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    First Degree
    First Degree
    First Degree
    Audiobook6 hours

    First Degree

    Written by David Rosenfelt

    Narrated by Grover Gardner

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Nominated for the Edgar and Shamus Awards, David Rosenfelt’s debut novel, Open and Shut, was widely praised by readers and critics. Now Rosenfelt returns with a riveting new mystery, First Degree, featuring irreverent and dynamic lawyer Andy Carpenter… When a cop’s body is found burned and decapitated, the last thing Andy Carpenter expected is for a stranger to waltz into his office and admit to the crime. For the wise-cracking millionaire defense attorney suffering from “ lawyer’s block,” the case looks like a no-brainer…until the cops pick up another suspect: Andy’s lead P.I. Laurie Collins, who happens to be the love of his life. Soon Laurie’s facing conviction for the grisly murder and Andy must desperately try to save her. All he had wanted was a case to sink his teeth into. Now he gets one that’s a kick in the head…and the heart.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherListen & Live Audio
    Release dateJan 1, 2003
    ISBN9781593163914
    First Degree
    Author

    David Rosenfelt

    DAVID ROSENFELT is the Edgar-nominated and Shamus Award-winning author of more than twenty Andy Carpenter novels, including One Dog Night, Collared, and Deck the Hounds; its spinoff series, The K-Team; the Doug Brock thriller series, which starts with Fade to Black; and stand-alone thrillers including Heart of a Killer and On Borrowed Time. Rosenfelt and his wife live in Maine with an ever-changing pack of rescue dogs. Their epic cross-country move with 25 of these dogs, culminating in the creation of the Tara Foundation, is chronicled in Dogtripping.

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    Reviews for First Degree

