Audiobook – Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt

Dog Tags by David Rosenfelt

Genre: Mystery
Series: #8 in the Andy Carpenter Series
Publisher: Listen & Live Audio
Publication Date: 2009
Read by: Grover Gardner
Source: Library

The Short Version:
Andy Carpenter comes to the aid of a jailed former police dog and then the ex-cop who owns him.

Why I Read It:
This has been a longtime favorite series for me and it’s one I set out to catch up on in 2012.

The Book:
Billy Zimmerman is a former cop and Iraq war veteran who came home without a leg. That meant he couldn't return to his job as a cop. He did manage to reunite with his partner however. Milo is a German Shepherd who had reached the mandatory retirement age for police dogs and is now Billy's partner again. The trouble is that this time they are partners in crime as petty thieves.

One night outside a bar, Milo jumps to grab an envelope that two men are handing off and runs off with it. Shots are fired and one of the men is dead. The cops arrive to find Billy with the body who just happens to be his former superior officer.

Andy Carpenter gets involved when Billy asks him to get Milo out of police custody. Andy doesn't need the money and doesn't really like working but can't resist a dog in need. Billy could care less about the fact he's in jail for the murder, he's only concerned about Milo. Of course Andy ends up representing Billy and the case gets far more complicated than it first appears. A suicide bomber in Iraq, shady business dealings, military coverups, assassins working through a hit list are just part of the story.

Andy has some new team members this time around and Willie even takes a break from the dog rescue he runs with Andy to do some detective work before it's all over.

My Thoughts:
It's no secret that I'm a fan of David Rosenfelt's Andy Carpenter series and now I'm a fan of the audiobook versions narrated by Grover Gardner. This is the second one that I've listened to and I can't imagine going back to the written versions. Grover Gardner captures the wiseass yet totally dog crazy goofiness of Andy. His characterizations of the other characters are good and I love his Marcus. The highlight of the audio experience in this one is the section where Andy goes on the Larry King show. You have to experience Grover Gardner's Larry King at least once in your life.

This series is as much fun as it is action and mystery. Heavier on the humor than a lot of mystery series, it's one I turn to when I need to just sit back and enjoy. Andy's new second chair this time around is the Eyore of lawyers. Hike is a funny counterpoint to Andy and fits right in with the cast of eccentrics in the series.

Despite the humor there's some serious aspects related to the treatment of disabled veterans and how easy it is for them to become forgotten and lost in and out of the system.

If you like your legal mysteries with a light touch and a lot of dogs you should give Andy Carpenter a try.

Rating 4/5