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Andy Carpenter #25
Holy Chow
In Holy Chow, the next mystery from bestselling author David Rosenfelt, the beloved characters—both human and canine—of this fan favorite series are back on the case with the author’s trademark wit and humor.
Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter’s calling has always been running the Tara Foundation. The dog rescue organization places hundreds of dogs in new homes every year. It’s added up to so many dogs and new owners that Andy can’t even do the math. But there’s one dog—and one owner—Andy will always remember.
About a year ago, Rachel Morehouse came to the foundation looking for a companion. In her sixties and recently widowed, Rachel wanted a senior dog that also needed someone. Andy took a liking to her, Rachel took a liking to Lion, an older Chow Chow, and the rest is history.
That is, until Rachel calls Andy begging for a favor: If Rachel dies, will Andy take care of Lion if her stepson cannot? Andy agrees, no questions asked, and promptly forgets about it... until he receives a call from Rachel’s estate to attend her will reading. Which is where he meets Rachel’s stepson, Tony, who is promptly arrested for his stepmother’s murder. And he wants Andy to prove his innocence.
Andy has continued to learn more about the woman he so greatly admired and the businesses she ran, and holy chow, was this woman impressive. The person who killed her deserves to be held accountable, and if Tony is to be believed, they’re still out there. And that possibility is too much for Andy to remain on the sidelines.
Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter’s calling has always been running the Tara Foundation. The dog rescue organization places hundreds of dogs in new homes every year. It’s added up to so many dogs and new owners that Andy can’t even do the math. But there’s one dog—and one owner—Andy will always remember.
About a year ago, Rachel Morehouse came to the foundation looking for a companion. In her sixties and recently widowed, Rachel wanted a senior dog that also needed someone. Andy took a liking to her, Rachel took a liking to Lion, an older Chow Chow, and the rest is history.
That is, until Rachel calls Andy begging for a favor: If Rachel dies, will Andy take care of Lion if her stepson cannot? Andy agrees, no questions asked, and promptly forgets about it... until he receives a call from Rachel’s estate to attend her will reading. Which is where he meets Rachel’s stepson, Tony, who is promptly arrested for his stepmother’s murder. And he wants Andy to prove his innocence.
Andy has continued to learn more about the woman he so greatly admired and the businesses she ran, and holy chow, was this woman impressive. The person who killed her deserves to be held accountable, and if Tony is to be believed, they’re still out there. And that possibility is too much for Andy to remain on the sidelines.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2022
269 people are currently reading
6502 people want to read
About the author
David Rosenfelt
74 books2,893 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 516 reviews
July 6, 2022
Poor Andy, the man just can't retire (good for the readers!). 😄 A woman who adopted a big Chow named "Lion" from Andy's dog rescue, the Tara Foundation is dead. Not long ago she reached out to Andy to let him know that if she dies and her stepson doesn't want the dog, she would like Andy to take the dog back. Andy shows up at the will reading after her lawyer contacts him. Tony, her stepson loves Lion and is happy to take the dog. The problem? NJ police arrived to arrest Tony for her death.
Holy Chow is a great escape kind of book. Very easy and quick to read. It's a crossover between a cozy and legal mystery thriller. Book #25, can be read as a standalone so don't hesitate to give it try! I love Andy's self-deprecating humor and witty banter. The usual cast and his legal team are like old friends. The books follow a successful formula. A client with a dog needs Andy to represent them in a criminal case. Court scenes are not long, and are more mystery oriented. You can tell from the books that David Rosenfelt is a dog lover and a baseball fan!🐶⚾
I always pick up the audiobook version for this series and really enjoy Grover Gardner's narration. To me Grover Gardner IS Andy. He's that good! ❤️🎧
Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this DRC.
Available July 5, 2022!
Holy Chow is a great escape kind of book. Very easy and quick to read. It's a crossover between a cozy and legal mystery thriller. Book #25, can be read as a standalone so don't hesitate to give it try! I love Andy's self-deprecating humor and witty banter. The usual cast and his legal team are like old friends. The books follow a successful formula. A client with a dog needs Andy to represent them in a criminal case. Court scenes are not long, and are more mystery oriented. You can tell from the books that David Rosenfelt is a dog lover and a baseball fan!🐶⚾
I always pick up the audiobook version for this series and really enjoy Grover Gardner's narration. To me Grover Gardner IS Andy. He's that good! ❤️🎧
Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for this DRC.
Available July 5, 2022!
May 16, 2022
David Rosenfelt continues to amaze me. This is now the 25th in the Andy Carpenter series. And it’s just as funny and original as the 24 that came before it. Yes, there’s a formula (Andy only ever takes a case because of a dog connection, the case seems impossible but he always pulls it off), but the murder and the resolution are unique and I never do figure out how Andy will resolve things ahead of time.
Marcus steals the show in this one. Long time readers will be amazed (although maybe not so much if you read Citizen K-9).
The plot veers over into the unbelievable category but this is one you read for the entertainment, not the believability.
Having also listened to many books I’m this series, I laugh that Grover Gardner is so fully lodged in my head I heard his voice the entire time I read this.
My thanks to netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advance copy of this book.
Marcus steals the show in this one. Long time readers will be amazed (although maybe not so much if you read Citizen K-9).
The plot veers over into the unbelievable category but this is one you read for the entertainment, not the believability.
Having also listened to many books I’m this series, I laugh that Grover Gardner is so fully lodged in my head I heard his voice the entire time I read this.
My thanks to netgalley and Minotaur Books for an advance copy of this book.
May 19, 2022
This is the 25th installment in the Andy Carpenter series. I’ve only read a handful and I think I’m already in Carpenter burnout camp!!
In the earlier novels I always thought the plot was unique, had great characters and often took place outside of New Jersey. Unfortunately none of those things were present in this book.
The same group of humans and dogs are present in this episode. I would have liked a new addition, maybe to keep things more interesting?
I really enjoyed one of the past books that took place in Maine, there was an entirely different element to the plot – THE SETTING!!! And I think that is what is missing in this book!
VERY BRIEFLY:
A woman known to Andy, having adopted a rescue from The Tara Foundation, asks for Andy’s help. She wants Andy to take her dog, Lion, in the event that she dies. That is, unless her stepson, Tony, would like the dog, either would be fine.
No spoiler as you know from the blurb that Rachel dies and there is a will that is speculative???
There are a number of enterprises operating in a corrupt manner – It’s good to see them brought to justice – but I didn’t really have a hero to root for. An awful lot of rotten people!!
Tony, Rachel's stepson, who is an all around good guy and of course loves dogs, is arrested for Rachel's murder. Andy will come to his aid, although he continues to maintain that he is semi-retired..
I would have liked to know more about him Tony, he seemed like an interesting guy. We just visit him in jail a few times.
All in all still a fine read but nothing I can highly recommend.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
In the earlier novels I always thought the plot was unique, had great characters and often took place outside of New Jersey. Unfortunately none of those things were present in this book.
The same group of humans and dogs are present in this episode. I would have liked a new addition, maybe to keep things more interesting?
I really enjoyed one of the past books that took place in Maine, there was an entirely different element to the plot – THE SETTING!!! And I think that is what is missing in this book!
VERY BRIEFLY:
A woman known to Andy, having adopted a rescue from The Tara Foundation, asks for Andy’s help. She wants Andy to take her dog, Lion, in the event that she dies. That is, unless her stepson, Tony, would like the dog, either would be fine.
No spoiler as you know from the blurb that Rachel dies and there is a will that is speculative???
There are a number of enterprises operating in a corrupt manner – It’s good to see them brought to justice – but I didn’t really have a hero to root for. An awful lot of rotten people!!
