Dogs - The Irresponsible Reader

These Dog Days Aren’t Over

On February 10, 2021

In Books, Dogs, Fiction, News/Misc., Non-Fiction

These Dog Days Aren't Over This was a hard post to come up with a name for*, essentially this post came from a comment not too long ago about being hesitant to read books about animals if the reader doesn’t know if they survive the book. I get that, I absolutely do. I still bear the scars of Where the Red Fern Grows and Marley and Me (sure, that wasn’t that long ago, but the wound still stings). So, for readers like my correspondent, here are some perfectly safe books prominently featuring dogs!

I plan on updating this when I can remember to, so by all means, chime in with comments about Dogs I’ve forgotten about/haven’t yet!

Non-Fiction

bullet Olive, Mabel & Me by Andrew Cotter——Cotter’s charming book describes his life with the two dogs that rocketed to international stardom (and brought him along). (my post about it)
bullet My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport—Davenport’s short little book about the relationship between the author and his dog, Kevin, a black and tan, pure-bred dachshund. It focuses on what the two of them did over two days and then a weekend selected from the years they spent together. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs by Cat Warren—Warren basically covers three topics: there’s the science and history of using working dogs (of all sorts of breeds, not to mention pigs(!), birds, and even cats) to find cadavers, drugs, bombs, etc.; there’s the memoir of her involvement with cadaver dogs via her German Shepherd, Solo; and anecdotes of other cadaver dogs and trainers that she’s encountered/learned from/watched in action. (my post about it)
bullet What the Dog Knows Young Readers Edition by Cat Warren, Patricia J. Wynne—The above book adjusted for younger readers, with some great illustrations. It’s not dumbed-down, just adjusted. (my post about it)

Fiction

bullet The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton—A Dog Trainer/Cadaver Dog Handler on the hunt for a serial killer in this series launch. (my post about it)
bullet Suspect by Robert Crais—One of my all-favorite books, a cop with PTSD gets assigned to the K-9 Unit and works with a dog fresh from Afghanistan combat. (my post about it) The pair also plays a major role in The Promise.
bullet Stepdog by Nicole Galland—A love story where the major impediment to happily ever after is her dog (a gift from her ex). (my post about it)
bullet Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries by Kevin Hearne (Audiobooks narrated by Luke Daniels)—Oberon, the scene-stealing Irish Wolfhound from The Iron Druid Chronicles narrates this series of novellas (my posts about them).
bullet Neah Bay series by Owen Laukkanen—Lucy is a dog who is trained by prisoner Mason Burke, who has to track her down when he gets out. She’s a service dog for Marine Vet Jess Winslow. Lucy connects the two humans in her life and helps to keep them safe when a corrupt deputy comes after Jess. (my post about them)
bullet I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson—I’m not sure how to sum this one up in a sentence. It’s a pretty typical novel about a troubled writer with a romantic life and family in shambles. But his dog is the thing that makes all the difference. (my post about it)
bullet Chet and Bernie books by Spencer Quinn—Bernie Little is a PI in Phoenix. Chet’s his four-legged partner and the series narrator. It’s too fun to miss. (my posts about them)
bullet The Right Side by Spencer Quinn—”a deeply damaged female soldier home from the war in Afghanistan becomes obsessed with finding a missing girl, gains an unlikely ally in a stray dog, and encounters new perils beyond the combat zone.” (my post about it)
bullet Woof by Spencer Quinn—The beginning of an MG series about a with a penchant for trouble and her dog. (my post about it)
bullet Andy Carpenter books by David Rosenfelt—Andy Carpenter is New Jersey’s best defense lawyer and a devoted dog owner. He helps run a rescue shelter, too–and almost every client he takes as some sort of connection with a dog. These books aren’t dog-centric like the others on this list, but they’re dog-heavy. (my posts about them)
bullet Voyage of the Dogs by Greg van Eekhout—SF for all ages about a team of dogs on a long-distance space flight. (my post about it)

