'Twas the Bite Before Christmas

Andy Carpenter #28

by David Rosenfelt

In National Bestseller David Rosenfelt’s ‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas, all through the Carpenter house, five dogs are stirring, and not even Andy can get out of working this latest case at his door.Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter is at the Tara Foundation’s annual Christmas party. The dog rescue organization has always been his true calling, and this is one holiday tradition he can get behind because every dog that’s come through the rescue—and their families—are invited to celebrate.This year’s party is no exception. But before the stockings can be hung by the chimney with care, homicide detectives ruin the evening. Derek Moore, one of the foundation’s best foster volunteers, is arrested for murder.Andy discovers Derek—whose real name is Bobby—is in the witness protection program after giving evidence against his former gang. The police believe Bobby murdered a member. But Bobby swears to Andy he didn’t do this. He’s built a new life, a new business, has two new dogs after being a double foster-failure.There isn’t much Andy likes about this case, but he likes Bobby. If he’s innocent, Andy wants to help. Before Andy can settle down for his long winter’s nap, he has a client’s name to clear, a murderer to catch, and two new dogs to look a golden and a Dalmatian. Andy’s golden retriever, Tara, will have to adjust to not being the only golden at the house while Andy gets to the bottom of this one…

Genres: Mystery, Christmas, Fiction, Audiobook, Humor, Cozy Mystery, Dogs

381 pages, Library Binding

First published October 10, 2023

About the author

I am a novelist with 27 dogs.

I have gotten to this dubious position with absolutely no planning, and at no stage in my life could I have predicted it. But here I am.

My childhood was relentlessly normal. The middle of three brothers, loving parents, a middle-class home in Paterson, New Jersey. We played sports, studied sporadically. laughed around the dinner table, and generally had a good time. By comparison, "Ozzie and Harriet's" clan seemed bizarre.

I graduated NYU, then decided to go into the movie business. I was stunningly brilliant at a job interview with my uncle, who was President of United Artists, and was immediately hired. It set me off on a climb up the executive ladder, culminating in my becoming President of Marketing for Tri-Star Pictures. The movie landscape is filled with the movies I buried; for every "Rambo", "The Natural" and "Rocky", there are countless disasters.

I did manage to find the time to marry and have two children, both of whom are doing very well, and fortunately neither have inherited my eccentricities.

A number of years ago, I left the movie marketing business, to the sustained applause of hundreds of disgruntled producers and directors. I decided to try my hand at writing. I wrote and sold a bunch of feature films, none of which ever came close to being actually filmed, and then a bunch of TV movies, some of which actually made it to the small screen. It's safe to say that their impact on the American cultural scene has been minimal.

About fourteen years ago, my wife and I started the Tara Foundation, named in honor of the greatest Golden Retriever the world has ever known. We rescued almost 4,000 dogs, many of them Goldens, and found them loving homes. Our own home quickly became a sanctuary for those dogs that we rescued that were too old or sickly to be wanted by others. They surround me as I write this. It's total lunacy, but it works, and they are a happy, safe group.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidr...

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know how David Rosenfelt does it. He ties a murder mystery, drugs, mobsters, and witness protection together and makes it an amusing legal thriller.

It's that time of year and the Tara Foundation held its annual Christmas party where dogs through the rescue league and their families are invited to the party. 🎄🎉❄️

While Andy Carpenter is enjoying the party but the eggnog, one of the foundation's foster families, "Derek" is being arrested for murder. But Derek isn't really his name but is in a witness protection program and swears he didn't commit any crime.

Of course, Andy takes the case and his two dogs while he's being held for trial.

Snowflakes, pancakes, and Christmas music sets the mood. I always enjoy Andy's dry sarcastic humor and the court scenes aren't too heavy. I wish there were more about dogs (A golden retriever and a Dalmatian) and Christmas in this one.