Tony, Rachel's stepson, who is an all around good guy and of course loves dogs, is arrested for Rachel's murder. Andy will come to his aid, although he continues to maintain that he is semi-retired..
I would have liked to know more about him Tony, he seemed like an interesting guy. We just visit him in jail a few times.
All in all still a fine read but nothing I can highly recommend.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
October 26, 2024
This is a Suspense Mystery, and this is the 25th book in the Andy Carpenter series. I have read and reviewed the other books in this series before picking this book up, but I do think you could read this book as a standalone even if I really enjoyed all the other books in this series. I love all the characters in this book series, and I enjoyed getting to know them a little bit more in this book. The dogs are always so great in these books, and this book was no different. I really love the mystery/suspense in this book. The build up was so great in this book, and the mystery kept me on the edge of my set. I really enjoyed this book, and I cannot wait for another book in this series. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Minotaur Books) or author (David Rosenfelt) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
March 28, 2022
Andy Carpenter, the semi-retired, independently wealthy lawyer who runs a dog rescue, has a new client. Tony has been accused to murdering his stepmother, Rachel. Her dog Lion, a large Chow originally adopted from Andy's rescue group, was to go to Tony, but he's in prison. When Andy starts looking into Rachel's involvement with her late husband's business, something seems terribly wrong. Dirty money? Human trafficking? Drugs? Someone doesn't want Andy getting too close to the truth. I enjoy the plotting, characters and humor in this series; add dogs to the mix and it doesn't get any better! Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
June 20, 2022
This is the 25th installment in this series and as always I found it to be an enjoyable read.
I have only read 5 books in this series so far and I think after you read a few of these books you know what to expect going in. You know that certain things are going to happen, but at the same time there is still the mystery of who committed the crime. That mystery is enough for me because I have certain things I expect from an Andy Carpenter story and Rosenfelt never fails to meet those expectations.
The first thing I expect and the best part of these stories in my opinion is the humor. I find that there is just the right amount of witty banter and snark to entertain me and I have found myself laughing out loud on several occasions.
The second is that there will be a mystery solved. We know Andy will take the case and have to investigate to save his client. Part of the fun is trying to figure out who the guilty party is. It is always interesting to see how Andy and his team put it all together.
There are also always the dogs and interesting characters and relationships that I enjoy. Plus, for audio fans, these books are expertly narrated by Grover Garner who just embodies Andy Carpenter. I find them to be quick and fun reads and I personally enjoy the comfort of knowing what to expect when I pick one up.
So, yes, they do follow a formula. But, the formula works. I plan to continue to work my way through this series from the beginning and am also looking forward to the next book which releases later this year.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I have only read 5 books in this series so far and I think after you read a few of these books you know what to expect going in. You know that certain things are going to happen, but at the same time there is still the mystery of who committed the crime. That mystery is enough for me because I have certain things I expect from an Andy Carpenter story and Rosenfelt never fails to meet those expectations.
The first thing I expect and the best part of these stories in my opinion is the humor. I find that there is just the right amount of witty banter and snark to entertain me and I have found myself laughing out loud on several occasions.
The second is that there will be a mystery solved. We know Andy will take the case and have to investigate to save his client. Part of the fun is trying to figure out who the guilty party is. It is always interesting to see how Andy and his team put it all together.
There are also always the dogs and interesting characters and relationships that I enjoy. Plus, for audio fans, these books are expertly narrated by Grover Garner who just embodies Andy Carpenter. I find them to be quick and fun reads and I personally enjoy the comfort of knowing what to expect when I pick one up.
So, yes, they do follow a formula. But, the formula works. I plan to continue to work my way through this series from the beginning and am also looking forward to the next book which releases later this year.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 17, 2022
Holy Chow is book number twenty five in the Andy Carpenter Series . . . and the first one I've ever read! Talk about being late to the game! However, I'm delighted to say that this book stands completely alone with enough backstory for me to step into it and immediately fall in love with the man and his rescue group for dogs.
In Holy Chow, a woman is discovered dead who owns a big Chow named "Lion" acquired from Andy's dog rescue, the Tara Foundation. She recently reached out to Andy to let him know that if she died and her stepson Tony doesn't want the dog, her wishes are for Andy to take Lion back. Andy attends the reading of the will and learns Tony, her stepson loves Lion and will be happy to take the dog. The only fly in the ointment is that police are arresting Tony for her murder. Andy agrees to represent Tony because he believes he's innocent and when he starts looking into Rachel's late husband's business, something is definitely off-kilter. As Andy digs deeper, it's clear he's making someone very nervous.
Holy Chow strikes me as a crossover between a cozy and legal mystery thriller. I quickly fell in love with Andy's wry sense of self-deprecating humor and enjoyed the banter between cast members who many will recognize as old favorites. Excellent writing, characterization and plotting make for easy but intriguing reading. Being new to the series, I was surprised to realize that the dog, Lion, isn't the star of the show so to speak, but more of a pawn that draws Andy out of retirement and into the limelight and shines a bright light on the world of rescues. Holy Chow is an entertaining story with an interesting mystery and a lot of laughs. I highly recommend it to fans of lighter mysteries with a big dose of humor.
*Special thanks to Minotaur Books for an arc of this book.
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
In Holy Chow, a woman is discovered dead who owns a big Chow named "Lion" acquired from Andy's dog rescue, the Tara Foundation. She recently reached out to Andy to let him know that if she died and her stepson Tony doesn't want the dog, her wishes are for Andy to take Lion back. Andy attends the reading of the will and learns Tony, her stepson loves Lion and will be happy to take the dog. The only fly in the ointment is that police are arresting Tony for her murder. Andy agrees to represent Tony because he believes he's innocent and when he starts looking into Rachel's late husband's business, something is definitely off-kilter. As Andy digs deeper, it's clear he's making someone very nervous.
Holy Chow strikes me as a crossover between a cozy and legal mystery thriller. I quickly fell in love with Andy's wry sense of self-deprecating humor and enjoyed the banter between cast members who many will recognize as old favorites. Excellent writing, characterization and plotting make for easy but intriguing reading. Being new to the series, I was surprised to realize that the dog, Lion, isn't the star of the show so to speak, but more of a pawn that draws Andy out of retirement and into the limelight and shines a bright light on the world of rescues. Holy Chow is an entertaining story with an interesting mystery and a lot of laughs. I highly recommend it to fans of lighter mysteries with a big dose of humor.
*Special thanks to Minotaur Books for an arc of this book.
**Reviewed at Cross My Heart Reviews
July 3, 2022
Unfamiliar as I am with this series - this is the 25th book - I admit to expecting a dog-centric story on the order of the Spencer Quinn Chet and Bernie detective series that's a favorite of mine. It was clear from the git-go that I was barking up the wrong tree here, but no matter - it's every bit as doggone good. Put another way, what a thoroughly enjoyable book!
The star of the show isn't a dog; rather, it's mostly retired criminal attorney Andy Carpenter of Paterson, New Jersey. Independently wealthy, most of his time and money have gone to the dogs; he runs the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue organization, and is the human parent to three of his own. Not too long ago, a 60-ish woman named Rachel Morehouse stopped by looking to adopt a four-legged friend and went home with Lion, an older Chow Chow ( (just for the record, although I'm a confirmed cat person, I do like dogs - and Chows are a favorite to root for while I'm watching the annual Westminster Dog Show). Anyway, Rachel later calls Andy to ask if he'll agree to take care of Lion should something happen to her. Her husband is deceased, and she's not sure her stepson Anthony will want anything to do with the pooch.
