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Andy Carpenter rarely takes on cases anymore. He has plenty of money to live on and he's content with running the Tara Foundation. But every so often, a situation comes up where Andy just cannot say no. Such is the case when his buddy, Paterson police officer Pete Stanton calls late one night asking Andy and Laurie to come to a crime scene. Danny Diaz, a former prisoner that Pete has helped in the past called Pete in trouble asking Pete to come to his house, but when Pete arrives, Danny is dead and his son and dog are hiding. Pete wants Andy to investigate who killed Danny and asks that Andy and Laurie take the boy and dog to keep them out of the system. They agree to help, but things take an ugly turn when Pete becomes the main suspect in the murder.
As always, this Andy Carpenter book has a lot of dog time in it at just the right spots to lighten the mood when the facts of Andy's case turns dark. And there is plenty of darkness in this case. At the center of the case is the discovery of a drug aimed at a more humane way to euthanize animals that in the wrong hands can help murderers commit the perfect crime. Along with this scary technology is a great deal of electronic technology exposing just how easily everyday people can be monitored. Quickly the investigation becomes one of throwaway cell phones and GPS tracking via cell phones. By the time a reader is finished any illusion of privacy will be destroyed.
As is the case with any of the Andy Carpenter books, the case itself stands on its own. HOUNDED can be read and enjoyed whether any of the previous books in the series have been read or not. However, there are quite a few characters from previous books that show up in HOUNDED making it perhaps a bit tougher for someone not familiar with the series and its characters to keep track of the people. Besides Andy, Laurie, the Tara Foundation staff and the various characters who aid in Carpenter's investigations, there are a few police officers besides Pete who readers will recognize as well as a crime boss. Many only appear briefly, but often at important times.
Overall, HOUNDED is an excellent addition to the Andy Carpenter series. Fans will be pleased while new readers will certainly enjoy the case though they may struggle to keep up with the characters.
§ Caryn St.Clair resides in University City, Missouri and is a former elementary school media specialist, President of the Parks Commission and a docent at the St.Louis Zoo.
Reviewed by Caryn St Clair, August 2014
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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