Andy Carpenter's accountant, Sam Willis, receives a surprise call from Barry Price, a friend he hasn't spoken to in years. Barry needs Sam's financial acumen and Andy's legal expertise. But when Sam almost runs over an injured dog on the way to Barry's house, he can't drive off without waiting for help. By then, Barry's taken off on a private airplane headed to who-knows-where. Soon after they learn that Barry's plane has crashed, and they come to the terrifying realization that Sam was also supposed to have been killed on that plane. Barry was in far more serious trouble than either of them knew, and for Sam and Andy, the trouble is only beginning.
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.
I find David Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series to be just good old fashioned fun. Humorous dialogue, interesting plots and dogs. What’s not to like? I listened to this and Grover Gardner perfectly captures Andy’s voice.
I’m filling in gaps here. I’ve read or listened to most of his books and somehow a few got skipped. I’m quickly listening to the ones I missed before reading his latest, coming out next month.
Highly recommend for when you just need something light. Which isn’t to say it’s not a darn good mystery. Lots of twists and turns here. Not at all believable, but so what?
In this eleventh book in the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the defense attorney represents a murder suspect and cooperates with the FBI. The story can be read as a standalone.
*****
New Jersey criminal defense attorney Andy Carpenter, who's independently wealthy, rarely accepts new cases.
He prefers to hang around with his P.I. girlfriend Laurie.....
…..and his golden retriever Tara.
So when Andy's accountant Sam asks the lawyer to represent his friend, businessman Barry Price, Andy says no way. 👎
Sam is already scheduled to join Barry for a trip on his private plane, so the accountant sets off for Barry's house. Along the way Sam accidently hits a dog with his car, causing serious injuries. Seeing the imploring look in the dog's eyes, Sam rushes it to a nearly animal hospital, and - as a result - misses the plane.
This turns out to be a good thing because Barry's plane crashes.
When the entrepreneur's body is recovered, the police discover that he died before the accident.....and they arrest Barry's wife, Denise, for murder. Sam has a soft spot for Denise so he once again appeals to Andy for help.
Andy hems and haws but eventually takes Denise's case.
Meanwhile, Sam is convinced that the wounded dog is a 'lucky charm' that saved his life, so he adopts the pooch - who happens to be another golden retriever - and names him Crash. As things play out Crash recuperates at Andy's house, where the dog lounges atop the sofa or lies on the recliner.....which he apparently knows how to operate. 😊
Once Andy takes a case, he zealously defends his client. So - with Laurie's help - Andy investigates Barry, to find out who might have wanted him dead. As a result, Andy makes a shocking discovery, which leads to his cooperation with the FBI.
In chapters that alternate with the murder case, we learn that a mysterious terrorist called Carter is organizing a heinous mission.....and that deceased Barry Price may have been involved.
Moreover, Carter immediately kills anyone who might endanger the operation, no matter the circumstances. Thus, whenever Andy uncovers the name of a co-conspirator working with Carter, that person turns up dead.
The death of numerous witnesses seriously hampers Andy's case - and things go from bad to worse when Denise accuses someone else of her husband's murder. All this hoopla means that Andy has to make several court appearances, and his examination of witnesses is clever and funny. In fact the book is full of amusing scenes, and I got plenty of chuckles and some hearty laughs. 😁
Many series regulars make an appearance in the story, including: Edna - Andy's secretary, who never does any work;
Hike - Andy's co-counsel, who's so boring that Andy (jokingly) considers suicide;
Marcus - Andy's brawny bodyguard, who scares everyone in sight;
and Sam's 'assistants' - four elderly Jewish computer hackers, one of whom brings delicious rugelach (pastries).
In the end the murderer is uncovered, and Andy has a dramatic showdown with the terrorists.
I enjoyed the story, but would have liked to see more action from the dogs. Tara usually plays a big part in the story, and this time she and Crash mostly lie around, go for walks, and eat dog biscuits....albeit some homemade ones. (The closest my dog ever got to homemade biscuits is a Christmas 'gift box' with red and green treats. 🧡💚)
Though this may not be the author's best work, it's an entertaining mystery, recommended to fans of the genre.
David Rosenfelt has done it again: written a book that kept me up late and woke me up early! I have many times (this is the 11th time so far) said that his writing is both humourous and suspenseful. What I have yet to figure out is how he continues to come up with such intricate and heart-pounding plots! I am in awe of his storytelling talents and his ability to breathe those stories into vivid and action-packed life.