Not an issue, Andy tells her - never suspecting he'll be held to that promise much sooner than expected. Next thing he knows, he's in Rachel's attorney's office waiting for her will to be read; it seems she's suddenly passed away. There, he meets Anthony, who seems to be a pleasant enough guy who's not unhappy about inheriting Lion. That gets put on hold, though, when Anthony gets arrested; it seems his stepmother's death was not of natural causes, and he's been charged with her murder.
It also turns out her estate is far more than chump change, and even though Anthony may not get the (ahem) lion's share of it, he insists he's innocent and begs Andy to defend him in court. Because he was impressed by Rachel and a few things don't quite add up, he agrees to take on the case and brings his supremely talented team in to help. From that point on, the case starts to heat up as details of Rachel's vast business holdings come to light. For those, however, you'll have to read the book for yourself; all I'll say is it's a well-written, intriguing and often humorous adventure you won't want to miss. I'm sure glad I didn't, and I'm going to make sure I don't miss any more. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for leading me to a pre-release review copy of this one.
The star of the show isn't a dog; rather, it's mostly retired criminal attorney Andy Carpenter of Paterson, New Jersey. Independently wealthy, most of his time and money have gone to the dogs; he runs the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue organization, and is the human parent to three of his own. Not too long ago, a 60-ish woman named Rachel Morehouse stopped by looking to adopt a four-legged friend and went home with Lion, an older Chow Chow ( (just for the record, although I'm a confirmed cat person, I do like dogs - and Chows are a favorite to root for while I'm watching the annual Westminster Dog Show). Anyway, Rachel later calls Andy to ask if he'll agree to take care of Lion should something happen to her. Her husband is deceased, and she's not sure her stepson Anthony will want anything to do with the pooch.
Not an issue, Andy tells her - never suspecting he'll be held to that promise much sooner than expected. Next thing he knows, he's in Rachel's attorney's office waiting for her will to be read; it seems she's suddenly passed away. There, he meets Anthony, who seems to be a pleasant enough guy who's not unhappy about inheriting Lion. That gets put on hold, though, when Anthony gets arrested; it seems his stepmother's death was not of natural causes, and he's been charged with her murder.
It also turns out her estate is far more than chump change, and even though Anthony may not get the (ahem) lion's share of it, he insists he's innocent and begs Andy to defend him in court. Because he was impressed by Rachel and a few things don't quite add up, he agrees to take on the case and brings his supremely talented team in to help. From that point on, the case starts to heat up as details of Rachel's vast business holdings come to light. For those, however, you'll have to read the book for yourself; all I'll say is it's a well-written, intriguing and often humorous adventure you won't want to miss. I'm sure glad I didn't, and I'm going to make sure I don't miss any more. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for leading me to a pre-release review copy of this one.
November 21, 2022
A dog, a guy -- 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.
“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.
March 1, 2023
I really needed this book! Sometimes all I want to do is put on a pair of comfortable slippers, snuggle in a comfy chair (with my beloved dog at my feet), and read a book that I know will entertain me.
I love this series! I love the growing team Andy has assisting him. Are these books always logical? Not always ... but they ARE always fun to read! Andy is his usual cheeky, irreverent self in Holy Chow - and I wanted to reach into the book and give the sweet chow, Lion, a big hug. But, hands down, my favorite part of the book was
I love this series! I love the growing team Andy has assisting him. Are these books always logical? Not always ... but they ARE always fun to read! Andy is his usual cheeky, irreverent self in Holy Chow - and I wanted to reach into the book and give the sweet chow, Lion, a big hug. But, hands down, my favorite part of the book was
July 10, 2022
Not everyone in the fictional world of wanna-be-retired attorney Andy Carpenter loves him. But IRL (in real life), David Rosenfelt's fans adore the irascible, humorous and self-deprecating lawyer whose dialogue literally makes us LOL (laugh out loud). HOLY CHOW is the latest mystery starring Andy Carpenter and his motley crew of investigators. As the series has progressed, the cast of supporting characters has grown. In addition to Andy's wife Laurie, who acts as his investigator, there’s retired cop Corey Douglas and his K-9, Simon Garfunkel. They, in fact, star in their own spinoff series, K Team (the "K" refers to the amazing Simon).
HOLY CHOW introduces readers to Rachel Morehouse, a lovely lady who adopted a Chow Chow from Andy's rescue, the Tara Foundation. She has asked Andy if he would take her dog, Lion, if anything happened to her. Initially she planned to ask her stepson, Tony, and entertained hopes that they would bond during his visit. When Rachel dies, Andy is notified. At that point, he also realizes that she was married to Stanley Wasserman, a billionaire investor who left her all his assets.
Andy is present when Tony is arrested for Rachel’s murder at the reading of her will. Tony begs Andy to represent him as he swears he didn't kill her. He claims he didn't care that he got nothing from his late father and stood to receive little from Rachel. He also wants to assume custody of Lion, as Rachel had wished. Reluctantly (as always), Andy decides to take on the case and thus begins the investigation.
Andy is not just a lawyer; he is a master investigator who solves the most mysterious and perplexing of crimes. This particular murder is quite puzzling. Most of the story is written in the first person from Andy's point of view. We laugh at his laziness and self-professed fear of violence as he puts himself in harm's way to fight for justice for his client. Other chapters are written in the third person, and they give us a peek into who the bad guys really are and what is going on when Andy is not present.
While justice prevails in the end, we reflect on the ingenuity of Rosenfelt's plot. And we appreciate the glimpse he has provided into the world of dog rescues, which he knows from experience. He and his wife, Debbie Myers, ran the very real Tara Foundation. They rescued and found homes for thousands of dogs before moving to Maine, where they still take in older canines and those with medical needs.
Each book in this series brings new dogs, new mysteries and new ways for Rosenfelt's clever narrative to entertain us. Enjoy reading about the Bubelah Brigade, a group of octogenarians whose hacking abilities would be the envy of any spy organization, with the added bonus of homemade rugelach. Escape into the world of Andy Carpenter, where every dog deserves a home and every dog lover deserves a good lawyer.
Reviewed by Pamela Kramer
HOLY CHOW introduces readers to Rachel Morehouse, a lovely lady who adopted a Chow Chow from Andy's rescue, the Tara Foundation. She has asked Andy if he would take her dog, Lion, if anything happened to her. Initially she planned to ask her stepson, Tony, and entertained hopes that they would bond during his visit. When Rachel dies, Andy is notified. At that point, he also realizes that she was married to Stanley Wasserman, a billionaire investor who left her all his assets.
Andy is present when Tony is arrested for Rachel’s murder at the reading of her will. Tony begs Andy to represent him as he swears he didn't kill her. He claims he didn't care that he got nothing from his late father and stood to receive little from Rachel. He also wants to assume custody of Lion, as Rachel had wished. Reluctantly (as always), Andy decides to take on the case and thus begins the investigation.
Andy is not just a lawyer; he is a master investigator who solves the most mysterious and perplexing of crimes. This particular murder is quite puzzling. Most of the story is written in the first person from Andy's point of view. We laugh at his laziness and self-professed fear of violence as he puts himself in harm's way to fight for justice for his client. Other chapters are written in the third person, and they give us a peek into who the bad guys really are and what is going on when Andy is not present.
While justice prevails in the end, we reflect on the ingenuity of Rosenfelt's plot. And we appreciate the glimpse he has provided into the world of dog rescues, which he knows from experience. He and his wife, Debbie Myers, ran the very real Tara Foundation. They rescued and found homes for thousands of dogs before moving to Maine, where they still take in older canines and those with medical needs.
