Dog Tags

The story is good but there are many, many mistakes in my Kindle edition. Besides typos, the narrative switches from first person to third for one sentence and one character is called Eskimo (he is not an Eskimo) rather than his name that starts with an E. Maybe the hardcover is better.

I discovered Rosenfelt (and the main character in most of his books, Andy Carpenter) earlier this year and have now read all of them. They were all enjoyable, quick reads, with funny, colorful characters, and creative plots. I can't wait for the next one.

David Rosenfelt's series featuring lawyer Andy Carpenter just keeps getting better and better. Having just finished his newest book in the series, Dog Tags, I have to say it was non stop entertainment. Andy is his usual wise guy but slightly self deprecating self surrounded by a cast of characters that while larger than life are still believable . And this one has a dog, Milo, in one of the starring roles. Most readers probably know that Rosenfelt is a self proclaimed dog lunatic who has rescued over 4,000 Golden Retrievers in real life and lives with 27 Goldens. In his series, Andy is also a dog lunatic and seeming Rosenfelt's alter ego. Dogs usually feature somewhere in his novels and in Dog Tags a dog is actually a main character. However the novels are not dog stories but legal thrillers with a great sense of humour with a dog or two added. If you have not discovered Rosenfelt's books you are "in for a treat". Start with Open and Shut, which sets up how Andy inherits his money allowing him to pick and choose cases that have appeal to him, and you will want to read them all. I love this series!!

When things get a little intense and depressing in the world at large (which they seem to be doing with frequency lately) I like to slip into an Andy Carpenter book to just take a break. Now, you may wonder how a book about a man falsely accused of murder in a plot hinging on multiple mass murders, international markets manipulation and amoral crime in general could be an escape. But, with Rosenfelt's charmingly somewhat snarky lawyer with a heart of gold and one awesome dog, Tara, we can rest assured it all turns out ok in the end. This installment in the long running Andy Carpenter series focuses on another amazing dog, Milo, and his police officer turned soldier turned thief and accused murderer, Billy. Cajoled into taking the case, after all, Andy is independently wealthy and never really needs to work, the lawyer/detective with the help of his friends and side kicks uncovers the nefarious plot and in a quick paced battle to out race a contract killer works to save dog and owner alike. The good thing is, we know it will up a good thing and so we can just relax and enjoy the ride (maybe with our head out the window and our tongue in the wind like Tara would. On second thought, Tara might be too dignified for that but Waggy certainly would)

David Rosenfelt may not be as widely known as Lee Child or Michael Connolly, but he certainly deserves to be. Mr. Rosenfelt is a very modest guy, so when he stated recently that he believed his newest book, "Dog Tags," was his best ever, I was more anxious than usual to get my hands on a copy. Having read it in just over a day, it's enough to say that he was totally right. While I have read, and greatly enjoyed, all of Mr. R's books, this one is, most certainly, his best.

All of the characteristics that make Mr. Rosenfelt's books, particularly the Andy Carpenter series, so delightful to read are present in "Dog Tags." Andy himself, as a dog-loving, reluctant but brilliant criminal defense attorney, with a wonderful self-deprecating sense of humor, is in rare form. And the characters who surround him, including his smart, sexy and take-no-nonsense girlfriend, Laurie, Andy's irrepressible colleague Willie, computer-hacking-CPA Sam and the newly-introduced, perpetually unhappy associate attorney, Hike, are as charming and likeable as ever. And, of course, there are the usual unsung Rosenfelt heroes: Tara, Andy's lovable Golden Retriever, and Milo, the "dog thief," who, well, I won't ruin the story by saying more about his exploits.

So this book is vintage Rosenfelt, but the author takes the drama up a couple of notches, with more complexity, and more bad guys, than in his prior stories. We are left guessing at who the Ultimate Bad Guy is until the very end. The murder trial itself, which plays a big part in this tale, is entertaining and informative. Courtroom story junkies will find the trial itself worth the price of admission.

I'd be remiss if I didn't comment favorably on the gentle humor that runs throughout this book, as it does with all of the Andy Carpenter books. It's not easy to tell a crime story, involving numerous unsavory characters, with humor and lightness, but Mr. Rosenfelt is, as always, up to that task. It's especially evident in this book. All in all, a great read!

