Rosenfelt returns with a thriller

David Rosenfelt is known for his legal thrillers filled with wry humor. His latest, The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, is heartwarming and ingeniously plotted.

Andy Carpenter is a criminal defense attorney. He rarely takes cases, having inherited a fortune from his father. But Carpenter loves dogs, so he's eager to help a woman who's known as "Pups" because she takes care of abandoned puppies. Pups' problem? A newcomer to her neighborhood has complained to the local zoning board that she has more dogs than are allowed per household.

Carpenter shows the absurdity of the regulation and gets her a waiver to keep the puppies. Within a few hours, the newcomer is found murdered and Pups is arrested. She was seen running from his house, and the gun that killed him is found in her basement.