Open and Shut - David Rosenfelt - 4 stars

[Robin P]

This seems like a good beach read - a legal thriller with a snarky protagonist. Andy Carpenter adored his dad, who was respected throughout New Jersey as a great DA. Andy has staked out the other side as a defense attorney to many hard luck cases. He's not above using theatrical techniques to sway a jury. One of his dad's last requests is for Andy to reexamine a case where his dad put the convicted murderer on Death Row. As Andy digs into the case, he realizes important people don't want it reopened, and it is connected to a secret from 30 years before. Meanwhile, Andy is separated from his wife and unsure of his relationship with his new girlfriend. The most important female in his life is his rescued golden retriever Tara. He has smart-aleck comments about everything. I really liked the book and was happy to see there is a long series, which I plan to read.