I LOVE Grover Gardner's narration. His voice is perfect for this series and Andy.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the ALC.
Expected publication on Oct 10, 2023!
6H 33M

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Early for a Christmas read. I usually don't want anything to do with that holiday until after Thanksgiving. I'm a one holiday at a time girl, but I needed something funny but one that also holds my attention. I just adore this series. Parker is humorous, self deprecating and sarcastic. The dialogue is amusing and it's hard not to love a character who loves dogs. Sebastian, the hound, has a big personality of his own.

Good cases, great characters and I'm including the dogs in that assessment. After all, as all dog lovers know, dogs are people too.

Grover Gardner is Andy and as always his narration rocks.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn’t really a Christmas story. Perhaps Christmas was mentioned, and gifts were exchanged, but this really wasn’t a Christmas story.

So…Could it have been titled something different? Probably wouldn’t matter. It still was Andy Carpenter, rich attorney who oversees the Tara Foundation, that supports dogs finding homes.

But…It wasn’t about the Tara Foundation either. It just so happened that Derek Moore has been arrested for murder.

And…This matters to Andy Carpenter, why?

Because Derek, has provided homes to 2 of the dogs, (Jake and Sasha) that came from the Tara Foundation, and he is one of the foundation’s best foster failures volunteer.

What is a foster failure you wonder?

A person who ends up falling in love with the dogs they are fostering and decides to keep them. (Side note not important to the story…but thought I would mention it anyway…that is why I don’t volunteer at animal shelters.)

And…Because Andy believed in Derek, who really isn’t Derek, but someone named Bobby, he takes on the case.

And…Off he goes to find out how Derek/Bobby is being sought for a murder he says he didn’t commit…

Along with the K-Team, his wife, Laurie and Corey, former detectives, Marcus (muscle man with few words) and Simon Garfunkel, the retired police dog.

There is a good balance of mystery, courtroom drama, with a good amount of twists and turns and humor to make this one, another satisfying story.

Stay with it to the end…

There is always an interesting twist to wait for in an Andy Carpenter mystery.

[Sandra Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

'TWAS THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS is the twenty-eighth book in the Andy Carpenter series, and I must say up front this book cover is adorable! I mean, who could resist that face? However, for those who may say "Bah Humbug" to Christmas themed books, spike your glass of eggnog and dive in as references to the holiday are mostly limited to this sweet doggie in the window type cover and a few snarky remarks from Andy about what he considers the highly overrated eggnog. 'TWAS THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS is all about Andy and gang's efforts to work through a complex group of misfit red herrings with mafia and gang ties to solve a murder and save a client and friend from being convicted of something he swears he didn't do. Andy believes him, but can he prove it?

The annual Christmas party at the Tara Foundation is in full swing complete with all the trimmings including the often-maligned eggnog when the police arrive. The Tara Foundation, a dog rescue organization, is lawyer Andy Carpenter's passion and he's not happy to have to call his friend Derek outside at the request of the police. Derek is slapped into handcuffs, read his rights and carted off to jail to stand trial for the murder of a gang member from Derek's past. Andy is stunned to learn Derek has been in a witness protection program for years, having testified against members of his former gang. Derek, aka Bobby swears he's turned his life around and asks Andy to represent him and take care of his two rescue dog adoptees until he returns home. As always, Andy is reluctant to take on another case, but agrees to do some digging and see what turns up. He willingly takes Derek's two dogs home bringing his in-house total to five. It doesn't take Andy long to recruit his own gang, wife Laurie, ex-cop Corey and Marcus, to assist him in the quest for answers. Their only hope of clearing Derek's name is to discover the identity of the real killer. Let the games begin!

