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4.0 out of 5 stars
No Sophomore Jinx Here!, May 1 2004
David Rosenfelt's second novel, "First Degree", pretty much picks up where his highly acclaimed and immensely enjoyable debut, "Open and Shut", left off. Back is wise-cracking defense attorney Andy Carpenter, "Law-dromat" lawyer Kevin Randall, investigator/girlfriend Laurie Collins, and of course Tara, Carpenter's golden retriever. Even Willie Miller, the death-row inmate Carpenter defends in his first book, is back starring in a mostly unnecessary sub-plot. But if you enjoyed "Open and Shut", you'll certainly find the pace, style, and settings of "First Degree" comfortable. So comfortable, in fact, that reading "Open and Shut" is almost prerequisite, at least if you want to have any clue to the source Carpenter's mysterious inheritance and the imprisonment of his Senator ex-father-in-law which are frequently referenced in the new story."First Degree" gets off to a fast start with the gruesome discovery of the headless and charred body of Alex Dorsey, a Patterson police lieutenant with a shady history. Shortly after the murder, a mysterious visitor shows up in Andy's office, confesses to being Dorsey's killer and, in the process, drops some clues regarding the murder that only those responsible for the crime would know. This leads to a series of events that ends in the arrest of Laurie Collins for the murder of Dorsey. Laurie indeed may have a motive: as a former Patterson cop, she blew the whistle on Dorsey's unsavory activities, but was unsuccessful in making the charges stick. With Laurie now in the hot seat, Andy and Kevin team up again, defending her against what appears to be a carefully concocted frame job. What follows is some compelling courtroom drama, spiced Andy's bizarre but now-legendary defense antics, paced with a satisfying blend of humor and cynicism. It is a well crafted who-dun-nit, with enough suspense and thrills to keep the pages turning. Like "Open and Shut", this is fast reading, and the sheer adrenalin will keep many reading cover-to-cover in a single setting. My only real criticism of "First Degree" is the ending. The book could have ended very successfully on page 224. Instead, Rosenfelt adds another seven pages - I guess he felt the need for one more twist - that falls flat in a wholly unbelievable "second" climax that was not only unnecessary, but casts a pall over an otherwise terrific story. Nonetheless, Rosenfelt has avoided the sophomore jinx, and turned out another first-rate crime novel. I'll look forward to his third, "Bury the Dead", to be released in June.
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by David Rosenfelt
by David Rosenfelt
by David Rosenfelt
by David Rosenfelt
by David Rosenfelt
