On the HahaFiction shelf
Open and Shut
Andy Carpenter · Book 1 · 2002
Andy Carpenter’s father leaves him two surprises: a fortune he cannot explain and a request to defend a convicted murderer. As the New Jersey lawyer takes Willie Miller’s case toward retrial, questions about his father’s past become dangerous to ask.
From the publisher’s blurb
“Andy prefers the company of his best friend, Tara, to the people he encounters in the courtroom.”Read the full description at Grand Central Publishing description
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What makes it funny?
Andy’s courtroom behavior can test the patience of the very people he needs to persuade. Kirkus describes judges and juries irritated by his antics, while the publisher’s description ranks his golden retriever Tara above much of the legal profession for intelligence.
The comedy at work
A defense attorney’s job requires persuasion and tact, and Andy’s wisecracks make that harder. His distrust of important people gives the legal maneuvering a running comic edge.
Try this if…
Courtroom-mystery readers who enjoy an argumentative, irreverent lead have a clear point of entry. Readers in book groups also recommend the continuing Andy Carpenter series to dog lovers.
Good to know
The case involves a death-row retrial, political secrets and racial tension. Threats and physical violence accompany the jokes. Readers recommend starting the continuing series with this book.
More funny crime & thriller
Sources & further reading
- Kirkus review
Review
- Fantastic Fiction: first Andy Carpenter novel
Book information
- Publisher: ebook and description
Publisher
- Reader discussion
Reader discussion
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