Supportive Roles

These dogs aren’t as significant a presence in their books as the prior group, but they’re important enough to mention.
bullet Mouse from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. (my posts about them)
bullet The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man by W. Bruce Cameron and the sequel Repo Madness by W. Bruce Cameron— (my posts about them)
bullet Edgar from the Washington Poe books by M. W. Craven. (my posts about them)
bullet Rutherford from The TV Detective series by Simon Hall (my posts about them)
bullet Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne . (my post about them)
bullet Ruffin from the I. Q. series by Joe Ide . (my posts about them)
bullet Dog from the Walt Longmire books by Craig Johnson — (my posts about them)
bullet Trogdor from The Golden Arrow Mysteries by Meghan Scott Molin . (my post about them)
bullet Mingus from The Drifter by Nicholas Petrie . (my post about it)

Books with paws on both sides of the line

Some books that belong on this list, but might be a bit too close to not fitting on it for some readers
bullet Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry—there’s a strong “my beloved dog is old and will die soon-vibe throughout this (it’s the whole point), so some may want to avoid it. But the focus is on what Barry is learning from his aging but still full-of-life dog. (my post about it)
bullet Dead is … series by Jo Perry—the canine protagonist in these mystery novels is a ghost, so there’s a dog death involved. But we meet her as a ghost, so she won’t die (again) in the series. (my posts about them)
bullet Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt—Inspired by the death of their dog, Tara, the Rosenfelt’s now operate a no-kill shelter for senior dogs. This is the story about the origins and day-to-day of that life. There’s discussion of Tara’s death, and he has to cover the end of days for dogs, but it’s not the focus of the book. One some will want to avoid, but you probably shouldn’t. (my post about it)

I brainstormed this a bit with my family, and wanted to share some of those titles that didn’t make the cut, just because I enejoyed their creativity:
These Dogs Didn’t Go To Heaven/Not All Dogs Go to Heaven implies these dogs aren’t wonderful creatures, and that’s a solid loser
No Kleenex Required too vague, and not necessarily true, they’re just not required because of a death
The Best Bois
Books Where the Author isn’t A Heartless Bastard (Looking at You, Marley and Me) too long, and boy howdy, does it seem my son has bigger issues with the book than I did
Books that Even PETA Would Be Okay With
Books for the Vegan in You suggests the dog books I don’t mention are in favor of eating them…
Paw Patrol I’m almost confident my daughter’s boyfriend suggested as a joke, for his sake I’m assuming it was
Pawfect Dog Stories I refuse to resort to that kind of joke

(Images by S K from Pixabay and josmo from Pixabay

Olive, Mabel & Me by Andrew Cotter: Two Very Good Dogs and the Human Who Introduced them to the World

By HCNewton

On December 30, 2020

In (Auto)Biography, Dogs, Non-Fiction

Olive, Mabel & Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs

by Andrew Cotter

Hardcover, 205 pg.
W. W. Norton & Company, 2020

Read: December 24-26, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Olive, Mabel & Me About?

In short, it’s about a guy and his dogs.

Andrew Cotter is a freelance sports journalist who found himself (like many people) with an excess of time on his hands in the early days of COVID. With no sports to cover, he needed an outlet, so…you know what? It’ll be easier to post the video that catapulted Cotter and his dogs into the attention of people around the world. He’s this guy, and they’re these dogs:

In the Introduction, Cotter talks a little about that video, those that followed, and the reaction to them—and then he moves on, only making small asides to them until the last chapter when he talks a little more about them. The book isn’t about the Youtube/Social Media sensation, it’s about the man and his dogs that happened to end up as part of that sensation.

The Dogs Before

We begin with Cotter talking about his family’s history with dogs—his grandparents had quite a .few, and he and his mother, did, too. I was predisposed to like him going in, but it was his description of his bullmastiff that solidly won me over.

Then came college and his early career days, when it just wasn’t possible/feasible to own any kind of dog. Then he got together with his partner, Caroline, and she, too wanted a dog, when possible. A few years later, they moved out of London and it was time.

