Defense lawyers rarely land a case because of a call from their veterinarian, but that’s what happens to Andy Carpenter in BARK OF NIGHT.

A man dropped off a French bulldog with instructions to euthanize him. But there’s nothing wrong with Truman. As it happens, that particular day Andy is picking up his own dog, Tara, and the vet asks for some advice. See, in addition to defending people accused of a crime, Andy runs a dog rescue. So he scoops up Truman and promises to keep him safe. But the mystery of why someone would pay to put down a perfectly healthy dog still remains. Following the trail --- or, rather, Truman’s microchip info --- Andy and his wife Laurie, an ex-cop, discover some very interesting things. For one, the dog’s owner has been murdered.

"...a seriously clever mystery crafted with humor and intelligence. Andy could land on my list of top five favorite investigative lawyers with his sharp tongue and bendable ethics --- ethics that seem to simply put things right."

The Paterson cops believe they’ve caught their man when they pick up Joey Gamble. However, Andy thinks otherwise. So he agrees to represent Joey (mostly due to Laurie’s insistence, or possibly the guilt trip she lays on him). Whatever the reason, Andy gathers his team together to prove that Joey didn’t do it. But the prosecution’s case is pretty impressive. In his inimitable fashion, Andy thoroughly investigates every nuance of the evidence available to him, some not so available, and some that’s of sketchy provenance. In truth, his methods might push the boundaries of legality, but Laurie tends to keep him on the right side of the law, albeit just barely. Andy will do almost anything to keep an innocent man from going to prison. Almost.

But now the trial is looming, and so far it looks grim for Joey. As Andy worries about how to get his client off, he thinks he sees some light at the end of the tunnel. While digging deeper to find out what really happened to Truman’s owner, the defense team uncovers some disturbing numbers. Could there be more going on than this one death in Paterson? They expand their search efforts and find that, indeed, it appears to be far bigger than anyone imagined. In fact, Paterson might be just the tip of the iceberg. Great, but how will that help their client? Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Read and see.

Andy Carpenter is a self-deprecating lawyer who pokes fun at his own weaknesses, yet he refuses to put up with BS and idiots. That could be because he prefers dogs over humans. He has smarts and a smart mouth, a good nose for a foul smell, and a wicked sense of humor, one that maybe not everyone appreciates, especially his adversaries. Best of all, Andy has a keen sense of fair play. BARK OF NIGHT isn’t a fluff piece, as its name might suggest. Not even close. It’s a seriously clever mystery crafted with humor and intelligence. Andy could land on my list of top five favorite investigative lawyers with his sharp tongue and bendable ethics --- ethics that seem to simply put things right.