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A special thank you to St. Martin's Press (Minotaur) and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Nice Cover.

Talented David Rosenfelt returns following Who Let the Dog Out (2015) with the fun-loving Andy Carpenter Series #14 OUTFOXED —an entertaining legal thriller whodunit, mixed with mystery, suspense, dogs, french fries, football, sports, organized crime, and lots of wit!

Andy Carpenter, is a defense attorney who has not been taking on any new clients, running the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue group in Haledon, New Jersey with his partner Willie. Andy is also the spreader of human and canine happiness everywhere, and loves his life (he does not miss the courtroom). However, little does he know, he will soon be returning.

Andy also heads up a program called Prison Pals, rescue dogs in need of training and socialization into prisons to be trained by inmates. A win-win; the dogs get needed training and loving care, and the prisoners get the chance to interact and bond with some really great dogs.

Brian Atkins, is currently one of the inmates working in the program, and also a client. His lawyer had been Nathan Cantwell, a legend in NJ legal circles for sixty years. He just died at the age of 87 and now Brian is Andy's client. He was only planning on helping him with his parole and release.

Brian has served three years of a five-year term after being convicted of embezzlement and fraud, the victim being the software company that he co-founded.

In a minimum security area of East Jersey state Prison, he would be up for parole in four months. He was working with an adorable fox terrier named Boomer. Brian loves Boomer, so much that Brian--Andy has learned, from Pete, captain of the police department---Brian has escaped prison with Boomer.

Why would Brian escape now, when he is so close to getting out of prison? To make matters worse, he is accused of murdering two people: his wife, Denise (soon to be ex) and ex-partner, (Gerry).

He was in jail originally for a white collar crime (his own company, Starlight Systems Technology Company) and Andy cannot even consider Brian as a murderer. Even after paying back the embezzled money and a fine, Brian is a wealthy man. A comfortable life awaited him on the outside. The idea he would escape made no sense.

Now, Andy will have to put his lawyer hat on, once again to help Brian. Brian says he did not kill the two. He still says he is innocent of the original charges. Is he being set up? If so, why and how?

In the meantime, on the home front, Andy is happily married to Laurie (former cop) and they have adopted Ricky, in the third grade. Ricky is caught discussing point spreads (sports betting), he has learned from his dad. Some fun stories here. Also we get to catch up with Tara (his best Golden Retriever and Sebastian.

With a GPS tracker in Boomer’s collar they were found; however, now Andy has to dig deep, putting he and his family in danger trying to track down the long list of criminals and thugs involved in this complex conspiracy.

When they find out an organized dangerous crime family and the mob are involved, things get complicated. From Wall Street, an affair, gangsters, blackmail, thugs, betting, technology to motivations for murder—was Brian being framed? As the bodies pile up, confronting dangerous killers is not something Andy had in mind for his bucket list

From Andy’s fun team, and cast of colorful characters:Marcus (PI-tank) Willie (marital arts expert), Sam (Hacker), Enda (secretary), Laurie (wife, ex-cop) and his tenacity--will they solve the whodunit to clear Brian and be reunited with his pal, Boomer?

As always, an entertaining tale! If you are looking for a twisty intense legal thriller, with suspense, mystery, with loads of personality and wit, an ideal series. This installment does not focus on the dog portion, as much as the whodunit crime mystery suspense; however, a well-developed absorbing suspense.

Love this series - Andy Carpenter fans will devour! Looking forward the upcoming holiday book Twelve Days of Christmas (Andy Carpenter Mystery).

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