Each book in this series brings new dogs, new mysteries and new ways for Rosenfelt's clever narrative to entertain us. Enjoy reading about the Bubelah Brigade, a group of octogenarians whose hacking abilities would be the envy of any spy organization, with the added bonus of homemade rugelach. Escape into the world of Andy Carpenter, where every dog deserves a home and every dog lover deserves a good lawyer.
Reviewed by Pamela Kramer
August 28, 2023
For a retired attorney, Andy Carpenter, head of the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue organization, sure gets a lot of jobs defending people. And this one comes because of a dog named Lion. One that he rescued a time ago, and had given to a woman named Rachel, who has now turned up dead, and the accused, her step-son, has now asked Andy to represent him.
The problem is, Andy doesn’t believe the step-son has done it, so, retired or not, this is a job he is willing to take on. And so, the adventure begins, to find the true culprit.
Now interestingly enough, Rachel, a very unassuming woman, turns out to have been a billionaire. And Tony, the step-son, could have wanted a lot of money from his dad years ago, but instead opted for a quiet life in Indiana as a popular school teacher. So, why would he kill his step-mother, whom he was just getting to know, and really enjoyed as a person?
And what was going to happen to Lion?
So many questions.
But…
The good news is Andy Carpenter is on the case, with his capable wife, and investigative team. (Also known as the K-Team series.) And what they dig up, well…
What can I say?
Will Andy find enough to convince a jury of Tony’s innocence?
For those new to Andy Carpenter, you can read this as a stand-alone.
But…
It is truly best read knowing who is who if you start at the beginning of the series. Even if you don’t need to know everything, it is fun just to know.
After all, we have come to feel like family.
Just know this…
When you enter an Andy Carpenter story plan on a story that will keep you moving and guessing and captivated. With many twists and turns. Series fans will be undoubtedly pleased with this one.
The problem is, Andy doesn’t believe the step-son has done it, so, retired or not, this is a job he is willing to take on. And so, the adventure begins, to find the true culprit.
Now interestingly enough, Rachel, a very unassuming woman, turns out to have been a billionaire. And Tony, the step-son, could have wanted a lot of money from his dad years ago, but instead opted for a quiet life in Indiana as a popular school teacher. So, why would he kill his step-mother, whom he was just getting to know, and really enjoyed as a person?
And what was going to happen to Lion?
So many questions.
But…
The good news is Andy Carpenter is on the case, with his capable wife, and investigative team. (Also known as the K-Team series.) And what they dig up, well…
What can I say?
Will Andy find enough to convince a jury of Tony’s innocence?
For those new to Andy Carpenter, you can read this as a stand-alone.
But…
It is truly best read knowing who is who if you start at the beginning of the series. Even if you don’t need to know everything, it is fun just to know.
After all, we have come to feel like family.
Just know this…
When you enter an Andy Carpenter story plan on a story that will keep you moving and guessing and captivated. With many twists and turns. Series fans will be undoubtedly pleased with this one.
June 28, 2022
Normally I love anything David Rosenfelt writes, and this book was ok. But not a favorite. I find that one reason I enjoy reading his books is the interaction we get with the dogs. In this case, there was very little of that beyond Andy taking his 3 dogs for walks. And the dog that was "featured", the Chow had almost no presence at all. Even the trial part did not really flow around Tony, who was barely mentioned. I think the funniest part was when the big secret between Marcus and Andy was finally out in the open. So while I continue to enjoy this author, this one did not really do it for me.
June 22, 2022
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Holy Chow is the 25th (!!!) Andy Carpenter legal procedural mystery by David Rosenfelt. Due out 5th July 2022 from Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 304 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.
For current fans of the series, this is a good one. It's full of the same sarcastic, warm humor and the same ensemble cast as previous entries in the series (with the absence of Edna, who's currently in the Caribbean planning her wedding). Andy Carpenter is, of course, central to the story and still trying to figure out how to stay retired and avoid working. This is such a long running and consistently well written series that saying it's "more of the same, worked around a different mystery" should be enough of a recommendation by itself. Although it's the 25th book in the series, the mystery is self contained and the necessary back-story is written in without major spoilers for previous books. I heartily recommend the whole series, but this particular entry is especially strong.
This is pure comfort reading. It's got a likable protagonist, an engaging mystery, humorous dialogue, and a solid climax, denouement, and resolution. (This one is *particularly* exciting and I was honestly a bit afraid of how it would play out - I sometimes think that the Mr. Rosenfelt puts the characters in impossible situations and then tries to figure out how they'll manage to get out of them). I adore Andy's supporting team, especially the Bubeleh Brigade, and I really like how they're warmly and respectfully written. My family's half Jewish and I can honestly *hear* their voices in my head during reading the dialogue
The audiobook has a run time of 6 hours and 27 minutes and is expertly narrated by Grover Gardner who manages to juggle the various accents and characters of all ages and both sexes without problems. I found myself grinning and laughing along several places with the wonderful narration. The read was definitely enhanced by the narrator. The sound and production quality are high throughout the recording. My only tiny complaint about the narration was a couple places in the text which referred to potassium chloride (KCl) which the narrator, Mr. Gardner, reads as "K C I (since the script lower case "L" is easily mistaken for "I"). The formula is only read out in a couple places and probably not at all noticeable for anyone who isn't a chemistry nerd.
Five stars for both the text and audiobook versions. All around fun read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Holy Chow is the 25th (!!!) Andy Carpenter legal procedural mystery by David Rosenfelt. Due out 5th July 2022 from Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 304 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.
For current fans of the series, this is a good one. It's full of the same sarcastic, warm humor and the same ensemble cast as previous entries in the series (with the absence of Edna, who's currently in the Caribbean planning her wedding). Andy Carpenter is, of course, central to the story and still trying to figure out how to stay retired and avoid working. This is such a long running and consistently well written series that saying it's "more of the same, worked around a different mystery" should be enough of a recommendation by itself. Although it's the 25th book in the series, the mystery is self contained and the necessary back-story is written in without major spoilers for previous books. I heartily recommend the whole series, but this particular entry is especially strong.
This is pure comfort reading. It's got a likable protagonist, an engaging mystery, humorous dialogue, and a solid climax, denouement, and resolution. (This one is *particularly* exciting and I was honestly a bit afraid of how it would play out - I sometimes think that the Mr. Rosenfelt puts the characters in impossible situations and then tries to figure out how they'll manage to get out of them). I adore Andy's supporting team, especially the Bubeleh Brigade, and I really like how they're warmly and respectfully written. My family's half Jewish and I can honestly *hear* their voices in my head during reading the dialogue
The audiobook has a run time of 6 hours and 27 minutes and is expertly narrated by Grover Gardner who manages to juggle the various accents and characters of all ages and both sexes without problems. I found myself grinning and laughing along several places with the wonderful narration. The read was definitely enhanced by the narrator. The sound and production quality are high throughout the recording. My only tiny complaint about the narration was a couple places in the text which referred to potassium chloride (KCl) which the narrator, Mr. Gardner, reads as "K C I (since the script lower case "L" is easily mistaken for "I"). The formula is only read out in a couple places and probably not at all noticeable for anyone who isn't a chemistry nerd.
Five stars for both the text and audiobook versions. All around fun read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
February 1, 2024
HOLY CHOW
David Rosenfelt
An Andy Carpenter book... I didn't know who Andy Carpenter was before I opened the book, but oh well... I know now.
So this guy is an attorney and he is very glib. He seems to get himself into trouble with his clients because everyone around him mentions it several times. He even has to have protection and the Judge in the case reminds him several times that his reputation proceeded him into the courtroom.
