly taken such sobering topics as veterans with PTSD and homelessness and blended them into a weirdly light-hearted murder mystery. Deck the Hounds is part of a series, but not having read the previous books didn't hamper my enjoyment one bit. I loved it!

Deck the Hounds is the eighteenth book David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter Mystery series and is a great book that can be read as a standalone. This is a cozy, with a humorous hero, who has a happy home life with his human and canine family. There is some adult language in this book, but no graphic violence or adult situations. I enjoy this author’s writing style and witty dialog. Mr. Rosenfelt has written a fast paced, well thought out, interesting and complex mystery, with a good story line, and excellent character development. The fun and quirky characters, twists and turns, and multiple subplots keep the reader engaged.

Andy Carpenter is a reluctant attorney who also runs the Tara Foundation, an animal rescue organization, with Willis and Sondra Miller. Andy lives in Paterson, New Jersey with his wife, Laurie, their adopted son, Ricky, and two dogs, Tara and Sebastian. It’s November and Laurie is gearing up for Christmas, a holiday she loves and celebrates from November to February. Andy’s independently wealthy, compassionate, and generous, so when he sees a homeless man and his dog, Zoey, huddled together in the cold, he gives him a twenty-dollar bill and a fifty-dollar gift card to a pet supply store. When Andy and his family learn the homeless man, Don Carrigan, was attacked and his dog taken away from him because he bit the attacker, his family wants to help Don. Andy arranges to be responsible for Zoey and the pups she’s expecting and the Carpenters move Don and Zoey into the apartment above their detached garage.

After walking Ricky to school, Andy returned home to find the police arresting Don for the murder of Steven McMasters nine months ago in his Shore Hills home. There are no witnesses, but there’s circumstantial and DNA evidence against Don. Don, who served two tours in Iraq and suffers from PTSD, is adamant he’s never been to Shore Hills, didn’t know the victim, and didn’t murder him. Andy doesn’t want to take Don on as a client; in fact, he really doesn’t want to represent any clients, but Laurie would like him to and before he knows it, he and his team are deeply invested in the case. Andy’s team consists of Laurie, a former cop and investigator licensed to carry a gun, Edna, the self-proclaimed office manager who does as little work as possible, Hike Lynch, a fellow lawyer and doomsayer, Sam Willis, an accountant and computer genius, and Marcus Clark, a scary guy who protects Andy when necessary. The legal investigation is complex, but Andy and his team set out to prove Don was framed.

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

Here just in time for Christmas is another charming adventure of Andy Carpenter. As his fans are acutely aware Andy is a lawyer. He is a good one as all the novels written about him will attest. Minor problem is that he inherited a lot of money and has elected to live the good life as a gentleman scholar. That is to maintain a law office, never be in it spending his time with his family: One gorgeous wife, one child and two dogs. At the risk of being redundant he has a staff of very unique people to help him when he is forced by circumstances beyond his control to defend someone in court. His wife, Laurie was at one point a police chief and acts as his detective as needed. He has another lawyer to help him and Marcus, the silent type - and very strong to handle the rough stuff. He also has access to the second in command of an FBI field office. She is always in the office and will do anything to help Laurie including supplying information needed by Andy (disguised as Laurie) to move forward with a case. There is also Edna, Andy's secretary and office manager who has developed an allergy towards working. She is sent checks for her salary, and cashing these seems to be her sole function at work. She also likes surveying the beach as much as possible and living and working in New Jersey this is always a possibility. His best friend Willy and his wife manage the dog rescue service that he and Andy founded after a case of capital murder with a death sentence was successfully turned over by Andy freeing Willy from death row.

So the field is set, the team in place and all we need is someone to defend in court. And this is done neatly when Andy gives a handout to a street person and than later sees that man fend off an attacker, with a dog seemingly belonging to him helping out. Laurie and Andy decide to take the man home and allow him to stay in rooms above their attic that are vacant while letting him attempt to reenter the active world. Lo and behold it seems the man used to be a member of military special forces and has become skilled in killing his country's enemies.
The newspapers sense a story in the Carpenters doing such a good deed and print the story with photos of the homeless man. And wouldn't you know it there is a charge of murder against him which is now served. Okay we have the background and the basis for another excellent read starring Andy and his crew. Don't worry there are many things to discover, places to go and a trial to go through. Don't even doubt that the book will be interesting, humorous, and another incentive to keep eyes peeled for the next Andy Carpenter novel.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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Andy Carpenter sees a homeless man with a dog on the street, gives the man some money and a gift card for dog food (naturally, the dog gets more than the man, because it's Andy Carpenter) and has a brief conversation with him. Not long after that, that same man is on the news -- he'd been attacked by a stranger and his dog defended him. Which resulted in the dog being put in the pound. Laurie's filled with pre-Christmas spirit and insists that Andy help out. So he uses his rescue foundation to get custody of the dog and moves the pair into the apartment over his garage.

How heartwarming is this? Clearly, this is fodder for a Christmas/holiday story. But it's also an Andy Carpenter story, so naturally, after Andy does a newspaper interview about the man -- giving his name -- he's arrested for murder. No one was more surprised by this move than Andy's guest, Don. Not only has Don never heard of the victim, he was unaware that he was wanted by the police. Laurie's pre-Christmas spirit is still strong, so she talks him into defending the man. It helps that he's innocent, a dog lover, and an educated, articulate vet with PTSD. The PTSD aspect of the story was told with sensitivity and tact. It didn't feel tacked on to make the character more sympathetic, but it grounded him in reality and may help to inform some readers about the prices that too many vets are paying.

