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Andy Carpenter #8
Dog Tags
In this "riveting" legal thriller, a German Shepherd police dog witnesses a murder -- and if his owner, an Iraq war vet and former cop-turned-thief, is convicted of the crime, the dog could be put down ( Publishers Weekly ).
Few rival Andy Carpenter's affection for dogs, and he decides to represent the poor canine. As Andy struggles to convince a judge that this dog should be set free, he discovers that the dog and his owner have become involved unwittingly in a case of much greater proportions than the one they've been charged with.
Andy will have to call upon the unique abilities of this ex-police dog to help solve the crime and prevent a catastrophic event from taking place.
Few rival Andy Carpenter's affection for dogs, and he decides to represent the poor canine. As Andy struggles to convince a judge that this dog should be set free, he discovers that the dog and his owner have become involved unwittingly in a case of much greater proportions than the one they've been charged with.
Andy will have to call upon the unique abilities of this ex-police dog to help solve the crime and prevent a catastrophic event from taking place.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2010
548 people are currently reading
1739 people want to read
About the author
David Rosenfelt
74 books2,910 followersI 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...
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...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews
March 14, 2018
Andy Carpenter has indeed become the “Lawyer to the Dogs”. For the third time in this series so far, he must go to Court and plead the case of a dog – this time, a brilliant German Shepherd named Milo.
This series has humour in it because of Andy Carpenter’s particular take on the world. However, I don’t want anyone to think that this is some light-weight, comedy-flavoured mystery series à la “The Pink Panther”. This is hard-hitting, hard-boiled crime fiction and the entire series so far has brought forward some very crucial crimes from our times. Organized crime, crimes where factions of the government are involved, corporate crimes that don’t stop until there are many bodies piled up, and on it goes.
There are something like 21 murdered people in this book, although his client is only accused of one of them. A bomb took out several people, and others were being methodically picked off one by one. As the jury deliberates, the last unofficial count was 10 for conviction and 2 for acquittal. Can Andy and his team find all the connections they need to turn this around at 2 minutes to zero hour? How are they going to find the missing pieces they need in time?
The beauty in this series is the balance that David Rosenfelt manages to create and maintain between the grisly and the funny, between the macabre and the lightness in life. His steadiness and equilibrium in his writing is simply outstanding. Highly recommended for all kinds of readers of many different literary tastes.
This series has humour in it because of Andy Carpenter’s particular take on the world. However, I don’t want anyone to think that this is some light-weight, comedy-flavoured mystery series à la “The Pink Panther”. This is hard-hitting, hard-boiled crime fiction and the entire series so far has brought forward some very crucial crimes from our times. Organized crime, crimes where factions of the government are involved, corporate crimes that don’t stop until there are many bodies piled up, and on it goes.
There are something like 21 murdered people in this book, although his client is only accused of one of them. A bomb took out several people, and others were being methodically picked off one by one. As the jury deliberates, the last unofficial count was 10 for conviction and 2 for acquittal. Can Andy and his team find all the connections they need to turn this around at 2 minutes to zero hour? How are they going to find the missing pieces they need in time?
The beauty in this series is the balance that David Rosenfelt manages to create and maintain between the grisly and the funny, between the macabre and the lightness in life. His steadiness and equilibrium in his writing is simply outstanding. Highly recommended for all kinds of readers of many different literary tastes.
June 3, 2025
I don’t intentionally read this series out of order. For those of you who follow me, I have mentioned in some of my previous reviews of series books, that I am a lucky person with the donations I receive to my Little Free Library Shed. And, I also only read print versions of books from my local library. So, if books aren’t available through those means, I may not get to read a book right-away or at all. Or, when I do get it, it may not be for several years, like in the case of this book.
Also, I don’t always post an older book I may start to read in my GR reading pile. Sometimes I may read a book, but may not necessarily want to review it. And, in this case, I wasn’t sure how I was going to address this book, until now. Especially since it is a long-time series. My question usually being, will I have something new to contribute about the series or the book in another review?