I like books with banter and this one is full of it. It is also and probably full of something else, but we will move on. I did like the legal side of the story, it was what I would consider very accurate so was a good book with a silly title and a bunch of banter.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
David Rosenfelt
An Andy Carpenter book... I didn't know who Andy Carpenter was before I opened the book, but oh well... I know now.
So this guy is an attorney and he is very glib. He seems to get himself into trouble with his clients because everyone around him mentions it several times. He even has to have protection and the Judge in the case reminds him several times that his reputation proceeded him into the courtroom.
I like books with banter and this one is full of it. It is also and probably full of something else, but we will move on. I did like the legal side of the story, it was what I would consider very accurate so was a good book with a silly title and a bunch of banter.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
February 4, 2025
3.5 ⭐️’s
December 4, 2025
Really like coming back to this series. Fun quick read.
April 11, 2022
This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, St. Martin’s Press and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Holy Chow is a wonderful addition to the Andy Carpenter series. A delightful cozy mystery series that’s firmly established this doesn’t disappoint.
Holy Chow is a wonderful addition to the Andy Carpenter series. A delightful cozy mystery series that’s firmly established this doesn’t disappoint.
June 23, 2022
Name of Book: Holy Chow
Series: Andy Carpenter #25
Author: David Rosenfelt
Audiobook Narrator: Grover Gardner
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: July 5, 2022
My Rating: 5 Stars
This novel is #25 in the Andy Carpenter series and my nineteenth read! Of these nineteen most have been audiobooks as I just love narrator Grover Gardner. He performs Andy to a T.
Author David Rosenfelt has a great wit and Mr. Gardner delivers it in his ‘dead pan’ voice!
The stories are always entertaining~ true formula driven ~ in addition to dogs, there will be courtroom drama and hopefully a Victory dinner!!!
If you are new to Andy, he is semi-retired as he came into a large inheritance. He typically only takes cases if there is a dog involved.
Andy’s new client, Tony has been accused of murdering his stepmother, Rachel. Her dog “Lion”, a Chow originally adopted from Andy's rescue group, was to go to Tony but Tony is in a difficult situation such as going to jail!
Andy investigates Rachel's involvement with her late husband's business, something just isn’t right.
No surprise there is a twist!
Always an entertaining read. Book #26 Santa’s Little Yelpers is already on my TRB list!
Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio Galley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 5, 2022.
Series: Andy Carpenter #25
Author: David Rosenfelt
Audiobook Narrator: Grover Gardner
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: July 5, 2022
My Rating: 5 Stars
This novel is #25 in the Andy Carpenter series and my nineteenth read! Of these nineteen most have been audiobooks as I just love narrator Grover Gardner. He performs Andy to a T.
Author David Rosenfelt has a great wit and Mr. Gardner delivers it in his ‘dead pan’ voice!
The stories are always entertaining~ true formula driven ~ in addition to dogs, there will be courtroom drama and hopefully a Victory dinner!!!
If you are new to Andy, he is semi-retired as he came into a large inheritance. He typically only takes cases if there is a dog involved.
Andy’s new client, Tony has been accused of murdering his stepmother, Rachel. Her dog “Lion”, a Chow originally adopted from Andy's rescue group, was to go to Tony but Tony is in a difficult situation such as going to jail!
Andy investigates Rachel's involvement with her late husband's business, something just isn’t right.
No surprise there is a twist!
Always an entertaining read. Book #26 Santa’s Little Yelpers is already on my TRB list!
Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio Galley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for an honest professional opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 5, 2022.
June 21, 2022
Audio book, Macmillan Audio 6h, 2m, 15s
Available July 5, 2022
It's always a delight to spend time with Andy and the gang, especially the dogs. Never mind that people seem to always be trying to kill him. Thankfully Marcus and Laurie have his back because Andy's strength is walking the dogs and legal matters, not self-defense. I read the ebook earlier, that review will follow the audio review, and enjoyed the book, so wasn't surprised to equally enjoy this audio version. As always, Grover Gardner does an excellent job capturing the personality and humor of wannabe-retiree defense lawyer Andy Carpenter.
Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series tends to follow the same pattern. You begin the book with a crime, usually murder, being committed. At that point you have no clue how it will connect to the rest of the story but you know it will eventually make sense. You then move to meet Andy, often as he's walking his dogs or chatting with Laurie. In this case, we meet him at a ball game. Son Ricky is playing. Andy got the phone call that sets the plot into motion. A woman who adopted a dog through his Tara Foundation, Lion, the chow of the title, calls to make sure that should something happen to her that Andy will ensure that Lion is cared for properly. She mentions a visiting step-son, one she hopes might take to Lion, but after Andy assures her that Lion will be properly cared for in case she no longer can care for him, the matter is dropped and pretty much forgotten. Then, a few weeks later, another phone call, this one from another lawyer. Rachel Morehouse, Lion's human, has passed away and Andy is invited to the reading of the will. Surprised, since he neither knew of Rachel's death nor that he'd have any connection to her will, Andy agrees. There he meets the step-son prior to the will reading. Just as they begin, the police enter and everyone except the step-son, Tony, is asked to step out. When the attendees return to the room, the only one missing is Tony. Seems the police have arrested him for the murder of his step-mother. It also turns out that Rachel was worth billions, probably the inciting reason for the arrest of a potential heir. And, thus begins the winding trail of how Andy reluctantly becomes involved in the case which, of course, turns out to be far more complicated than a simple murder. Luckily, Marcus has his back.
Narrator Grover Gardner perfectly captures Andy's humor, snark, and complex personality. The pacing is steady, seemingly increasing in pace as Andy finds himself in tense situations. Gardner makes no real effort to impersonate the various characters, ie changing his male voice to a more female sounding one, but it somehow works. There is never any doubt who is speaking. Gardner does this simply through slight changes of tone and speed, for lack of a better description. Chapter changes are not announced. Instead, there is a subtle pause between both chapters and changing scenes. All in all, it works well, from the initial set-up to the usually cliff-hanging conclusion....with Marcus managing to save Andy's life repeatedly at times, not to mention increasingly showing more of his own personality and background. I find myself looking forward to the next revelation about Marcus almost as much as I do seeing how Andy manages to get himself into and out of what appears a legal quagmire. "Holy Chow" is a winner, especially with the assist of narrator Grover Gardner.
Thanks #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for the chance to hang out with Andy and the dogs. It's always an adventure, with lots of both laughs and tension. One of my favorite, not-to-miss series.
ORIGINAL REVIEW OF EBOOK VERSION:
As usual, once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I finished. This is the 25th book in the Andy Carpenter series and I'd say that has pretty much held true for all of them. Now, true, I had to delay starting because, well, I needed to take my own dog for a walk. Andy would understand. I was drawn to the series because of the dog connection but have stayed for the self-deprecating humor, witty dialogue, and well-defined characters. Hey, we even learn a bit more about Marcus who, to be honest, I'm about half convinced is Superman in disguise.
As usual, the plot initially sounds simple. Andy's Tara Foundation adopted out Lion, a senior Chow, to Rachel Morehouse. Rachel calls him out of the blue one day to ask him to be sure Lion is cared for if something happens to her and her stepson can't take Lion. Andy thinks nothing more about it until he's notified Rachel has died and he should show up at the reading of her will. He goes, mostly thinking he's there to pick up the dog. He finds out there that Rachel was extremely rich and left $2M to the Tara Foundation. Then, her stepson, Tony, who actually adores the dog, is arrested for her murder just as the reading of the will is about to start.
