Sudden Death...for Andy Carpenter?

Sudden Death by David Rosenfelt

This is the fourth book in the Andy Carpenter series.
Andy's luck holds regarding solving a crime 
and identifying the perpetrator(s), 
but will that be true in the 'loving relationship' department?

Laurie, the love of his life and assistant, has been 

offered a job back in her hometown after attending a class reunion. 

Andy agonizes all through the book about this opportunity presented to her and whether she will choose to leave him or not, understandably so. 

He loves her to death and doesn't understand why she doesn't want to get married. Though, in all fairness, he's never really asked... 

Yes, that could be a problem! 

Tony Preston, wide receiver for the New York Jets is dead. Kenny Schilling, the New York Giants' star running back has been arrested for Tony's murder.

Andy is a huge sports fan...and an defense attorney...and Kenny's lawyer.

It looks impossible, as if there is no way to prove Kenny's innocence, 

if he is, in fact, innocent!

I submit the opening paragraphs for your reading pleasure!

I step off the plane, and for the first time in my life, I'm in Los Angeles. I'm not sure why I've never been here before. I certainly haven't had any preconceived notions about the place, other than the fact that the people here are insincere, draft-dodging, drug-taking, money-grubbing, breast-implanting, out-of-touch, pate-eating, pompous, Lakers-loving, let's-do-lunching, elitist scumbags.
But here I am, open-minded as always. 
Walking next to me is Willie Miller, whose own mind is so wide-open that anything at all is completely free to go in and out, and often does. I'm not sure how thoughts actually enter his mind, but the point of exit is definitely his mouth. "This place ain't so cool," says Willie. (1)

This. This is it. This is one of the main reasons I read this series! Pure entertainment with a solid mystery thrown into the mix! :) Open-mindedness is NOT what I would call this! :) Humorous, however, is what I would term it! :)

Andy and Laurie frequently try to get information from Pete, a member of the local police force. Often he feels unable to share much with the 'defense.' However,

There would be no downside at all to his supplying background information in this case, 

since it is under the jurisdiction of the state police.

"Did he give you specifics?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "Over dinner with you. Tonight. He invited me as well."

I nod with resignation, Since I've inherited my fortune, Pete's goal has been to make me poor again. He does this by selecting the most overpriced restaurants he can find and then stuffing himself to the point where he has to be lifted out of his chair with a crane, while I pick up the tab. "I hope he didn't choose the restaurant," I say. 

"He did. It's a place in the city." 

New York City. Pete hates New York City, always has, but he's apparently 

become disenchanted with the reasonable cost structure of New Jersey restaurants. 

"It would be cheaper to bribe the jury," I say.  (71)

Again, love that humor! 

Andy plays a rather dangerous game, pitting one mobster against another, all to try to keep himself alive. As he has stated before, he feels that Edna, his Administrative Assistant, is rarely very useful. He is visiting Paul Moreno, to convince him to prevent Andy from being killed.

Paul Moreno's personal assistant is so cute and perky she could be a cheerleader.

In the next five minutes Cassie announces my presence to Moreno, fields two phone calls, 

brings me some delicious hot coffee, and gets me in to see Moreno. 

All of this she accomplishes with a smile. She is the anti-Edna. (103)

But, Edna is a wonder at completing crossword puzzles! Doesn't that count?!? :)

This book provides yet another murderer who is wily and discreet. Though I admit, I was quite suspicious of the correct person/people, I wasn't certain until the very end. 

The end...when Laurie makes a decision regarding 

moving back to her hometown or staying with Andy.

Rosenfelt does a great job of incorporating Andy's mental 'self talk' 

regarding Laurie and his relationship with her. 

He always wants to be witty and wise, but typically...isn't!

Lovin' this series! Do you read any mystery series?

More Andy Carpenter!

Bury the Lead  

by David Rosenfelt

This is the third installment in the Andy Carpenter series 
written by David Rosenfelt.

Bury the Lead opens with Andy searching for his associate, Kevin Randall, in Kevin's "Lawdromat" where free legal advice is dispensed to customers "along with detergent and bleach." :) A woman is giving Andy "the eye" and he muses,

  "Truth be told, even if we were in a nightclub and the woman looked more like 

Halle than Boysen Berry, I doubt I could accurately gauge the situation. 

I'm no better than average-looking myself and thus have almost 

no experience with women giving me the eye. 

In fact, though I'm not in the habit of counting offered body parts, 

it's safe to say that over the years I've gotten the finger more than the eye." (1)

Yep! That's on the first page! Start me off laughing! I love it! 

Rosenfelt also gives us a bit of information about Jersey in each book, it seems. For instance, he is a die-hard sports fan, watching sports on TV for hours/days on end. Since our TV has been shut off in our house for over 15 years, I know nothing about TV stations, networks, etc. He fills us in on Jersey's woes...

  The most embarrassing part is that all the major TV stations that cover New jersey 

are based in New York. Ottumwa, Iowa, has its own network affiliates, but Jersey doesn't. 

