PLAY DEAD
David Rosenfelt
Grand Central Publishing
Mystery
ISBN-10: 0446582417
ISBN-13: 9780446582414

Many years ago I attended a legal education program where a well-known evidence professor presented a hypothetical case involving a dog who was called to court to give evidence. It was delivered in a humorous and entertaining fashion, and the presentation helped drive home an important legal point that I have remembered for more than 20 years. David Rosenfelt, the creator of a wonderful series of courtroom mystery novels with attorney Andy Carpenter, may have heard that same evidence hypothetical at some point in his career. His newest novel, PLAY DEAD, opens with a similar legal conundrum.

Andy comes to the rescue of a golden retriever, seemingly abandoned by his owner. He is about to be put to sleep by the local dog pound, but Andy goes to court to win a reprieve for him. In the ensuing news coverage, a witness recognizes the dog for an extremely significant reason. Because the animal is alive, her brother, who is serving a life sentence for murder, cannot be guilty of the crime for which he is imprisoned. Thus begins Andy’s newest legal battle, an ingenious and entertaining adventure that followers of the series have grown to expect.

Several years ago Andy inherited a large fortune, and the money gives him the opportunity to select a limited number of clients and cases. Large retainers from wealthy criminals are not his priority; obtaining real justice for the wrongly convicted is his reward.

Andy’s client in PLAY DEAD is Richard Evans, convicted of the murder of his fiancée and now serving a life sentence. The golden retriever that Andy rescues from imminent death turns out to be Evans’s dog. At the time of the killing the dog was four miles out in the Atlantic Ocean. He was presumed to have drowned, but that he now appears alive raises questions about the conviction. First Andy must win a new trial for Evans and then has to convince a second jury that Evans is not guilty.

Meanwhile, Andy is still balancing a long-distance romantic relationship with Laurie Collins, his former investigator who now works in Wisconsin. His loyal office crew and New Jersey cronies are all part of the mix, which makes these books such enjoyable reading.

Rosenfelt has an excellent grasp of the law and the legal process. He paints true portraits of prosecutors and judges, and his courtroom scenes have remarkable vitality. True, Andy sometimes gets away with some shenanigans that might not occur in a real courtroom, but these are his cases and he is the leading man. Under those circumstances, readers can cut him just a tiny bit of slack.

Andy’s investigation into the Evans case unearths some very suspicious and potentially lethal evidence. It also portends danger for him. Early on in his investigation, Andy is the victim of a shooting attack on the highway. His assailants are killed, but their deaths raise more questions than answers. Throughout PLAY DEAD, many of the important characters are not who they appear to be. Indeed, Andy can only be certain of Reggie, the golden retriever whose life he has spared. Even the dog’s life becomes endangered by those who try to dissuade Andy from his quest for justice.

Rosenfelt has a successful formula for what hopefully will be a long series of enjoyable and entertaining courtroom novels. The American legal system provides the author with substantial fodder for countless new adventures for Andy and his associates. His writing ability seems to be limitless, and readers can await with wonderful anticipation the next adventure of Andy Carpenter’s legal career.

   --- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman

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