That's when it gets complicated. Andy has been trying for years to retire, winds up as Tony's lawyer. Who killed Rachel Morehouse? Why? That's the big question Andy must answer to successfully defend his client. Speaking of his client, why was Tony estranged from the family? How is the family business connected? What does Sam discover while hacking his way through records? Do we really need to know exactly how late a plane lands each flight? What could that have to do with Rachel's murder? Dirty money? Drugs? How many times has Marcus saved Andy's life over the lifespan of this series? I don't know. The question just struck me. How do all these things connect? And, oh, there's more but you're going to have to read the book to find the answers to these and other questions.
Thank you #NetGalley and #SMB, #StMartinsBooks, for inviting me to drop in on Andy, Laurie, and the dogs. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment, well, aside from that really scary moment but, well, Marcus was there. He'd have saved me, too.
Available July 5, 2022
It's always a delight to spend time with Andy and the gang, especially the dogs. Never mind that people seem to always be trying to kill him. Thankfully Marcus and Laurie have his back because Andy's strength is walking the dogs and legal matters, not self-defense. I read the ebook earlier, that review will follow the audio review, and enjoyed the book, so wasn't surprised to equally enjoy this audio version. As always, Grover Gardner does an excellent job capturing the personality and humor of wannabe-retiree defense lawyer Andy Carpenter.
Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series tends to follow the same pattern. You begin the book with a crime, usually murder, being committed. At that point you have no clue how it will connect to the rest of the story but you know it will eventually make sense. You then move to meet Andy, often as he's walking his dogs or chatting with Laurie. In this case, we meet him at a ball game. Son Ricky is playing. Andy got the phone call that sets the plot into motion. A woman who adopted a dog through his Tara Foundation, Lion, the chow of the title, calls to make sure that should something happen to her that Andy will ensure that Lion is cared for properly. She mentions a visiting step-son, one she hopes might take to Lion, but after Andy assures her that Lion will be properly cared for in case she no longer can care for him, the matter is dropped and pretty much forgotten. Then, a few weeks later, another phone call, this one from another lawyer. Rachel Morehouse, Lion's human, has passed away and Andy is invited to the reading of the will. Surprised, since he neither knew of Rachel's death nor that he'd have any connection to her will, Andy agrees. There he meets the step-son prior to the will reading. Just as they begin, the police enter and everyone except the step-son, Tony, is asked to step out. When the attendees return to the room, the only one missing is Tony. Seems the police have arrested him for the murder of his step-mother. It also turns out that Rachel was worth billions, probably the inciting reason for the arrest of a potential heir. And, thus begins the winding trail of how Andy reluctantly becomes involved in the case which, of course, turns out to be far more complicated than a simple murder. Luckily, Marcus has his back.
Narrator Grover Gardner perfectly captures Andy's humor, snark, and complex personality. The pacing is steady, seemingly increasing in pace as Andy finds himself in tense situations. Gardner makes no real effort to impersonate the various characters, ie changing his male voice to a more female sounding one, but it somehow works. There is never any doubt who is speaking. Gardner does this simply through slight changes of tone and speed, for lack of a better description. Chapter changes are not announced. Instead, there is a subtle pause between both chapters and changing scenes. All in all, it works well, from the initial set-up to the usually cliff-hanging conclusion....with Marcus managing to save Andy's life repeatedly at times, not to mention increasingly showing more of his own personality and background. I find myself looking forward to the next revelation about Marcus almost as much as I do seeing how Andy manages to get himself into and out of what appears a legal quagmire. "Holy Chow" is a winner, especially with the assist of narrator Grover Gardner.
Thanks #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for the chance to hang out with Andy and the dogs. It's always an adventure, with lots of both laughs and tension. One of my favorite, not-to-miss series.
ORIGINAL REVIEW OF EBOOK VERSION:
As usual, once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I finished. This is the 25th book in the Andy Carpenter series and I'd say that has pretty much held true for all of them. Now, true, I had to delay starting because, well, I needed to take my own dog for a walk. Andy would understand. I was drawn to the series because of the dog connection but have stayed for the self-deprecating humor, witty dialogue, and well-defined characters. Hey, we even learn a bit more about Marcus who, to be honest, I'm about half convinced is Superman in disguise.
As usual, the plot initially sounds simple. Andy's Tara Foundation adopted out Lion, a senior Chow, to Rachel Morehouse. Rachel calls him out of the blue one day to ask him to be sure Lion is cared for if something happens to her and her stepson can't take Lion. Andy thinks nothing more about it until he's notified Rachel has died and he should show up at the reading of her will. He goes, mostly thinking he's there to pick up the dog. He finds out there that Rachel was extremely rich and left $2M to the Tara Foundation. Then, her stepson, Tony, who actually adores the dog, is arrested for her murder just as the reading of the will is about to start.
That's when it gets complicated. Andy has been trying for years to retire, winds up as Tony's lawyer. Who killed Rachel Morehouse? Why? That's the big question Andy must answer to successfully defend his client. Speaking of his client, why was Tony estranged from the family? How is the family business connected? What does Sam discover while hacking his way through records? Do we really need to know exactly how late a plane lands each flight? What could that have to do with Rachel's murder? Dirty money? Drugs? How many times has Marcus saved Andy's life over the lifespan of this series? I don't know. The question just struck me. How do all these things connect? And, oh, there's more but you're going to have to read the book to find the answers to these and other questions.
Thank you #NetGalley and #SMB, #StMartinsBooks, for inviting me to drop in on Andy, Laurie, and the dogs. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment, well, aside from that really scary moment but, well, Marcus was there. He'd have saved me, too.
April 5, 2022
As usual, once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I finished. This is the 25th book in the Andy Carpenter series and I'd say that has pretty much held true for all of them. Now, true, I had to delay starting because, well, I needed to take my own dog for a walk. Andy would understand. I was drawn to the series because of the dog connection but have stayed for the self-deprecating humor, witty dialogue, and well-defined characters. Hey, we even learn a bit more about Marcus who, to be honest, I'm about half convinced is Superman in disguise.
As usual, the plot initially sounds simple. Andy's Tara Foundation adopted out Lion, a senior Chow, to Rachel Morehouse. Rachel calls him out of the blue one day to ask him to be sure Lion is cared for if something happens to her and her stepson can't take Lion. Andy thinks nothing more about it until he's notified Rachel has died and he should show up at the reading of her will. He goes, mostly thinking he's there to pick up the dog. Then, her stepson, Tony, who actually adores the dog, is arrested for her murder just as the reading of the will is about to start.
That's when it gets complicated. Andy has been trying for years to retire, winds up as Tony's lawyer. Who killed Rachel Morehouse? Why? That's the big question Andy must answer to successfully defend his client. Speaking of his client, why was Tony estranged from the family? How is the family business connected? What does Sam discover while hacking his way through records? Do we really need to know exactly how late a plane lands each flight? What could that have to do with Rachel's murder? How many times has Marcus saved Andy's life over the lifespan of this series? I don't know. The question just struck me. Dirty money? Drugs? How do all these things connect? And, oh, there's more but you're going to have to read the book to find the answers to these and other questions.
Thank you #NetGalley and #SMB, #StMartinsBooks, for inviting me to drop in on Andy, Laurie, and the dogs. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment, well, aside from that really scary moment but, well, Marcus was there. He'd have saved me, too.
As usual, the plot initially sounds simple. Andy's Tara Foundation adopted out Lion, a senior Chow, to Rachel Morehouse. Rachel calls him out of the blue one day to ask him to be sure Lion is cared for if something happens to her and her stepson can't take Lion. Andy thinks nothing more about it until he's notified Rachel has died and he should show up at the reading of her will. He goes, mostly thinking he's there to pick up the dog. Then, her stepson, Tony, who actually adores the dog, is arrested for her murder just as the reading of the will is about to start.