There’s some great discussion about the pros and cons of various breeds and I laughed more than once in that chapter.

Olive and Mabel

Then we meet Olive and the book takes off. She’s a delightful Lab* and it’s clear that Cotter is smitten with her. Cotter talks about her and some of their adventures together, and it’s all well and good. I’m not going to say more, because you want to read it the way Cotter tells it.

* A tautology, I realize.

Then after a few years, Mabel comes along—a very different dog, with a personality that’s very different, but wanting to learn from Olive. Then it becomes adventures for the three of them. The bond is strong and obvious, and it’s the kind of thing that dog lovers will respond to.

Climb Every Mountain

One of Cotter’s favorite activities—and one he involves the dogs in as often as he can—is walking up mountains. He recounts several such walks with the two, the sights they saw, the mishaps, and so on—he even talks some about times he went without them (like, say, Mt. Fuji). Now, I cannot foresee me ever sharing this interest, or even wanting to (it’s beside the point why I wouldn’t—besides, I have to go to work tomorrow, so I don’t have enough time).

But I enjoyed Cotter’s discussion of his hobby—I don’t get it, but that’s okay, he does, and he can talk about it in a way that keeps it interesting, even for us homebodies. It’s this that keeps it from simply a guy rattling off cute stories about his dogs and makes it into something only he can tell—cute stories about Andrew Cotter and his dogs. It’s a fine distinction, but an important one, if I’m going to read a book about it.

So, what did I think about Olive, Mabel & Me?

I love my dogs dearly but couldn’t necessarily see how explaining that relationship and affection might stretch more than a couple of pages.

Yet in writing about your dogs, you very quickly realize that you are writing about all aspects of your life, because there isn’t really a part of it that the dogs don’t touch. They entwine themselves around it all—the serious matters and trivial, the fun and the less so. As you have read, they are there for the exciting adventures but also for the mundane. They are with you for everything, and everything is all the better for them.

Cotter was smart to take the opportunity created by his videos to write a book—nothing against him, but I wouldn’t have picked up this book if I hadn’t been a fan. But I’m very glad I did, this is a heartwarming read. It’s funny—he’s a very clever writer (and I’d be willing to read more things he wrote, as long as they weren’t too sports-heavy)—it’s touching, it’s relatable. It’s a cup of hot cocoa on a chilly day.

I think most dog people enjoy talking to others about their dogs. This was a lot like that—but Cotter didn’t let me share similar tales about my canine companions, which is fine—he’s a better storyteller. He even included pictures to gush over. Did I possibly give out an extra scritch or two to my own dog and grand-pup after reading this? Oh absolutely. I felt I owed Mabel and Olive some, so the dogs here were the beneficiary.

3.5 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

The Friday 56 for 12/18/20

By HCNewton

On December 18, 2020

In (Auto)Biography, Currently Reading, Dogs, News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Quotations, The Friday 56

This is a weekly bloghop hosted by Freda’s Voice

RULES:
The Friday 56 Grab a book, any book.
Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your ereader. If you have to improvise, that is okay.
Find a snippet, short and sweet.
Post it

from page 56 of:
Olive, Mabel & Me

Olive, Mabel & Me: Life and Adventures with Two Very Good Dogs by Andrew Cotter

She just wouldn’t leave Olive alone. And Olive, having enjoyed four years of peace and solitude, was clearly rather put out by the visitor—asking, with those Labrador eyes that tell all, “Is this thing going to be staying long?”

I’m pretty sure that from the start Mabel saw Olive as some sort of replacement mother. They are, in fact, related in that curious mixed-up dog dynamic, where romantic liaisons are free and easy and they don’t feel tied down by human constraints or propriety. Olive’s father Henry was also the father of another litter, which contained Mabel’s mother Izzy. Working it out, that makes Olive a half-aunt to Mabel, if there can be such a thing. One of these days we’ll get everyone together on a Jerry Springer-style program and Henry will be confronted by his numerous partners and offspring. Child support will finally catch up with him and it will all get messy.

