First Degree

No one can separate defense attorney Andy Carpenter from his golden retriever, Tara, and she returns his affection, standing loyally beside him through every investigation, no matter how dangerous or puzzling-and he is about to be confronted with one of his most difficult cases yet.

When a cop's body is found burned and decapitated, the last thing Andy expects is for a stranger to waltz into his office and admit to the crime. For the wisecracking millionaire attorney suffering from "lawyer's block," the case looks like a no-brainer, until the cops pick up another suspect: Andy's lead P.I., Laurie Collins, who happens to be the love of his life. Soon Laurie's case is looking bleak and Andy is becoming increasingly desperate. All he had wanted was a case to sink his teeth into. Now he gets one that's a kick in the head . . . and the heart.

Clever plot twists, deft legal maneuverings and keen wit boost Rosenfelt's accomplished follow-up to his Edgar-nominated debut, Open and Shut (2002). Newly wealthy and no longer in need of cases to sustain his legal practice, Paterson, N.J., attorney Andy Carpenter is free to pick and choose his clients. The glib, amiable Andy certainly would not choose the character who comes into his office confessing to the grisly murder of corrupt police officer Alex Dorsey. The bad end of a bad cop has almost endless ramifications. After successfully dealing with one complication arising from this surprising visit, Andy is faced with an even worse one when his lover, PI Laurie Collins, winds up accused of Dorsey's murder. As the net of overwhelming circumstantial evidence tightens around Laurie during the judicial process, every lead Andy and his team pursue seems to result in either a death or a dead end. The author adroitly maintains a fast pace while switching gears effortlessly between the courtroom and the investigation. As satisfying as the nuts and bolts of the case are, it's the sheer likability of Andy and the odd assortment of his friends and staff that lifts the story from merely enjoyable to genuinely delightful. Rosenfelt should win a unanimous verdict: first-rate.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Readers who enjoyed Rosenfelt's sparkling debut novel, Open and Shut [BKL My 1 02]--and that should include pretty much everyone who opened it--will be eagerly awaiting this second in the series starring New Jersey defense attorney Andy Carpenter. The $22 million Andy inherited from his father in the first book has helped make him extremely selective in choosing his clients. Here he insists--against the pleas of his lover, ex-cop Laurie Collins--on coming to the defense of the man who has been arrested for the murder of a notoriously corrupt cop. Matters grow considerably more complicated when Laurie herself is later charged with the crime. As before, Andy's present-tense narration, peppered with self-deprecating humor and a rather large dose of cynicism, carries the story. This one might not quite equal its predecessor, but it's very good, indeed, and it confirms that Rosenfelt will be a force in the legal-thriller world for a long time to come. David Pitt
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