The Andy Carpenter series, is one of my favorites. It follows Andy Carpenter, a criminal defense attorney who happens to love dogs. And, on many occasions, like this one, he will find himself, representing them, along with humans. And, in this particular case, Milo, a retired military German Shepherd dog is worth Andy’s time defending in court and fostering. Readers also get to appreciate Rosenfelt’s regular returning ‘character,’ Andy’s golden retriever, Tara.🐾
This particular book is one of his earlier ones, having been published in 2010. So, obviously, there is a lot about Andy’s future and all the characters who he interacts with in his stories, that I already know what will happen. But that doesn’t matter. To me. I still love reading about the cases he is involved in (especially the older ones) because it gives readers an intimate view into Andy’s beginnings with his team. (Maybe this was an important point for me to share, and thus this review became paramount for me to write.)
Of course, if readers are able to read this series in order, it is obviously encouraged. You can start with the first one, “Open and Shut.”
If you choose to read this as a stand-alone, you can still appreciate the sense of humor, the love of dogs, and the current case that Andy tackles. And, you will more than likely enjoy the reoccurring ‘human’ characters, too because Rosenfelt does a relatively good job in all his books of making sure readers get a sense of who everybody is, regardless of what book order we happen to be reading in the series. ‘Dog Tags’ is #8. And, as of this writing, there are 31 books published within this series.
With this one, there is also an underlying mystery that readers will be let in to along the way, even before Andy catches on, that gives readers clues that add to the suspense and tension.
All in all, this is a stimulating, intriguing, suspense-filled, page-turning, mystery that will undoubtedly keep readers guessing and engaged.
Also, I don’t always post an older book I may start to read in my GR reading pile. Sometimes I may read a book, but may not necessarily want to review it. And, in this case, I wasn’t sure how I was going to address this book, until now. Especially since it is a long-time series. My question usually being, will I have something new to contribute about the series or the book in another review?
The Andy Carpenter series, is one of my favorites. It follows Andy Carpenter, a criminal defense attorney who happens to love dogs. And, on many occasions, like this one, he will find himself, representing them, along with humans. And, in this particular case, Milo, a retired military German Shepherd dog is worth Andy’s time defending in court and fostering. Readers also get to appreciate Rosenfelt’s regular returning ‘character,’ Andy’s golden retriever, Tara.🐾
This particular book is one of his earlier ones, having been published in 2010. So, obviously, there is a lot about Andy’s future and all the characters who he interacts with in his stories, that I already know what will happen. But that doesn’t matter. To me. I still love reading about the cases he is involved in (especially the older ones) because it gives readers an intimate view into Andy’s beginnings with his team. (Maybe this was an important point for me to share, and thus this review became paramount for me to write.)
Of course, if readers are able to read this series in order, it is obviously encouraged. You can start with the first one, “Open and Shut.”
If you choose to read this as a stand-alone, you can still appreciate the sense of humor, the love of dogs, and the current case that Andy tackles. And, you will more than likely enjoy the reoccurring ‘human’ characters, too because Rosenfelt does a relatively good job in all his books of making sure readers get a sense of who everybody is, regardless of what book order we happen to be reading in the series. ‘Dog Tags’ is #8. And, as of this writing, there are 31 books published within this series.
With this one, there is also an underlying mystery that readers will be let in to along the way, even before Andy catches on, that gives readers clues that add to the suspense and tension.
All in all, this is a stimulating, intriguing, suspense-filled, page-turning, mystery that will undoubtedly keep readers guessing and engaged.
June 3, 2025
3.5 stars
In this 8th book in the 'Andy Carpenter' series, the criminal defense lawyer springs a German shepherd from confinement, then agrees to defend the pooch's owner from a murder charge. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Ever since defense attorney Andy Carpenter inherited a huge fortune from his father, he's been very picky about the cases he accepts.
Rather than work, Andy prefers to hang out with his girlfriend Laurie and take his golden retriever Tara for long walks.
Andy also likes to watch sports; help run a canine rescue operation called 'The Tara Foundation'; and schmooze with his friends - newspaper editor Vince Sanders and Homicide Captain Pete Stanton. Somehow, though, Andy ALWAYS gets pulled into defending some unfortunate soul.
As the book opens, Billy Zimmerman, a military veteran and former cop, is outside a New Jersey bar with his German shepherd Milo, a former K-9 dog trained to seize weapons from perps.
Now, Billy has taught Milo to snatch other things....
......and Billy is planning to steal something from his former army chief, Major Jack Erskine, who's hovering outside the bar, waiting for someone.
