Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt
Book 28 in the Andy Carpenter Series Pretty sure I have read or listened to all the books in this series. Always funny, not very serious even with multiple murders. I love Andy Carpenter as a character but I sure couldn’t live with him. Laurie deserves some kind of award for putting up with him. Christmas does get a couple of slight mentions but the story is not very Christmas oriented. However, the dogs play a bigger part in this book than in some of the recent books. And thank goodness, no FBI agents were needed to solve this case for a change. Although they were used as a threat once. It was a fun quick book with almost all the usual characters except Edna. No big loss. Also, Marcus communicates more and is becoming more of a regular guy, well sorta because he is still Marcus after all.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S 'TWAS THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAST ABOUT?
On the night of the Tara Foundation's holiday party, Andy's friend Pete Stanton, of the homicide department, calls him to ask Andy to bring one of his volunteers outside, so the police don't have to cause a scene. Andy does so and immediately steps into the role of the volunteer's attorney. He doesn't know Derek Moore very well, but he likes Derek—and Derek's dogs (more importantly), and wants to protect him at least until they both know what's going on.

Andy quickly learns something about Derek—as he's arrested, it's revealed that his real name is Robert Klaster. Up until a couple of years ago, Bobby was in a gang in South Jersey. It was growing more and more violent, up to the point that Bobby was the wheelman for a murder. He went to the cops and turned in the men he drove—after their conviction, the state witness protection program moved him to Patterson with a new name.

Bobby's made the most of this second chance and has become an upstanding citizen and moderately successful business owner—in addition to a great dog shelter volunteer. But now one of the leaders of his old gang has been killed in Patterson, and a tip led Stanton's men straight to Bobby—with just enough evidence for them to make an arrest. The case is strong, but not air-tight. The question in front of Andy is can he take advantage of the weaknesses while finding the real killer?

And just why would someone bother setting Bobby up now?

THE RECURRING CAST
Almost the whole (and continually expanding) cast of regulars is around. Edna's traveling, but we still get a couple of jokes about her work habits. Eddie shows up, but barely gets any dialogue—and not one sports cliché!—I really enjoyed those (see also: Sam's song-talking), but the rest are about in their typical form.

Which is important—as much as these books are about the mystery/mysteries surrounding Andy's case, it's Andy and the crew we come back to spend time with. Including Tara, Sebastian, and Hunter—Sebastian particularly has some good moments in this book.

I do wonder if the supporting cast is getting too large, which is why Edna and Eddie get barely more than mentions. This makes sense, and it'd be good for Rosenfelt to rotate some of these in and out from book to book. It'd be better than cutting any of these for whatever reason—and better than just a token mention.

That said, Rosenfelt gave us some more than typical reflection on members of the cast. It was good to see Andy explain the specialization of work in his firm and for Andy to bring up the ethics of what he gets Sam to do in his narration. Cory's been good about that in the companion series, but it's not that frequent in this series.

I'm not sure if I had a point when I started this section, it's basically turned into "assorted thoughts on the use of the supporting characters." So let's see if I can summarize my take on them for this novel—I enjoyed seeing them all, and am glad we got to spend time with them. I do wonder, however, if more judicious use of some of them per book rather than all of them each time, would be a better experience for the reader.

THE HOLIDAY-NESS OF IT
So, this is the holiday-themed release for the series this year, as the title and cover image tell you. Very little in the book tells you that, however.

We don't even get the typical (and always enjoyable) rant about Laurie's months-long commemoration of Christmas. He gives a compressed version, but it's not the same. In its place, we get Andy's extended (and not favorable) review of egg nog. There are a few references to Christmas and a couple of the following holidays—but it's not focused on too much. Honestly, we spend more time on Ricky's soccer-fandom* than on any Federal or religious holiday.

* That was great to read about. Poor Andy. I get the same feeling when my kids prefer other SF franchises to Star Trek.

Do I care? Nope. I'll take any excuse to hang with Andy and the gang. But I figure since it's part of the theme of the book I should nod in it's direction.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT 'TWAS THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS?
This has nothing to do with anything, but Andy references the case in Flop Dead Gorgeous at one point in the book. It's been a long time since he's mentioned a previous case (outside of Willie Miller's, which gets mentioned from time to time). It's a nice touch to keep the series building on itself.