Ralph

Andy finds himself in court again, defending a dog. Milo, a German Shepherd, used to be a police dog. However, he retired to the ranks of a not-so-common thief. During a simple theft, something goes wrong and Billy Zimmerman, Milo's owner, winds up in jail.

Billy is worried about Milo but not himself; after all he’s an Iraq war veteran and a former cop … what could go wrong? But Milo has been taken to a dog pound and has 24/7 armed guards around him. Billy, resting quietly in jail, starts to worry about Milo. Billy asks his former partner Pete Stanton for some help for Milo. Pete knows just who to call -- Andy, his long-time pal and dog-nut.

Milo is an easy case; but as things start to happen to Billy (who is supposed to be safe in jail), Andy starts reading the fine print in his own life insurance policy. When he doesn’t like what he reads, he starts looking for tough-types, like Marcus Clark and Willie Miller, to protect him. Laurie Collins, Andy’s love interest, is back in Paterson, New Jersey, nursing her wounds from a recent shooting (NEW TRICKS, see below).

Andy, with his wisecracking and lazy streak, comes off as somewhat insincere about his career in lawyering. However, when things seem their bleakest, Andy gets serious and does everything he can for his client (2 or 4 pawed).

However, Andy still has to deal with life’s little aggravations; his administrative assistant, Edna, still avoids work and Andy has to find a new lawyer associate who loves paperwork. A word about the new assistant; ‘Hike’ makes the Grim Reaper look like a grinning fool.

A couple of times, Andy’s association with the FBI, for instance, seemed a bit over the top. However, for good natured fun, snappy dialogue and eccentric characters, an Andy Carpenter novel is tops.

Andy Carpenter Series
1. Open and Shut (2002)
2. First Degree (2003)
3. Bury the Lead (2004)
4. Sudden Death (2005)
5. Dead Center (2006)
6. Play Dead (2007)
7. New Tricks (2009)
**8. Dog Tags (2010)

Andy Carpenter is sure he knows everything about himself; he wealthy enough to choose who he will represent, he loves his girlfriend Laurie Collins and he is a dog lunatic especially where his beloved Tara is concerned. He is not sure how he would rank those in importance but he is pretty sure Laurie would win this competition but Tara is a sweetheart. What Andy also knows is he really does not like to work much but keeps getting called on to do just that and when the case also involves a dog that needs him as a client more than the two legged he is all in.

His current case is a true puzzle and one he is again reluctant to be part of until he finds out there is a four-legged client that needs him. Milo a magnificent German Shepherd that was a K9 dog with the police force until he hit the ripe old age of 7 and was retired and adopted by his former partner, Billy Zimmerman. Billy is a former cop and wounded Iraq veteran who right now Billy is being charged with murder while Milo is being held under FBI guard. Andy not being sure who he should go to first is not the issue - Milo wins and whatever it takes to get him out of the pound and into Tara, his animal rescue organization it shall be done. But after Andy meets Billy Zimmerman and hears the story Billy has to tell he finds both dog and owner become his clients.

The more Andy looks into this case the more strange it becomes and the more tangled with branches of the government he never heard of. Billy had been tossed aside after he returned wounded from Iraq by the police force and taking care of himself and his dog was literally hand to mouth existence. Billy had become a good thief with Milo doing what he did as a K9 dog and taking the goods from the bad guys only this time the contents stayed with Billy and Milo and that was all they were doing that night. However, the case being built against him by the police is that the murdered man was Billy's former commanding officer that caused Billy's injury and this was all about rage and revenge. Billy says no, the FBI yell conspiracy, the police say guilty and Milo is keeping his information to himself. One thing is for sure whatever was in the envelope that Milo snatched for Billy that night was important enough to make even the worst of society go digging into the dirt for the evidence.