It should thus come as no surprise that those same stations 

treat Jerseyites as second-class citizens. (4)

Awww... ;) Even Andy realizes that he really needs to get to work. He is independently wealthy after inheriting a previously undiscovered insane amount of money from his father's estate, so he doesn't have to work... (Yes, I am insanely jealous of this fictional protagonist! :)) Problem solved when Vince Sanders, "editor of what passes as the local newspaper in Paterson," calls...

I've known Vince for about a year. He's cantankerous and obnoxious on the surface,

but when you chip that away and dig deeper, you find him to be surly and disagreeable.

You probably could say Vince and I have become good friends, 

if your definition of "friends" isn't too rigid. We're not "Ya-Ya Brotherhood" types, 

but we hang out some in sports bars and trade insults, which fits my definition pretty well. (10)

Sounds like a "typical" male definition, doesn't it? ;) It made me laugh! Vince wants Andy to protect his star reporter, Daniel Cummings. 

I'm not understanding any of this. "So, you're going to pay me?"

"Pay you? Are you out of your mind?"

My friends share two common views about money. 

They think they don't have enough, and that I have too much. 

"This is what I do for a living, Vince. I'm a lawyer. 

I got an A in money grubbing in law school." (11)

Again...I'm laughing! 

Andy performs a bit of self-psychotherapy while on the road. 

On the way to meet with Daniel Cummings, I reflect on why I've been in a foul mood lately.

I'm not big on self-reflection, so I try to get this session over while sitting at one traffic light.

I quickly come up with four possibilities. One, I need to get back to some real work.

Two, I'm thirty-seven years old and beginning a mid-life crisis, whatever that is. 

Three, I miss Laurie terribly. And four, Laurie doesn't seem to miss me nearly as much. 

I don't know which of those is true, but the one I'm rooting against is number four. (23)

I admit to loving Rosenfelt's snarkiness! There is a killer loose and he appears to be using Daniel as his communication 'window to the world.' Daniel is discovered at the scene of the most recent murder nearly unconscious with a rather serious head-wound. Andy arrives...

"Captain Millen, my name is Andy Carpenter," I say, my voice deep and powerful so as to convey my authority. "I'm representing Mr. Cummings."

"Good for you." He doesn't seem to be cowed.

"My client is obviously injured."

"And Linda Padillo is obviously dead. So stop interrupting or I'll have you obviously removed."

He's speaking to me as if I am an annoying child. This is unacceptable and demeaning, 

but I back off, so as to avoid getting sent to my room for a time-out. (36)

Ha! Ha! However, it becomes more serious when Cummings is arrested for this crime. 

"I'm not going to lie to you, Daniel." My mind registers that I've started thinking of him as "Daniel," rather than "Cummings," because I need to get personally close to my clients. 

Then my mind registers that I am thinking of him as a client, which means I must at least be considering taking on the case. Sometimes my mind has a mind of its own. (50)

You guess correctly...more laughing from me! 

Vince reveals that Daniel is actually his biological child. 

Vince goes at the french fries with both hands; he's feeling a hell of a lot better. 

"I really surprised you, didn't I?" he asks, smiling for the first time.

I nod. "You sure did. I still can't believe it. You actually had sex with someone." (56)

Ah, yes, those insults! :)

From this point on, the 'case' becomes quite intense and twisted. Not only does the reader benefit from Rosenfelt's humor, but you get an A-one mystery along with it! Once your client has been arrested and is imprisoned, it is rather good news that the "serial killer" strikes again...however, Rosenfelt never hesitates to depict the ethical/moral dilemmas.

The first thing Daniel says when he's brought in is, 

"Is it all true? Did he really kill someone else?"

I confirm that it is in fact true and bring him up-to-date on where we stand. 

He takes it all in, a look of wonderment on his face. When I finish, he says, 

"It's weird: An innocent person dies and it makes our case." 

My opinion of him instantly goes up a very large notch; 

his reaction is exactly what mine should have been. (218)

As always, in the end Andy gets to the bottom of the case and discovers the true criminal. Though there are more criminals than you might imagine and he takes a helluva chance by enlisting some organized crime people to help. Whew! He is brave. Except perhaps when it comes to Laurie...

"Andy, are you asking me to marry you?"

Uh-oh. The direct approach. This is not my strong suit. 

[Which may account for the fact they aren't married? :)]

The fact is, it's not so much that I want to get married, but more that I want Laurie to want to.

"Would you say yes if I did?"

She smiles slightly. "Okay, I'll let you off the hook and answer your question without you having to ask it. No, I don't want to marry you. Not now."

I feel like somebody just hit me in the stomach with a seven-hundred pound snowball. "Why?"

"Andy, I love you. Right now I want to spend the rest of my life with you. 

I don't know if that will ever change; I hope it doesn't. 

But I've just never had a need to be married. If it's important to you, I'll do it. 

But it won't make me love you any more, 

because I couldn't love anyone any more than I love you." 

