This is my first novel written by David Rosenfelt, not my last! This is the prequel to this long-running series, so I look forward to a lot more enjoyable reading. The story revolves around the main character, Andy Carpenter, who goes to the pound to adopt a dog. He finds two - one of which is in the pound because his owner is in the slammer for murder. Andy is a lawyer and takes on the case for the dog's sake. I chuckled throughout the audiobook. The narration is spot on. Andy Carpenter is definitely one of my favorite characters that I have come across in my reading.

Dogged Pursuit is the 31st Andy Carpenter legal procedural mystery by David Rosenfelt. Due out 1st July 2025 from Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 288 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

For current fans of the series, this is a good one. It's full of the same sarcastic, warm humor and the same ensemble cast as previous entries in the series. Although it's the 31st book, it's actually a prequel and the story involved Andy's first forays into being a criminal defense attorney, putting him at odds with his wife and in-laws, as well as his meetups with the folks who will be returning throughout the series. This is such a long running and consistently well written series that saying it's "more of the same, worked around a different mystery" should be enough of a recommendation by itself. Although it's the 31st book, the mystery is self contained and the necessary back-story is written in without major spoilers for previous books. I heartily recommend the whole series, but this particular entry is very strong and for folks who are new to the books, it's a great entry point.

This is pure comfort reading. It's got a likable protagonist, an engaging mystery, humorous dialogue, and a solid climax, denouement, and resolution. Andy's support team, especially Marcus and Laurie (not yet his wife as in the later books) are introduced with their own back stories.

The audiobook has a run time of 6 hours and 30 minutes and is expertly read by series narratorGrover Gardner who manages to juggle the various accents and characters of all ages and both sexes without problems. There are actual laugh out loud moments in the read, and it's always delightful to hear his sarcastic banter. The read was definitely enhanced by the narrator. The sound and production quality are high throughout the recording.

Five stars for both the text and audiobook versions. All around fun read. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, home reading, or a long (long!) binge/buddy read project.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I love this author. Andy Carpenter takes on a client for court to help prove his innocence in a murder case. He decides to help him because the man’s beagle is stuck in the shelter until the decision is made. Andy is able to dig deep and find out even more than he bargains for. A fantastic read.

Short and sweet with lots of punch!
It feels like this is a re-release, but when I look at the dates, it looks like I’m wrong…
In any case, this one goes way back. Andy Carpenter has just switched sides, and ends up getting his first client when he goes to adopt his beloved Tara! You see, she’s in a cage with another dog and seems to be co-dependent on him…so Andy figures he’ll just adopt them both. What he finds out is that the other dog’s owner is in jail, awaiting trial for murder! So, he can’t adopt the dog unless he gets a release from the owner… And when he goes to talk to the guy about his dog, Sunny, he realizes that the guy just might be innocent… and he signs on to be his lawyer…and we see how he goes about trying to prove his innocence.

This is apparently the prequel to his hit series…and it does not disappoint!

Funny ✔️
Scary ✔️
Dogs 🐕 🐩✔️
Makes you think ✔️
Bad ass woman as backup ✔️
Friends in high (and low) places ✔️

4 big, bright 🌟🌟🌟🌟 for me!

#DoggedPursuit by #DavidRosenfelt and narrated entertainingly by #GroverGardner.

*** RELEASE DATE IS COMING UP SOON, SO LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON JULY 1, 2025!!! ***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

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Installment 31 of the Andy Carpenter series by Bestselling author, David Rosenfelt Dogged Pursuit: An Andy Carpenter Mysteryhas been released, and as usual, it is a delightful novel. It is different from the preceding novels because it starts out at the beginning of Andy Carpenter’s career as a defense lawyer, as well as history of Tara, his dog, and his early relationships. Most of us wish that this one had been released first, but it wasn’t and it’s nice to get the history.

Rosenfelt is an excellent storyteller, and does it with well-written prose and plenty of humor and fun. His novels aren’t actually cozies, but they are clean and light and have building suspense and unexpected scenarios. This novel has an unexpected dénouement which keeps readers on the edge to the very end. Anyone who chooses to listen to this novel via audio will enjoy the narrator, who is excellent.