David Rosenfelt is challenged with the same issue facing many other authors of long running series, and that's to keep stories fresh, unique and entertaining for readers. I'm happy to say he accomplished these goals in 'TWAS THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS. This story is beautifully written, fast paced and humorous in all the right places. Rosenfelt presents an interesting, complex case that keeps Andy and his gang befuddled for some time as they pick through all the various clues to find the missing piece that will win the case for the good guys. As always, characterizations are great with a fired-up, highly confident support cast that series readers will recognize. While Andy remains the same reluctant lawyer, his signature courtroom antics with the philosophy that it's better to ask forgiveness than permission along with his tongue in cheek sense of humor carries the plot forward while entertaining both readers and courtroom participants. The story is nicely rounded out with the individual attitudes and tomfoolery of the family dogs, especially the immensely lazy basset hound Sebastian. While this is one of many Andy Carpenter series books, new readers will have no issue picking it up to read and enjoy as each book stands alone.
Special thanks to Minotaur Books for an advanced readers copy of this title. This review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine and is available on my blog Cross My Heart Reviews. You'll also find me sharing the love on Instagram at 'Twas The Night Before Christmas. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Kristie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. I laugh out loud at some point every time I read one and this installment was certainly no exception. The writing is great and witty, which I love. The series is pretty formulaic - you know what you are getting into when you start one, but they're still a lot of fun to read. Unfortunately, I feel like it's starting to lean a little too heavily into the mafia type characters for my taste. I'm really hoping future installments don't all head in a similar direction.

With that said, I am still looking forward to the next installment and I can't wait to see which case falls into Andy's lap next.

I listened to the audio narrated by Grover Gardner and this is definitely the way to go. He is a perfect Andy.

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Linden · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a Christmas party at the Tara Foundation, and just as Andy is serving the eggnog, Pete Stanton arrests one of the guests. Derek has adopted two dogs, Jake and Sasha, from the foundation, but now he's in prison for murder, and Andy has a client. Jake and Sasha join Andy's pack temporarily, and the 5 dogs are compatible, fortunately. Derek has a big secret, and it could be enough to get him convicted, but Andy is convinced of his innocence, and with the help of Marcus, Corey, Laurie, and Sam, he hopes to prove it and get Jake and Sasha home. I'm amazed that this series just keeps getting better--it was pretty great to start with! Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.

[June Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the things you're asked before you serve on a jury is basically if you can be impartial. Well, your Honor, no, 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.

[~☆~Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gets another star at the end for the big surprise. Some of you may see this coming but I didn't. This book is mostly about court room drama and some drama with the mob which is too creepy. There was very little about dogs and also very little about Christmas. It is mainly a book about crime in the northeast.

[Allison Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a couple of Rosenfelt's stand alones long ago, but not the Andy Carpenter series (though I have always loved the covers. I mean -- dogs? I'm melting.) I think my hesitance was because I'm not really into books about lawyers. But when I saw this up on net galley, I asked for an audio after sampling the narrator and reading the cover copy.

This would have been a standard good mystery but I gave it five stars because 1) I loved the narrator and 2) I really enjoyed the voice of the story. It's told (mostly) in 1st person from Andy's POV and it's very conversational. It only took me 3 days to listen (at 1.25X speed). Andy is a terrific character, smart and self-deprecating and relatable. The courtroom scenes were at a minimum (yeah for me!) but well written and moved the story forward, and I enjoyed the investigation from a non-police angle. The threads were all wrapped up by the end. (Admittedly, I figured out the big reveal in the last chapter early on, but that was okay because the other threads were interesting.) Even though I came to this series late, I felt I had a good grasp of the main characters so didn't miss anything. I'll come back to read some of the earlier books.

Thanks to Macmillan audio and net galley for the complimentary copy. Opinions my own.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

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. 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.

[Dona's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review on my blog!

Thank you to the author David Rosenfelt, publishers Minotaur Books, and SMPInfluencers Program for an opportunity to read TWAS THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS early. Thank you also to NetGalley for the digital widget. All views are mine.



Three (or more) things I loved:

1. The different dogs (I believe there are 5?) have so much personality. They simply jump off the page. The orphan dogs tug on my heartstrings just as hard as if they were adorable missing twin children, begging for a meal and warm bed. The irascible Sebastian the bloodhound is my favorite.

...

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. I got lost in the details of the mystery. This is a common issue for me in this genre, so I think this is a "me problem" and not anything to do with the book. I read another book by Rosenfelt, starring this same detective, entitled SANTA'S LITTLE YELPERS, in which I did not have trouble following the case. Rosenfelt constructs a good mystery.

...

