'TWAS THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

4 stars out of 5

Honestly, I'm not altogether sure what Christmas has to do with the story here except that the events transpire over the holiday season, but it's a fun tale anyhow - especially since it's got plenty of the courtroom drama I love best. It does begin at an early holiday party at the Tara Foundation, a dog rescue organization founded and run by Andy, a canine lover who's also an attorney. Near the end of the evening, foster volunteer Derek Moore, a local businessman, is arrested for murder.

Needless to say, Moore vehemently denies he did the dirty deed. He does not deny, however, that he's in New Jersey's Witness Protection Program under his new name after having ratted on a nasty gang to which he admittedly once belonged. But the evidence against him is almost overwhelming - almost too much to be believable; but clearly, Moore (actually Robert "Bobby" Klaster) desperately needs a lawyer, so who better than his friend Andy?

Even though there's a real possibility that Bobby is being framed for the murder, Andy quickly realizes that proving it will be an uphill battle; the best he can do, most likely, is create reasonable doubt. As the investigation moves along - aided by Andy's wife, ex-cop Laurie Collins, and other familiar (this is the 28th book in the series) and likable team members Cory, Sam and Marcus (the latter a bruiser capable of giving anybody a bump in the night to remember), they may not be much closer to finding a motive - or who's out to get Bobby - but they do discover that a plan with far-reaching ramifications may be in the works.

So carefully, Andy and the crew follow clues, with the primary objective of keeping Bobby out of jail for the rest of his life. As I mentioned before, much of the story - narrated by Andy - takes place in the courtroom, where Andy can show off his considerable chops and humorous asides. It's a very entertaining addition to the series, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

'Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt (Minotaur Books, October 2023); 304 pp.