One thing that was more simple and obvious was Mabel’s love for Olive, and within just a few weeks, some—if not all—of that love was reciprocated. Neither would now want to be without the other, but Olive could probably spend more time without Mabel than vice versa.

My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport: Man’s Best Friend, Indeed

By HCNewton

On November 5, 2020

In (Auto)Biography, Book Tour, Dogs, Non-Fiction

My Life as a Dog

by L. A. Davenport

Kindle Edition, 140 pg.
P-Wave Press, 2019

Read: October 28-29, 2020

He grasps that I’m not going to give him any, although he evidently has no idea why.

“If only you’d remember what makes you ill, you’d be a much happier dog.”

He returns to his forlorn expression and I wonder whether it was less perturbing when he was simply begging.

What’s My Life as a Dog About?

This is a short little book about the relationship between the author and his dog, Kevin, a black and tan, pure-bred dachshund. It focuses on what the two of them did over two days and then a weekend selected from the years they spent together. Through this we get a little bit of an idea about Davenport himself and a really good idea about the kind of dog that Kevin is.

The first day involves the two walking around London, just spending the day together. The second chapter focuses on Davenport at work and going for drinks with friends, with Kevin tagging along (which changes the dynamic for both activities). The final selection follows the pair taking the train to a seaside B&B for the weekend on a whim. Nothing flashy, nothing dramatic, just a few slices of life.

What about that Title?

Okay, so I didn’t read the blurb I shared in the Spotlight post, so this is on me, but I spent most of the book with one thought lingering in the back of my mind—”What was up with that title?” Near the end of the book, Davenport starts musing on the way Kevin sees the world, and the title is explained. Instead of a vaguely and mildly irksome point, the title transformed into a nice little idea, a very pleasant musing.

I’m not going say more because Davenport will do a better job, but I just wanted to say you should roll with the title.

(Just this Once) Everybody Lives

Is there an opposite of a trigger warning? This is whatever that would be. So often, especially when it comes to memoirs, in books about a dog, it ends with the dog dying. And I know more than a few people who refuse to read books like that. This is a safe one, though. Kevin makes it through to the end.

Yes, Kevin would probably be considered a “senior dog” and Davenport’s narration makes it clear he realizes that he doesn’t have much time left with the dog. But there’s a good chance he has a few more years from when the book ends, and that’s reassuring enough to spare sensitive readers.*

* There’s no judgment there, my fourteen-year-old Pug/Beagle mix is snoring a few feet from me as I type this (and will be again in a few hours when this posts) and I’d probably qualify as a sensitive reader if Kevin didn’t fare too well at the end of the book.

So, what did I think about My Life as a Dog?

I gave the ‘I’m over here’ whistle and he bolted towards me at full pelt. I crouched down and he leapt into my arms, licking my face and ears and wriggling with delight.

I do not know a purer love than that, and never will.

As I said earlier, these are just slices of life—with none of the inherent intensity or drama that you might see in other books. These episodes are steeped in ordinary-ness, which adds to the beauty of various moments that Davenport can make clear to the reader. It’s easy to impress a reader when the situation demands it, but to impress while the focus is on everyday kind of activities takes some skill.

The flip side of that is that the book is a quiet book, there’s not a lot of flash, slapstick comedy, or anything. It’s about the small moments, the looks that Kevin gives him, the reaction Kevin has to various stimuli, and the relationship between the two. Davenport writes in such a way that you can see Kevin in the moments he’s described.

And the book is sweet. He’s a doting dog owner and the way he cares about Kevin is the clearest impression you will walk away from the book with. It’s a quick read, it’s a sweet read, it’s exactly the kind of thing to buoy your spirits after a long week (or 2020). I do recommend this for you or the dog lover in your life.

3 Stars

My thanks to Overview Media for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport

By HCNewton

On November 5, 2020

In (Auto)Biography, Book Tour, Dogs, Fiction, Non-Fiction

Today I’m pleased to welcome the Book Tour for the charming and sweet My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport. Following this spotlight post, I’ll be giving my take on the novel here in a bit. But let’s start by learning a little about this here book, okay?