Andy Carpenter is a likeable well-developed protagonist, and this novel gives readers enough information to make him believable and a character that will be remembered.

Anyone who hasn’t read the previous Andy Carpenter novels will want to go back and read them; the series is excellent and since there are so many, will keep readers busy for months. All told, this is another good one by David Rosenfelt and will be enjoyed by everyone, especially animal lovers.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Regardless of where you fall in the Andy Carpenter universe—returning reader or newbie—this prequel is a good read. I'm a bit of an oddball, having read installments one, seven, and 27 through 30, plus this prequel. I've come to look forward to the two new installments Rosenfelt writes per year. While the canine characters allow for some cozy moments, these really are full-fledged legal thrillers. If you're an exclusively cozy mystery reader, these may not be for you.

Readers are introduced (or reintroduced) to Andy; his District Attorney dad, Nelson; dogs Tara (Andy's) and Sunny (a new client's); first wife, Nicole; and team members Sam Willis, Laurie Collins, and Marcus Clark. The installment includes all the usual sarcastic humor, requisite violence, and questionable investigation tactics. Grover Gardner continues series narration. At this point, no other narrator could possibly seem right. Returning readers will find one of Andy's final statements funny. Let me know when you know what I'm talking about.

Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt was an absolute delight. Although it’s the 31st book in the Andy Carpenter Mystery series, it serves as a prequel, making it easy to enjoy as a standalone — which is exactly how I read it. Now I’m eager to go back and explore the rest of the series. One of the standout elements for me was the central role dogs play in the story — something I absolutely loved. The plot is full of clever twists and satisfying turns that kept me hooked from start to finish.

Grover Gardner’s narration was outstanding, perfectly capturing the tone and personality of the characters. He truly brought the story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for letting me read this ARC.

Thank you for allowing me to read this, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really loved the way the story tied the two precious dogs into the story. I hope to read more by David Rosenfelt

Thanks to #DavidRosenfelt and #Macmillanaudio for the ARC version of the audiobook. This is a prequel title to the great Andy Carpenter lawyer mystery series. It is where we see Andy adopt the great Tara and how he started his law career. The story as usual is very entertaining and keeps your interest. I do wish he would not have so many people killed to start his mystery story, I'm more of a cozy reader but David is such a great writer I will overlook the non cozy aspects.

Dogged Pursuit is listed as the 31st book in the Andy Carpenter series, but it’s a prequel. I have read many books in this series, but not all of them. Going back to the beginning was such a breath of fresh air, and it makes this a great starting point for new readers.

Although this series has numerous entries, each one can be read and enjoyed as a standalone. I love to compare each one of these books to an episode of Matlock. Same characters, just a different case.

As a prequel, I was excited to discover how it all began, and I was not disappointed at all. Seeing a younger Andy and a younger Laurie getting to know each other was a fantastic thing, especially when you already know where they are headed. Besides the dogs, a little more on that shortly, my favorite character is Marcus. My only complaint is that we got virtually no Marcus in this prequel. He had a special role in this book, but my favorite scenes in the other books usually include Marcus.

Andy’s golden retriever, Tara, also gets her origin story here, and I love the author’s note about it. The gap between when this book takes place and the series proper takes place is too significant for Tara to still be present in the world. This was discussed in a way every dog lover will enjoy.

Any book you pick up is a great choice and a great entry point in the series. You can’t go wrong, but if you're a newcomer, a prequel is your best option. But be warned, you will be hooked.

4.25

What a treat!

For those of you long-time readers or listeners of the Andy Carpenter books, we are a hearty bunch. I need not explain that, by and large, the individual installments in this series are mostly at a copy-paste point. But for some reason, we persevere.