When Billy was serving under Major Erskine in Iraq, a suicide bomber killed many people and blew off Billy's leg. Billy believes Erskine colluded with the bombing for financial gain, and he wants revenge. As Billy and Milo surreptitiously watch Erskine, a car pulls up and Erskine takes out an envelope to hand to the passenger. At that moment, Milo leaps, grabs the envelope, and runs away. Meanwhile, there's a hubbub, and Erskine is shot and killed.
As things play out, Billy is arrested for murdering Erskine and Milo is taken into custody and put under 24-hour watch. It seems both the military and a bevy of criminals want the envelope Milo hid, but no one knows where it is.
Andy's friend, homicide detective Pete Stanton, knows Billy from his cop days, and asks Andy to help his old friend. So Andy agrees to bail out Milo, and eventually (and reluctantly) consents to defend Billy.
Much of the series' charm revolves around Andy's quips and jokes. For instance, Andy describes visiting Milo in detention as follows: "I take out my cell phone and point it in the general direction of the dog and the officers surrounding him. I’m videotaping this, I say. Anything happens to that dog, it’s going viral. Of course, I barely know how to use the cell phone, and I can’t imagine it has video capabilities, but it’s dark out, and the officers would have no way of knowing that."
Then as Andy leaves to get a court order to free Milo, he says, “Milo, don’t talk to anybody about anything. Anybody asks you something, refer them to your lawyer. If you need anything, cigarettes, reading material, whatever, just tell the guard."
Once Milo is in Andy's custody, the German shepherd is in constant danger of being kidnapped by the aforementioned crooks. So Andy makes security arrangements for Milo AND does 'trust exercises' with the dog, to persuade him to reveal the location of the envelope.
The book alternates between Andy's preparations for Billy's trial, and the activities of the criminal cabal seeking the envelope. The felonious syndicate includes former soldiers; businessmen; an assassin; a powerful muckety-muck; and more. The bad guys have a complicated money-making scheme, and are willing to commit murder and mayhem to achieve their goals.
Meanwhile, Andy is planning a SODDI (some other dude did it) defense for Billy Zimmerman, as is his usual habit. Andy's defense team and helpers include:
Laurie Collins - Andy's girlfriend, a former cop who's now a private detective. Laurie has a gun and she knows how to use it. This is a good thing, because Andy is an admitted coward.
Marcus Clark - the toughest guy on the planet, who provides security when needed. In this case, Marcus is guarding Milo, and eating Andy out of house and home along the way.
Sam Willis - Andy's accountant, a computer genius who can hack into anything, and is especially good at obtaining phone records.
Edna - Andy's office manager, who goofs off and does crossword puzzles much more than she works.
Hike - Andy's new law partner, a pessimist and the most boring man on earth, but a whiz at writing legal briefs and motions.
Willie Miller - Andy's partner in the 'Tara Foundation', who was once on Death Row for a crime he didn't commit. Willie helped a mobster in prison, which gives him a useful 'in' with crime lords.
In an amusing scene, Hike and Willie are flying to Nassau, first class, for the case. While Willie is enjoying the luxurious trip.....
......Hike is keeping up a CONSTANT litany of complaints: the cabin is too cold; the chicken is stringy; the bloody marys are watered down; and they're going to die anyway. If not now, then on the small plane hop to Nassau. By the time they land in Nassau, Willie would rather swim back to New York than fly with Hike.
When preparing for the return trip, Willie wonders if he has time to buy a gun to shoot Hike during the flight back; or if he throws Hike out of the plane between Nassau and the U.S., which country he'll be charged in. 😊
Not surprisingly, Andy eventually exposes the criminal syndicate and their nefarious scheme. I've said before that the Andy Carpenter books are formulaic but fun, and fans of the series would enjoy this book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
September 13, 2021
This is a Legal Mystery, and this is the 8th book in the Andy Carpenter series. I love the characters in this book, and I love all the dogs in this book. Andy's is a lawyer for a dog again which I loved. The mystery in this book was really good, but I really did not love the ending. I just feel the ending could have been wrapped up better.
April 12, 2020
Another fun book. A little similar to his previous with defending a canine. In Dog Tags, Billy Zimmerman, ex-cop Iraq vet and his service dog are trying to get by being thieves. They were at the wrong place at the wrong time.
December 11, 2018
I liked the start of the novel where Andy becomes the lawyer to another dog and later his owner, a retired cop. Andy needs to build the dog's trust as the dog holds a vital part of his owner's murder charges.
Then the novel got into government and FBI cover ups and that's where the novel lost me. Not a huge fan of those types of storylines.