    4/5

    347 ratings23 reviews

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    • 4/5
      love these easy reading, funny, mysteries
    • 5/5
      This took me awhile to get into - but once hooked, I loved it! It is worth hanging in there, to get past what I considered a slow begining. Fun and suspenseful to the end. Lots of humour sprinkled into it - well delivered by the narrator: Grover Gardner
    • 5/5
      What an adventure into the world of crime ! The author has a remarkable sense of humor even in the midst of dire circumstances! I had numerous giggle and laughs throughout the story! I am ready for the next Andy Carpenter novel!!!
    • 5/5
      I'm just catching up with the earlier Andy Carpenter books and of course I knew where this one was going but that just didn't matter...you had to see Andy work his (well, David Rosenfelt's) magic in presenting and solving this interwoven tale.
    • 5/5
      When you get a combination of a great mystery, great humor and dogs, it just doesn’t get much better!
    • 3/5
      Andy Carpenter is an attorney, but an inheritance has made it unnecessary for him to work except when he wants to. In this second in a lengthy series featuring Andy and his Golden Retriever Tara (whom he rescued from death row), he has no choice but to handle the defense of a man charged with a grisly murder. He knows this client is innocent, because another client confessed to the crime within the protection of attorney/client privilege. So how does Carpenter manage this defense without violating that privilege? And what does he do when exculpatory evidence turns up to completely exonerate the innocent man...but results in murder charges against the love of Andy's life. A pretty good plot (and points for dropping a clue that I picked up on before Andy did), marred for me by the way-too-clever wise guy tone of nearly all of Andy's narration. It's the kind of humor I appreciate in small doses, but which loses its appeal pretty fast when delivered in bulk. Also, not enough dog.
    • 3/5
      the second in a series, which takes place in and around Paterson, New Jersey, more or less present day. The protagonist of the series is a wisecracking lawyer who has inherited a potful of money from his supposed paragon of a father (see first book) and thus can be picky about who he defends. At what Kindle told me was 49% through the text, I knew who done it, why he done it, what clue was staring the principals in the face, and how it would end. After gnashing my teeth at such obviousness, I finished it anyway. I may continue the series, for only the lightest of reading.
    • 5/5
      This is the second Andy Carpenter novel and this time Andy has to find a way to prove that his girlfriend Laurie is innocent of the brutal death of a fellow police officer. It was because she turned him in for corruption that Laurie left the force and became a private investigator.The story begins when a man comes to Andy's office to confess that he was the one who killed the cop. Even though he doesn't take the case, because of lawyer-client privilege, he can't tell anyone what he has learned. So he volunteers to defend the man the police arrest for the crime even though he is a major slimeball and someone Laurie has been watching because he sold drugs to a young daughter of a friend.Andy is also busy getting used to the idea that he is now a multi-millionaire and is helping the man he saved from death row get a multi-million dollar settlement from the men who framed him for the crime. When Laurie is arrested, and the evidence looks like she committed the murder, Andy needs to get serious about finding out who is trying to frame her.I like that Andy is irreverent and has a smart mouth. I like that he is dedicated to his clients. I liked the courtroom drama and the legal maneuvering.Grover Gardner did a great job of making Andy Carpenter a character worth knowing.
    • 5/5
      Somehow I missed this second in the series and ready three and four first. No matter, I'm all caught up and this one was as good as the rest. I really like these people. This time lawyer Andy Carpenter is defending his girlfriend (and chief investigator) on murder charges.
    • 4/5
      Liked this mystery and enjoyed seeing return characters from book one. The only thing that bothered me was that this was another case where the individual was framed, which was the case in the first book. There's humor, some suspense and interesting characters. Although the dogs are important to the characters, they aren't made to see like human beings or have human smarts. Just dog smarts, So very good.
    • 5/5
      I don't know what kept me from this series for so long; it pushes all the right buttons for me. Nice, convoluted mystery, humor, dogs, and a wonderful cast of slightly oddball characters. I may not know what kept me from this series, but I do know that I intend to savor every single one. Who knows? There may be an Andy Carpenter Week (or two) in my future.In this second book of the series, Andy is gathering together a first-rate "family." We're introduced to the very scary Marcus, whom Rosenfelt admitted he modeled after Robert B. Parker's Hawk in his Spenser series. Willie Miller, whom Andy defended in an earlier trial, makes himself at home with Andy and Laurie, and then there's the brilliant lawyer Kevin Randall who quit practicing because he couldn't face the possibility of either sending an innocent man to prison or letting a guilty man go free. And then there's Tara, the golden retriever that only seems to leave Andy's side... for Laurie's. This is ensemble casting at its best, ready and willing to expand for characters like Barry Leiter, a young man with a short role who punches a hole straight through your gut.I would imagine that all true dog lovers like me roll their eyes whenever a normally well-behaved dog starts barking up a storm and its human ignores all the fuss. Well, that happens in First Degree, too, and I'm hoping that Andy learns to pay attention.First Degree has a marvelous cast, laugh-out-loud humor, and a fun mystery with plenty of twists. As I read, I knew the identity of "Mr. Big," but I certainly hadn't filled in all the particulars. Now that I've read the first two books in the series, all I can say is that I'm looking forward to book three with a definite twinkle in my eye. Haven't made Andy Carpenter's acquaintance? There's no time like the present!
    • 5/5
      I absolutely love the Andy Carpenter stories. David Rosenfelt's writing reminds me of another favorite author, Harlan Coben.
      In this 2nd installment, fresh off his divorce and with millions inherited from his father's death, Andy and Laurie Collins, his investigator, have been dating for some time. Andy hasn't taken another case since he successfully defended Willie Miller 6 months earlier. Andy has been content to try to think of how to spend his millions on charity and play with his rescued golden retriever, Tara.
      One day, the officer with whom Laurie had a beef with in the police department, Alex Dorsey, is murdered, and a man comes to Andy's office asking Andy to represent him. The man gives Andy some information about the murder, but Andy declines to take him on as a client.
      Then someone else that Laurie disliked, Oscar Garcia, is arrested for the murder of Dorsey. Since Andy knows that someone else confessed to the murder, Andy wants to defend Oscar, but Laurie asks him not to do so. Andy can't tell Laurie why he wants to defend Oscar, and she reluctantly agrees to help Andy investigate the case.
      Then, things go haywire. Tables are turned, and Andy and Laurie are in the fight of their lives. Evidence is stacked against them, corruption is exposed, connections to the mob are uncovered, and still Andy and Laurie are looking for a way out.
      David Rosenfelt eases the tension of a murder trial with unsavory characters with his wisecracking and humorous attorney, Andy Carpenter. Andy's love for Laurie, and also for Tara, comes through loud and clear. I love how he portrays Willie in this book, not concerned with money, but with doing the right thing.
      Truly enjoyable, with all the right touches of a mystery / thriller. Well done!
      #FirstDegree #DavidRosenfelt
    • 5/5
      the-mob, law-enforcement, lawyers, murder, friendship, suspense After enjoying this year's addition to a great series of books that I didn't know existed, I am working on some of the earlier ones, not because it's necessary to appreciate any one of them but because I'm nosy and wanted to see how the animal shelter got its start. Hah! You thought the only important characters have two legs. The publisher's blurb is adequate without going overboard, and spoilers are just dumb. I really enjoyed the plot, suspense, and ALL of the characters. I like that Grover Gardner was chosen as narrator because I love listening to him.
    • 5/5
      It's been a while since Andy has had a client. He doesn't need to work, having been left a fortune by his father. But he is about to begin the most important case of his career. Author David Rosenfelt has written a compelling and suspenseful mystery complete with continuing characters as well as some new ones. Well-written, this fast-paced thriller will keep you turning pages unti the very end.
    • 3/5
      Another good mystery & tense court room drama as Andy protects the innocent. Gardner did a great job of reading it again, too. For the most part, the mystery & evidence was pretty well done, although there was some predictability & I felt like kicking him for missing the obvious a couple of times. One thing in particular bothered me - the gas can. One was found at the scene with gas mixed with propane in it. Propane? That's a gas as far as I know. Never heard of anyone mixing it with gas. Another gas can with the same mix was found in Laurie's garage & no one asked the obvious question - why 2? How many suburbanites have 2 cans of the same gas around? I keep 2 around, but I have a lawn tractor that uses a full tank (4 gallons) each time I mow everything plus I use the gas to mix up other cans for the weedeaters & chainsaws.

