Collared: An Andy Carpenter Mystery

Fans of Edgar-finalist Rosenfelt’s series featuring independently wealthy New Jersey lawyer and dog rescue enthusiast Andy Carpenter will get a jolt when they pick up the outstanding 16th entry (after 2016’s The Twelve Dogs of Christmas): Andy is contemplating letting his law license lapse. His alarmed wife, Laurie, who loves him dearly, doesn’t relish the prospect of having to live with a very bored and very cranky spouse. Luckily, a mysterious woman abandons a border collie at Andy’s dog rescue organization, and a complicated case unfolds that requires the services of a licensed attorney. An implanted microchip identifies the dog as belonging to businesswoman Jill Hickman, whose infant son was abducted from a park three years earlier along with the dog. Neither was ever found until now. With the animal’s sudden reappearance, the investigation is reopened, and Andy, plus his crack team of quirky irregulars, gets on the Hickman kidnapping case. Smart plot twists ensue, and everyone—Andy, Laurie, and readers—are all the happier for it. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (July)