Not my favourite novel in the series, but will continue on.
Then the novel got into government and FBI cover ups and that's where the novel lost me. Not a huge fan of those types of storylines.
Not my favourite novel in the series, but will continue on.
January 17, 2025
So sad. Lost (maybe wiped out by accident ?) both my original review and current notes on this March 2023 read.
Willie really shines in this book. And the chapter where he and Hike fly to investigate in Nassau is totally hilarious.
This book is PACKED with action and drama. (And lots of violent death which is too much violence for this reader .. but I would have hated to miss this read for any reason.)
Milo (German Shepherd “thief”) and Laurie and Marcus .. lots of heroics.
All kinds of Andy’s typical funny snark of course.
So I up my rating to 5 star .. what a great reread !
[And DR i love the short chapters.]
Willie really shines in this book. And the chapter where he and Hike fly to investigate in Nassau is totally hilarious.
This book is PACKED with action and drama. (And lots of violent death which is too much violence for this reader .. but I would have hated to miss this read for any reason.)
Milo (German Shepherd “thief”) and Laurie and Marcus .. lots of heroics.
All kinds of Andy’s typical funny snark of course.
So I up my rating to 5 star .. what a great reread !
[And DR i love the short chapters.]
April 14, 2025
4 Stars for Dog Tags: Andy Carpenter, Book 8 (audiobook) by David Rosenfelt read by Grover Gardner.
A German Shepherd that was involved in a crime ends up in an animal shelter with around the clock police protection. No one has ever seen this kind of security for a dog and now it’s Andy’s job to try and bail out this dog from doggy jail. What must the owner of the dog been up to warrant this kind of action?
A German Shepherd that was involved in a crime ends up in an animal shelter with around the clock police protection. No one has ever seen this kind of security for a dog and now it’s Andy’s job to try and bail out this dog from doggy jail. What must the owner of the dog been up to warrant this kind of action?
April 10, 2015
Rosenfelt is nothing if not reliable. Each time I pick up a book in the Andy Carenter series, I am treated to a fast-paced, entertaining, witty & enjoyable legal thriller with a side of dog-lover. This book was better than the previous one in the series, not as great as some, but certainly a good yarn. I enjoyed it a great deal.
August 18, 2015
I really enjoy the way David Rosenfelt writes his stories. I like that he incorporated canines and keeps Andy Carpenter on his toes. The stories are starting to feel similar now (this is the 8th book in this series) and there is a certain uniformed dialogue. It begins with Andy refusing to take a case, ends up taking the case, puts his team and himself in danger, digs deeper to exonerate his client, and by some miracle is able to not only solve the crime but gets his client a huge amount of money in the end. Tara is his dog and they are consistent with their walks and biscuits for treats.
There is really nothing new with the exception that the characters have different names, different backgrounds and involves a dog. I really need this author to blow me away with something other than what I mentioned above. I have to say it "It is the same ole' same ole' story".
There is really nothing new with the exception that the characters have different names, different backgrounds and involves a dog. I really need this author to blow me away with something other than what I mentioned above. I have to say it "It is the same ole' same ole' story".
October 13, 2024
Another excellent audiobook by David Rosenfelt, I’m loving the Andy Carpenter series.
August 9, 2021
A bit of a crazy premise, though maybe not for this series. Andy Carpenter is a dog lover first and a lawyer second. He's a bit lazy, and somewhat wealthy via an inheritance, so he tries to avoid getting any new clients. But when his buddy on the police force asks him to take a case for a friend, he considers it. When he learns it's for the friend's dog, who is being mysteriously held and guarded by police for helping his owner commit a robbery, he can't refuse as long as he doesn't have to represent the owner, who is charged with a murder he didn't do.
He treats it much like any normal client, and starts with trying to bail him out. Lots of good humor during the story, with exchanges like this on when he first tries to see his client, Milo the dog and they don't want to let him near the dog:
This is typical Andy Carpenter wisecracking.
We find out that the dog is being held and guarded due to a request from the federal authorities, but they don't want to say why. Andy manages to secure the dog's release to him on his own recognizance since he's never been arrested before and isn't a member of the dog Costra Nostra or anything like that.
The story actually is pretty good in addition to being pretty hilarious, which to me is the appeal of this series.
