ARC Review: Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt

Flop Dead Gorgeous
Author: David Rosenfelt
Series: Andy Carpenter (Book 27)
Publication: Minotaur Books (July 4, 2023)

Description: Lights, camera, action in bestselling author David Rosenfelt’s Flop Dead Gorgeous, as Andy Carpenter goes bicoastal to prove an old friend’s innocence.

Retired lawyer Andy Carpenter remembers every dog that’s come through the Tara Foundation’s doors, but the most well-known alum of the dog rescue organization that Andy founded in Paterson, New Jersey, may be Mamie. Adopted by famous actress Jenny Nichols―Andy’s high school girlfriend―the miniature French poodle is now practically a starlet in her own right.

Andy doesn’t hold it against his friend. In fact, he and his wife, Laurie, have dinner with Jenny while she’s in town filming her next big hit. But after an eventful meal, there’s a plot twist the next morning that none of them see coming: Jenny’s costar is found dead, a knife in his back. It’s not long before Jenny is arrested for the murder and finds herself in need of Andy’s legal services.

While Mamie becomes reacquainted with Tara, Andy’s golden retriever, Andy digs into the lives of the rich and famous.

My Thoughts: In this 27th book in the Andy Carpenter series, Andy is determined to prove that his high school girlfriend turned movie star Jenny Nichols did not stab her co-star in the back and leave his body lying on her kitchen floor. 

The murder victim is Ryan Griffin who made his fortune as a hedge fund manager before deciding he wanted to act and produce movies. Personally, he was a charismatic and charming cheater. His relationship with Jenny was short-lived on her part but he was reluctant to let her go. After making a scene at a welcome party hosted by Andy, his next appearance is as a corpse lying dead in her kitchen.

Andy, who would love to be a retired lawyer, takes on her case but the evidence and the odds are against him, his client, and his team. The evidence clearly points to Jenny as the murderer. But Andy is undaunted and calls his team to action. Sam will look into the cyberworld while Marcus Clark looks into the criminal world. 

Andy comes up with an alternate suspect in a Russian gangster who is somehow connected to the case but has difficulty connecting him to Griffin's murder. However, his investigation does give the FBI enough to take down a Russian cybercriminal. That's good but isn't going to free Jenny or prove her innocent. 

Up until nearly the end of the book, it looks like this is one case that Andy won't be able to win using his legal intelligence and snarky manner. 

I really enjoy Andy's snarky voice and his love of dogs. The dog in this story is a pampered toy poodle named Mamie that Jennie adopted from Andy's foundation. I also enjoy the way Andy and his colleagues investigate crimes. 

Favorite Quote:

Going to a murder scene is like going to Madison Square Garden the morning after a typical Knicks game.

You know something really depressing and ugly happened there the night before, but at the moment it's quiet and sterile. Instead of beer cups and popcorn kernals on the ground, there is blood spatter and chalk outlines. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.