Dead Center

Starred review from February 20, 2006
If there aren't any real-life lawyers as entertaining, as witty and as willing to tilt at windmills as Andy Carpenter, Edgar-finalist Rosenfelt's engaging series hero, then there should be. In Andy's fifth outing (after 2005's Sudden Death
), the Paterson, N.J., lawyer, whose wealth allows him to work as seldom as he chooses, is recovering from the loss of the love of his life, Laurie Collins, who has moved home to Findlay, Wis., to become the acting chief of police. When Laurie calls Andy for help after arresting 21-year-old Jeremy Davidson for murders that she thinks he didn't commit, Andy can't resist heading off to Findlay with his faithful dog, Tara. There's damning evidence against Jeremy, accused of killing two young women, one of whom he was romantically involved with. Andy is forced to pry into the closed society of Center City, home of the victims and a peculiar religious sect called the Centurions. Written with flair and humor, this is perfect light reading.

March 15, 2006
New Jersey -based defense attorney Andy Carpenter is having a hard time forgetting his former lover Laurie Collins. Four months earlier, Laurie returned to her hometown of Findley, WI, where she has become the acting chief of police. Now, making matters worse (or better, perhaps), Laurie calls asking for his help with a murder case. She has arrested a young man for the stabbing deaths of two girls but believes he may be innocent. The victims were both from nearby Center City, a secretive community controlled by a bizarre cult. As Andy prepares to defend the accused by trying to find the real killer, one of his assistants is murdered. And then, a material witness, the ex-boyfriend of one of the victims, is found hanged. In his fifth Andy Carpenter novel, Rosenfelt ("Sudden Death") tells a fast-paced story that's hard to put down, a mystery spiced with interesting characters and brightened by the flames of a rekindled love affair. Recommended for all mystery collections." -Ronnie H. Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2006
New Jersey defense lawyer Andy Carpenter returns for a fifth outing. When his former lover, Laurie, a police detective who has moved home to Wisconsin, calls to tell him she may have arrested an innocent man for murder, Andy packs his bags and sets off for the Midwest to lend a hand. He quickly finds himself going up against a very shady religious group, but it's his feelings for Laurie that cause him the most distress. As usual, Rosenfelt adroitly mixes drama with humor (the latter, mostly the product of Andy's outspoken, I-don't-give-a-damn personality). With this series, it's the storytelling, more than the stories, that keeps things moving. Andy, who became independently wealthy at the beginning of the series, takes only cases that have some emotional or intellectual appeal. Rosenfelt uses this premise to good advantage. Where most legal-thriller authors explore the crime, Rosenfelt spends more time on the context and on the man investigating the crime. Those who like the added complexity of character-driven mysteries will find much to enjoy in this award-winning series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)