There were a couple of other things that stood out to me about this book compared to the rest of the series: Bobby's about as close to an unsympathetic client as Rosenfelt gives us anymore (maybe ever—this is the twenty-eighth book in the series, I don't remember the client in every one). And it's good that Rosenfelt gives us some characters that are hard to root for—although a reformed criminal is pretty easy to root for, come to think of it.

Secondly, Andy slips up (at least in his mind, although Laurie disagrees) and it leads to some tragic consequences. Now, no one's out there thinking that Andy's infallible by any means, but it's rare that a move on his part has such an obvious negative consequence. I'm not suggesting that we need to see major mistakes from our hero in every novel—but it's good to see that just because Andy Carpenter gets involved, not everything is going to be sunshine and roses.

That said, he's definitely at the point where I have to wonder why the DA keeps taking Andy's clients to trial—when will they learn? Also, Pete sounds far too convinced that Andy's client is guilty, you'd think he, in particular, would have more faith in his friend. This is a question countless readers have asked about Hamilton Burger and Lt. Tragg, as well, and the answer is simply: we wouldn't get to see Andy or Perry Mason do their thing otherwise.

'Twas the Bite Before Christmas delivered just what I expected—a good time with characters I enjoy, a clever whodunit, some fun moments with fictional dogs, and a satisfying resolution. Rosenfelt delivers that and more—there's a sweet bonus moment to the resolution that adds a little holiday glow to the book (that works equally well in mid-September as it will closer to the holiday, or at any point in the calendar year that you happen to read this in). You'd do well to pick it up, whether you're new to the series or a die-hard fan.

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

This is my first experience with the Andy Carpenter mystery, legal thriller series. Great, snappy inner dialogue by our main character, Andy, a criminal defense attorney and dog rescuer. This outing has Andy defending a twice-failed foster dog parent and friend, Bobby.
Bobby now under witness protection from the gang/mob he used to be associated with and who now seem set on framing him for a murder.
There is a whole team that works together to help Andy with his case. It was easy to read as a stand alone book, but I am sure reading previous books in the series would give all the back story to the multitude of side characters.

The cover art and title were the reasons I picked up 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas. As a Christmas-oriented mystery, it fell short for me. Basically, a holiday party got a small cameo in the overall plot. Nonetheless, the story was solid as a legal thriller.

Thank you to St. Martins/Minotaur Books for providing an e-copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 based on being marketed as a Christmas story.

Andy Carpenter books are always some of my favorite and ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas is no different. Full of dogs, murder, mystery, and humor this book drew me in. Every person accused of a crime says they are not guilty, but is Bobby guilty? Did he get drawn back into gang life and murder? Twists and turns will keep you guessing because if he isn’t guilty, who is?

This was an enjoyable listen, it was easy and fast. It wasn't my favorite of this series though. I didn't love the narrator to be honest, he didn't grab my attention fully.

It was nice to revisit the characters and get more doggies. Which is why I enjoyed the previous books I've read from this series, I've read a few. I just thought this one would have more of a Christmas feel.

There's also some parts that were very unbelievable and it just took away from the believability of the story. It was just okay for me.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley & @minotaurbooks for my free ARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.

David Rosenfelt's "‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas" brings a delightful blend of holiday cheer and mystery to the table, featuring everyone's favorite reluctant lawyer, Andy Carpenter. In this heartwarming tale, Andy finds himself entangled in a case that disrupts his Christmas plans but tugs at his heartstrings.

As the Tara Foundation's annual Christmas party gets underway, Andy is in his element. The dog rescue organization holds a special place in his heart, and the chance to celebrate with rescued dogs and their families is a tradition he cherishes. However, this year's festivities take an unexpected turn when homicide detectives crash the party and arrest Derek Moore, one of the foundation's devoted foster volunteers.

Derek, who is actually in witness protection under the alias Bobby, swears his innocence in the murder case, but the police are convinced otherwise. Andy is faced with a dilemma—he may not like the case, but he likes Bobby and is determined to help him clear his name.

With humor, wit, and an array of lovable canine characters, Rosenfelt crafts a heartwarming and intriguing mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. Join Andy as he juggles legal battles, unearths the truth, and takes care of two new furry friends, all while trying to salvage his Christmas plans.

'Twas the Bite Before Christmas" is a must-read for fans of cozy mysteries and dog lovers alike. It's a tale of second chances, loyalty, and the enduring spirit of the holiday season that will warm your heart during the festive period.