I also like the recurring characters and how they are all so different and interesting. Sam, for example, is Andy Carpenter’s accountant. He is also an amazing computer whiz. Well, to put it bluntly, he is a hacker. The difference, of course, is that he is an ethical hacker. He goes after information that will help Andy to find the truth in the cases he defends. In this story, Sam also succumbs to doggie fever – in a strange twist of events, a slow, lazy, but utterly adorable and soulful Golden Retriever named Crash actually saves Sam’s life. Sam is convinced that Crash is his good-luck charm and with help from Andy, Crash is released from a shelter and into Sam’s home.
Meanwhile, Andy is coming up to trial and is doing everything possible to gather the evidence needed to prove that someone else committed the murder his client is accused of. His investigative efforts become dangerous and bodies are piling up that seem to be linked by more than the fact they all take place in their State Capitols.
Then there is a twist that I seriously doubt anyone could have seen coming. While it is hugely affecting to Andy and his entire Team, it also forces them onto a pathway that leads straight into the nest of a deadly conspiracy and if they can pull that nest apart, Andy will not only win his case but save many more lives along with it.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in well-written suspense with touches of humour to lighten the tension exactly where needed. Oh – and I must especially include all you dog lovers out there!
This is a Legal Mystery, and this is the 11th book in the Andy Carpenter series. I loved the mystery in this book, and I love that Andy gets himself tossed into a big case. Sam who was in several other books in this book series plays a bigger part in this book. Also, Sam gets a dog. I loved how much Sam loves his new dog.
3 Stars for Unleashed: Andy Carpenter, Book 11 (audiobook) by David Rosenfelt read by Grover Gardner.
This is the first book in the series that just felt off to me. I just didn’t care about the characters and the situation just seemed cobbled together. It’s a good thing that there were still some dog in the story or it would have gotten marked down even more.
I've read every Andy Carpenter book and I'm sorry to say this will be my last. Oh I still like Andy and his wise cracking ways but the stories are all beginning to be very much alike. Andy doesn't want a case. Andy gets a case. It's always much bigger (national threat) than just a murder. Andy plays give and take with the FBI. Marcus does a few nunns (I don't think I spelled it right and I can't be bothered to look it up). And the books are very slim and quite honestly not worth the money. I think David Rosenfelt can do much better
If you've read any of the previous books in this series, disregard this review & just get it, ok? Or you probably already have. You know what to expect: a clever, intricately plotted legal thriller infused with well written, oddball characters spouting hilarious dialogue. In this outing, Andy Carpenter's friend & accountant Sam Willis asks him to get off the couch & meet with an old high school classmate of Sam's. Barry Price is now an uber-successful businessman who may be in need of defence counsel. Unfortunately, before they can set it up, Barry is dead in a plane crash. But an investigation reveals the plane had nothing to do with Barry's death. At the same time, in alternating chapters, we read about a shadowy group gathering & spreading out across the States. We're not sure what they're up to but it's probably bad. Further reading confirms this...in fact, verrry bad. Andy does rouse himself to actually take on a case but his client turns out to be Denise, Barry's widow, who has been charged with murdering her husband. Bit by bit, the author merges these two stories as the plot becomes so much bigger than just the death of one man. As the legal team begins digging, it becomes clear there's a larger threat & the bodies start piling up. And, happily for us, that legal team is comprised of all our old favourites. There's Edna, the "office manager" who deigns to show up once a week to call all her family members; Hike, the brilliant legal scholar (and hypochondriac) who acts as co-counsel when not afflicted with some exotic pathogen; Marcus, whose job is to scare people, when not eating; Sam, invaluable for his mad cyber skills & leader of a bunch of Jewish octogenarian hackers; and Laurie, a former cop turned PI who happens to be the love of Andy's life. Actually, she shares that position with Tara, Andy's rescued golden retriever who offers support with her keen legal mind & ability to scarf biscuits. I'm not going to reveal any more of the plot. It's smart & complex and part of the fun in these books is the journey, not just the destination. Suffice to say there are red herrings & surprising twists to keep your attention. Rosenfelt consistently delivers books that are a rare combination of clever plots & laugh out loud humour. One is never sacrificed for the other. The returning characters are so well written, fully realized people you wish you could hang out with. Even the cranky ones.....well, maybe not Edna. Andy comes across as a basically lazy, semi-wiseass who'd like nothing better than to devote all his time to his two girls. But once his interest is roused, he becomes the sharp, wicked smart lawyer who will fight to the end for someone he believes is innocent. Once you start, you won't want to put it down...not just so you can find out who-done-it but because it's so damn entertaining. Edge of your seat with giggles. It moves along at a brisk pace, ending all too soon & then you can sit back & join the rest of us who are waiting for the next book in this great series.
I absolutely love the audio versions of the Andy Carpenter series. Grover Gardner is a fantastic narrator and makes the book so entertaining and funny.
