Andy Carpenter, the frivolous-but-not-really lawyer who's fronted a dozen of Rosenfelt's agreeable novels, is asked to defend a cop accused of murdering a favored informant. The case seems airtight, but Andy and the reader know that's nonsense. Preparing the defense leads into the befuddling world of cell-phone satellites and GPS devices and then . . . dead end. Suddenly we're watching a chemist who has developed a pill that will let terminally ill animals die painlessly. But it's people who are dying. Is it all connected? You bet. Rosenfelt has assembled a huge cast to prove it, and that's the problem. Willy, Sam, Hike, Marcus, Pete, Laurie, Richard, Sharon, and squads of others move in and out of the narrative, with no reidentification, causing the reader to spend too much time keeping track of the players. When Andy is saved from death by a friend who appears out of nowhere, we shouldn't be wondering, Now, who is he? Still, the solution to the mystery, when it comes, is stunning, and Andy is as charming as always. Not the best in the series, but good enough to keep fans engaged.--Crinklaw, Don Copyright 2010 Booklist

In Edgar finalist Rosenfelt's heartwarming 12th Andy Carpenter mystery (after 2013's Unleashed), the DA and his partner, Laurie Collins, agree to foster eight-year-old Ricky Diaz, a murder victim's son, and his dog, Sebastian. Then Andy's friend and respected Paterson, N.J., police captain Pete Stanton is arrested for killing Ricky's father, Danny, an ex-con turned police informant. Danny had reported Pete for dealing drugs, and the case solidifies when investigators find $100,000 worth of heroin in Pete's home. Pete believes that several apparently natural deaths are really contract murders, and Andy, certain that Pete is being framed, plans his friend's legal defense while searching for the killer. Meanwhile, Laurie asks Andy to consider adopting Ricky and Sebastian, who have adjusted to life with them and their dog, Tara. Despite a few plot holes, this is an entertaining, feel-good read, populated with Jersey gangsters, ruthless criminals, and likable protagonists. Longtime fans and new readers alike will be charmed by wise-cracking, canine-loving Andy. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.