Twas the Bite Before Christmas is the 28th in the Andy Carpenter series. It’s got the same sardonic humor, fast paced and well thought out story as I’ve come to expect from David Rosenfelt. And for those worried that there might be a heavy Christmas theme to the story, fear not. Other than a few jokes about Andy’s hatred of eggnog and Brussels sprouts, the story could take place any time of the year.
This time, Andy takes on the case of a former gang member who’s gone into witness protection, only to be charged with the first degree homicide of a leader of his former gang. Rosenfelt has a bit of a formula - there seems to be irrefutable proof that Carpenter’s client is guilty, Carpenter finds proof he’s not but it’s not the kind of proof that can easily be included in a trial. It inevitably involves an investigation that Laurie, Marcus and Cory have to undertake while the court case is ongoing. But while there is a formula, each book comes across as fresh and complex.
This time, I actually could see two critical pieces of the puzzle, which is a first. I’m usually in the dark.
This book can all easily be read as stand-alone. It’s perfect for those that need a quick, entertaining read that doesn’t stint on humor or intelligence.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

Honestly, I'm not altogether sure what Christmas has to do with the story here except that the events transpire over the holiday season, but it's a fun tale anyhow - especially since it's got plenty of the courtroom drama I love best. It does begin at an early holiday party at the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue organization founded and run by Andy, a canine lover who's also an attorney. Near the end of the evening, foster volunteer Derek Moore, a local businessman, is arrested for murder.

Needless to say, Moore vehemently denies he did the dirty deed. He does not deny, however, that he's in New Jersey's Witness Protection Program under his new name after having ratted on a nasty gang to which he admittedly once belonged. But the evidence against him is almost overwhelming - almost too much to be believable; but clearly, Moore (actually Robert "Bobby" Klaster) desperately needs a lawyer, so who better than his friend Andy?

Even though there's a real possibility that Bobby is being framed for the murder, Andy quickly realizes that proving it will be an uphill battle; the best he can do, most likely, is create reasonable doubt. As the investigation moves along - aided by Andy's wife, ex-cop Laurie Collins, and other familiar (this is the 28th book in the series) and likable team members Cory, Sam and Marcus (the latter a bruiser capable of giving anybody a bump in the night to remember), they may not be much closer to finding a motive - or who's out to get Bobby - but they do discover that a plan with far-reaching ramifications may be in the works.

So carefully, Andy and the crew follow clues, with the primary objective of keeping Bobby out of jail for the rest of his life. As I mentioned before, much of the story - narrated by Andy - takes place in the courtroom, where Andy can show off his considerable chops and humorous asides. It's a very entertaining addition to the series, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

David Rosenfelt does it again. He combines dogs, mystery, Christmas, and lots of humor into a wonderfully readable story. Andy Carpenter is a terrific character, a reluctant lawyer who does his best not to work. He finds himself involved in a murder case involving one of the people who fosters dogs from the shelter Andy helps run. The arrested man turns out to be in the witness protection program. Andy believes in his innocence and takes the case. I love all the recurring characters and these stories are always intriguing and fun to read. I will always recommend this series to patrons who love mysteries with a dose of humor. I give this one five stars. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book for my honest review.

Andy Carpenter's next case comes to him at the Tara Foundation Christmas party when one of the best fosterers is arrested for murder. Derek Moore whose real name is Bobby is in the Witness Protection Program after turning in two of his fellow gang members for murdering a convenience store owner and a customer who was there. Bobby has built a new life for himself which includes adopting two dogs. He tells Andy that he didn't kill anyone and asks for help.

The case doesn't look good. The victim's blood is found in Bobby's trunk and the murder weapon in a cabinet in Bobby's home. But there are still a number of questions that need to be answered before Andy can prove that someone is framing his client not least of which is why someone would want to frame him.

As Andy and his team of investigators including his wife Laurie and accountant Sam have lots of trails to travel down to find the answers. For quite a while it looks like Andy and company have discovered another crime that is still on-going which is great but doesn't get Bobby off the hook.

I enjoyed this 28th episode in the Andy Carpenter series. I really like Andy's sarcastic and self-deprecating viewpoint. The story has a nice assortment of dogs too between Andy's three and Bobby's two.

For those that don’t know Andy Carpenter is a New Jersey attorney who is independently wealthy and doesn’t take cases unless he believes the person is innocent and it seems loves dogs. Andy is part owner of a dog rescue foundation and the story begins here during a Christmas party. That’s about all this book has to do with Christmas.

I have enjoyed all the Andy Carpenter stories to date, but feel after twenty eight outings, he has mellowed and is not as snarky as he’s been in the past. Also, the plots seem to follow the same formula. And with this one, I guessed the antagonist right away.