That's when it gets complicated. Andy has been trying for years to retire, winds up as Tony's lawyer. Who killed Rachel Morehouse? Why? That's the big question Andy must answer to successfully defend his client. Speaking of his client, why was Tony estranged from the family? How is the family business connected? What does Sam discover while hacking his way through records? Do we really need to know exactly how late a plane lands each flight? What could that have to do with Rachel's murder? How many times has Marcus saved Andy's life over the lifespan of this series? I don't know. The question just struck me. Dirty money? Drugs? How do all these things connect? And, oh, there's more but you're going to have to read the book to find the answers to these and other questions.
Thank you #NetGalley and #SMB, #StMartinsBooks, for inviting me to drop in on Andy, Laurie, and the dogs. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment, well, aside from that really scary moment but, well, Marcus was there. He'd have saved me, too.
June 19, 2022
It may sound odd to say that this book, essentially a legal mystery/thriller, is funny, but it is! While this is the 25th (!!) book in the Andy Carpenter series, it is the first one I’ve read and I enjoyed it immensely.
Most of the book is written in the first person, in the voice of Andy Carpenter, a New Jersey lawyer who inherited enough money that he only works when he feels like it. He’d rather do lots of other things, like follow the Mets baseball team or work with his dog adoption foundation. (His love of dogs feature heavily in this series.) He is very snarky and sarcastic in a funny way. Example: at one point, he has a whole lot to say about the “joys” of boat ownership (a friend of his owns a boat). I smiled or laughed out loud a good number of times over the course of listening to this audiobook. Grover Gardner does a terrific job with the narration and it looks like he has narrated the whole series, which is great news to me.
The story starts with a murder in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina but the action then moves to New Jersey. You don’t get a glimmer of a connection until about 35% into the audiobook. The story is fairly convoluted but it kept my interest.
There are a number of wonderful side characters sprinkled throughout the book, many of which I assume appear in at least some of the other books in the series, like the Bubbeleh Brigade, some senior citizens who help Carpenter with case research.
I will most definitely make time to check out some of the other books in this series.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
Most of the book is written in the first person, in the voice of Andy Carpenter, a New Jersey lawyer who inherited enough money that he only works when he feels like it. He’d rather do lots of other things, like follow the Mets baseball team or work with his dog adoption foundation. (His love of dogs feature heavily in this series.) He is very snarky and sarcastic in a funny way. Example: at one point, he has a whole lot to say about the “joys” of boat ownership (a friend of his owns a boat). I smiled or laughed out loud a good number of times over the course of listening to this audiobook. Grover Gardner does a terrific job with the narration and it looks like he has narrated the whole series, which is great news to me.
The story starts with a murder in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina but the action then moves to New Jersey. You don’t get a glimmer of a connection until about 35% into the audiobook. The story is fairly convoluted but it kept my interest.
There are a number of wonderful side characters sprinkled throughout the book, many of which I assume appear in at least some of the other books in the series, like the Bubbeleh Brigade, some senior citizens who help Carpenter with case research.
I will most definitely make time to check out some of the other books in this series.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.
April 18, 2022
First and foremost, my thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press/ Minotaur Books for the ARC.
David Rosenfelt never fails to deliver! “ Deliver what?” one might ask. The answer: a thoroughly interesting and enjoyable reading experience, replete with self-deprecating humor, witty dialogue, multi- dimensional characters, unique plot and pitch-perfect pacing.
Such is the genius of David Rosenfelt’s style.
Holy Chow is the 25th installment in the Andy Carpenter series. The electrifying opening scene hooks the reader instantly. Then, for the next quarter of the book, the reader follows the antics of Andy as he reluctantly represents a young man accused of murder. But, how, when, and where will that opening scene fit into the story? That electrifying opening scene and many more created enthralling suspense in this dynamic mystery thriller.
It’s a credit to Mr. Rosenfelt that he can couple such explosive, suspenseful scenarios with his signature self-deprecating humor and witty internal dialogue bantering. Clever device indeed, and such writing style endears him to many loyal fans like myself!
Although this is a series, Holy Chow can be a standalone. The benefit of reading a series from the beginning is to understand the origin of each character’s story. However, Mr. Rosenfelt provides just enough backstory so one can easily follow.
Holy Chow is a great thriller mystery! I could not figure it out until the end. The reveal was fascinating ! The climax was edge-of-the seat thrilling and the denouement was more than satisfying! KUDOES, Mr. Rosenfelt! You did it again! “ Did what again?” One might ask…. Lol
David Rosenfelt never fails to deliver! “ Deliver what?” one might ask. The answer: a thoroughly interesting and enjoyable reading experience, replete with self-deprecating humor, witty dialogue, multi- dimensional characters, unique plot and pitch-perfect pacing.
Such is the genius of David Rosenfelt’s style.
Holy Chow is the 25th installment in the Andy Carpenter series. The electrifying opening scene hooks the reader instantly. Then, for the next quarter of the book, the reader follows the antics of Andy as he reluctantly represents a young man accused of murder. But, how, when, and where will that opening scene fit into the story? That electrifying opening scene and many more created enthralling suspense in this dynamic mystery thriller.
It’s a credit to Mr. Rosenfelt that he can couple such explosive, suspenseful scenarios with his signature self-deprecating humor and witty internal dialogue bantering. Clever device indeed, and such writing style endears him to many loyal fans like myself!
Although this is a series, Holy Chow can be a standalone. The benefit of reading a series from the beginning is to understand the origin of each character’s story. However, Mr. Rosenfelt provides just enough backstory so one can easily follow.
Holy Chow is a great thriller mystery! I could not figure it out until the end. The reveal was fascinating ! The climax was edge-of-the seat thrilling and the denouement was more than satisfying! KUDOES, Mr. Rosenfelt! You did it again! “ Did what again?” One might ask…. Lol
October 3, 2025
This is the 25th book in Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series of comfortable mysteries about a reluctant lawyer, his team of investigative specialists, and dogs. It's a warm and fuzzy series, familiar and formulaic, like favorite television mysteries from a few generations back. Rosenfelt always serves up a generous dose of humor, and Andy is a very rich yet self-deprecating character surrounded by a quirky team of associates. He seems to be rich beyond reason, some of his associates seem to have super-powers, and in this he investigates the death of a lady who's -really- rich...but it's all the dogs, of course. He just wants to play with his dogs and watch the Mets or Giants but always gets caught up in proving the innocence of someone accused of murder or something similar. I listened to the audio of this one during a long drive and enjoyed Grover Gardner's performance very much, as always. It's a fun listen, neither my usual fare nor especially memorable, but it ate up a lot of miles and was very entertaining; I hope Andy doesn't get to retire.
August 3, 2022
Another good book by David Rosenfelt. A complicated murder case. I really enjoy his writing.
April 9, 2022
This is NOT an unbiased review! I love the Andy Carpenter and K-Team books! The stories are imaginative, somewhat plausible, totally engaging, and off-set reality.
This one centers on the case of a man who goes to the lawyer's office for the reading of a will and winds up in custody for first degree murder of the deceased. It gets really crazy from then on with the exposure of murders that were initially deemed accidental or suicide, money laundering, and even some really bad actors that the Feds are extremely happy to remove from society.
This series can easily be read out of order or just drop in anywhere and have a good read while laughing your sox off!
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, including a crew of senior citizen hackers who don't work Friday evenings and bake wonderful goodies! Cackled my way through the whole thing!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
I will definitely get the audio when it comes out.