Book Details:

Book Title: My Life as a Dog by L. A. Davenport
Release date: December 19, 2019
Format: Ebook/Paperback
Publisher: P-Wave Press
Length: 140 Pages

Book Blurb:

Perhaps with him I am a dog.

What was Kevin? He was earnest yet playful, boisterous yet lazy, a little rough sometimes, extremely direct and always sure of what he wanted. He was also sensitive, kind, supportive and caring, not to mention highly communicative and supremely understanding towards children.

My Life as a Dog is the funny, heartwarming and moving story of a life shared between a black and tan dachshund and his owner.

Told over two days and a weekend drawn from their many years together, it explores how Kevin overcame his cruel upbringing to flower into a self-confident dog that left everyone he met spellbound. And as they grew together, his owner learned to live in the present and navigate the difficult times they faced together.

But with Kevin rejected by the canine world and their connection ever-more profound and symbiotic, the question was: What does he think I am?

About the Author:

L. A. Davenport is an Anglo-Irish author and journalist.

Sometimes he lives in the countryside, far away from urban distraction, but mostly he lives in the city. He enjoys long walks, typewriters and strong black coffee.

L. A. Davenport (Andrew) first met Kevin in 2001, when someone put an advert in a listing newspaper in London saying they wanted get rid of their black and tan, pure-bred dachshund. They explained that he had become a burden on the household and he didn’t get on with their two other dogs. But it was obvious that Kevin, who was the runt of a show-dog litter, had been badly treated and they simply wanted to discard him.

Kevin was traumatised by his experiences and was difficult to handle at the beginning, but it was clear that he was an unusually sensitive and intelligent dog. As time went on, Kevin overcame his traumas and he and Andrew become closer. Over the fourteen years they spent together, they went through many ups and downs, navigating failed relationships, house moves, the vagaries of the freelancer life and the 2008 financial crash, as well as a string of health issues for Kevin. Yet every challenge seemed to bring them closer together, and they developed an instinctive understanding for each other.

My Life as a Dog is the story of their relationship. Told over two days and a weekend drawn from their many years together, it explores how Kevin overcame his cruel upbringing to flower into a self-confident dog that left everyone he met spellbound. And as they grew together, Andrew learned to live in the present and navigate the difficult times they faced together.

L. A. Davenport is author of the novel Escape and the short story collections No Way Home and Dear Lucifer and Other Stories, as well as the upcoming novel The Nucleus of Reality, or The Recollections of Thomas P—.

Purchase Links:

~ https://geni.us/mylifeasadog-choice ~

My thanks to Overview Media for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials (including a copy of the novel) they provided.

Pub Day Post: As the Stars Fall by Steve N. Lee: A Girl and Her Dog. A Dog and His Girl.

By HCNewton

On August 25, 2020

In Dogs, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature

As the Stars Fall

by Steve N. Lee

Kindle Edition, 300 pg.
Blue Zoo, 2020

Read: August 19-20, 2020

What’s As The Stars Fall About?

This is told from the perspective of a young homeless dog, struggling to survive on the streets of some town. He scavanges to get by and has learned that dogs who aren’t his mother and siblings and people aren’t to be trusted. He can’t find his pack and isn’t doing a great job of feeding himself when he’s found by a young girl who convinces her Daddy to bring him home.

Slowly, he learns to trust Mia and her Daddy. Soon, Mia is everything to her dog, Kai, who learns that if he just waits long enough (and it’s hard to do), she’ll come home from school.

We spend a few quick years with the two, watching Mia grow up and some other things happen. But no matter what happens, Kai waits.

What Can You Safely Say About the Ending?

This is a classic “Dog Book,” in the vein of Old Yeller, Where the Red Fern Grows, Marley and Me, and so on. Which should tell you everything you need to know about what the ending of the book involves, so you go in fully warned.

That said, this is a different kind of read than those and will approach it in a different way.

What’s the intended audience?