Still fun to read and I won’t stop reading these books, but this was not one of the best.

Once again, Andy Carpenter wins the day. And it is just as enjoyable and funny as all the books proceeding it. If I ever commit a crime, he would be the lawyer I would want. Not only does he prove you are innocent, but he saves the world from disasters at the same time. In the need for a dog sitter while you are in jail? No problem, the more the merrier. And that is the reason that I hope Mr. Rosenfelt continues with this series for a good long time. It feels like family, whenever I read one of his books, although I have to admit that I missed Edna's scenes in this one, Thanks, Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read it.

witness-protection, gangs, dogs, courtroom-drama, law-enforcement, lawyers, teamwork, animal-rescue, animal-shelter, laugh-out-loud, murder-investigation, verbal-humor, snark-fest, friendship, family, thriller, suspense, suspicion, framed, organized-crime*****

Another amazing yet funny by Andy Carpenter and cohorts. A valuable volunteer at Carpenter's dog rescue is charged with murder and it is found that he has been living under New Jersey Witness Protection. Of course Andy takes the case and it turns into an incredibly convoluted mess involving more than one organized crime operation. Fast paced and full of red herrings, but the biggest plot twist comes at the very end!
This series can easily be read out of order or just drop in anywhere and have a good read while laughing your sox off! This is NOT an unbiased review! I love the Andy Carpenter and K-Team books! The stories are imaginative, somewhat plausible, totally engaging, and off-set reality.
Andy Carpenter is a wise-mouthed 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 these convoluted mysteries. There are many other people who help Andy find out what the truth really is and make it courtroom admissible (The K-Team). The mysteries are always intriguing, and I cackled my way through the whole thing (again)!
I requested and received an EARC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
I will definitely get the audio when it comes out.

3.5 stars

In this 28th book in the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the Paterson, New Jersey defense attorney represents a man in the state's witness protection program.

*****

Ever since he inherited a large fortune, defense lawyer Andy Carpenter takes very few cases. Instead, Andy likes to hang out with his wife, son, and dogs; watch sports; schmooze with his friends; help run a canine rescue operation called 'The Tara Foundation'; and so on.

The story takes place during Christmas season, and The Tara Foundation is hosting a holiday party for dog adopters and their canine kids. Andy is there with his wife Laurie, their son Ricky, and their threes dogs: golden retriever Tara; basset hound Sebastian; and pug Hunter.

During the party, Andy gets a call from his friend, Homicide Captain Pete Stanton. To avoid disturbing the festivities, Pete asks Andy to bring out dog daddy Derek Moore, who's adopted golden retriever Jake and dalmatian Sasha. It seems Derek's real name is Robert Klaster, and he's being arrested for murder. Andy signs on to defend Klaster and to take in Klaster's dogs while the accused is in custody.

At the police precinct, Klaster - who wants to be called Bobby - tells Andy his story. Bobby grew up in Camden, New Jersey and belonged to a gang called the Camden Cobras. The Cobras were involved in running numbers, prostitution, robbery, protection rackets, and other non-violent crimes. Then Bobby saw two Cobra members, Johnny Luko and Donnie Briggs, shoot and kill a convenience store owner and one of the store's customers. This horrified Bobby, and he turned state's evidence against the killers.

To protect Bobby, New Jersey put him in the witness protection program and gave him the name Derek Moore. As Moore, Bobby started a business called 'Davis and Moore Flooring' with his partner Jalen Davis, and the enterprise has been very successful.

Now, a Camden Cobra member named Roland Banks has been murdered, and the police have evidence that points to Bobby as the perpetrator. Andy is convinced Bobby is being framed and sets out to prove it. To do this, Andy employs a private detective agency called the K Team, whose investigators are Andy's wife Laurie - a former police officer; Corey Douglas - a retired cop; Simon Garfunkel - a K-9 German shepherd who worked with Corey at the Paterson Police Department; and Marcus Clark - the toughest, scariest guy on the planet.

Andy also calls in his law partner Eddie Dowd - a former football player who's especially good with paperwork; and accountant Sam Willis, who can hack into any computer anywhere. For Bobby's case, Sam collects phone records that are especially helpful in identifying alternate suspects. Sam usually likes to deliver his reports in person at Andy's house, where useful information earns him a big plate of Laurie's pancakes.

