Sudden Death Review
Having been introduced to this series by fellow Amazon Vine Program reviewer Michael A. Newman, Sudden Death is the fourth of David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series legal thrillers that I have read. Like Open and Shut (1st), First Degree (2nd) and Bury the Lead (3rd), this book has a familiar cast of characters.
Andy is a 31-year old defense lawyer who inherited million from his father. Laurie Collins is a former police officer turned private investigator and the love of Andy's life. Kevin Randall is a nervous hypochondriac and Andy's outstanding law associate who also provides free legal advice at his Law-dromat. Sam Willis is his accountant and accomplished computer hacker. Marcus Clark is Laurie's friend, as well as, a frightening unorthodox and effective investigator and body guard. Willie Miller is a wealthy Afro-American who is a Black Belt in Karate and CEO of the Tara Foundation--a non-for-profit business owned by Andy and Willie that places formerly unwanted dogs with deserving clients. Andy's Golden Retriever, Tara, is its namesake.
The story begins with Andy and Willie in California discussing their story with screenwriter Adam Strickland and quickly changes scenes to Northern New Jersey where New York Giants Quarterback, Kenny Schilling's estate is surrounded by police who he holds at bay while Jets Wide Receiver, Troy Preston lies in Kenny's closet, dead from a gun-shot wound through his chest.
Andy intervenes talking Schilling down and representing him in another high profile and impossible case. Defecting blame, Andy provides a false lead to an eager reporter mentioning a mafia figure's name thus exposing his self to deadly retaliation. Bodies mount and the story takes twists and turns that keep readers rapidly flipping pages to the book's exciting conclusion.
I am hooked by the Andy Carpenter series and recommend this fun read to those who might enjoy chuckling through the author's self-denigrating humor and entralling legal thriller that can be read in a few hours.
The 5th in this series, Dead Center is idling on my Amazon Kindle as we speak!