The longer this case goes on the more it appears to Andy to have nothing to do with this one particular murder but a string of events that were started years ago in Iraq and even more to do with money and the ability the rich have for getting richer by whatever means are necessary. Thankfully Andy made his money the old fashioned way, he inherited it and hopefully nothing will ever turn him from grateful to greedy about it which is why he is determined to reunite Billy and Milo. Andy knows Billy and Milo are unfortunately involved with one piece of a huge puzzle that Andy does not responsibility for but he knows he also does not want Billy going to jail for a crime he did not commit.

You don't have to be a dog lover to adore this series but it does make us dog lovers grateful that David Rosenfelt is able to write this wonderful mystery series where the dog is believably always the main character. This particular book lays out the plot about a subject we listen to on the TV and makes it seem like we are all part of one huge puzzle and someone is manipulating the pieces.

Mr. Rosenfelt has done it again. He has written another fabulously funny whodunit with an intricate plot. His first client in the book is Milo, a K-9 German Shepherd who is being held in the state run Animal Control Shelter and is being guarded 24 hours a day by armed police officers. He is then sucked in to be the attorney of his owner who has been charged with murder. This story has the FBI, State Police, the Army as well as the Paterson, New Jersey interested in the dog and his owner. It has an unusual ending and I highly recommend it!

This legal-thriller-cum-amusing-background series, featuring the talented but not so enthusiastic defense attorney Andy Carpenter, once again demonstrates his love of canines. The plot starts off with Andy representing a German shepherd, Milo, being held in the dog pound under police guard, with Andy seeking a bail hearing. It seems that the dog is owned by Billy Zimmerman, an ex-cop who lost his leg while serving in Iraq and is now accused of murder. In fact, Andy gets to represent both master and dog before it's all over.

As the story develops, in order to survive after his return from Iraq and not being able to get his old job back as a Paterson, NJ, detective, Billy had trained the dog to jump up and snatch valuables which he could then convert to raise funds to survive. One night, Billy and Milo observe someone handing over an envelope to another person. Milo snatches it and runs away, later burying it. Meanwhile, the man who handed over the envelope is shot and killed. Billy, who had served under the man in Iraq, is accused of his murder.

Andy is begged initially to free the dog from the pound, and as that case develops he takes on Billy's as well. Complication upon complication then compound the plot, with all of the usual characters in the series, plus the dog, playing vital roles in what has become the trademark characteristic of an Andy Carpenter trial: a hopeless case to somehow salvage, and often a national catastrophe to prevent. The novels are always written with humor and a light touch, and this entry is no exception. Recommended.

This was my first Rosenfelt book and I enjoyed it from stem to stern. No strain, just good dialogue and internal musings. Humor is classy. Andy Carpenter, the self-depicted lazy defense lawyer, loves dogs and shelters Milo, the retired Army canine when he might be in trouble with the law. My only complaint is that there wasn't enough of Milo, but then that was my reason for picking up the book in the first place. I find the combination of dog-and-lawyer irresistible. There never was a doubt Andy would get Milo and his owner, former soldier Billy Zimmerman, out of trouble, but the process is vastly entertaining. The supporting cast is a monster-like side man who says little but eats like a vacuum hose, and Willie Miller, who with Andy runs a dog shelter. Not least is Andy's girl friend Laurie, a cop who has a deal to say in the story. David Rosenfelt goes on my list of authors to browse for.

I just finished listening to DOG TAGS written by David Rosenfelt and narrated by the very talented Grover Gardner and once again these two men provided me with hours of amusing entertainment. A crime has been committed and there's a dog named Milo involved,so it's a safe bet that Jersey attorney Andy Carpenter's life is headed for calamity in one form or another. Milo, it seems, is a trained thief and his latest heist has been interrupted by a murder. Now Milo now finds himself "in jail" under the watchful eye of a 24 hour guard. Everyone from the Feds to some hired shooters is interested in recovering Milo's "haul" which he hid prior to his "arrest". Also under arrest is Milo's owner, partner in crime, Iraqi war casualty and maverick ex-cop Billy Zimmerman.