This series is a consistently enjoyable "filler book" in between the latest and greatest new release or social media buzz or book club book you didn't really want to read lol.
The plots may be a bit unbelievable, but it all comes together and is definitely worth a spot on your TBR list.
5 stars for audio narration, cast of characters, humor, legal theme, and entertainment value.
Always nice to revisit the gang in this series, and take a break from the serious, often dark books I tend to read a lot. But some things about the series are starting to get old even though the book was still enjoyable. For example, he and his girlfriend talk about "getting lucky" a lot, meaning sex. I have nothing against sex, but it seems like two people who have an exclusive relationship wouldn't need luck to make love, and it doesn't usually have a lot to do with the plot. But this is pretty minor.
The story is good, although it was somewhat disturbing at one point when they were looking for someone, and discussing why it was best to kill the guards even though they weren't even 100% sure what was there. They decided that the guards had to die because they didn't have any way to tie them up, and didn't have time to get anything. They made the right decision, I suppose, looking back at it.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read, much like the previous books in the series, but different enough to be interesting. I don't think it's really necessary to read the previous books, but it helps.
My least favorite in the series, but after 10 books, I figured Rosenfelt would have a couple like this one. It just felt less creative in the forensics and solving the crimes and conspiracy theories. Andy didn't seem to work that hard this time around. The crime was solved without him really having to do very much thinking or investigating. Nothing real mind blowing but I'm a loyal fan and I can't expect every single Andy Carpenter novel to be exceptional. I did like the story line and characters though. This novel focused a little bit more on Sam (the computer wiz/accountant), which was nice but we are still missing the song lyrics between Andy and Sam. Not sure why the writer chooses to leave out that attribute to Sam. That is what I liked about their relationship.
I am hoping David Rosenfelt was just having a tough year and that the next in this series makes up for this one.
Another fun addition to the series. Grover Gardner does a great job reading it, as usual. If you've enjoyed the previous twisty tales, you'll like this one, too. No gore, if there is any cussing, I missed it. Sex is alluded to, but never graphic. Golden Retrievers are around, although they do not take a very active role in the story.
If you haven't read any other books in this series, you could probably start with any of them. There is some reference to earlier books, but they all stand alone amazingly well.
Not my favorite Andy Carpenter book by a long shot. It felt light on "Andy action" and law stuff and actual crime investigation. It was also very light on dogs. It doesn't seem to be shorter than any of the others, but where previous books had a lot of investigation and a lot of courtroom stuff with just a little "other" stuff, this one seemed the other way around. Also, like the last one, there seems to be a little...forcing....of current issues (this time, terrorism) into things. I don't know, this one just felt off...
An animal loving attorney takes a case defending a woman from a murder charge. She's a friend of a friend of his. Even though, he's thinking about retiring, this case stirs his investigative juices again.
It all comes together in the usual massive conspiracy.
I can see why this series gets so many positive reviews.
“Unleashed” by David Rosenfelt, published by Minotaur Books.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – June 24, 2014
This is the eleventh book in the Andy Carpenter series.
Andy Carpenter is an attorney who is independently wealthy and has no desire to practice law; in fact he abhors the thought of taking on clients. However, he always finds himself, reluctantly, taking on cases.
In “Unleashed” he receives a call from Barry Price, referred to him by friend Sam Willis, asking for his help. Unfortunately Barry dies in a plane crash, not from injuries sustained in the crash, but by a lethal dose of poison. Andy is asked by his friend Sam to take on Barry’s wife as a client when she is accused of murdering her husband.
Andy, in investigating the crime, becomes in a far more sinister plot that may be spread across the nation and could be targeting many political figures.
It is also not to be healthy to be on Andy’s potential witness list as everyone on it is brutally murdered in crime fashion.
The tables turn when Barry’s wife points a finger at Sam Willis as the murderer of he husband.
If you have read any of the Andy Carpenter series you will find “Unleashed” as entertaining as the others. David Rosenfelt mixes up his mysteries with humor and well thought out plots. The books are easy to read and contain nothing objectionable that make them books acceptable to all readers.
This is a good read. I must read more of the Andy Carpenter Mystery series. I like his sarcasm. Since, I look his sarcasm I know why others can be frustrated and irritated by it. This is why the novel is so funny, serious, and good. I just keep laughing.
Andy Carpenter is a criminal defense attorney and his very naive, friendly, and quiet accountant, Sam Willis, becomes mixed up in murder that leads to the involvement of the FBI, Homeland Security, and plot to assassinate between fifteen and twenty American politicians in conjunction with Memorial Day festivities. Keep reading and meet the team that comes to Sam's rescue in this page turner of a suspense.
