Dead Men Don't Play Fetch

Andy Carpenter #33

By: David Rosenfelt

Narrator: Grover Gardner

ISBN: 9781250427625

Publisher: Minotaur Books | St Martin's Press

Publication Date: 07/07/2026

Format: Other

My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)

JUL 2026 MUST-READ BOOKS

Bestselling author David Rosenfelt returns with Dead Men Don't Play Fetch as Andy Carpenter investigates a wealthy dog lover's unusual death.

It’s defense lawyer Andy Carpenter’s dream to retire. That goal is once again thwarted when he gets a call from Lou, an old friend who he simply cannot refuse, asking for a favor. Lou runs a rehab center, and when one of his patients, a homeless vet, is charged with first-degree murder, he needs Andy's help. And of course, Andy will also be called on to care for the accused’s dog, but that’s okay, what's one more dog?

The man that Jason Maddox is accused of stabbing to death is none other than billionaire Paul Vincent, an eccentric businessman and inventor. Bickert dedicated a great portion of his life to philanthropy, with a soft spot for dog-related causes. This led him to befriend Jason, a physicist and war hero, whose life fell apart to the point where he ended up on the streets with his dog, just trying to survive.

But why would Jason possibly have wanted to kill him? Well, for one thing, he was to receive a fortune in Vincent's will. That, coupled with the fact that Jason was at the scene, his fingerprints were on the knife, and Vincent's wallet was in his jacket, made it a slam-dunk arrest.

Once again, Andy is enmeshed in a puzzling, twisty case. But to reunite a man and his dog, Andy will have to untangle it all.

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My Review

"Andy Carpenter's dream of permanent retirement is shattered when he is called to defend a homeless war hero framed for a billionaire's murder."

In Dead Men Don't Play Fetch, (Andy Carpenter #33) Edgar-nominated author David Rosenfelt delivers a wonderfully witty, fast-paced, and effortlessly entertaining New Jersey courtroom legal mystery novel.

The story hinges on a reluctant, dog-loving defense attorney navigating immense professional and systemic hurdles to exonerate a homeless veteran framed for a high-profile billionaire murder.

Irreverent courtroom legal strategy vs. an ironclad murder setup. A lawyer's desperate dream of permanent retirement turns into a high-stakes, paranoid investigation when a routine favor for a friend forces him to dismantle a complex frame-job and care for yet another rescue dog.

Elevator Pitch

A charming, quick-witted legal thriller following millionaire defense attorney Andy Carpenter as he reluctantly stalls his retirement to defend a homeless war hero accused of stabbing an eccentric, dog-loving billionaire to death.

Review Breakdown

Intro

Defense attorney Andy Carpenter wants nothing more than to finally retire and run his dog rescue organization, the Tara Foundation. But his plans are instantly shattered when his old friend Lou Campanelli calls in a major favor. One of Lou’s rehab patients—Jason Maddox, a brilliant former physicist and war hero who has fallen on hard times—is arrested for the brutal stabbing death of eccentric tech billionaire Paul Vincent.

The police consider it an open-and-shut case: Jason was found at the scene, his fingerprints are on the knife, Vincent's wallet is in his pocket, and he stands to inherit a massive fortune in Vincent's will. Andy steps in to defend the veteran, and naturally, takes in Jason's beloved dog, embarking on a twisty legal battle to prove his client was meticulously set up.

Series

Book 33 of 34 in the highly acclaimed, long-running Andy Carpenter mystery series.

Setting

The familiar, bustling streets and formal courtrooms of Paterson and northern New Jersey contrast with the hyper-wealthy estates of tech inventors.

Vibe

Wry, comfortingly formulaic, and highly addictive. It delivers the fast-moving legal wit and animal-centric charm of a classic Rosenfelt novel, matching the lighthearted investigative momentum of Janet Evanovich.

Genre

Legal Thriller / Traditional Detective Mystery / Cozy Procedural.