For those dog lovers out there, be advised that there is a minimal amount of "dog action" in this particular chapter of the Andy Carpenter series but nevertheless, Rosenfelt has created an intriguing mix of multiple murders, government cover-ups, a mélange of greedy conspirators, a hit man called "M", and spirited courtroom exchanges, providing a perfect balance of the sublime and the ridiculous. Of course, Grover Gardner's narration is spot on as he gives voice to Andy's off beat personality and droll humor with observations such as "One of my many strengths is not talking to upset women" or "the average dog I know is paws and shoulders above my species".

Andy's pals Marcus, Sam, Willie and Pete all aid and abet Andy in arriving at a solution to this case, and for the moment they're all living happily ever after.....until Andy's next "dog in jeopardy case". If you're in the mood for some "listening lite" this could be right up your alley. 3 ½ stars

Billy Zimmerman was at one time a police detective; a soldier in Iraq who returned home a hero minus a leg. Unable to return to his civilian job, he became a thief. His accomplice is Milo, his former K-9 German Shepherd police partner.

On Billy's signal, Milo retrieves an envelope from a man and runs off with it. Lawyer Andy Carpenter's friend Pete asks him to get Milo out of police custody. He speaks to Billy who hires him as Milo's lawyer. Andy makes a strong presentation to free Milo who stays at his house as someone wants the envelop Milo took. Andy also represents Billy who is in jail because he was seen with the gun after the victim with the envelope was killed by the person he was talking to in a car. The case goes badly for Billy because Andy only has hunches that the killing goes back to a suicide bomber in Iraq who killed eighteen people including two American businessmen. The more research Andy conducts, the more he believes that Billy's case involves Army and Wall St. top brass. The Pentagon, FBI and other Homeland Security agents are very interested in Andy's information.

Readers will enjoy the antics of Milo and Andy as the lawyer tries to gain the trust of the K-9, but being a cop the dog distrusts attorneys. Andy needs Milo to take him to the concealed envelope. The courtroom scenes are fantastic as Andy mounts a defense with little evidence and plenty of theories that all seem cockamamie to him. With a message to care for of our vets (and not just politically shrill), there is plenty of action in and out of the courthouse, and a strong cast. Dog Tags is stupendous thriller.

Harriet Klausner

Andy Carpenter takes on only cases that appeal to him and being the dog lover he is he can't resist defending Milo, the police dog slash canine thief. Milo has been locked up under armed guard for working with his best friend Billy, an ex-cop and Iraq war veteran turned thief.

Billy Zimmerman has been arrested for murder but feels Milo needs Andy's services more than he does. After Andy wins Milo's release he convinces Billy that he's being set up by the powers responsible for the explosion in Iraq that took his leg...or maybe it's the FBI that's plotting his confinement. Anyway, Billy needs an attorney whether he wants one or not.

The Mayor of Lexington Avenue
The Law of Second Chances

Another Andy Carpenter and Tara intriguing story from David Rosenfelt. Andy is asked by Pete to help his friend, Billy, an ex-cop and a vet who lost his le in an explosion.in Iraq. Milo, his dog who muster out of the army because of age. Andy finds that the FBI has Milo under guard. Milo has bring trained to grap object from hand on command. Andy files a brief on Milo and wins his release. Billy case is harder to prove. The ending will surprise you.

love the andy carpenter series. can't believe hollywood hasn't made any movies or series about it. have read all of rosenfelt's books and would give all of them an 8-10 rating! if you're new to the series i recommend reading them chronologically so you can enjoy the evolving characters and relationships. rosenfelt is one of my top fave writers!

David Rosenfelt always finds unique ways to have his protagonist Andy Carpenter defending a canine. And Dog Tags is no exception. This time Andy represents a German Shepard which was part of a robbery duo and his master is in jail. Afraid that the dog will be killed, Andy gets a judge to release the dog to him and then the action begins. Seems that the dog took and hid an important envelope stolen from the victim (who was murdered) and someone will go to any length to get it. Rosenfelt's style of writing is addicting and the usual set of characters are there to help Andy. I always look forward to these stories.

I love this series. Andy is such a transparent yet brilliant character. His love for Laurie is so true to life. The characters in his stories are so incredibly interesting with their backstroke. And then you have this incredibly convoluted plot. It doesn't get any better than this.