Book ~ "Dog Eat Dog" (2021) David Rosenfelt

From Goodreads ~ Lawyer Andy Carpenter and his wife, Laurie, enjoy walking their dogs, Tara and Sebastian. By this point in their marriage, it's routine. When out for one of their strolls, their simple ritual isn't so simple anymore. Across the street, a man is mistreating his dog. Three things happen at once: Andy yells, Laurie runs to stop the abuse and so does a closer passerby, who so thoroughly beats the owner that both are arrested when the cops arrive.

Andy scoops up the dog and takes him to the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization that's always been his true passion. Meanwhile, at the police station, the passerby is identified as Matthew Jantzen and he's wanted for murder. Andy and Laurie are struck by the fact that Jantzen, a man on the run, would nevertheless intervene to help a dog, and decide to find out more.

Andy is a criminal defense lawyer who doesn't want any clients.  Because of the money his father left him and some lucrative cases, he is able to not work and spend his time with his friend, Willie, running the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue that he and Willie formed.  He is married to Laurie, they have a young son, Ricky, and he is enjoying his life.  He love love loves their dog, Tara, and thinks she's the best dog in the world.  They also have another less lively dog named Sebastian, who he also loves.

Andy and Laurie were walking their dogs when they saw a man abusing a dog.  As they rush over, another man, Matt, gets there first and beats up the man.  Matt is arrested along with the other man and Andy gives Matt his business card in case he needs help.  It turns out Matt is wanted for the murder of two people two years ago in his hometown in Maine and is hauled back there.  Andy begrudgingly defends him.  Despite Matt not knowing the victims, the prosecutor has what seems like an airtight case ... Matt's blood was found under the nails of one the victims and DNA doesn't lie.  One of the victims was possibly involved in dealing drugs and a radical militia group so he could have been a target for many.

This is the 23rd in the Andy Carpenter series (I've read them all) and I have been enjoying this series as the author is able to keep this series fresh and fun.  Even though it is part of a series, it works as a stand alone (so you don't need to have read the ones before it to know what is going on).  I like the writing style as it was funny, sarcastic and amusing.  It was written mostly in first person perspective in Andy's voice.  It was interesting to see Andy away from home as this doesn't happen often.  I liked the story for the most part but found the ending convoluted ... I had to read it a couple times to figure out what was going on.

I like Andy ... I think he would be a hoot to be around and he's quite generous with his time and money (he didn't charge Matt for his services or those he had provided).  Part of Andy's team is the K-Team (Laurie, a former police officer and now an investigator; Marcus, an investigator with "persuasive" reasoning skills; Cory, a former police officer; and Simon Garfunkel, Cory's former canine partner).  Sam is his accountant who is also a computer hack who wants to be part of the action.