Rating: 🐶🐶🐶🐶 / 5 adorable dogs
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: October 10 2023
Format: Digital, NetGalley, SMPI
Read this if you like:
🔍 Mysteries
🐶 Puppies
🕵‍♂️ Grumpy detectives
🗣 Witty banter

[Karen J · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A fun and very enjoyable audiobook especially narrated by Grover Gardner.

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Library's Afternoon Book Club Read for December, 2025**

Jumping in on book #28 in the series isn't hard and the story is light and easy reading. Andy Carpenter, lawyer and dog lover, takes on the defense of a fellow dog lover named Bobby who is accused of murdering a member of his former gang, the Cobras. The evidence against him seems pretty cut and dried but Andy has a whole crew of helpers and experts to help him investigate the case.

This isn't really a Christmas mystery, as the cute cover art and title would lead you to believe, but I enjoyed the characters and the laugh-out-loud humor. The dogs are minor characters in this story, which surprised my fellow book club members, and are just involved during their many walks, allowing Andy time to think. The jury trial is pretty interesting, watching Andy at work to provide some reasonable doubt. Nice twist ending that I should have seen coming but didn't. I would definitely enjoy reading more in this series.

[Sue Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Witness protection, gangs and a legal thriller all wrapped up in this mystery. Read several earlier books in the series but haven't read any of the later ones for a couple of years. Well-plotted with a self-deprocating lawyer at the center of the story. Definitely worth reading.

[Monnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jenny Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

And now I have to wait for the next book to come out and be available on Libby.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, "Twas the Bite Before Christmas by, David Rosenfelt, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book 28 in the, An Andy Carpenter series. Andy who is a lawyer, but not by choice, is a t a Christmas party, when he would rather be anywhere else. Andy has a friend who needs his help, because he is a suspect in a murder case. What a tail-wagger of a read. I enjoyed finding out the mystery in this book, and reading about the dogs.

[Katie Walsh · Rating 1 out of 5]

I checked this book out from the library because it was on the featured shelf, where my 2-year-old daughter grabbed it because of the adorable dalmatian puppy on the cover and insisted we bring it home. I figured it was a silly, cozy Christmas-with-a-dog book like what W. Bruce Cameron writes and would be easy holiday reading. I did no further research.

Never has a book had a more mismatched cover image and title for its plot.

This is apparently one of many mysteries featuring Andy Carpenter, a defense attorney, that author David Rosenfelt has written. Dogs are tertiary characters who are only discussed when they get walked from time to time. Christmas is also a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference. The story instead is about a former gang member in the witness protection program who is charged with the murder of a former gang associate. It spirals out ridiculously from there, so I'm not going to waste any more time on the plot. It's wholly silly and contrived.

Instead, I want to talk about how "boomer" this novel feels. Andy Carpenter doesn't miss an opportunity to make "take my wife please"-style jokes at the expense of everyone around him. He's constantly shitting on his son for liking soccer instead of "real" American sports. He has a half-page diversion about a secretary who ISN'T EVEN PRESENT FOR THE ENTIRE NOVEL about how lazy and awful she is. He complains about people he lets go in front of him in traffic who don't give him a wave of acknowledgment back. This is definitely a man who watches Fox News anchors talk about how America is crumbling because people respond to "thank you" with "no problem" instead of "you're welcome."

In short, I hate Andy Carpenter.

Never let a 2-year-old pick books for you.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This book had some good moments. I love reading about the dogs Andy rescues. Dogs make most book’s better, and this one is no exception. However, the book did drag on at times . Definitely not my favorite in this series (Andy carpenter) nor by this author.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really not a Christmas read. You could read it and time. But in true Rosenfelt tradition the dogs are the star of the pages.
I hope that you pick this up. Its sure to make you smile.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

love andy and his crew and the cases they involve themselves in. a good feeling when i read one. it is familiar and delivers the tension and the laughs every time.

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, before I get into the story, I will tell you, it was the cover and title that hooked me. Yeah, I read the blurb and all, but I still ended up feeling a bit disappointed and misled. Sure, the dogs are there, but they don’t do like the ‘normal’ animals in a cozy mystery. And bite in the title?

