Holy Chow (Andy Carpenter, #25)

by David Rosenfelt

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Holy Chow is the 25th (!!!) Andy Carpenter legal procedural mystery by David Rosenfelt. Due out 5th July 2022 from Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 304 pages and will be available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately; it makes it so easy to find information with the search function.

For current fans of the series, this is a good one. It's full of the same sarcastic, warm humor and the same ensemble cast as previous entries in the series (with the absence of Edna, who's currently in the Caribbean planning her wedding). Andy Carpenter is, of course, central to the story and still trying to figure out how to stay retired and avoid working. This is such a long running and consistently well written series that saying it's "more of the same, worked around a different mystery" should be enough of a recommendation by itself. Although it's the 25th book in the series, the mystery is self contained and the necessary back-story is written in without major spoilers for previous books. I heartily recommend the whole series, but this particular entry is especially strong.

This is pure comfort reading. It's got a likable protagonist, an engaging mystery, humorous dialogue, and a solid climax, denouement, and resolution. (This one is *particularly* exciting and I was honestly a bit afraid of how it would play out - I sometimes think that the Mr. Rosenfelt puts the characters in impossible situations and then tries to figure out how they'll manage to get out of them). I adore Andy's supporting team, especially the Bubeleh Brigade, and I really like how they're warmly and respectfully written. My family's half Jewish and I can honestly *hear* their voices in my head during reading the dialogue

The audiobook has a run time of 6 hours and 27 minutes and is expertly narrated by Grover Gardner who manages to juggle the various accents and characters of all ages and both sexes without problems. I found myself grinning and laughing along several places with the wonderful narration. The read was definitely enhanced by the narrator. The sound and production quality are high throughout the recording. My only tiny complaint about the narration was a couple places in the text which referred to potassium chloride (KCl) which the narrator, Mr. Gardner, reads as "K C I (since the script lower case "L" is easily mistaken for "I"). The formula is only read out in a couple places and probably not at all noticeable for anyone who isn't a chemistry nerd.

Five stars for both the text and audiobook versions. All around fun read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.