      Fun characters & they like dogs, which is a plus. I'll disagree with Andy. His Golden Retriever, Tara, might be a great dog, but the BEST dog is my English Pointer, Lily. Ah well, we can let that slide.
      ;-)

      I'm going to listen to another soon. They're short & fun.
    • 4/5
      This early Andy Carpenter mystery has the suspense and laugh-out-loud humor of his later books, and helps set the stage for later events. When the body of a crooked cop is found burned and the head missing, events unfold until Andy's girlfriend Laura is arrested for his murder, Of course, he undertakes her defense in spite of difficult odds.
    • 3/5
      Second book in the Andy Carpenter series. Okay not great.
    • 4/5
      Yikes, 12 days in to the new year, and I'm just now finishing my first book of the year? I had trouble getting into a book, but I'm glad I stuck with this one. I've only recently discovered Rosenfelt and am enjoying his voice and getting to know his characters.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in the Andy Carpenter legal procedural series. Like Rosenfelt’s other books in this series, it’s part crime novel and part stand-up comedy.Andy’s girlfriend and researcher, Laurie Collins, is framed for the murder of a corrupt policeman, Alex Dorsey. But why? No one is sure. In fact, they’re not even sure Dorsey is really dead. Laurie really can’t afford to defend herself, but fortunately, Andy’s father left him twenty-two million dollars when he died. It was a surprise for Andy, and he’s still trying to figure out what to do with it all. But for a start, he’ll defend Laurie.Andy brings in some talented help to make his case: Kevin Randall, a part-time lawyer and part-time owner of a “law-dromat" (wash your clothes and get legal advice at the same time); Pete Stanton, his buddy on the police force; and Marcus Hand, an investigator that has a way of intimidating the information out of people just by looking at them. He also ends up convincing FBI Agent Cindy Spodek to help even at considerable risk to herself. Most unexpectedly, he gets assistance from Willie Miller, a man Andy got released from death row, where Willie had been held after being framed for murder. All these very likable characters come back in other books in the series.Evaluation: The crime plot line isn’t the most original, but the endearingly goofy characters and wise-cracking dialogue make it all worthwhile.
    • 4/5
      It's fast and fun and thoroughly enjoyable. A decent legal drama with characters you like and can believe, with a large dash of funny thrown in.No point in going over the story... it's not a difficult story to follow and seems to be wrapped up just a bit too quickly and conveniently and the underlying "frame job" doesn't quite ring true (i.e., the reason why would anyone bother going through all the effort to do the frame job is not really clear.)Regardless, however, it's a pleasant fun read and I'm off to get the next in the Carpenter series.
    • 5/5
      Attorney Andy Carpenter has been basking in the notoriety he gained by proving a client on death row innocent while living off the millions he inherited from his father. Andy has been more occupied lately with hanging out with Tara, the “best dog in the universe”, and trying to find a worthy charity to share his money with, and isn’t in too big of a hurry to get back in the courtroom. But when his investigator/lover Laurie Collins is arrested for the brutal death of a policeman she filed an ethics charge against, Andy’s on the case and ready to defend Laurie against a frame-up. But the evidence against Laurie keeps stacking up and Andy is faced with a formidable challenge: how to convince the jury of Laurie’s innocence. This witty courtroom drama bypasses many of the same genre simply because it’s so much fun to read. Characters are well-developed and especially appealing is Tara, a dog Andy rescues from doggy death row at the animal shelter and to whom Andy is totally committed. There are plenty of legal maneuverings wrapped around a mystery that at times seems unsolvable. Rosenfelt’s first-tense presentation is filled with witty cynicisms amid an intriguing, fast-paced plot.
    • 4/5
      Andy Carpenter is back! And, he's back with his girlfriend, PI Laurie Collins. The good news is that Andy's circumstances allow him to pick and choose what clients he wants to represent. The bad news is he has accepted Laurie as his client when she is accused of murder.This is actually my third encounter with Andy, but First Degree is the second in the series. What I enjoy most is Andy's wit and the courtroom scenes. While there are still murder scenes and maybe a tense scene, here or there, Rosenfelt writes with a flow that makes me feel comfortable and one that has continually pleased. The ending in this one had some spots that were too pat, but still enjoyable. I look forward to Bury the Lead. (4/5)Originally posted on: Thoughts of Joy
    • 4/5
      great mystery, awesome narrator