Tara barks, which I think is her way of telling me to keep my mouth shut and leave well enough alone.        I can't stifle a smile as I look up toward the sky and take a deep breath. 

"The air really feels great, doesn't it?" (261)

Awww...though I know, since I've already read the next book in the series, this idyllic time does not last...

I love Rosenfelt's writing and keep resisting reading the next book in the series because I have other books to read for book clubs, etc., first!

If you think this series might at all appeal to you, I strongly suggest you try it!

January 2016 Library Checkout

January 2016

A great monthly check-in about Library reading hosted by Shannon of River City Reading!

The start of 2016 has been good to me regarding great books! And...the start of the Little House Read-Along I am cohosting with Bex of An Armchair by the Sea. There are currently 15 other readers registered to join us in this event!! YAY!! (Twitter #littlehouseRAL)

I am so excited to have discovered and begun using the listing function on my local library's network site! I now have a list for the books I will check out and read for the Book Challenge by Erin 4.0, a "diversity" listing, a "Really really want to read, once available" list, and a "Nonfiction" list! (My nonfiction reading last year was woefully low and mostly autobiographies. I will correct that!) I can add books whenever and then when I want to place holds, voilà! There they are--easy peasy! :)

Books Read: 

**Reviews/blog posts can be viewed by clicking on the title. 

If I have not yet completed a blog post, it will link to my Goodreads review.

1) First Degree by David Rosenfelt
This is the second in his Andy Carpenter series. Another great mystery along with Rosenfelt's typical subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, humor, and always a compelling mystery!

2) A Circle of Wives by Alice LaPlante
This is for the Literary Wives online book club, read #19!! It was great discussion starter! So complex and yet so very easy to follow. It can appear to be deceptively simple on the surface...

1) Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
One of the best books--EVER!! I love this! It is so much deeper than you might expect! This is the next book review blog post in the works. So difficult, 'cause I want to say so much about this one! Just know that it is a quick read and so very unique, in my opinion!

2) H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald.
I have read so many bloggers' reviews, all raving about this book, and I couldn't resist and placed it on hold and it has arrived! This was a phenomenal read. It does my heart good to see this writing style receive such acclaim! (I think I may have talked my husband into reading it, too!)  A selection for Book Challenge by Erin 4.0!

8) The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry: A Novel by Gabrielle Zevin
One of my Goodreads friends stated in her review that this book is "comfort food" and I couldn't have said it better myself! It really is! I loved this story on so many levels. Such hidden relationships as well as those that are visible/known!

9) Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf
I can so understand this premise and relate to these older folks making their lives as comfortable as possible in whatever way it works best for them! I did connect with this book to such a degree! And I despise Gene. How could a grown child be so cruel to his own mother? I'm quite certain I would have stayed and relied on Louis, had I been Addie. This is such a quick read (one evening) and so poignant! 

Currently Reading: 

3) Laughing Boy: A Navajo Love Story by Oliver La Farge
One of our Borders Book Club members who winters in warmer climes is reading this for her "other" book club and it sounded fascinating! It won the Pulitzer Prize for Novel in 1930. I am finishing this one today. I love the information it provides regarding Navajo beliefs and communication, etc. And it is not just a narrative of such, but a true depiction as played out in peoples' lives. Even better!  

Checked Out, TBR:

1) Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs
This book was mentioned as one that Ivoe, Jam on the Vine's protagonist, was reading. This is a classic! 

2) My Son's Story by Nadine Gordimer
A selection for Book Challenge by Erin 4.0! 

3) Ana of California by Andi Teran
Supposedly a modern-day retelling of Anne of Green Gables. I typically stay away from retellings but for some reason was attracted to read this! Probably due to the Green Gables Read Along I completed last year!

Hopefully two more will be added to this list this evening! (See below in the "On Hold" section!) 

Returned Unread:

None...yet! Although that will most likely change as I have resigned from my local library's Board of Trustees (Let's just cite "insurmountable philosophical differences" with a majority of the Board membership as my reason!) and will no longer have that enviable "no fine" perk! This will be a challenge for me, but may help me not get quite so "hold crazy" in the future...as I obviously was in January! :)

On Hold: 
Oh, my gosh! I went hold-crazy in January! That is what happens when you're literally stuck at home ill!! (At least that's my excuse, and I'm using it!) :)

1) Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The only reason I am not purchasing? Trying not to bring any more books into my house for keeps! :) I am excited that 6 months have elapsed from the release date so I can obtain a copy through the local interlibrary loan network! I just can't imagine that this will not be a great read for me! 

2) My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem
The first book selected for Emma Watson's Feminist Book Club on Goodreads! :) This one is actually waiting for me at the library...the new and more convenient library from which I will do most of my library 'business' in the future! :) Actually, I'm picking this one up this evening!

3) Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa
I plan to check this out when I pick up Steinem's book tonight! I am soooooo anxious to read this! 

What have you checked out lately at your library?