As Andy tries to clear Bobby of killing Roland Banks, he runs across a dangerous Cobra gang leader and his thugs; crime lords in Philadelphia and New Jersey; and a scheme involving shipping and explosives.

When confronting dangerous people, Andy - who admits he's not brave - is protected by Corey, Laurie, and ESPECIALLY Marcus. With Corey and Marcus as backup in a tricky situation, Andy observes, "I'm not scared anymore either...Marcus seems to have taken the lead in this; Corey stands a bit farther away. They've probably done it this way because Marcus is the scarier of the two. If Marcus and Godzilla were partners, Marcus would be the scarier of the two."

As always, Andy shines in the courtroom scenes, where he's up against prosecutor Stan Godfrey, "a talented attorney [whose] skills are only exceeded by his ambition; and trying the case before Judge Gettner, "who's been in a bad mood for thirty years."

I always enjoy Andy's sarcastic quips and wisecracks, which add a touch of humor to the book. For instance, talking about not having to call his secretary/office manager Edna, Andy notes, "Edna got engaged two years ago to David Devine, a wealthy owner of fast food restaurants, and since then she has become a professional engag-ee. They are going to have a destination wedding, and to decide where it will be, they have apparently decided that they have to personally check out every place on earth. Right now they are in Slovakia, or maybe it's Slovenia....I always get the confused."

The plot gets a little over-convoluted, and Andy is a bit off his game in this book, because I figured out the bad guy long before Andy did. Still, it's all good fun.

There isn't a lot of Christmas vibe in the book, but Laurie does put up a huge Christmas tree, play Christmas music, and buy Christmas presents for the family - including one for herself from Andy.

This is an enjoyable cozy mystery, recommended to fans of the series.

Thanks to Netgalley, David Rosenfelt, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the manuscript.

'Twas the Bite Before Christmas is a light-hearted whodunnit. Not quite what I expected but entertaining and despite the title was not really anything about Christmas. If you like smart-alecky characters and twisty-turny plots this is a book for you. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review.

I’ve yet to read a David Rosenfelt novel I didn’t like and this is no exception. The plots are always good, but the real draw is the irreverent humor of Andy Carpenter. This series never disappoints.

Book Title: Twas the Bite Before Christmas
Series: Andy Carpenter #28
Author: David Rosenfelt
Publisher: Saint Martin’s Press ~ Minotaur Book
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: October 10, 2023
My Rating: 4.2 Stars
Pages 304
This novel is #28 in the Andy Carpenter series and #22 for me! Although I am reading this, I have listened to many of the audiobooks in this series as I just love narrator Grover Gardner. Author, David Rosenfelt has a great wit. and Grover Gardner delivers it so well! In fact, as I am reading this story I can totally hear Mr. Gardner ‘dead pan’ voice!

Andy Carpenter stories are always entertaining~ true they are formula driven ~ in addition to dogs; there will be courtroom drama (which I love and am never disappointed!), a surprising twist, and hopefully a Victory dinner!!!

If you are new to Andy, he is semi-retired as he came into a large inheritance. He loves dogs and has helped in establishing the Tara Foundation named after he golden retriever Tara.
He typically only takes cases if there is a dog involved. He always has and needs help from his wife Laurie as well as friend!

This story starts at the Tara Foundation’s Christmas Party which is for both people and their adopted dogs and Andy’s job is doling out eggnog; Andy’s police friend Pete Stanton who is captain of the homicide Division calls and asks if he would come outside ~since Andy doesn’t like eggnog as he states - if it were any good it would be served all year - he is happy to let someone else do his serving. Pete asks if Andy would call out Derek Moore one of the guests who is there as he adopted Jake a golden retriever and Sasha a Dalmatian.
Once outside, Pete starts to give Derek the Miranda warning and begins by saying “Robert Klaster, you have the right to remain silent . . . .. Andy thinks - 'who is Robert Klaster?'

Derek – Robert is now Andy’s client and the dogs Jake and Sasha take shelter with Andy which now makes five dogs in Andy’s home!

With the help of Andy’s posse: wife Laurie and her partners in her investigation firm ‘The K-Team’ ~Marcus Clark and Corey Douglas - Corey and Laurie are both former police officers. Sam Willis is also part of this group and is a super hacker but employed as an accountant.
Together they will pull their resources in order to prove that Derek -Robert did not commit murder and is innocent.
Andy and the gang do not disappoint.
This story starts and ends with eggnog ~ curious? Now you need to read it!

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for October 10, 2023.