I’m guessing this is aimed at kids—old enough to handle hard things (both those that happen to people and dogs), but it can be enjoyed by teens and adults, too (as long as they can handle the opening chapters coming from the point of view of a very juvenile narrator).

But all the promotional materials invoke A Dog’s Purpose, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Marley and Me, and One Good Dog, none of which are fitting for a kid. So I don’t know what to make of that. I guess I’d call this an All-Ages book (with the provisos I listed above).

So, what did I think about As The Stars Fall?

It was a sweet little story about the love of a dog for his girl, and a girl for her dog. Yes, it gets hard to read because this sweet little story involves some loss, too. But that only makes the high points better.

Actually, I should add that the story about the love of a father and daughter for each other was just as sweet and just as heart-wrenching.

I chuckled frequently—not just at Kai’s antics, but at the way he thinks about his people. I “awwwwed” more than once at Mia’s treatment of her pup.

This is a very nice book (I’m wanting to overuse the word sweet and am having a hard time coming up with an adequate replacement) that I enjoyed, heartily recommend, and can see myself re-reading regularly.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion and this post. I thank him for it.

3.5 Stars

Pub Day Repost: Muzzled by David Rosenfelt: One of Andy Carpenter’s Twistiest Cases Yet

By HCNewton

On July 7, 2020

In Andy Carpenter, David Rosenfelt, Dogs, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Muzzled

by David Rosenfelt
Series: Andy Carpenter, #21

eARC, 304 pg.
Minotaur Books, 2020

Read: June 20, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

Wow. Andy Carpenter #21. That’s pretty mind-boggling, I’ve got to say. The way that Andy’s been ramping up the retirement talk over the last couple of books, I can’t help but wonder how many more are in store—but I have to expect we’ll get a few more. Rosenfelt’s army of dogs takes a lot of food. The more the merrier, I say—especially if there are more like this one in the wings.

Andy’s contacted by a friend also in the dog rescue biz—she’s come into possession of a stray and has been contacted by the owner to retrieve the dog. Which sounds pretty straightforward and good up until the point where she tells Andy the owner’s name. He’s the victim of a triple murder a few weeks ago when his boat was destroyed by a bomb of some sort. Yeah, you read me right—the victim. Except he clearly escaped and after being on the run for his life a bit, has decided he can’t run off without the dog. So he risks life and limb to be reunited with his pet. At this point, the reader (and everyone who knows Andy) realizes that if this man needs legal help, Andy will be his attorney. Andy needs some convincing, however.

And Alex Vogel is going to need Andy’s help—if he wasn’t one of those killed, the police would like to know, why wasn’t he? The explanation that makes the most sense to them is that Alex Vogel made and detonated the bomb, killing his friends. The motive is a little shaky, but that’s beside the point.

Alex gives Andy one possible reason that he’d be targeted, and while he doesn’t buy it, he has nothing else to go on, so while Andy tries to come up with an idea of his own, he spends a lot of time exploring that. In a long-running series like this is, it’s the little differences that really stick out and keep things fresh. It took Andy a painfully long time to come up with an alternative theory of the case. And while I found it frustrating that he was so slow, I appreciated that Rosenfelt let things go that way. I also admit that it’s not fair for me to judge, as the reader has access to some third-person narration portions of the novel that Andy doesn’t.

Whether looking for flaws in the Prosecution’s case, running down Alex’s theory, or trying to find an alternative, Andy and his regular band (which includes The K Team now) are as fun as always. The narration is clever, the humor is witty, the case complex, the herrings are red, the dogs are adorable—all the elements of a solid Andy Carpenter novel are there.

As I was mulling over this book this week, I’d mentally drafted a paragraph thinking about this one in the context of the series as a whole. At some point, it seemed pretty familiar, so I looked up what I said about Dachshund Through the Snow, the twentieth novel in the series. I’d said pretty much the same thing about that book as I wanted to say about this one. It doesn’t say much for my originality, but it says something about Rosenfelt.