There is another storyline -- seemingly unrelated -- running through the novel. Obviously, it's going to tie into Andy's case, but it takes a long time for that to happen. This gives the reader multiple opportunities to guess how the two are connected (and multiple opportunities to be wrong. I guessed what was happening in that story pretty easily, and I think most people who read a lot of legal thrillers will. But how it connects to the main story will likely leave most readers as surprised as I was (surprised, and then filled with a strong sense of, "well, naturally, what else could it be?").

The usual gang is back and in their prime form -- Hike is back to his full-time dour self; Ricky is a cute kid; Laurie provides the moral center; Pete is a good cop who continually underestimates Andy's clients; Sam is a wizard with computers in a way that probably defies reality Marcus is his super-hero best here, and possibly faces his biggest challenge yet (I thoroughly enjoyed this scene). What better way to spend a holiday (or at least a book set around one) than with a bunch of friends like these have become over the years?

Andy spent more time in the courtroom in this book than he has lately -- it seemed to me, anyway, I didn't do a page count. His courtroom antics and cross-examinations are what drew me to the character in the first place, so this is the stuff in these books I most look forward to. Rosenfelt brought his A-game to the courtroom events here, and I loved it. As far as mysteries go, this in one of the most satisfying cases that Rosenfelt has brought us in years.

In my post about the previous "holiday special" I said that I really don't like it when long-running series do a holiday special -- yet, The Twelve Dogs of Christmas and Deck the Hounds have been my favorite installments in the last couple of years in this series. Maybe that means this Grinch's heart is growing a couple of sizes, or maybe it's that Rosenfelt is inspired to work harder in these. My guess? It's the clients -- the Andy Carpenter books are at their best when they focus on the client, not on some large conspiracy. These holiday books have the kind of clients you spend time on, that the reader gets invested in -- and therefore, Andy gets to shine in defending them.

Whatever the reason, this is a sure-fire win for Andy Carpenter fans. Particularly if you don't mind a little Christmas celebration (or, if you're like Laurie, and insist on commemorating the holiday for months).

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.

I always enjoy this series and this one is as good as the rest. The mystery elements are always sufficient, though the superhuman abilities of Marcus and Sam's super-hacking allow considerable shortcuts (though I still figured it out before Andy, so ha!). But the mystery is just the framework for the characters to show off their quirks and Andy's smart mouth. The reader comes back to the series for the people and dogs above all, as well as Andy's last minute rabbit-out-of-the-hat courtroom drama. Very solid, very humorous and very enjoyable.

3.5 rounded up for characters

This was my first book by this author and this is book 18 in the Andy Carpenter series. It can be read as a stand alone with no problem. I think Andy is one of those characters you will either love or hate. I loved him! His sarcasm and self deprecation was hilarious! His wife, Laurie, compliments his persona while holding her own. There are other staff and friends that also bring a lot to this story. I am interested to see how the characters have evolved though and have some questions answered, like where their son Ricky came from (he’s only been with them 4 years) so I will be reading more of them I think...

All that aside, I found the story a bit confusing. It had so many twists and bad guys that by the time we got to the reveal I was a bit indifferent. It was so out of left field and I had no emotional investment in that character so I didn’t even really care. The connections between all the players were confusing and improbable. It has too many side stories I think, overly complicated (the mob, paramilitary, homeless, business moguls, snipers with vendettas...).

I am going to check out another because I love the characters and hope the story is more to my liking. If so, I have a lot of reading to do!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for a copy in exchange for a review.

The latest book in David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series is a delightful addition. Andy is as lovably immature as ever. He is also bighearted and caring when it comes to helping a dog and his homeless owner (in that order) during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. The usual cast of characters helps out to see that justice is done. Always an enjoyable read!

It’s always a treat to read an Andy Carpenter book. In this Christmas mystery Andy is once again reluctantly drawn into a mystery involving a homeless man and his dog.  

All of the books in this series have great dialogue and interactions between the characters.  And, they all have a decent mystery to keep the action rolling.  But, Deck the Hounds is even better.  The wit and dialogue is tip top and the mystery itself is very satisfying and just complex enough to keep you reading.

Even though it is an easy and fast read, you’ll definitely enjoy the time you spend with Andy Carpenter, his team of sleuths, and of course, the dogs. As always, the cover is beyond cute and only adds to the enjoyment of the book. 

Thank you, Mr Rosenfelt, for continuing to bring Andy to life.  I’m already looking forward to your next book!

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

snark-fest, dogs, pets, rescue, ptsd, lawyers, law-enforcement, murder-investigation, private-investigators, action

Take a wisemouthed lawyer who can afford to take semi retirement by only representing innocent clients while supporting an animal shelter, add in that his wife is no longer law enforcement but works as his private investigator and more and you have the baseline for this convoluted mystery. There are many other people who help Andy find out what the truth really is and make it courtroom admissible, and then there's the complex man who is accused of the first murder and becomes Andy's client. Lots of twists and turns in the plot and the characters certainly are, but there's no need for spoilers or an attempt at a summary. I found it to be a real brain grabber and was surprised to find that it is the most recent in a series! At no time does the reader feel lost or as if missing background info.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!