He treats it much like any normal client, and starts with trying to bail him out. Lots of good humor during the story, with exchanges like this on when he first tries to see his client, Milo the dog and they don't want to let him near the dog:
“Okay,” I say, and then look past him so I can talk directly to Milo. “Milo, don’t talk to anybody about anything. Anybody asks you something, refer them to your lawyer. If you need anything, cigarettes, reading material, whatever, just tell the guard.”
This is typical Andy Carpenter wisecracking.
We find out that the dog is being held and guarded due to a request from the federal authorities, but they don't want to say why. Andy manages to secure the dog's release to him on his own recognizance since he's never been arrested before and isn't a member of the dog Costra Nostra or anything like that.
The story actually is pretty good in addition to being pretty hilarious, which to me is the appeal of this series.
July 8, 2021
I’m getting so I could write this series! This was the standard plot with Andy and crew saving the country from a devastating disaster, again!! But I still love all the hijinks that lead to the conclusion.
Hike makes his first appearance in this book, so now I know how he got his nickname. A note about Marcus, after he made his debut he was never again described as being black. Is it because he is so fearsome and ugly?
I love the references to Taco Bell - David’s wife Debbie was a big executive with them. And Cindy Spodek was actually a longtime friend of Debbie, who is also an exec in real life, not an FBI agent.
Now for my buddy Dan the Man. The warden is Daniel - Kenny’s friend is Danny, Dan is the FBI agent. “I didn’t even realize I was doing that” was David’s answer when I asked the significance of so many Dan variations in every book???? I am obsessed with finding them all!!
Hike makes his first appearance in this book, so now I know how he got his nickname. A note about Marcus, after he made his debut he was never again described as being black. Is it because he is so fearsome and ugly?
I love the references to Taco Bell - David’s wife Debbie was a big executive with them. And Cindy Spodek was actually a longtime friend of Debbie, who is also an exec in real life, not an FBI agent.
Now for my buddy Dan the Man. The warden is Daniel - Kenny’s friend is Danny, Dan is the FBI agent. “I didn’t even realize I was doing that” was David’s answer when I asked the significance of so many Dan variations in every book???? I am obsessed with finding them all!!
June 25, 2015
David Rosenfelt is just a fun mystery writer, similar to Nelson DeMille, but a dog nut to boot. Another enjoyable book.
December 14, 2021
In this installment of Andy Carpenter, we find Laurie living with Andy, gradually recovering from her injury and doing some teaching. Andy defends a magnificent German Shepherd, then reluctantly takes on his disabled vet/ex-cop/ thieving master as a client. The case has international implications and a web of bad actors.
Sadly, this story is missing Sam's song-talking and Marcus' ultra violence. Still, we are treated to some nice new talent from Willie -- far outside of the Tara Foundation.
3 Tara-loving stars
Sadly, this story is missing Sam's song-talking and Marcus' ultra violence. Still, we are treated to some nice new talent from Willie -- far outside of the Tara Foundation.
3 Tara-loving stars
May 16, 2019
A Big Disappointment To Me!
Prior to reading Dog Tags I had read the first seven books in the Andy Carpenter series and considered author David Rosenfelt to be one of the best of today’s mystery writers. This opinion stemmed from my belief that Rosenfelt had demonstrated a long history of providing interesting plots, credible courtroom drama, lots of humor and well-developed major and minor characters — in particular, wise-cracking Andy Carpenter.
Having now finished Dog Tags, I feel considerably let down and disappointed. That’s because I didn’t find any of my just-described perceptions of Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series to be present in Dog Tags. For me, rather than finding the plot to be very interesting, I found it to be convoluted and implausible, as well as pretty boring and drawn out. Further, I found the book to be lacking in credible courtroom drama and not up to par in delivering Rosenfelt’s/Andy Carpenter’s trademark sarcastic humor. And, perhaps most disappointing to me was how thinly developed each of the primary characters (other than Andy) and secondary characters were..
Despite my disappointment in Dog Tags, I remain a loyal fan of this series and look forward to hanging out with Carpenter in his future legal adventures. Plus, his dog, Tara, is one I wish I had.
Prior to reading Dog Tags I had read the first seven books in the Andy Carpenter series and considered author David Rosenfelt to be one of the best of today’s mystery writers. This opinion stemmed from my belief that Rosenfelt had demonstrated a long history of providing interesting plots, credible courtroom drama, lots of humor and well-developed major and minor characters — in particular, wise-cracking Andy Carpenter.