One of the things you're asked before you serve on a jury is basically if you can be impartial. Well, no, your Honor, I don't think I can be an impartial reviewer for an Andy Carpenter book. I love David Rosenfelt's humor, snarky and dry, even when it's only in Andy's head, and have come to know and like the characters quite well. That said, how did I miss that Andy's firm's other lawyer, Eddie Dowd, was a tight end for the New York Giants before joining Andy's law firm? See, just when you think you know all the answers, Rosenfelt still manages to surprise me. It's also great fun to "hear" the rational he has in the courtroom for what questions he asks or doesn't ask.

This book, #28 in the Andy Carpenter series, was an intriguing, amazingly quick read. Quick because, well, once I start one of these books I pretty much read straight through until, whoa, almost to my shock, I'm nearing the end. That was the case this time. The story opens with Andy trying to delay downing the eggnog at a Christmas gathering at the Tara Foundation that operates to rescue dogs. Almost to his relief, he gets a call from Pete Stanton, a friend and the town's captain of the homicide division, to come outside. Next thing we know, one of the party guests, Derek, is being cuffed and taken to jail. But why is Pete is calling him Robert Klaster? Soon, Andy doesn't have to worry about drinking the dreaded eggnog but he does have another client. You guessed it. Derek. Or, is it Robert? Or, Bobby? That's when the story really begins.

As always, Andy's a reluctant lawyer but, well, Derek, er, Bobby is a foster failure for the Tara Foundation. That translates to him having agreed to temporarily foster a dog, two in this case, but changing his mind and deciding he can't give them up later. They're now inside, happily mixing with the other rescues and potential rescues in the shelter as Derek/Bobby is led away. Oh, the identity confusion. I won't detail how or why as that is part of the plot, but let's just say "witness protection program". From that moment on, it's a roller coaster of events, including drugs, mob lords, questions upon questions, poisoning, and, well, much, much more. The usual crew is there. In addition to Andy, we have his tough as nails wife, Laurie, ex-cop Corey and his also retired police dog Simon, Marcus, who'd give King Kong a run for his money in a match up, and Sam, the mild-mannered accountant and master hacker. Edna is still on hiatus but gets a few mentions of her travels. And, oh, the dogs: Tara, who Andy deems the world's best dog ever, Hunter the pug, and Sebastian, who's favorite speed is nap. Toss in Bobby's two, Sasha and Jake and Andy has a house full of dogs, which is just fine with him once he figures out how to walk four energetic dogs without Sebastian being an anchor.

That's about as much of the plot as I'll share....the blog does an excellent summary ... but will say that it is, as always, complex and involves as much legal eagle time as investigation. Fortunately, they aren't trying to kill Andy in the courtroom, just beat his sometimes seemingly off-the-cuff defense. Mobster ties and rivalries abound and, wow, even a mob biggie has serious admiration for Marcus's skills. Let's just say, those silly enough not to just throw up their hands and immediately surrender when he's there live to regret it. Laurie may make a pancake to make Sam drool, but she's also tough and no-nonsense, a real plus as a private investigator, but even she takes a backseat to Marcus. She loves Christmas, however, and seems to take buying presents for not just son Ricky, who shares none of Andy's love of football and baseball, but herself. Andy's always amazed at the good taste he's supposedly shown in gift buying.

That said, aside from taking place during the holiday, this isn't really a Christmas based story. It's a legal mystery. I quipped online to some friends that I recognized some of the legalese being tossed around online by commentators because of this series, so it's taught me a few things, too. But, no, I'm still keeping it to one dog. She's a rescue, tho', so Andy would approve. Thanks #NetGalley and #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for allowing me to spend some of the virtual holiday season watching Andy in action. I'm reading for the next case, even if Andy isn't.

5 stars
Twas the Bite Before Christmas
David Rosenfelt

Rosenfelt has knocked it out of the park with this Andy Carpenter series book. I believe this is book 28 in the series, and it is perhaps the best one yet.
I did miss some of the regulars from his books, such as the senior helpers and Edna, but Marcus is definitely part of the book.
I absolutely did not see the twist ending coming. Rosenfelt is a master of writing suspense, dogs, criminals and twists at every turn.
One of my favorite things about this series is that a reader can pick up any book in the series and read it as a stand alone.
I recommend this one (as well as his entire series) highly!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley.

I apologize, but family responsibilities are keeping me from doing reviews for an indefinite period. I have read the book, but won't be able to review it. I am rating it.