I’ve read them all—some twice—and while I’ve never read a bad Andy Carpenter book, there were a few that were simply “fine” (that’s not a complaint, I’ll take a fine book over a lot of others), but there’s been a resurgence in the last five or so, particularly in the last two. In both of them Rosenfelt has done something I couldn’t/didn’t see coming, breaking his tried-and-true formula. Rosenfelt has no reason to do that at this point, he could keep churning out these books and his fans (including me), would keep gobbling them up. But he’s taking risks, he’s doing relatively daring things (while remaining true to the world he’s created).

I really liked this book on its own merits, I loved it in the context of the rest. Does that mean a new reader has to read the other twenty before this one? No—any of these novels are a good jumping on point, you’ll end up wanting to read some/all of the earlier ones though. A smart legal thriller—great stuff out of the courtroom, and amusing antics in it (I’ll never tire of reading Andy cross-examining a witness). Muzzled is one of the best in this great series.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this. As always, my opinions remain my own.

4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Pub Day Post: Of Mutts and Men by Spencer Quinn: Water, Water Everywhere and a Murder, too

By HCNewton

On July 7, 2020

In Chet and Bernie, Dogs, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Spencer Quinn

Of Mutts and Men

by Spencer Quinn
Series: Chet and Bernie, #10

eARC, 304 pg.
Forge, 2020

Read: June 27-29, 2020
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

Bernie meets the man destined to his new best friend—a hydrologist who seems to share many of the same opinions as Bernie when it comes to water usage in Phoenix. I don’t think we’ve managed to get a novel where Bernie hasn’t complained about the waste of water in the area (except maybe those two when they were back East), “we only have one aquifer.” It appears that Wendell has need of a P.I., too—the two make arrangements to meet the next day to discuss it.

But when our dynamic duo shows up at Wendell’s worksite office, they find him murdered. Which puts the kibosh on the bromance. Bernie naturally begins investigating—spurred to action after meeting the Sheriff’s Deputy in charge of this case, if nothing else—who is one of the sorriest excuses for a law enforcement officer that I’ve read this year. Some quick detective work leads Bernie to a suspect—not one that he believes really did it, but he still feels compelled to hand him over to Deputy Beasley.

This was a mistake as Beasley locks in on the suspect and ignores any other possibilities. But the more that Bernie looks into things—if only to find out why Wendell wanted to hire him—the more he’s convinced the suspect is innocent. Only no one—including the deputy, and the suspect’s own defense attorney—will listen to him.

We Need to Talk About Chet

What is there to say about Chet the Jet? He’s the same loveable, heroic champ we’ve come to know and love. For those who don’t know—Chet’s our narrator, Bernie’s partner, and a 100+ pound dog. Other than a couple of sentences showing a more libidinous side to Chet than we’re used to seeing, he’s exactly what we’ve come to expect. Don’t read anything into me not having a lot to say about him—he’s the best dog in fiction (for my money), but there are only so many ways you can say that.

But We Can’t Forget Bernie (or Anyone Else)

On the other hand, I think I’ve given Bernie short shrift over the years—it’s easy to focus on Chet. But Bernie’s more than just the guy who complains about wasting water while making horrible investment choices. He’s a top-notch P.I., but like most fictional P.I.’s, his principles, independence, and lousy business sense keep him from being much of a success. His residence and devotion to Chet are most of what separates him from Elvis Cole, for example (sure, Elvis has his cat, but he doesn’t take the cat with him on cases).

I felt more connected to Bernie in this novel than usual—I’m not sure if that’s a reflection on me or Quinn’s writing. Bernie’s outrage at the treatment of the suspect (some directed at himself for getting the Deputy looking at him) drives him more than any desire for a fee or to discover what Wendell wanted.

In addition to the case and the machinations of the principles involved, there’s a lot going on in Bernie’s private life. He doesn’t deal well with most of it, which isn’t a surprise, dealing well with personal relationships isn’t his trademark. It seems to affect him more in this novel than I’m used to seeing him—both positively and negatively (although, there’s a lot of negative in this novel—all around).

