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David Rosenfelt made a mid-course career change a couple of years ago, jumping from his position as marketing president of Tri-Star Pictures to writing screenplays and novels. It's the latter with which we are concerned here, of course, and it gives us the opportunity to discuss Andy Carpenter, Rosenfelt's fictional creation and the be-all and end-all for his three novels, of which BURY THE LEAD is the latest. Carpenter is a defense attorney, and while he is a bit of a wise guy, he is also one of the more endearing characters in courtroom fiction.
Carpenter is the type of guy who one tends to underestimate. He has a bunch of quirky friends and spends his weekends watching football games (and sustaining occasionally heavy gambling losses on them). His girlfriend, Laurie, is a former police officer, unbelievably low maintenance, and much, much better than Carpenter deserves (believe me, I know the feeling). Carpenter is also in a unique position. While he has an enviable string of acquittals, he is also the beneficiary of a $22 million bequest, which permits him to be what I guess one would call a gentleman lawyer, picking and choosing his cases at will.
His money hasn't gone to his head, however. Carpenter uses his windfall to fund an animal shelter and continues to live in Paterson, New Jersey, which, while not as bad as its reputation might suggest, is more a place where one is from, rather than a place where one currently resides. Yet the beginning of BURY THE LEAD, interestingly enough, finds Carpenter somewhat vaguely dissatisfied with himself. Carpenter, it seems, needs to do some real work, as in trial work.
Notwithstanding this early mid-life crisis, Carpenter is less than thrilled when his friend, Vince Sanders, a local newspaper publisher, hires him to keep Daniel Cummings, Sanders's star reporter, out of trouble. There's a serial killer operating in the North Jersey area and he has chosen Cummings to be his public messenger. When Cummings is found unconscious near the killer's latest victim, however, things take a turn for the worse. It is Cummings who is charged with the murder --- and all of the evidence in the case points directly to him as the killer.
Carpenter suddenly finds himself back in court, trying desperately to defend a client who appears to be indefensible. Marcus Clark, the taciturn private investigator with the somewhat unorthodox methods, is there to help, as is Laurie and Kevin Randall, Carpenter's somewhat nervous law firm associate. Carpenter needs these folks, especially when he finds himself on the receiving end of some death threats. When the case against his client takes an unexpected turn, Carpenter finds himself involved in a case that is much, much bigger --- and much more dangerous --- than he ever could have imagined.
It is to Rosenfelt's great credit that he has with Andy Carpenter created a character who does not fit neatly into the stereotypical model of courtroom fiction defense attorneys. While some of Carpenter's trappings are a bit unusual, his core character is extremely believable. If you have not acquainted yourself with Carpenter and Rosenfelt, now is the time to do so, and BURY THE LEAD is the perfect excuse.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
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