Having now finished Dog Tags, I feel considerably let down and disappointed. That’s because I didn’t find any of my just-described perceptions of Rosenfelt’s Andy Carpenter series to be present in Dog Tags. For me, rather than finding the plot to be very interesting, I found it to be convoluted and implausible, as well as pretty boring and drawn out. Further, I found the book to be lacking in credible courtroom drama and not up to par in delivering Rosenfelt’s/Andy Carpenter’s trademark sarcastic humor. And, perhaps most disappointing to me was how thinly developed each of the primary characters (other than Andy) and secondary characters were..
Despite my disappointment in Dog Tags, I remain a loyal fan of this series and look forward to hanging out with Carpenter in his future legal adventures. Plus, his dog, Tara, is one I wish I had.
February 20, 2015
"Dog Tags" by David Rosenfelt.
This is my 5th or 6th in the Andy Carpenter series. I've stopped counting by now.
I love dogs and have enjoyed this series since they play a major part in each book. Andy welcomes them into his life as a member of the family. In this case it's a German Shepherd who has witnessed a murder.
There's more to it than that...this pup needs a lawyer!
Of course it's Andy who will and must represent him before he is unjustly put down.
One of the most enjoyable parts in this story is the courtroom scene with Andy taking center stage.
I listened to Dog Tags on CD performed by Grover Gardner who I've come to regard as Andy's voice.
This is my 5th or 6th in the Andy Carpenter series. I've stopped counting by now.
I love dogs and have enjoyed this series since they play a major part in each book. Andy welcomes them into his life as a member of the family. In this case it's a German Shepherd who has witnessed a murder.
There's more to it than that...this pup needs a lawyer!
Of course it's Andy who will and must represent him before he is unjustly put down.
One of the most enjoyable parts in this story is the courtroom scene with Andy taking center stage.
I listened to Dog Tags on CD performed by Grover Gardner who I've come to regard as Andy's voice.
September 27, 2017
With a premise of an attorney who is willing to do the unusual to get attention and/or cases, the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt is a winner. I love the focus on dogs. I love that he's actually had a dog as a client in a normal courtroom.
These books are fun, legal mysteries. In the eighth books, an ex-military member is suspected of being a murderer. That he'd trained his dog to steal is a mark against him in court and Andy has his work cut out for him in this particular case. People around the case are dying at an alarming rate, and even the dog may not be safe.
So glad I'm reading these books.
These books are fun, legal mysteries. In the eighth books, an ex-military member is suspected of being a murderer. That he'd trained his dog to steal is a mark against him in court and Andy has his work cut out for him in this particular case. People around the case are dying at an alarming rate, and even the dog may not be safe.
So glad I'm reading these books.
January 28, 2019
A dog witnesses a murder that his owner is charged with committing. Andy steps in to help the dog, and also represents the accused. Andy's investigation into the crime leads to a bigger case than he was expecting.
The 8th book in the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt. Andy is a defense attorney who takes on cases only when they peek his interest. Since the client in this book is also a fellow dog lover, Andy is even more energized to free him and reunite the man with his dog.
An entertaining legal thriller. Fast-paced story with some humor. An enjoyable series.
The 8th book in the Andy Carpenter series by David Rosenfelt. Andy is a defense attorney who takes on cases only when they peek his interest. Since the client in this book is also a fellow dog lover, Andy is even more energized to free him and reunite the man with his dog.
An entertaining legal thriller. Fast-paced story with some humor. An enjoyable series.
July 11, 2018
A great mystery. Interesting characters and no worries, nothing bad happens to the dog! Much wittier than many of the usual “cozy mysteries” I read but not terribly graphic and not filled with offensive language.
March 18, 2022
David Rosenfelt never disappoints! This series has it all — pets, humour, mystery, action, romance, and a superior command of the English language!
March 28, 2022
Love the characters. I was a little less engrossed with the international flair of the plot in this one. To me, this is a more regional level character. The inflation of the elements made it feel a little like mcgiver to me. Overall, I can't say I didn't enjoy it. I so did. I would love this to come to the screen as a show. I look forward to the next book. I hope it gets a smaller catalyst for the plot though.
