First Degree

Starred review from March 10, 2003
Clever plot twists, deft legal maneuverings and keen wit boost Rosenfelt's accomplished follow-up to his Edgar-nominated debut, Open and Shut
(2002). Newly wealthy and no longer in need of cases to sustain his legal practice, Paterson, N.J., attorney Andy Carpenter is free to pick and choose his clients. The glib, amiable Andy certainly would not choose the character who comes into his office confessing to the grisly murder of corrupt police officer Alex Dorsey. The bad end of a bad cop has almost endless ramifications. After successfully dealing with one complication arising from this surprising visit, Andy is faced with an even worse one when his lover, PI Laurie Collins, winds up accused of Dorsey's murder. As the net of overwhelming circumstantial evidence tightens around Laurie during the judicial process, every lead Andy and his team pursue seems to result in either a death or a dead end. The author adroitly maintains a fast pace while switching gears effortlessly between the courtroom and the investigation. As satisfying as the nuts and bolts of the case are, it's the sheer likability of Andy and the odd assortment of his friends and staff that lifts the story from merely enjoyable to genuinely delightful. Rosenfelt should win a unanimous verdict: first-rate. (May 14)Forecast:On the heels of strong reviews for the author's first novel, plus blurbs from Harlan Coben and Donald E. Westlake, this Mystery Guild Featured Alternate should garner even better sales than those for
Open and Shut.

March 15, 2003
Self-proclaimed hotshot lawyer Andy Carpenter, first introduced in Rosenfelt's debut, Open and Shut, has not had to work much since he inherited an unexpected $22 million. Still, when his chief investigator, who is also his lover, is charged with the murder of a corrupt cop, he naturally takes her case. In between clever but frantic legal maneuvers, Andy tries desperately to unravel multiple deceptions in this elaborate frame-up. The tone is kept light by Andy's sarcasm, sports fanaticism, and search for an appropriate charity to support, while the author's use of the first-person present tense emphasizes that Andy knows no more than the reader about what will happen next. Drawing on his experience in Hollywood marketing and scriptwriting, Rosenfelt keeps the plot roaring along, leaving incongruities and character development in its wake while keeping the reader chuckling and turning pages. Fans of Donald Westlake or Janet Evanovich may enjoy the wit and humor here. For all collections seeking lighter legal thrillers.-Roland Person, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale

Copyright 2003 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2003
Readers who enjoyed Rosenfelt's sparkling debut novel, " Open and Shut "[BKL My 1 02]--and that should include pretty much everyone who opened it--will be eagerly awaiting this second in the series starring New Jersey defense attorney Andy Carpenter. The $22 million Andy inherited from his father in the first book has helped make him extremely selective in choosing his clients. Here he insists--against the pleas of his lover, ex-cop Laurie Collins--on coming to the defense of the man who has been arrested for the murder of a notoriously corrupt cop. Matters grow considerably more complicated when Laurie herself is later charged with the crime. As before, Andy's present-tense narration, peppered with self-deprecating humor and a rather large dose of cynicism, carries the story. This one might not quite equal its predecessor, but it's very good, indeed, and it confirms that Rosenfelt will be a force in the legal-thriller world for a long time to come.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)