Open and Shut

What attracted me to this book was the dog but the dog really didn't have anything to do in this story. The story was very good and I liked it. It's a good read. I did order the 2nd book "1st Degree" that was excellent! Still no real dog part but I think the dog's character will come into play starting with the 3rd book 😁.

This book draws you in immediately with the excellent writing style of the author. It is told in first person which I usually have trouble with but this book is definately an exception. Andy Carpenter is a wise cracking defense attorney who is separated from his wife and likes to spend most of his free time with his golden retriever. His father convinces him to take the appeal of an inmate on death row that his father had put there when he was a prosecuter. So many wierd things happen especially after Andy's father suddenly dies and leaves him a hidden fortune that he could not possibly have earned in his career as a prosecutor. To add to that there is a mysterious photograph of Andy's father with a four other men. When Andy starts to investigate who the other men are, threats to his life start to happen. Andy is not sure if it has to do with the death row murder case he is trying to overturn or not. The author also masters the courtroom dialogue so that the reader actually feels they are there. Excellent work Mr. Rosenfelt!

Andy Carpenter is a defense lawyer whose prominent father just died, leaving him with a lot of unanswered questions. First is why he wanted Andy to take on an appellate case of a convicted murderer, which he prosecuted years ago. Second is how is it possible that his father left him 22 million dollars in his will. If that weren't enough, his personal life takes a turn as well. After being separated from his wife, Nicole, he's been seeing a beautiful private investigator, Laurie. And yet his wife wants to try again by moving back in with him. This legal thriller is an excellent quick read with fantastic courtroom maneuvers. It's one of those rare books that strikes the right balance between plot and character development. Well-written, concise, and entertaining, Rosenfelt's first book will not disappoint. Andy is a charismatic character whose sarcastic wit, courtroom antics, and investigative techniques are extremely appealing. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

In the tradition of Harlan Coben and Nelson DeMille's characters, David Rosenfelt introduces us to Andy Carpenter, a lawyer based in New Jersey. And be prepared because once you begin this book you won't be able to put it down. When Andy's father, a former District Attorney, suddenly dies, Andy never expected to inherit 22 million dollars. Neither did he expect to be seeking a new trial for a man on death row who is there after Andy's father successfully prosecuted him. Then while Andy is going through his father's things, Andy finds a photograph which was hidden behind another photo which shows his father with three men. The photograph which was taken in 1965 shows one man who looks vaguely familiar but the other two are unknown to him. Now confused by the size of his inheritance and the surprising photograph while seeking a new trial for Willie Martin, Andy decides to investigate not only where the money came from but who else is in the picture. Unfortunately for Andy though as he gets deeper and deeper into his investigation along with some colleagues, some disturbing events occur. His home is broken into, he's assaulted in his office by a man wearing a ski mask and then a bullet meant for him mistakenly wounds somebody else, Andy begins to wonder if somehow all of these events aren't connected. This is one terrific book which I couldn't put down. It is a roller coaster of a read which although convoluted is easy enough for readers to follow and enjoy. And as improbable as it may seem, I couldn't help but think that the plot of this novel could very well have happened. I found this book exciting, entertaining and well written. And the author certainly knew that readers would look forward to more books about Andy Carpenter since there are now two more titles in this series. I can hardly wait to begin the second book, First Degree and only hope its as good as Open and Shut. And than I will look forward to more books by David Rosenfelt either in this series or as stand alone titles.

If this first novel is an indication of things to come from David Rosenfelt, I am indeed awaiting his next with great anticipation! I was immediately taken in by attorney, Andy Carpenter's, keen wit, humor & sarcasm. I found this book to be a very pleasurable read that kept me turning the pages. The dialogue is crisp and refreshing, as are the characters and suspenseful turns. If you are looking for something fresh in this genre, be sure to grab this one. Once you OPEN it, you won't want to SHUT it until you're done!

It's hard to believe this is David Rosenfelt's first novel, but that's what the book jacket says. New Jersey attorney Andy Carpenter's biggest problems are fretting over whether to work things out with his estranged wife or move forward with pretty PI Laurie Collins. He's good in court, wins most of his cases, and is popular with judges and prosecutors alike. He lives with a Golden Retriever named Tara in a house he likes a lot, and life is pretty darn good.And then Andy's father, Nelson, a retired prosecutor, asks him to take on the appeal of Willie Miller, on death row for a murder Nelson himself prosecuted. Before Andy can ask his father what's going on, Nelson dies. Finding himself heir to a mysterious fortune and a troubling photograph, Andy plods ahead with his new client's appeal. And that's when the threats start. Andy himself had always believed Willie Miller was guilty, so who could feel so threatened by a re-trial?As the investigation of the murder Willie was convicted of, that of young newspaper reporter Denise McGregor, progresses, evidence of an old and ugly murder gradually comes to light. What are the connections, and what could Willie Miller have had to do with it? More intriguing, what about the photo of Nelson Carpenter and his powerful friends? And where did Nelson Carpenter get all that money which he never touched? This novel is artfully constructed and superbly plotted and, if this is a first novel, I hope it's only the first of many to come. This author is uncommonly talented and this is a spectacular debut.