October 3, 2010
This story keeps you guessing, reading and amazed all at the same time
Andy Carpenter is sure he knows everything about himself; he wealthy enough to choose who he will represent, he loves his girlfriend Laurie Collins and he is a dog lunatic especially where his beloved Tara is concerned. He is not sure how he would rank those in importance but he is pretty sure Laurie would win this competition but Tara is a sweetheart. What Andy also knows is he really does not like to work much but keeps getting called on to do just that and when the case also involves a dog that needs him as a client more than the two legged he is all in.
His current case is a true puzzle and one he is again reluctant to be part of until he finds out there is a four-legged client that needs him. Milo a magnificent German Shepherd that was a K9 dog with the police force until he hit the ripe old age of 7 and was retired and adopted by his former partner, Billy Zimmerman. Billy is a former cop and wounded Iraq veteran who right now Billy is being charged with murder while Milo is being held under FBI guard. Andy not being sure who he should go to first is not the issue – Milo wins and whatever it takes to get him out of the pound and into Tara, his animal rescue organization it shall be done. But after Andy meets Billy Zimmerman and hears the story Billy has to tell he finds both dog and owner become his clients.
The more Andy looks into this case the more strange it becomes and the more tangled with branches of the government he never heard of. Billy had been tossed aside after he returned wounded from Iraq by the police force and taking care of himself and his dog was literally hand to mouth existence. Billy had become a good thief with Milo doing what he did as a K9 dog and taking the goods from the bad guys only this time the contents stayed with Billy and Milo and that was all they were doing that night. However, the case being built against him by the police is that the murdered man was Billy’s former commanding officer that caused Billy’s injury and this was all about rage and revenge. Billy says no, the FBI yell conspiracy, the police say guilty and Milo is keeping his information to himself. One thing is for sure whatever was in the envelope that Milo snatched for Billy that night was important enough to make even the worst of society go digging into the dirt for the evidence.
The longer this case goes on the more it appears to Andy to have nothing to do with this one particular murder but a string of events that were started years ago in Iraq and even more to do with money and the ability the rich have for getting richer by whatever means are necessary. Thankfully Andy made his money the old fashioned way, he inherited it and hopefully nothing will ever turn him from grateful to greedy about it which is why he is determined to reunite Billy and Milo. Andy knows Billy and Milo are unfortunately involved with one piece of a huge puzzle that Andy does not responsibility for but he knows he also does not want Billy going to jail for a crime he did not commit.
You don’t have to be a dog lover to adore this series but it does make us dog lovers grateful that David Rosenfelt is able to write this wonderful mystery series where the dog is believably always the main character. This particular book lays out the plot about a subject we listen to on the TV and makes it seem like we are all part of one huge puzzle and someone is manipulating the pieces.
Andy Carpenter is sure he knows everything about himself; he wealthy enough to choose who he will represent, he loves his girlfriend Laurie Collins and he is a dog lunatic especially where his beloved Tara is concerned. He is not sure how he would rank those in importance but he is pretty sure Laurie would win this competition but Tara is a sweetheart. What Andy also knows is he really does not like to work much but keeps getting called on to do just that and when the case also involves a dog that needs him as a client more than the two legged he is all in.
His current case is a true puzzle and one he is again reluctant to be part of until he finds out there is a four-legged client that needs him. Milo a magnificent German Shepherd that was a K9 dog with the police force until he hit the ripe old age of 7 and was retired and adopted by his former partner, Billy Zimmerman. Billy is a former cop and wounded Iraq veteran who right now Billy is being charged with murder while Milo is being held under FBI guard. Andy not being sure who he should go to first is not the issue – Milo wins and whatever it takes to get him out of the pound and into Tara, his animal rescue organization it shall be done. But after Andy meets Billy Zimmerman and hears the story Billy has to tell he finds both dog and owner become his clients.
The more Andy looks into this case the more strange it becomes and the more tangled with branches of the government he never heard of. Billy had been tossed aside after he returned wounded from Iraq by the police force and taking care of himself and his dog was literally hand to mouth existence. Billy had become a good thief with Milo doing what he did as a K9 dog and taking the goods from the bad guys only this time the contents stayed with Billy and Milo and that was all they were doing that night. However, the case being built against him by the police is that the murdered man was Billy’s former commanding officer that caused Billy’s injury and this was all about rage and revenge. Billy says no, the FBI yell conspiracy, the police say guilty and Milo is keeping his information to himself. One thing is for sure whatever was in the envelope that Milo snatched for Billy that night was important enough to make even the worst of society go digging into the dirt for the evidence.