This one centers on the case of a man who goes to the lawyer's office for the reading of a will and winds up in custody for first degree murder of the deceased. It gets really crazy from then on with the exposure of murders that were initially deemed accidental or suicide, money laundering, and even some really bad actors that the Feds are extremely happy to remove from society.
This series can easily be read out of order or just drop in anywhere and have a good read while laughing your sox off!
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, including a crew of senior citizen hackers who don't work Friday evenings and bake wonderful goodies! Cackled my way through the whole thing!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
I will definitely get the audio when it comes out.
April 23, 2022
Semiretired reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter is touched and grateful when he learns that deceased super-wealthy Rachel Morehouse has left two million dollars to his Tara dog rescue foundation. Then authorities discover that Rachel was murdered and arrest her stepson Tony on charges of killing her. Of course, Andy takes Tony’s case.
When a book series persists through 25 instalments, it is only natural to ask what makes it so popular. For many Andy Carpenter fans, of which I most certainly am one, there are three main factors: the dogs, the humor, and the courtroom sequence.
The dogs play no real role in this book, other than providing a punny title and a mechanism for Andy to meet the murder victim. Narrator Andy’s humor, though, is front and center as usual, “I’ve never met this judge….But based on his expression, he already dislikes me. That’s unusual; ordinarily it takes a meeting and a conversation or two for judges to dislike me, and then another meeting for them to detest me. It generally goes further downhill from there, but it’s a process.”
Which gets us to the courtroom sequence. Of course, when the trial opens, Andy has no idea who killed Rachel or what their motive was. He just is confident that his client is not a very likely culprit. As the trial proceeds, Andy rallies his investigative team of his wife Laurie, who is a retired police lieutenant, Corey Douglas, another retired police officer who is accompanied by his also-retired K-9 helper Simon Garfunkel, lawyer Eddie Dowd, accountant and cyber-detective Sam Willis, and, of course, taciturn muscleman Marcus Willis. They are assisted by the Bubeleh Brigade, a group of retirees from the local Jewish community center whose information-gathering skills are exceeded only by member Hilda’s talent for baking rugelach.
As the trial proceeds, the team realizes that Rachel’s murder was only one of a number of murders connected to a large conspiracy with a scope much broader than Rachel or the company she owned. Andy’s challenge is to try to get to the bottom of that conspiracy and identify the real killer(s) in time to save his client.
It has seemed to me that the bad guys and malicious objectives in the Andy Carpenter series have been getting more and more ambitious, and the conspiracy in Holy Chow seems intriguing but perhaps a bit overdone. Nonetheless, author David Rosenfelt still delivers a great read, and SPOILER ALERT Andy Carpenter wins again.
Note to newbies: This is one of my favorite series, but I highly recommend you begin with the first book, Open and Shut, so you get the context and a proper introduction to the characters (and they ARE characters!). After that you can enjoy them in any order.
I received an advance review copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher.
When a book series persists through 25 instalments, it is only natural to ask what makes it so popular. For many Andy Carpenter fans, of which I most certainly am one, there are three main factors: the dogs, the humor, and the courtroom sequence.
The dogs play no real role in this book, other than providing a punny title and a mechanism for Andy to meet the murder victim. Narrator Andy’s humor, though, is front and center as usual, “I’ve never met this judge….But based on his expression, he already dislikes me. That’s unusual; ordinarily it takes a meeting and a conversation or two for judges to dislike me, and then another meeting for them to detest me. It generally goes further downhill from there, but it’s a process.”
Which gets us to the courtroom sequence. Of course, when the trial opens, Andy has no idea who killed Rachel or what their motive was. He just is confident that his client is not a very likely culprit. As the trial proceeds, Andy rallies his investigative team of his wife Laurie, who is a retired police lieutenant, Corey Douglas, another retired police officer who is accompanied by his also-retired K-9 helper Simon Garfunkel, lawyer Eddie Dowd, accountant and cyber-detective Sam Willis, and, of course, taciturn muscleman Marcus Willis. They are assisted by the Bubeleh Brigade, a group of retirees from the local Jewish community center whose information-gathering skills are exceeded only by member Hilda’s talent for baking rugelach.
As the trial proceeds, the team realizes that Rachel’s murder was only one of a number of murders connected to a large conspiracy with a scope much broader than Rachel or the company she owned. Andy’s challenge is to try to get to the bottom of that conspiracy and identify the real killer(s) in time to save his client.
It has seemed to me that the bad guys and malicious objectives in the Andy Carpenter series have been getting more and more ambitious, and the conspiracy in Holy Chow seems intriguing but perhaps a bit overdone. Nonetheless, author David Rosenfelt still delivers a great read, and SPOILER ALERT Andy Carpenter wins again.
Note to newbies: This is one of my favorite series, but I highly recommend you begin with the first book, Open and Shut, so you get the context and a proper introduction to the characters (and they ARE characters!). After that you can enjoy them in any order.
I received an advance review copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher.
July 18, 2022
A few new elements were added to the old recipe in this book. I loved the huge scope of the criminals.
and loved the revelation of the "real" Marcus. Not enough jokes, but a good installment nonetheless.
and loved the revelation of the "real" Marcus. Not enough jokes, but a good installment nonetheless.
December 20, 2022
Rosenfelt may know dogs, love some and rescue many, but he wrote an unrealistic description of most Chow-Chows. I love the breed, and Thor, my last Chow rescue was my heart dog, never more than five feet away from me for eleven years. However, Chow-Chows are NOT friendly with other dogs, do NOT love groups of people, especially children. The only thing this author got right, is Chows will bite if afraid or startled. I burst out laughing when the protagonist, Andy Carpenter took the Chow named Lion, “…for a run.”
I rarely write a negative review, chalking a book I didn’t care for up to personal preference. In this case the author has done a disservice to the breed. Perhaps he knew the single Chow-Chow exception from typical breed characteristics. If yes, that should have been explained. Instead Rosenfelt missed the opportunity to tell his readers how wonderfully loyal, and sweet Chows are, but only to their owners and family.
BTW, the murder mystery was sophomoric.
I rarely write a negative review, chalking a book I didn’t care for up to personal preference. In this case the author has done a disservice to the breed. Perhaps he knew the single Chow-Chow exception from typical breed characteristics. If yes, that should have been explained. Instead Rosenfelt missed the opportunity to tell his readers how wonderfully loyal, and sweet Chows are, but only to their owners and family.
BTW, the murder mystery was sophomoric.
April 9, 2022
Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter winds up defending Tony, the step son of Rachel, a woman who had previously adopted a Chow from his rescue. Rachel and Tony were just starting to cultivate a relationship after Rachel’s husband and Tony’s estranged father passed away. Turns out Rachel was worth billions following the death of her husband, who was only planning to give $300k to his son in his will. Tony appears to have motive but Andy thinks he is innocent and is then forced to come out of retirement to defend him.
I love this series and all of the characters. I have rescue dogs, so I love their inclusion in the stories. I love Andy’s wit and these are actually pretty good mysteries. I look forward to the next.
Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter winds up defending Tony, the step son of Rachel, a woman who had previously adopted a Chow from his rescue. Rachel and Tony were just starting to cultivate a relationship after Rachel’s husband and Tony’s estranged father passed away. Turns out Rachel was worth billions following the death of her husband, who was only planning to give $300k to his son in his will. Tony appears to have motive but Andy thinks he is innocent and is then forced to come out of retirement to defend him.
I love this series and all of the characters. I have rescue dogs, so I love their inclusion in the stories. I love Andy’s wit and these are actually pretty good mysteries. I look forward to the next.
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