"Dog Tags" (Grand Central Publishing, $24.99), by David Rosenfelt: A murder trial hinges on evidence that only a dog knows the location of in David Rosenfelt's latest novel starring defense attorney Andy Carpenter.
Billy is an ex-cop who lost his leg in a terrorist attack while serving in Iraq. He and his canine partner, Milo, have learned to steal what they need to survive. When his former military commanding officer is murdered in an exchange of vital intelligence, Milo runs off with the papers. Later, Billy ends up in jail and Milo lands in a kennel with a 24-hour guard.
Billy first taps Carpenter to take on the case to free Milo, assuming he himself will be easily acquitted. When he realizes that the evidence overwhelmingly proves his guilt, he asks Carpenter to handle his case as well. Carpenter and Billy must figure out where Milo hid the papers and what the documents contain. To make it even more difficult, a killer is stalking the survivors of the attack Billy endured in Iraq, putting Andy and those around him at risk, and eliminating the only people who can prove Billy's innocence.
Readers who enjoy a juicy courtroom mystery like the best of Perry Mason will find welcome surroundings in "Dog Tags." What sets Rosenfelt apart from his legal compatriots is an underlining sense of laugh-out-loud humor mixed with suspense.
The author and his wife run a foundation specializing in rescuing dogs and finding them good homes. Rosenfelt's love of furry friends shines in the story, creating a read that will appeal to the pet lover in everyone.
Jeff Ayers is the author of "Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion" (Pocket Books, 2006).
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