[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]
Summary
At the Tara Foundation Christmas party, one of their clients, Derek Moore, is arrested for murder. Derek adopted two dogs from the Tara Foundation – something that gets Andy Carpenter’s legal expertise on Derek’s side. Andy’s also curious because the police call Derek by a completely different name when they arrest him.
Derek was in witness protection because he gave testimony about two gang members for a murder they committed. But now, one of the gang leaders has been killed – and the evidence is piling up against Derek.
Andy believes Derek is innocent, but proving it could be beyond even his considerable skill and experience.
Review
Another great Christmas-time mystery starring Andy Carpenter. My first ever Andy Carpenter mystery was a Christmas one, and they remain some of my favorites in the whole series.
This was such a satisfying read. I really got concerned that Andy was not going to pull this off – it was a tricky case! All the pieces came together so nicely, though. And in the end I even puzzled out a couple of the reveals on my own. Always a triumphant reading experience! Andy is his usual sassy self here, which I always enjoy. And he gets key help on this case from a surprising source which was a twist I really enjoyed.
I think new readers could start with this story and not have any trouble following the mystery. I don’t know how Andy plays if you don’t already love his sarcasm – but I love it so these are a perfect fit for me. If you enjoy mysteries that are more on the legal side than a cozy (court room drama, police and private investigators, etc.), you should give this series a try. Series fans should of course pick this up to stay current. Book 29, Dog Day Afternoon, will release in the summer of 2024.
Rating: ♥♥♥♥*
*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.