Themes

~The Systematic Failure & Marginalization of Homeless Veterans

~The Deep-Seated Greed Surrounding Massive Corporate Inheritances

~The Incorruptible Loyalties Found in the Canine Bond

~The Futility of Retiring from a Lifelong Legal Calling

Standout Characters

~Andy Carpenter: The snarky, millionaire defense attorney whose lazy exterior masks a fiercely sharp legal mind and a massive soft spot for rescue animals.

~Jason Maddox: The framed homeless veteran and former physicist who must trust Andy's team to navigate a mountain of fabricated evidence.

~The Accused's Dog: The loyal canine companion who serves as the ultimate motivation for Andy to break his retirement and win the case.

Author Writing Standout

David Rosenfelt showcases his signature gift for laugh-out-loud courtroom comedy and sharp legal maneuvering. He packs the narrative with quick, breezy chapters, expert red herrings, and a brilliant legal defense strategy that completely revitalizes the classic whodunit layout.

Takeaway

A flawless frame-job by an anonymous killer can trick the police, but it cannot survive a defense lawyer fueled by a love for dogs and an absolute hatred of working hard.

Title Significance

Dead Men Don't Play Fetch functions as a classic, humorous Rosenfelt play on words—subverting a grim murder mystery element into a lighthearted nod to the rescue dogs that perpetually anchors the series.

Metaphor

Vincent's multi-million-dollar will serves as a flawless metaphor—a highly polished, philanthropic document on the outside that breeds lethal, predatory greed among those lurking in its shadows.

Why You Should Read

Having read every single book in this series, I can safely say that stepping back into Andy's world feels like catching up with old friends, making this an absolute must-read for lifelong fans.

My Thoughts

HAVING READ EVERY SINGLE BOOK IN THIS SERIES, ROSENFELT NEVER MISSES. "A comforting, delightfully snarky, and exceptionally clever legal mystery that delivers pure courtroom perfection for dog lovers."

The narrative pacing is pure comfort-food perfection. Rosenfelt delivers the goods flawlessly. The dialogue is incredibly snarky, the mystery has a phenomenal turn of the screw, and the legal courtroom scenes are written with fantastic strategic precision.

Audio 🎧Standout

GROVER GARDNER DELIVERS AN ELITE, EARPHONES-AWARD-WORTHY PERFORMANCE.

"The definitive voice of Andy Carpenter returns with his signature New Jersey cadence, capturing every ounce of dry wit and self-effacing humor."

Listening to the audiobook narrated by the legendary Grover Gardner is an elite, mandatory experience. Having listened to him for years, Gardner's performance style is celebrated for perfectly capturing Andy's specific northern New Jersey accent, cynical cadence, and dry, self-effacing delivery. His vocal consistency across this massive series effortlessly distinguishes between Andy's snappy courtroom theatrics and his tender heart for his canine co-stars.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

"A stellar, five-star legal thriller that proves book thirty-three is just as delightfully witty and engaging as the first."

Recs

Read this if you devoured the entire Andy Carpenter catalog, The #1 Lawyer by James Patterson, or the witty Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben.

🐕Dog Centric:

~A Chet and Bernie Mystery Series by Spencer Quinn

~Melanie Travis Mystery Series by Laurien Berenson

Special thanks to Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio #MacAudio2026, and Netgalley for sharing an advanced reading and listening copy for my honest thoughts>

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks

Pub Date July 7, 2026

My Rating: 5 Stars

July Newsletter

July 2026 Must-Read Books

Praise

“[An] unfailingly entertaining series.”

―Kirkus Reviews

“I laughed out loud at least six times while reading David Rosenfelt's latest Andy Carpenter courtroom murder trial...Add several loud guffaws and a tee-hee per page and you've covered Dead Men Don’t Play Fetch…Sharing time with Andy is time well spent.”

―David Rothenberg on WBAI/RADIO

About the Author

DAVID ROSENFELT is the Edgar-nominated and Shamus Award–winning author of almost 30 Andy Carpenter novels, including Dog Day Afternoon; several stand-alone thrillers; nonfiction titles; and several K Team novels, a series featuring some of the characters from the Andy Carpenter series. After years of living in California, he and his wife moved to Maine with twenty-five of the four thousand dogs they have rescued. WEBSITE