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Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery (Chet and Bernie Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Spencer Quinn
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (591 customer reviews)


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Featured Author: Spencer Quinn
Read an excerpt from Spencer Quinn's Dog on It [PDF].

Book Description

February 10, 2009 Chet and Bernie Mysteries
In this, their first adventure, Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of Madison, a teenage girl who may or may not have been kidnapped, but who has definitely gotten mixed up with some very unsavoury characters. A well-behaved, gifted student, she didn't arrive home after school and her divorced mother is frantic. Bernie is quick to take the case - something about a cash flow problem that Chet's not all that clear about - and he's relieved, if vaguely suspicious, when Madison turns up unharmed with a story that doesn't add up. But when she disappears for a second time in a week, Bernie and Chet aren't taking any chances; they launch a full-blown investigation. Without a ransom demand, they're not convinced it's a kidnapping, but they are sure of one thing: something smells funny.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Set in the Valley of an unnamed Western state, Quinn's winning debut introduces one smart canine detective and his partner, PI Bernie Little of the Little Detective Agency, who's pretty quick on the uptake himself. Chet, a lively mongrel with one white ear and one black ear, serves as the book's narrator, communicating with Bert via doggy methods that verge on the telepathic (I wagged my tail, that quick one-two wag meaning yes, not the over-the-top one that wags itself and can mean lots of things). Wealthy divorcée Cynthia Chambliss hires Bernie, a former cop, to find her missing 15-year-old daughter, Madison, whose father is a real estate developer who smells suspiciously of cat. (Chet's keen sense of smell comes in handy.) When Madison reappears and disappears again, her dad says she's just a runaway, though Bernie thinks otherwise. Chet must use all his superdog tricks to extricate Bernie from a mighty tight fix in a climax that fans of classic mysteries are sure to appreciate. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* An exciting new mystery series debuts with this first Chet and Bernie novel. Chet the Jet is a dog who failed K-9 school (cats in the open country played a role in his demise), but now he is a dedicated PI and works with Bernie, owner of the Little Detective Agency. The story is told entirely from Chet’s point of view, which will delight dog-loving mystery readers, but the book is also an excellent PI tale, dogs aside, as Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl whose developer dad may be up to no good. Chet may not understand things like maps (he doesn’t need them, as he can sniff his way home), but he is a great sleuth who finds the girl and solves the case. The always upbeat Chet may well be one of the most appealing new detectives on the block, but conscientious, kind, and environmentally aware Bernie is a close runner-up. Excellent and fully fleshed primary and secondary characters, a consistently doggy view of the world, and a sprightly pace  make this a not-to-be-missed debut. Essential for all mystery collections and for dog lovers everywhere. --Jessica Moyer

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 305 pages
  • Publisher: Atria Books; First Edition edition (February 10, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1416585834
  • ISBN-13: 978-1416585831
  • Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (591 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Spencer Quinn lives on Cape Cod with his dog, Audrey. He is currently working on the next Chet and Bernie novel.

Customer Reviews

A very interesting story with well developed characters. Kandy Kay Scaramuzzo  |  154 reviewers made a similar statement
As Chet is the narrator the story is told from a dog's eye point of view. algerina  |  92 reviewers made a similar statement
I started reading and did not put it down until i finished the book. joyce  |  72 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
146 of 155 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Not Noir February 22, 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The 41 reviewers who preceded me pretty much say it all about this book. It's WONDERFUL. I just want to add a couple thoughts.

I don't think this book can be categorized as noir. Chet, the dog, is not so much hard-boiled as simply being his animal self. Unsentimental. Non-judgmental. Ready to eat at every opportunity.

The dog-as-narrator conceit was used most realistically by the author in that Chet is not made to be (or think he is) smarter than Bernie. Most charming was the way Mr. Quinn captures the spirit of Chet who lives in the moment, filled with a joie de vivre at the pleasures of life: fresh water, riding shotgun in a car, a good nap.

Please, Amazon, find out when the next Chet and Bernie story is due. I want to pre-order.
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65 of 68 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great New Shaggy Gumshoe January 26, 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This is great new voice in detective fiction.

And in detective fiction, voice is critical. At the end of the day, we come back to Kinsey Milhone or Stephanie Plum or Marcus Didius Falco because we want to spend more time with the character.

Chet is a great central voice. Quinn doesn't play cute and he doesn't gimmick up the story. There are many ways that the notion of a canine main character could go horribly wrong, and Quinn avoids them all.

Chet is out of the gumshoe tradition, looking out for his down-on-his-luck partner Bernie:

"She got out of the car, a tall woman with long fair hair and a smell of flowers and lemons, plus a trace of another smell that reminded me of hat happens only sometimes to the females in my world. What would that be like, having it turned on all the time? Probably drive you crazy. I glanced at Bernie, watching her, patting his hair into place. Oh, Bernie."

Chet has the hard-boiled nerve, the observational skills, the running internal commentary of a classic detective, but he has his appropriately dog-like qualities as well-- an occasional attention span issue, as well a tendency to act, now and then, literally before he realizes he has done it.

The set-up of the mystery is interesting, the solution interesting but not entirely surprising. And Quinn does fall back on one whopper of a coincidence to save the day at one point.

But Chet and Bernie are a fun and entertaining team, and Quinn is a prose master. If you read detective fiction for the main character or because you believe it's where much of the best writing is done, this one is for you. It probably adds a bit if you have a dog of your own, but that's not a requirement to enjoy this excellent first outing.
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34 of 37 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly creative and fun to read!!! February 9, 2009
Format:Hardcover
Incredibly creative and fun to read!!! I love that the book is written from the dogs perspective. Absoultely ingenious. I couldn't stop laughing. If you love dogs, you will love this book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Good boy.
I enjoyed the writing from the dog's point of view. This one was very entertaining and I love the doggie dialogue.
Published 19 minutes ago by Terry Potter
4.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed this book
I enjoyed the story from the dog's point of view. They're often smarter than we give them credit for. The story was an added benefit
Published 2 hours ago by sallucas
5.0 out of 5 stars More charm
It is important to read A Cat Was Involved first, to understand the characters and then this will continue to delight and entertain you. Read more
Published 4 hours ago by Matt
3.0 out of 5 stars Clever idea
I liked the story well enough, and the dog's POV is amusing, but I probably would not look at others in the series.
Published 4 hours ago by Mil Nicholson
5.0 out of 5 stars Josie
I really enjoyed this book. I was amused how easily the writer, the dog, was an intricate part of the investigation one minute and distracted by the smell of bacon the next. Read more
Published 6 hours ago by Jerry Cvach
5.0 out of 5 stars The case according to Chet
Everything to like about these mysteries from the point of view of Chet, Partner to Bernie head of the Little Detective Agency
Published 15 hours ago by Judith Ann Abbott
5.0 out of 5 stars Dog On It
Chet and Bernie mysteries are the best!
I enjoy every one of his stories.
Will buy each one that comes out.
Published 1 day ago by Angela Greven
5.0 out of 5 stars Dog on It
Great writing from a dog's point of view.A light reader just what I like.Can't wait to read the whole series.
Published 1 day ago by Mary B.
3.0 out of 5 stars A unique perspective
Being a long-time dog person, I greatly enjoyed a mediocre mystery told in the wise-cracking way of a faithful dog. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Bob Dickey
5.0 out of 5 stars Makes me laugh!
I have recommended this book to other mystery lovers and dog lovers. It's not very often that a book makes me laugh out loud, and I found myself laughing every couple of pages. Read more
Published 2 days ago by Maureen Wright
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