If you are like me and listen to the audiobooks, you may be charmed by Grover Gardner as Andy Carpenter, never mind that his voice had an alternate effect on me at the beginning.*

We love Andy’s humor and wit and his love for dogs. I assume most of the fans are dog people and we clamor for any mention of Tara being Tara. I will spare you my PSA for Sebastian who could have a better persona (kanina?) and…**

The book starts with a disclaimer saying that the timeline for this book is unrealistic, explaining that it is either that Tara can live forever or it making sense time-wise. It implied that the fluid chronology was strictly about Tara and made me worry that she was getting old and frail, if not worse. I may have read the book’s summary way back when, but it was a pleasant surprise when I realized that this a prequel, origin story for the Andy–Tara love story, as well as Andy’s career as a defense attorney.

I should probably tell you that this is also a copy – paste storyline but its nostalgia makes everything more interesting. This is Andy‘s first case as a prosecutor, he’s still married to Nicole, he has just hired Laurie who is newly transferred from her career as a police woman to Private detective, and Marcus is invisible. Andy has just signed a lease for an office above a fruit stand and, most importantly, he meets and falls in love with Tara. Ironically, he thought he wanted a little dog. Never underestimate the magic mind control of a golden retriever.

We also need to forget that Willie was his first innocent-murder-defendant/ impenetrable-evil-villain, frame-job case where he cracks open the an incredible conspiracy behind it and exonerates a framed innocent man, because that’s what “Dogged Pursuit” is about.

I could almost see this as a repeat thing. This book does not go meet up with the First Andy carpenter book, so it could either be a prequel block or spinoff and or the occasional rewind between current-day mysteries. I almost want to read the first one again just to remind myself how things kicked off.

*1.? OMG, Grover and Andy are both named after home-improvement tradesmen! Conspiracy? and 2. Am I the only one who couldn’t get into the K team series because the narrator was reading monotone by comparison to Grover Gardner and there was basically no Andy in the stories?

**…seems to always be so un-basset like. They can definitely be lazy and they love to eat, exacerbated by them such charmers and looking sad enough so that people give them treats. And don’t get me started on how Ricky doesn’t seem to care much about Sebastian even though, before he came to Andy and Laurie, Sebastian was his only family. If my human dropped me the second my new parents and a dog came about, I’d be pretty depressed and cranky too. Maybe Sebastian could fall in love and be incentivized to act like a younger, friendlier dog who is only a bit lazy and hungry.

Thank you to David Rosenfelt, NetGalley, and MacMillan Audio for providing me with a free advanced copy of this audiobook for my unbiased review.

#DoggedPursuit #NetGalley #bookreview #ADHDreader #AndyCarpenter #legalthriller #framedformurder #rescuedogs #MacMillanAudio #prequel #originstory

You know that moment when a long-running series drops a prequel and you brace yourself for filler vibes or cash-grab chaos? Nope. Not here. “Dogged Pursuit” is the thirty-first book in the "Andy Carpenter" series, and somehow it’s also the first. Because David Rosenfelt looked at his timeline and said, “Let’s go back and give Tara the dramatic origin story she deserves.”

Andy Carpenter, pre-riches and pre-snark overload, has ditched his gig as a prosecutor and just opened a janky little defense office above a fruit stand in Paterson, New Jersey. His marriage is in shambles, he’s got no clients, and he’s one smug charity dinner away from snapping and chucking a legal pad at his father-in-law’s smug face. Enter Tara. The golden retriever. The legend. The emotional turning point. She’s chilling in a crowded shelter next to Sunny, a beagle with the kind of loyal eyes that scream “I know trauma.” Andy can’t leave them behind... and surprise, now he’s taking on Sunny’s owner as his first client in a triple homicide case. Because sure, adopt a dog, defend a potential felon.

Frank Tierney is a dog dad first, murder suspect second. His boss and two co-workers got blown up by a car bomb, and somehow all the evidence lands squarely in his lap. But Andy’s not buying it. What follows is a classic Andy spiral, half sleuthing, half stumbling, as he untangles threats, red herrings, and one very angry "loan shark".

This is Andy before the courtroom swagger fully locks in. He’s funny, yes, but still finding his rhythm. He fumbles a little, doubts himself a lot, and makes some truly chaotic legal decisions powered entirely by his love of dogs. And you know what? It works. Especially when the case heats up and he realizes someone might be trying to blow him up next.

