Bury the Lead  
By David Rosenfelt

    Andy Carpenter, now an independently wealthy New Jersey lawyer, has founded a dog shelter named after his pet golden retriever, The Tara Foundation. With Willie Miller, whom he successfully defended in a wrongfully-incarcerated suit, in charge of the shelter, he has nothing more pressing to do than relax and watch the sports on TV. He has no pressure to take any law cases unless he so desires.

     Vince Saunders, his friend, editor of the local newspaper, hires him to investigate the case of one of Sander's reporters, Daniel Cummings, who has been a serial killer's contact during a series of brutal murder in which the killer cuts off the victim's hands. There seems to be no reason for the killer to have selected Cummings to be his sounding board. When the police find Cummings at the scene of the latest killing, they arrest him, believing him to be the murderer.

     Andy, with the assistance of his girl friend Laurie, a former police officer who now has her own PI business, investigates, trying to find the connection between the murdered women and the reason for the severed hands. What they find are disturbing facts about Cumming's past which have led to these crimes.

      This is Rosenfeld's third novel featuring Andy Carpenter, an extremely likeable character. We are reacquainted with Carpenter's quirky friends: the "inner circle" which includes Willie who runs the animal shelter; Kevin, Andy's Laundromat-owning associate; Freddie Connor, stockbroker; cousin Edna; and Laurie, his former police woman girlfriend. The circle decides on investment alternatives: in this case coffee futures. Their illogical decisions, as opposed to Andy’s, always seem to make money. There is much humor in dealing with these which, together with the witty dialogue, makes this an enjoyable read.