Quote:
His death did nothing to change that.
Happiness is a zero-sum game.
Judges are a predictable group, disciplinarians who pride themselves on maintaining total control of their courtrooms.
"No woman could," Cathy says. "You'd be surprised, Cathy," is what I don't say. "Have a nice evening," is what I do say.
"Of course. Don't we represent truth, justice, and the American way?"
He learned a number of years ago that there is more money to be made showing off knowledge in front of a jury than in front of undergraduates.
It was okay to vote to cut funds for veterans' health care, but don't dare miss a chance to jump on the Memorial Day bandwagon.
I am slowly reading Andy Carpenter series and am enjoy them so far. On the way to fly with an old friend Sam hits a dog and caring for it misses the plane. It later crashed an all are kill. Andy accepted the widow as client.These books have two parts to them At first we learned about the story and is usually a thriller made lighter by the humor. Tara his golden retriever is all of them and another dog. The story has lot of surprises. The second part is Andy's defense of his client. This defense is unusual. Andy doesn't always win. I recommend this series highly.
The only mystery about this book is how anyone published it. I can read about twenty-five pages, and if it doesn't hook me, I stop. First two pages great. Then, doom. No mystery. No character development. Disjointed. Boring. An example, he took two paragraphs to let us know the contents of a lifeless character's glove compartment in the car. Duh! Like mundane.
Andy accountant gets a call from a man scared he will be killed. Later that night the man dies in a plane crash but they find out he was poisoned.. His wife is blamed and Andy decides to defend her. All isn’t what it seems to be and soon his accountant is blamed.Andy finds a complicated plot is behind it all.
This is my 6th book by David Rosenfelt - they all have exactly the same plot. It’s like he writes an outline and just fills it in with different names! Everyone who knows what’s going on gets murdered, there is always a wicked chief honcho and some national tragedy plot.
I’ll just take a break from this series for awhile. Even his stand alone books follow the same pattern.
again, great characters and love the narration....i just would like a small scale issue or crime. i think it loses a little credibility with the bigger crime situations. the murder elements are fine. they are anchors in this series. I just would rather not have the global or national implications sew into them as well.
There are some cases of Andy's that I tend to lose interest, and in Unleashed that is not the case. His computer guy Sam reconnects with an old friend from high school and ends up on trial. I enjoy Andy, Tara and their cohorts and this one was very enjoyable.
I enjoy Andy Carpenter and his wife, their humor, their relationship, their dog, their friends. These murder mysteries are a fun read. This is the third of this series I've read (all out of order) and I've enjoyed every one. They are feel-good stories that center on a good man, his family and friends.
Wow! So many twists and turns that my head is spinning. Almost thought this would be a cliffhanger but not so. Sam is very important in this one. He gets a dog (rescue) named Crash who saves his life AND later on he is arrested .. with Andy becoming his defense attorney! Put on a helmet and strap in for this read :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Another intriguing story with a fairly high body count and some help from the Feds. 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. It's really tough this time with interstate assassinations and one of the team being fingered for the murder that Andy is working defense for. No spoilers, and the snarkfest keeps it from being too realistic. Lots of twists and turns in the plot and the characters certainly are, but there's no need for spoilers or an attempt at a summary. I found it to be a real brain grabber and it is one in a series of interesting and well written mysteries. At no time does the reader feel lost or as if missing background info. Grover Gardner narrates this complicated snarkfest very well!
So the new book (12 dogs of Christmas) comes from the library and I realize I haven't read the previous FOUR, which have been on my shelf since I got them signed by Rosenfelt LAST JULY!!! HOW DID I ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN! NOW I HAVE TO READ LIKE A CRAZY PERSON. Which of course I will. So Unleashed, full of the usual mystery and Andy wisecracking that I love!! Murder, terrorism, false accusations, plus all of our favorite characters, and Rugelach. Sam is arrested for murder and Andy must prove him innocent. Oh and a new dog, Crash, very adorable. OK I must now go read #12!!
I have really been enjoyed listening to this series on audiobook (although I do not care for the narrator). However, the story lines are becoming more and more far fetched and unbelievable and I am losing interest. At this point, who needs the local police or the FBI when Andy Carpenter and his team can solve all local, national and international crimes?
This book didn’t seem to have the doginess of an earlier book in the series that I read. I couldn’t get excited about the case and I keep wanting more dogs. I had just finished "Dogtripping" and loved the humor. This didn’t keep me amused by comparison.
Andy seems to me to be getting a lot of cases lately that involve the FBI. This one will keep you guessing right up to the last minutes. Since there is a book after this one, I knew that Andy lives to tell the story. Never the less, I was on pins and needles a couple of times. Recommend.