A dog, a guy arrested -- he has to be innocent, but can Andy prove it?

“Holy Chow” finds Andy Carpenter and the gang returning for another daring, dangerous, and delightful adventure with crime and dogs. Regular readers of the “Andy Carpenter” series have followed the characters as they have changed and grown, but new readers will be quickly pulled into the action. As usual, Carpenter is trying desperately to not work, while everyone else has lots to do.

The plot has the expected elements, of course, a dog, a dog owner, and a big problem. This time the dog had previously been placed by The Tara Foundation, and the elderly owner is requesting rehoming for the dog when she dies if her son cannot take him. Things get complicated when the owner does die and the son is arrested for her murder. Carpenter, once again, has to actually work. Since it is for the benefit of a dog, he puts on his best lawyer attitude. It is, after all, all about the dog. If the son did not kill the dog’s owner, then the real killer is still out there. Who did it?

Every “Andy Carpenter Mystery” book is filled with friendly banter and dogs, but the investigation is always focused and detailed. “Holy Chow” has the perfect balance between drama and hilarity. Clues are hidden in the past and in the present, and they are easy to overlook. I read my first Andy Carpenter novel years ago, and enjoy each new adventure with Andy and the gang. For new readers, I suggest reading this book, and then going back and reading the rest in order if you can, but you can also just read any one you can find. Andy Carpenter and the whole gang can always make “things” right.

I received a review copy of “Holy Chow” from David Rosenfelt, Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Publishing Group, and Macmillan Audio. Each new book is just an excuse to spend time with this group of interesting and funny people. The audio version of “Holy Chow” is narrated by Grover Gardner who excels in conveying the characters, the action, and the humor to listeners.

“Holy Chow” is now available in print, as an e-book, and on audio from independent bookstores, online booksellers, retail stores, public libraries and anywhere you get your books. ( )

There are few more reliable pleasures than an Andy Carpenter mystery from David Rosenfelt. In Holy Chow, Andy gets a call from Rachel Moorehouse asking him to take care of Lion if anything happens to her and her stepson is unable to take him. Lion is the Chow Chow Andy helped her to adopt and he agrees without question. When Andy is called to the reading of Rachel's will, he learns she was far richer than he knew and has left the shelter he works with 2 million dollars. He meets her stepson Tony who is promptly arrested for murder and asks Andy to defend him. Andy being a semi-retired criminal defense attorney reluctantly and predictably agrees.
When it is discovered that Rachel died from potassium chloride poisoning and that Tony is a high school chemistry teacher, Andy knows he has his work cut out for him. He pulls together his team and gets to work. This is where the story is the most fun. Andy is both clever and witty. His cleverness leads him down avenues that both shed light on the central mystery and inevitably put him in danger. His wit adds humor and levity, but it is also central to the reason some people, mostly those on the other side of a courtroom for him, both loathe and respect him. Seeing Andy and his crew unravel the mystery is half the fun, laughing along the way is the other half. Carpenter always makes sure you learn enough about the characters so that new readers aren't lost while long-time readers aren't bored. Shout-out this time around to the Bubula brigade, Andy's team of elderly hackers that play a big role in solving the mystery. Another great outing in an outstanding series. ( )

Andy is back at work as a lawyer, in spite of his self-confessed laziness and partial retirement. And of course, he is a sucker for a dog lover underdog who has been accused of murder because of apparently overwhelming circumstantial evidence. Rosenfelt's good humor contributes to the irreverent voice of Andy Carpenter, and makes this page-turner a most enjoyable vacation read. ( )

The only problem I had with this book was having to put it down before I finished it. Alas, sometimes you have to go to work! Andy isn’t succeeding at being retired, and he finds he can’t say no to this new client, especially since he likes dogs. Accused of killing Rachel, his crazy rich step-mother whom he hardly knows, it will be up to Andy and his team of experts to prove Tony is innocent. Rachel is quite ill, but still is delving into the workings of her late husband’s corporations. Before she can break the story to a reporter, she is dead. He is fairly certain it involves money laundering, but has no proof or story to that effect. As Andy digs deeper in the holdings of the husband’s companies, he stirs up a hornet’s nest, and is likely to get stung. And he still hasn’t figured out how it might relate to getting his client off. It’s a page-turner, with complex findings that Andy will have to stitch together in a sensible order, if he can manage to stay alive and healthy. Needless to say, this entire series is gold, with great characters, intricate and masterfully written plots, and lovable and intelligent canines. Highly recommended. ( )

I enjoyed this new episode of the long-running Andy Carpenter series. This one begins when a woman who adopted a big chow calls Andy to ask if he will take the dog back if something happens to her.

A couple of weeks later, he's contacted by a lawyer and asked to attend a reading of a will. The lady died. At first, it seemed like natural causes since she had heart trouble and cancer, but it was soon discovered to be murder. Her stepson has been accused of the crime.

Andy, rather less reluctantly than usual, agrees to defend the stepson but there isn't much evidence that supports his belief that the man is innocent except that Andy likes him and he wants to adopt his stepmother's dog.

The investigation uncovers all sorts of wrong-doing at the $12 billion business the woman had recently inherited from her husband. Most of the book deals with uncovering that wrong-doing and trying to figure out how Andy can bring it all up at the trial.

I enjoyed the entertaining dialog. The story was also filled with tension because of a few attacks on Andy to try to get him to back off. Fans of the series won't want to miss this episode. ( )