The longer this case goes on the more it appears to Andy to have nothing to do with this one particular murder but a string of events that were started years ago in Iraq and even more to do with money and the ability the rich have for getting richer by whatever means are necessary. Thankfully Andy made his money the old fashioned way, he inherited it and hopefully nothing will ever turn him from grateful to greedy about it which is why he is determined to reunite Billy and Milo. Andy knows Billy and Milo are unfortunately involved with one piece of a huge puzzle that Andy does not responsibility for but he knows he also does not want Billy going to jail for a crime he did not commit.
You don’t have to be a dog lover to adore this series but it does make us dog lovers grateful that David Rosenfelt is able to write this wonderful mystery series where the dog is believably always the main character. This particular book lays out the plot about a subject we listen to on the TV and makes it seem like we are all part of one huge puzzle and someone is manipulating the pieces.
February 16, 2013
I think this is his best although the first "dog" named books he wrote infuriated me because he is supposed to be this big time dog lover and was writing of "chewies"- leather pieces that eventually dry out and shrink in a dogs intestines and can kill it mercilessly with an agonising death so most dog lovers hate them and he keeps writing about using tennis balls to play with a large dog, which , if they bounce back hard on a grab like my German Shepherd did once, they stick in the throat and can kill before you have time to get it out if you don't have one heck of a finger grip. If it happens to you I suggest poking a hole in the ball and pulling it out to save the dogs life. I read them looking for dog books but basically got courtroom and detectives. Kudo's to him for rescue work but the books...on a splurge I read too many. If he claims to be a dog man, he could save a few lives by leaving out the leather chews and small ball toys and saying why. On the subject another dog lover author came up with chocolate dog biscuits-HELLO? Chocolate is poison to dogs. It never ceases to amaze me what so called dog lovers consider "loving".
January 18, 2018
So far this is my favorite Andy Carpenter novel, outside of the first one. I am a dog person to my core, only have rescue dogs and have fostered dogs ourselves. So the crux of the character Andy, who loves his rescue Golden Retriever more than anything, I can buy into. And when his books shift to really wanting to help and protect the dog characters, this is very believable to me.
My biggest issues with these books, though enjoyable to read with great characters, is the formula for the stories up to now have been pretty much identical with just different circumstances. I won't go into that formula so it doesn't spoil any of them. But this was the first book to break from that formula, so that made the book more interesting for me to read and I enjoyed it more.
I will continue to read the series just because I am interested enough in the quirky characters to see where their story lines go and I really enjoy the dog aspect of them as well.
My biggest issues with these books, though enjoyable to read with great characters, is the formula for the stories up to now have been pretty much identical with just different circumstances. I won't go into that formula so it doesn't spoil any of them. But this was the first book to break from that formula, so that made the book more interesting for me to read and I enjoyed it more.
I will continue to read the series just because I am interested enough in the quirky characters to see where their story lines go and I really enjoy the dog aspect of them as well.
August 28, 2017
An ex-cop and war veteran and his retired police dog have a new career - thievery. But when Billy is arrested for a murder he didn't commit, he'll need more than his faithful dog Milo to get him off. Enter Andy Carpenter, relunctant lawyer and dog lover. But he's the right person leading the team that with a lot of work and even more luck, may just be able to free Billy from prison. A well-told tale with great characters and a sprinkling of humor, this thriller will keep you turning pages.
April 15, 2020
A former police officer and his dog are arrested for murder. Andy Carpenter is defending Milo, the dog and, eventually his owner, Bill. Andy is intrigued by the dog's incarceration and guards surrounding his cage and how many other things just don't add up. Andy and Bill become entangled in a case that is much more serious than a single murder.
November 11, 2015
Re-readable & I have. One of my favorite author's. In print or audio he's interesting, amusing & doesn't write nearly fast enough. This series is his most popular. Reader, Grover Gardner, is Andy Carpenter the same way Lew Cariou is Harry Bosch in Michael Connelly's series. Perfect voice to character matches in interesting, often compelling, storylines.Recommended! ©2010
February 4, 2025
Only way to improve the series is to throw in a cat or two. :)
September 8, 2018
Two-haiku review:
Ex-cop arrested
His dog incarcerated
Andy defends dog
Entertaining book
Andy gets a new sidekick
Familiar and fun
Ex-cop arrested
His dog incarcerated
Andy defends dog
Entertaining book
Andy gets a new sidekick
Familiar and fun
Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews