Having read or reviewed every book in David Rosenfelt’s series featuring attorney Andy Carpenter, I feel that a certain amount of bonding has occurred between the author and me. Although I have never met Rosenfelt, I think we would enjoy each other’s company. And I would love to join him and some of his characters at Charlie’s, their favorite sports bar, for burgers and beer. Hopefully Andy would pick up the tab, as he always does for those get-togethers.

Andy is a defense lawyer with a very limited clientele. Independently wealthy, he only gets involved in criminal cases for clients he believes are innocent. His wealth also allows him to take on clients without the payment of fees. For those of you who have attorneys as your friends, or have ever dealt with them professionally, you know this is absolute proof that RESCUED and all the other books in this series are works of fiction.

"This series is ideal for vacation reading.... The courtroom scenes have just enough realism to make them compelling, but never get bogged down in legal babel."

As the number of Andy Carpenter novels approaches 20, the formula is well-known to fans. Andy has a team that works on his cases, and in each story we learn a little about all of them. They range from his co-counsel, Hike, a gloomy young attorney who always sees a half-empty glass, to his extraordinary team of elderly pensioner investigators. Andy’s wife Laurie, an ex-police officer, always plays a prominent role in the cases, as does Marcus, his strong and silent security man. By now, those who have been with Andy for the entire series are aware of what each member of the group brings to the table.

Andy and his team are called upon to defend a man whose ties to Andy make the work quite difficult. As an aside, being acquainted with Andy has its advantages and disadvantages. Over the years, quite a few of his friends have found themselves facing serious felony charges. In one instance, Laurie sat in the defendant’s chair. She and Andy were not yet married at the time. His police officer friend, Pete Stanton, is a former client who he successfully represented. He often reminds Pete of that fact when he needs a favor in other cases.

In RESCUED, Andy will be representing Dave Kramer, who happens to be his wife’s ex-fiancé. An ex-marine and former law enforcement officer, he is not your typical defendant. And unlike many of Andy’s clients, Kramer admits to killing Kenny Zimmer. In fact, he left a written note at his home acknowledging shooting the truck driver and directing police to Andy’s place where he would meet them. Quite a start to the case.

Kramer tells Andy and authorities that the shooting was in self-defense. Unfortunately, the evidence supporting that claim appears to have been destroyed, and Andy must find it. Along the way he discovers a financial plot of substantial impact. His cases often produce vast conspiracies that defy belief. RESCUED is one such novel. But that is why these books are fiction. In his own way, Rosenfelt is a New Jersey John Grisham.

Andy has a unique style in the courtroom. He is an envelope pusher. In his battles with prosecutors and judges, he walks right up to the line of contempt but never quite goes over the edge. I no longer appear in court, but if I did, I would save some of Andy’s lines for use as necessary. I do not think he would mind; in fact, he probably would be honored.

This series is ideal for vacation reading. The stories are filled with great banter between the characters, each of whom has a uniqueness that makes him or her an interesting part of the plot. The courtroom scenes have just enough realism to make them compelling, but never get bogged down in legal babel. If you haven’t read a David Rosenfelt novel, it’s never too late to start.