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Many attorneys battling the stress and anxiety of their daily travails often contemplate what life might be like if only they were granted the unique luxury of a lawyer such as Andy Carpenter, David Rosenfelt's fictional courtroom warrior making his fifth appearance in DEAD CENTER. When first introduced to readers in OPEN AND SHUT, Carpenter found himself to be the beneficiary of two fortuitous events that changed his life and legal career. He inherited $22 million from his father and then parlayed that event with a large civil recovery for a wrongfully convicted client. Carpenter now has a double whammy that allows him to lead a life that most lawyers would envy. Unlimited financial resources, coupled with egalitarian financial needs, give Andy Carpenter the luxury of picking and choosing only those cases where the client and the crime make Carpenter committed to righting a legal wrong.
While life is good for Andy, it is not perfect. DEAD CENTER opens with Andy in the throes of a romantic calamity. The love of his life, Laurie Collins, who served as his investigator in previous cases, has returned to her home in Wisconsin to become acting Chief of Police. The distance between the Badger State and Andy's home in New Jersey has all but snuffed out the fire of their romance. Events in Laurie's hometown allow Andy and Laurie to reestablish their relationship while Andy continues in his neverending battle against injustice.
Laurie has arrested Jeremy Davidson for a multiple homicide. The victims of the brutal murder are Davidson's girlfriend and another young woman. The evidence appears substantial against Davidson, but Laurie has doubts. She calls Andy and requests that he consider taking Davidson's case. Perhaps it is the nature of the case or maybe the young defendant that finally lures Andy to travel to Wisconsin. One factor that cannot be denied is the opportunity for Andy to reconnect with Laurie. He heads to Wisconsin with his faithful dog Tara and his cast of supporting investigators and attorneys to represent a man he firmly believes to be innocent of wrongdoing.
While Findlay, Wisconsin, may be Laurie's hometown and place of work, the real action for DEAD CENTER occurs in nearby Center City, a closely knit religious community that zealously guards its community and the lives of its residents. Andy must pierce that shell of privacy and in his desire to accomplish that task he acquires many enemies. In Andy's previous legal adventures only his spirit and legal ability were tested. In Center City he finds his life in serious physical danger.
David Rosenfelt has a wonderful ability to create characters, action and plots that are faced-paced, witty and just plain enjoyable. DEAD CENTER follows the pattern established by Rosenfelt in the series's four previous mysteries. The author has a substantial resume for television and movie script-writing. That expertise shows in the interesting plots and characters that occupy the pages of these novels.
DEAD CENTER is only missing one aspect of the Rosenfelt touch. In earlier novels Andy spent much more time in court. His acerbic humor and envelope-pushing repartee with judges and opposing attorneys were Rosenfelt's best writing. Aficionados of courtroom thrillers always found Andy's antics to be humorous but realistic as he often engaged in biting commentary and tactics that would drive his opponents to distraction. DEAD CENTER finds Andy spending substantially more time as an investigator rather than as a litigator, and there is not much time spent in Wisconsin courtrooms. In some respects that makes this fifth mystery in the series a stimulating change of pace for both author and reader.
This slight difference in what remains a quality mystery series does not detract from another page-turning work that should find its way to the top of your summer reading list.
--- Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
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