If you’re a longtime fan, this is emotional gold. You meet baby versions of Sam and Pete, watch Laurie arrive with her whole ex-cop energy, and get tiny glimpses of Marcus and Edna just vibing off-screen like sneak peeks in a Marvel movie. And the courtroom scenes? Chef’s kiss. Rosenfelt keeps it tight, fast, and sharp, with enough banter to remind you why you fell for this series in the first place.

The mystery pays off. The final twist is satisfying even if it leans a little light on the shock factor. But honestly, this book could’ve ended with Andy giving Tara a biscuit and I still would’ve cried. Also, massive respect to Rosenfelt for admitting Tara’s immortal now. She's the ageless queen and we will all pretend her golden retriever joints are just fine forever.

4.5 stars and a standing ovation for this perfect reset button. Whether you’re new to the series or just need to feel something with dogs and danger involved, this is the one.

Whodunity Award: For Convincing Me That Dog Adoption Should Involve Courtroom Cross-Examination

Huge thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for early access to the audiobook and for giving Tara her cinematic origin story at last. It’s narrated by Grover Gardner, who is Andy Carpenter in voice form, and he absolutely crushed it.

Dogged Pursuit
David Rosenfelt
Congratulations to author David Rosenfelt on his 31st book in this series. In Dogged Pursuit author David Rosenfelt transports readers back to the beginning of this series.
We are re-introduced to young Andy Carpenter and several of the main characters. For the last three years Andy has been pursuing a career as a prosecuting attorney. He is uncomfortable with the way the system works. No one seems to care or look out for the everyday man/woman. He makes a major decision to switch careers from prosecutor to defense attorney. Andy practices law in Paterson, New Jersey.
Andy and his wife Nicole are having some marital struggles. They are living in a home belonging to her parents. Her father has repeatedly offered Andy the opportunity to work with his firm. It would be a good financial move but not the best emotional or mental health move for Andy. While Nicole is gone Andy decides he needs a small dog. We follow Andy to the animal shelter where it is love at first sight for both he and the beautiful golden retriever, named Tara. Tara has a roommate, a dog named Sunny. He decides to adopt both dogs, but Sunny’s former owner is involved in a criminal case so and will need to get written permission for Sunny to stay with Andy and Tara temporarily.
Frank Tierney is Sunny’s owner; he is charged with a triple murder. Andy is impressed by Frank, after all he is devoted to Sunny. Andy takes on Frank’s case. Frank is accused of planting bombs under the car of his former boss. Needless to say, the boss and two of his co-harts were killed / blown up in the explosion. Frank proclaims his innocence. The prosecutor has been collecting damaging evidence. Andy must discover the identity of the murderer to prove Frank is not guilty.
I enjoyed Dogged Pursuit, it gave me an opportunity to revisit the history behind the series. We watch as Andy sharpens his courtroom skills. As usual he manages to use his wit and personality to annoy and often infuriate the judge. He charms the jury and wins his case. I enjoy this series, it is entertaining, funny and features my favorite animal, dogs. Author David Rosenfelt is an expert at character development. He also has a special flair for intertwining hefty subjects throughout a complex, warped plot line while inspiring readers to help Andy solve the mystery. The narrator Grover Gardner does a fantastic job, his voice is pleasant to listen to.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Reviews are my personal opinions.

When I open up an Andy Carpenter book, I know I am in for a treat! And I love the narrator, Grover Gardner. He just adds so much to the story. Though the 31st book in the series, this is actually a prequel to the very beginning. When I first started listening, I had to go back and check the publication date. I thought I had lost my mind! But this is actually being released in 2025 and takes you back to when Andy first leaves his career as a prosecutor and become a defense attorney. You will also get a glimpse of the beginning relationship with Laurie and his newly adopted golden retriever, Tara. The characters in the series are well developed and the murder mystery will have you working along with Andy as he discovers clues to help his client not be convicted of murder. Lots of twists and turns, courtroom drama, danger and thrills, humor ... a little bit of everything that will have you invested in the story and flipping through the pages as fast as you can to figure out who is guilty of murder. This is one of my favorite series of all times and I cannot wait for another adventure with Andy, Laurie, and Tara. You definitely need to get started with the series as soon as possible!

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Cozy Mystery
Humor
Mystery
Mystery Thriller
Thriller

If David Rosenfelt writes it, I’m reading it—or listening to it! I’ve read every book in his Andy Carpenter series and can’t get enough of his dry humor. I especially enjoyed his latest release, Dogged Pursuit. I loved how it revisited Andy’s first experience as a defense lawyer and introduced all the key characters. It was a nostalgic and entertaining look at how it all began. The narrator, Grover Gardner is a gem. He really makes the audio book come alive. I imagine it Andy reading the book. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to listen to this book before it's release date.

This was a quick and fun read by David Rosenfelt. Andy Carpenter is a former Prosecuting Attorney. He is now taking a shot at being a Defense Attorney much to the chagrin of his on-again, off-again wife. When he goes to the animal shelter to adopt a dog he meets Tara, a beautiful golden retriever. But there’s a caveat… Tara is bonded with another dog, Sunny. Is Andy ready to take on two dogs? Sunny belongs to Frank Tierney who’s been arrested for multiple murders. Andy must get permission from Frank to adopt Sunny. Frank, of course, claims innocence but signs ownership of Sunny to Andy. Andy takes over Frank’s case from the overworked Public Defender. Has Frank been framed? Andy this not so sure. Well, this book gets 4 stars rounded up from 3.5. Who doesn’t love a book with a couple of dogs? Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC audiobook.

3.5 stars

Although this is the 31st book in the Andy Carpenter series, it's a prequel in which we first meet criminal defense attorney Andy Carpenter, his beloved dog Tara, and various members of Andy's team.

Andy's father Nelson Carpenter was a respected district attorney in Paterson, New Jersey, and after law school, Andy followed in Nelson's footsteps and became a prosecutor. Three years later, Andy switched sides to become a defense lawyer, and in this story, Andy tries his first case.

*****

At the beginning of the story, Andy is living in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, and is separated from his wealthy socialite wife Nicole Gant - who wants Andy to become a corporate attorney in her father's law firm.

Andy decides to adopt a dog from the local animal shelter, and when Andy spies a beautiful golden retriever named Tara, he knows she's the one. It so happens Tara is friends with a beagle called Sonny, and Andy says he'll take Sonny as well. There's a problem though. Sonny belongs to a man called Ryan Tierney, who's about to be tried for a triple murder. Legally, Sonny has to stay in the shelter until Tierney's case is adjudicated. if Ryan gets off, the dog goes back to him; if not, the county takes possession.

There's a loophole though: Tierney can sign a letter giving Andy permission to take Sonny. So Andy makes arrangements to visit Ryan in jail, and when the first words out of the Ryan's mouth are "Is Sonny okay?" Andy knows he's met a fellow dog lover. Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo....Andy takes Tierney's case.

This is Ryan Tierney's story: Ryan was a dispatcher for a transportation company called Pearson Trucking, and Ryan's boss was Stephen Pearson. Recently, Stephen fired Ryan for bogus reasons, and Ryan made angry threats. Shortly afterward, Pearson Trucking held its semi-annual company party at Morelli's restaurant, a fun celebration with plenty of food and drink. As usual, Stephen Pearson remained throughout the festivities, to drive home folks who'd had a few too many drinks. Following the party, Stephen and two employees got into his car, then died in an explosion when Stephen turned on his ignition - like what happened to Michael Corleone's first wife in The Godfather.

Ryan Tierney was arrested for the triple homicide, and the prosecution's case is very strong: On the night of Pearson Trucking's party at Morelli's, Tierney's car was parked at a fire hydrant near the restaurant and got a ticket; Tierney is an explosives expert; and Tierney made threats when he was fired.

No worries for Andy....he gets ready to defend Ryan. Andy has a bare-bones law office above a fruit vendor; he hires two investigators - a former cop named Laurie Collins and a tough guy named Marcus Clark; and Andy's accountant Sam, who's a computer hacker extraordinaire, is on hand to help with the case. Andy also gets to pick the brain of Homicide Captain Pete Stanton - as long as Andy pays for Pete's food and beer at Charlie's Sports Bar.

As Andy delves into the case, he learns that a loan shark named Jason Shore invested $2 million in Pearson Trucking a couple of years ago, and apparently hasn't been repaid. This gets Andy thinking about nefarious mischief at the trucking company, and when Andy investigates the matter, his life is threatened!! Thus Andy intuits a conspiracy at Pearson Trucking, and comes to believe Ryan was framed. [Truth be told, this is David Rosenfelt's go-to formula for the series. 😉]

Andy and his team uncover information to be used in Tierney's defense, and the trial contains the usual sparring between Andy and the prosecutor, Karen Vincent. This verbal fencing in the courtroom is always a highlight of the books. Of course Andy eventually figures out what happened at Pearson Trucking, why the homicides occurred, and whodunit.

The cases in Rosenfelt's stories are always complex and interesting, but the REAL pleasure of these novels lies in Andy's love for his dog(s); the interactions among the characters; and Andy's humorous observations, snarky quips, and sarcastic remarks.

For example:

✿ When Andy first brings Tara home, he worries the dog might chew things up, and remarks: "Hopefully she didn't get into Nicole's closet. Nicole has shoes and bags so valuable that she could trade a few for something with bucket seats. But the truth is that an army of golden retrievers would take a month to eat all of Nicole's shoes."

✿ Andy is musing about Tierney's parking ticket on the night of the car bombing, and notes, "If it's true that the driver was my client, and he illegally parked the car while planting a bomb nearby, then I am unlikely to find a Rhodes Scholarship in his background."

✿ When investigator Laurie Collins comes to Andy's spartan office for the first time, Andy realizes he has nothing to offer visitors in the way of food or drink. So Andy asks Laurie, "Are you hungry? I have all kinds of fruit, downstairs at the fruit stand. Maybe you'd like a cantaloupe?"

The book has some unexpected twists and a satisfying ending. I'd recommend this humorous mystery to fans of the Andy Carpenter series, and - for new readers - this is a good place to start.

I had the digital book as well as the audiobook, narrated by Grover Gardner, who does a great job as usual.

Thanks to Netgalley, David Rosenfelt, and Minotaur Books/MacMillan Audio for copies of the book.

This was a fun prequel to the Andy Carpenter series and it's a great place for people who are new to the series to jump in. It was enjoyable to meet Andy's dad and have other recurring characters introduced for the first time. I now understand where Andy gets his snark. lol It was also fun to get to know Andy as he became a defense attorney and see his interest in it before he inherited all his money.

I had the audio of this one, which is narrated by Grover Gardner. I always love his narration of this series. He is perfect and I highly recommend the audios.

As always, I look forward to the next installment.

Hurray for another Andy Carpenter book from David Rosenfelt. For me it is like having a visit with an old friend. I always love that Andy is not a tough guy at all. He self-deprecating and an honest coward. This book was especially fun because it was more of a prequel--taking us back in time to when Andy adopted Tara, how he opened his defense practice and his budding relationships with Sam, Pete and Lori with references to Edna and Marcus who have not yet officially entered his life. It is interesting because he is in his first marriage and his father is still alive--all things that aren't true in the rest of the series. Quick listen and enjoyable--especially for fans of this series.
Thank you to #Netgalley and #MacmillanAudio for the advanced audio copy of this book.

Book 31 could be considered book .5 as it's the story of when smart-alecky Andy Carpenter met Tara (not to mention Laurie) and his very first case as a defense attorney. It's the perfect intro for new readers and it gives fans of the series some serious chuckles. (Edna? A "real dynamo"?! Seriously?) Engaging narration, too.

Thanks to @NetGalley + Macmillan Audio for the advance reader copy.