Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery (1) (The Chet and Bernie Mystery Series)

Chet’s narration makes this a book to read. It is a mix of human interactions and pure dog ADHD! There are lots of old story pieces sprinkled in the dialog as Chet jumps from one smell memory to the next. Makes me interested to find our more, but I am disappointed that these books are not in the “Kindle” library system and the ebooks are very expensive. Not sure how I will catch continue reading them.

I read the sample book and enjoyed it enough to buy the book to see how it ends. My own dog just passed away and this is like staying close to my dog. They are great pets and I am going to get another soon.

Have you ever looked at your dog and wondered what in the world he or she (Chet says, “no ’it’s’ please”) is thinking? In Dog On It, you will be treated to author Spencer Quinn’s take on the imagined inner workings of a dog’s thoughts and personality. His vehicle for sharing these insights is the very likable and competent K-9 sidekick named Chet. The story is humorously told from his point of view.I figure my dogs have the mentality of a two-year-old. They have a little understanding of the English language, even a smattering of Spanish, but I’m sure most of what I say goes over their heads. In a similar way, P.I. Bernie Little of Little Detective Agency talks over his cases with Chet. Chet picks up on the tone of the conversation, and over the years they have developed cues and routines that make them an outstanding team. When it comes to expressions like “wild good chase,” however, Chet is excited but confused.We get to know Chet very well as he tells the story emphasizing what he and his “tribe” can do and how they are different from humans. Seen from his perspective, we learn the importance of scents, what delights Chet, and how easily distractible he is. Bernie does the thinking, but Chet’s role is equally important in following even the faintest whiffs and intimidating criminals.Chet says that Bernie often has a cash flow problem although he doesn’t understand what that is. The source of the problem seems to be undercharging and an abundance of pro bono work. Bernie works to control his smoking and drinking. He has a combat past that Chet only shares a little about. Bernie is divorced and has a young son he adores. The detective displays intelligence, courage, and physical prowess. He isn’t perfect, but he is a very likable character.Although this book truly brought a smile to my face throughout, don’t be deceived. Packing a good solid mystery with plenty of leads and some adventure as well, Dog On It is much more than a humorous book. On the other hand, don’t expect a deep plot exploring heavy issues; that’s not what this book is about. It is a quick read because it is so entertaining. I never tire of hearing what Chet is thinking or even why he is not thinking at all. This work is the most exquisitely funny example of anthropomorphism I have read in a very long time. I am looking forward to more reading pleasure with this series which currently has ten books.

This is a great detective story with plenty of action. Chet wrote the story and narrates it. He is a very funny dog!

I enjoyed every word of this book! If you ever loved a dog and a good story well written this is good you. Going to buy the 2nd book right now.

Loved the pov being Chet's. The plot was well developed and a very good mystery. Off to read the rest.

Admittedly, I'm a bit of a sucker for books that involve cats and dogs. I never missed a single one of "The Cat Who..." mystery novels by the late Lilian Jackson Braun, for instance - I loved the antics (and murder-solving abilities of KoKo and Yum-Yum, the two Siamese cats owned by former newspaper reporter James Qwilleran. And one of my favorite books of all time is Garth Stein's "The Art of Racing in the Rain."So when one of my e-newsletters arrived from BookBub.com announcing availability of this book for $2.99 at Amazon.com, I read the description, noted the average of 4-1/2 stars from 448 customer reviews and didn't "paws" long before hitting the "Buy Now" button.Still, there's always a bit of concern over wasting time and money (even if it's just a little bit) as I Fire up my Kindle and navigate to the first page. Will it be a clunker after all? That feeling hung around for less than three pages, I'm happy to report - that's when something I read made me chuckle right out loud. Okay, I said to myself - we're good to go.The books are narrated by Chet, a lovable dog who's loyal to Bernie and very smart (but not smart enough to avoid flunking out of K-9 police school). He's owned by Bernie, a relatively small-time private investigator who has to scramble to have enough money for his breakfast eggs. They're called to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl who's gone missing and may (or may not) be the victim of a kidnapping. She turns up safe and sound, but days later she's gone again. Bernie's suspicious, and Chet's keen sense of smell tells him something's not quite kosher as well.The search takes them to the desert, biker bars and abandoned mines, threatening both their lives at various stops along the way. Each step is described in typical doggie fashion by Chet, who does a pretty good job of figuring out what humans are up to even though he can't quite get a grip on emotions (smells, on the other hand, he's got down to a science).The book is well written and the plot is for the most part plausible (if perhaps not the most gripping, edge-of-seat story I've ever read). Best of all, it's just fun; Chet's take on things can be a bit of a hoot - or should I say bark. All in all, an outstanding debut novel. Next up in the series is "A Fistful of Collars," which I now look forward to reading.

This book is so funny but yet suspenseful. Written from the dog's point of view which adds humorous asides in serious situations. I already read the 2nd book in the series and that one was just as good. Definitely will continue reading these books.

Came across this series somewhat by accident, and didn't realize Spencer Quinn was a pseudonym for Peter Abraham until after finishing it. Told from the perspective of Chet the dog, the series follows the adventures of Chet and Bernie, proprieters of the Little Detective Agency.Light in tone, with a strong vein of humour running throughout the stories (most of it coming from Chet's doggy viewpoint and oft repeated phrases), and relatively straight forward capers, the series is a fun, easy read. If you enjoyed James Herbert's 'Fluke' and Robert Crais' Elvis Cole and/ or Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series, you'll likely enjoy this series.

I must admit I was sceptical about buying this, but thought it was worth a try. I'm glad I did, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It worked as a reasonable mystery and, provided you accept some unlikely coincidences (and why not - you're letting a dog tell you a story!) it's an entertaining story. Dog owners will certainly understand where Chet is coming from. A good read, I've ordered the second one although I'm not sure how long the gimmick can be made to last.

I loved this book and the clever dog who wrote it! Certainly a good idea writing from the dog's perspective. I enjoyed the story and the sense of place being the desert. I will probably read more of this series when I feel like light reading and humour.

If you enjoy American crime fiction and are a dog lover, you'll love this series. I got addicted after the first one and red the lot, one after the other. At only 99p each that's terrific value!

I don't usually like books when animals 'speak' but this is great and very funny. If you know dogs you'll love this and you might get to understand your dog's thoughts a bit better too. I went straight out and got his other book 'thereby hangs a tail'.