First Degree

When the body of a murdered cop turns up burned and decapitated, Andy Carpenter thinks he already has his client — until the police arrest Laurie Collins, his lead investigator and the woman he loves. Suddenly this is no longer just a case. It's personal in every sense, and the stakes couldn't be higher. David Rosenfelt puts Andy in an impossible position: fight for the woman he loves while navigating the kind of legal and moral tangles that would bring most attorneys to their knees. With Tara the golden retriever loyally at his side, Andy digs into a case that grows darker and more complicated the closer he gets to the truth.

What makes this second Andy Carpenter novel so satisfying is Rosenfelt's ability to balance genuine tension with sharp, self-deprecating humor without letting either undercut the other. Andy's voice is sardonic and quick, but the emotional weight of the story is real. The pacing is tight, the courtroom scenes crackle with procedural authenticity, and the central relationship between Andy and Laurie gives the plot a human core that keeps readers invested well beyond the mystery itself.