Derek Moore is revealed as being in the witness protection program, when he is arrested for murder. As his friend, lawyer Andy Carpenter is on the case. Seeing this is book #28 in the series, I expected big things.

Sure, we have a mystery, but at times, it felt like a police procedural or a legal mystery. I did enjoy the story, but I doubt I would actively seek out another Andy Carpenter series book. With David Rosenfeld having such a huge collection of books, others may enjoy the books much more than I did.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Christmas mystery starring dogs? I’m in!

Wait. Toss that expectation out the window. The title has absolutely no relevance to the story. And while Christmas does pass at some point, the holiday gets about a paragraph of coverage. So, not a Christmas story.

All books in this series feature dogs, and this one is no exception. None play a big role here, but they're still a fun addition.

If you’re familiar with this series, then the plot follows the familiar formula of previous books. This is a light legal mystery, with entertaining courtroom scenes, some laughs, and a fairly predictable path.

An enjoyable read any time of year!

*Thanks to Minotaur Books for the free copy!*

[Alabama Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 28th episode in the Andy Carpenter series,

Andy doesn’t go looking for work, in fact he abhors it.
Somehow his work manages to find him, this time in the midst of a pre-Christmas party at the Tara Foundation. One of the guests that adopted two of the rescues is called out of the party and is arrested by Pete Stanton.

Andy agrees to take care of his two dogs while working on this case bringing that total dog population to 5 at Carpenter house.

Upon taking the case Andy learns that not everyone is whom they seem to be.
A dark past reveals that his client worked with some very bad people in a former life and they seem to causing quite a ruckus in the Paterson area.

Something very big is about to happen in the underworld and Andy and his team must find the truth, even if a few rules have to be bent along the way.


A big thank you for this advanced reader copy from GoodReads provided by the author David Rosenfelt in exchange for this unbiased review. I did notice only one small error, but am sure that David only included it to see if anyone would find it.

[Jammin Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story of a cozy mystery set at Christmas. The characters were well-developed and the story line was fairly easy to follow. I think it was the narration that brought me to 3 starts instead of 4. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andy gets some help from the mob!

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a classic Andy Carpenter mystery. I think this one is actually a bit better than the previous few. It is the same template as all of the books that come before this one. Andy gets suckered into representing a dog lover who is arrested for murder. Andy digs into the details of the case. He gets threatened by mobsters and Marcus saves his life. I love the formula and the wise cracks from Andy. I cannot wait for Edna to be gone from the story. She was entertaining at first, now she just seems like a horrible person leaching off of Andy. Andy clearly has a soft spot for her, but she has lost all utility to the story. She only appears briefly, but it is unnecessary.

[Penny Toay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all things Andy Carpenter. This one was no different. This installment included more dogs, more twisted bad guys, and more family growing pains, and when you think you are finished, hang on, there is one more crime to be solved.

One thing I have noticed through the years with Andy is that unlike many other serial authors, David Rosenfelt has slowly shown the growth of the character of Andy. While I still miss the song-talking, snarky comments from Edna, and the oddities of his former lawyer assistant, watching Andy handle a son who doesn’t like the same sports he does and Laurie making incredible pancakes seems like a natural evolution. Rosenfelt’s long-time characters, even the minor ones, have lives that grow and change. Thank you #Net Galley

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Formula Rosenfelt. It always starts with a friend needing a lawyer because they are charged with murder. But somehow they are always different and entertaining. The case of "who done it" is always interesting and ALWAYS comes together in the end...no loose ends. And I love the court room drama and the cross examinations.
The recurring characters are helpful to maintain color and devotion to the series.
It's a great series...I have read them all...and always look forward to the next one.
My only negative is the title. Didn't really fit other than the event took place around Christmas. No dog bite and the trial went beyond New Years...sooo?
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It like the others in the series has a unique perspective has it goes thru the trial and the evidence is discovered on the fly. It does get a bit roundabout in the investigating. I did suspect who told where Bobby was to the mob so I got that part right. #TwastheBiteBeforeChristmas #NetGalley