The More the Terrier

Author David Rosenfelt returns with episode thirty in the Andy Carpenter series, The More the Terrier, just in time for the holidays. The series is a perfect blend of cozy mystery and courtroom drama with a sprinkling of humor interspersed throughout. Add in the major cute factor with all the antics of the adorable dogs, and you’ve got a story that’s delightful to read with an intriguing mystery to be solved.

Andy and his family return home from a skiing vacation to find an additional canine waiting—one the dog sitter says showed up on their doorstep and refused to leave, choosing instead to lounge around with their three dogs, Sebastian, Tara, and Hunter. Struck by the familiarity, Andy engages his investigative skills to determine that the dog is Murphy, a former Tara Foundation dog, who was placed with a family two years ago. Returning the dog to its owner leads Andy, the reluctant lawyer, to defend a college student accused of murdering his professor over a dispute about grades. As they begin their investigation, Andy and his motley crew—including his wife and ex-cop Laurie, Sam the computer whiz, Corey and his K-9 dog, Eddie the lawyer, and Marcus the muscle—soon determine that the Russian mob is involved in payoffs and has a stake in the outcome of the trial. Further investigation uncovers additional red herrings, with motives involving computer viruses, drug traffickers, and abuse via the metaverse world. Throw in a shady lawyer, and Andy is convinced his client was set up, facing a formidable task to convince a jury of reasonable doubt. As the story unfolds, the case proves to be more complex and twisted than expected, with multiple viable threats against Andy and his family. But all Andy needs is one Christmas miracle to get his client home for the holidays and save Christmas.

Fans of the series will acknowledge that Rosenfelt has a signature style the Andy Carpenter stories follow, and that’s okay because despite this, each story is unique and highly readable in its own way. The familiarity of the characters, along with the antics of the dogs, is comforting to the series’ readers, offering numerous laughs to cut the tension of a life-or-death case. A steadily increasing pace keeps readers engaged, as does the author’s wry sense of humor, with our hero Andy dropping sarcastic remarks throughout and talking through cases with his dog, Tara.

The More the Terrier is a delightful smorgasbord of cozy mystery, comedy, and courtroom drama. If you’re new to the Andy Carpenter series, it’s one of the few that I can honestly recommend as a standalone, as all the needed backstory is included and a case is solved in each book. I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Grover Gardner, as the narration is fantastic as always, bringing these characters to life right in your own living room. The More the Terrier is perfect for fans of light mysteries, comedies, and legal thrillers.