Book ~ "And to All a Good Bite" (2025) David Rosenfelt

From Goodreads ~ Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter can't wait for Christmas. He doesn't care much about the season, unless it's football season. Andy's excited to finally relax and watch the games. But when there's a murder related to an old case in Paterson, New Jersey, Andy puts the games on pause.

Two years ago, a gas leak in an office building led to a tragic explosion that killed seven people. Jeff Wheeler was there to pick up his girlfriend and ran into the building to help. All he heard was the barking of a dog, Rufus, and was able to save him. The pup was the sole survivor and Jeff was named a hero. Initially, Rufus went to the Tara Foundation since his owner had died in the accident. But Andy met Jeff and liked him, respecting his courage and allowed him to adopt Rufus. Since then, Jeff and Rufus have formed an unbreakable bond.

The accident never sat right with Jeff. He believed that one of the building owners was responsible for the tragedy. Now that owner has been murdered and Jeff is arrested for the crime, Rufus is left with Jeff's sister, who begs Andy to take the case. Andy remembered Jeff's tremendous bravery and with the lingering Christmas spirit, decides to help reunite the two.

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 teenage son, Ricky, three dogs and he is enjoying his life.

Last year there was a horrible gas explosion in an office building that killed seven people. Jeff had arrived to meet his girlfriend and found the building in flames. She didn’t make it but he managed to rescue a puppy named Rufus. Jeff eventually adopted Rufus, with Andy’s help. But Jeff’s never stopped wondering if one of the building’s owners had something to do with the explosion. When that owner ends up murdered, the police arrest Jeff after he was witnessed confronting the owner the night before. Jeff's sister asks Andy to defend him. Because of his past with Jeff and Rufus, Andy takes on the case and he’s has to figure out who really killed the building owner, clear Jeff’s name and make sure Rufus and his human are reunited.

This is the 32nd in the Andy Carpenter series ... I've read them all and I'm still enjoying this series.  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.

I like Andy ... I think he would be a hoot to be around and he's quite generous with his time and money (he never charges for his services and he always picks up the tab for his friends at his favourite restaurant whether he is there or not). Andy admits he is a bit of a wimp so part of his team is the K-Team (Laurie, a former police officer and now an investigator, Marcus, who has a specific way of dealing with bad guys, and Cory, a former police officer). Sam is his accountant who is also a computer hack who wants to be part of the action.