review - sudden death

“Sudden Death”
David Rosenfelt
(Mysterious Press)

I really wanted to like “Sudden Death,” the newest novel by David Rosenfelt. The writer had two things going for him: good credentials (an Edgar Award nomination for his mystery “Open and Shut”) and the fact that although I am a girly girl who clutches her copy of “Bridget Jones” with reckless abandon, I love a good sports story. Sadly, “Sudden Death” failed to deliver that clinching touchdown.

Lawyer Andy Carpenter has handled a few high-profile cases in the past, but none that compare to this one: New York Giants star running back Kenny Schilling has just been accused of murdering Troy Preston (falsely identified on the book jacket as “Tony”), a player for the New York Jets. The evidence is pretty damning: Troy’s body was discovered in Kenny’s house after an O.J.-style police standoff. Even Andy’s not convinced Kenny is innocent, but he’s willing to try, especially after he discovers footballer Troy doubled as a drug dealer with mafia connections.

But tussling with the mafia isn’t exactly the path to a long and healthy life. As Andy and his team (girlfriend and private investigator Laurie, Hollywood screenwriter Adam, accountant Sam) uncover a string of more mysterious deaths connected to Kenny, one happens upon something that ends in another murder – a tragic event that changes the direction of the case entirely. The twist ending and final reveal is intriguing, but it ultimately suffers from poor foreshadowing and a complicated and confusing lead-in that diminishes the blow like a set of heavy football pads.

The subplot where Andy fears that Laurie is leaving him to return to her hometown would have been more touching if Andy were a bit less immature. Although his love for his dog Tara (something he shares with author Rosenfelt) is bound to endear him to a legion of readers, his yearning to become a place-kicker for the Giants is just as likely to be a bullet point under “No” in a Cosmo “Is your man a keeper?” survey. In a world of crime novels filled with hard-ass cops and lawyers, I’m sure man-boy Andy is supposed to be a breath of fun and fresh air, but to this chick who’s dated more than her share of less-than-grown up guys, he’s more annoying than a Dennis Miller color commentary.

If you like your mysteries in oversized font, with twists as exciting as a made-for-cable movie, and filled with pop culture references that stink of 2003, (the trial is “more fascinating and exciting than whether Britney and Justin will get back together”) then “Sudden Death” is right in your end zone. But readers hoping for a touchdown will be surprised when they end up tackled for a safety.