Bark of Night

In Edgar finalist Rosenfelt’s enjoyable 19th mystery featuring Paterson, N.J., defense attorney Andy Carpenter (after 2018’s Deck the Hounds), Andy is incensed when his vet informs him that someone left a French bulldog called Buster at the vet’s with instructions to put the dog down. But the dog’s microchip says his name is Truman, and he belongs to James Haley, a documentary filmmaker who was recently murdered. The police arrest 20-year-old Joey Gamble for the crime, whom Haley interviewed in his apartment earlier in the evening of the murder. Since the man who brought Truman in to be euthanized was a known gang enforcer, Andy thinks that Joey has been set up, and so he mobilizes his formidable investigative team to help him find Haley’s real killer. Rosenfelt does a great job of unfolding an intricate plot as Andy slowly builds a case to exonerate Joey. Andy is a smart, witty, relatable lead with a lot of heart, and he and his cohorts are a pleasure to spend time with. This is a treat for mystery readers and dog lovers. [em]Author tour. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (July) [/em]