Open and Shut

In David Rosenfelt's Open and Shut, the first installment in the Andy Carpenter legal mystery series, this debut has plenty of twists and turns along the way in this compelling novel. For Andy Carpenter, it all started when his father asks him to perform a retrial for one of his clients who was going on Death row. When his father died, he discovered a windfall of money and a mystery photograph. When Andy took on the case to defend Willie Miller's innocence, a couple of people would do anything to stop him from going further. From death threats to being a shot out, he would stop anything to clear his name. While he continued to dig deeper on why he became rich and the connection to the photograph, it brought him and his assistant closer, while things didn't work out with his wife Nicole.  One by one, the mystery unraveled with a missing link, and it lead straight to a shocking conclusion between the past and present with a surprise twist in the end that hits close to home.

This was a compelling mystery that's set in the legal scene. I began to like Andy and how he made his father proud to see it through. I did wish things worked out with Nicole, but his father-in-law continued to get in the way. He had gotten his comeuppance in spades, when he wanted him to drop it. I also felt bad for Willie being framed for a crime he didn't dare commit as the real bad guys covered it up and sabotaged Andy's valiant efforts to clear his name. I do see him falling for Laurie and I adored Tara. I loved the New Jersey and New York City locations in the tri-state area. As a former New Jersey girl, it made me feel like home. You'll be rooting for Andy as he later became triumphant and found nailed the bad guys to provide justice where they belong in bars. This has non-stop action, drama, intrigue and a hint of mystery along the way.

Will you check out Open and Shut today?