In case you can’t tell, I can’t put my finger on what’s different this time—but Bernie seems more human, more real, less “merely the guy who Chet is devoted to” (although he absolutely is that). Quinn puts him through the wringer in many ways here, and the novel is better for it.

It’s not just with Bernie, I think that this novel has some of the most subtle and rich character work in the series (last year’s Heart of Barkness) headed in this direction (growth prompted by The Right Side?). The villain of this novel is the most complex and compelling foe for these two. Beyond that, there were so many characters that showed up for a scene or two—five or six pages total—that were just dynamic. Even Malcolm, the husband of Bernie’s ex-wife, Leda makes a couple of positive contributions! He’s rarely been much beyond an antagonist for Bernie, a competitor for the paternal role for Bernie’s son—and here he’s in such a better way, I almost liked him.

Don’t Forget the Kleenex.

There are three—maybe four—scenes in this book that “hit you in the feels.” One only took two or three sentences to deliver the punch, and could easily be missed. But the emotional core of this novel is shown in a couple of others (some readers will be torn up by them, others will be satisfied—either reaction is warranted).

But there’s one scene—it has only the most tangential tie to the plot—that will (or ought to) devastate you. I’m honestly not sure why Quinn included it, but I am so glad he did. You’ll know it when you read it, I’m not going to say anything else about it. Chet was still his goofy self, but even he came across differently in it. The book is worth the purchase price for it alone.

So what did I think about Of Mutts and Men?

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, I’ve been a fan of this series since maybe the third chapter of the first book eleven years ago. And I’ll be a fan until Quinn moves on. But there’s something different about this book. Still, I’m going to try to thread the needle here—this is not my favorite book in the series. However, I think it’s unquestionably the best book so far. I’m not crazy about some of the longer-term arc events here—hey’re the smart move by Quinn, I’ll defend them, but I didn’t like them.

Still, there’s a good mystery, you get the wonderful partnership of Chet and Bernie, probably the best use of Bernie yet, and a new depth to Quinn’s writing—it’s precisely what the doctor ordered. New readers will have no problem jumping in at this point, returning fans have to be pulling on their leashes to get to this. Highly recommended.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Macmillan-Tor/Forge via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this. Also, sorry that I didn’t get this posted sooner, I really did try.
4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Pub Day Repost: The Finders by Jeffrey B. Burton: A Serial Killer Hunt Goes to the Dogs

By HCNewton

On June 30, 2020

In Dogs, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Finders

by Jeffrey B. Burton
Series: Mace Reid K-9 Mystery Volume 1

eARC, 288 pg.
St. Martin’s Press, 2020

Read: June 12-15, 220
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

One of the worst things about the way this Spring got away from me is that I’ve been unable to get to this book until now—from the synopsis, this was so far up my alley that it might as well have been titled The Finders: Meet HC’s New Favorite Series. But the important this is that I got to it now, and that subtitle would’ve been pretty much correct. I can’t imagine there’ll be a new series this year that’ll top this for me.

I’ve kind of tipped my hand there, haven’t I? It’s a good thing I don’t pretend to write suspense, eh? Still, having established what I think about it—what about you—is this something you should read? Probably, yeah.

It’s called the “Mace Reid K-9 Investigations” series, and the novel pretty much starts with the K-9 part, so I will, too. We meet a golden retriever puppy on one of the worst days imaginable for a young dog (or person). She’s soon adopted by Mason Reid (call him Mace) a dog trainer who has a few Human Remains Detection dogs, in need of one more. This pup takes to HRD in a way that surprises Mace, she’s more than a natural. I absolutely adore this dog. Mace does, too. He’s in a pretty bad place when he meets this girl, and she’s just what he needs to get out of it.

The other members of this pack would probably be as endearing if we’d got enough time with them—I’m going to leave their names out because Mace’s names are so fun that you’d best read them (and the reasoning behind them) for yourself, I don’t want to take that from you. There’s a German Shepherd (Mace’s descriptions of him are wonderful) and two trouble-making Collies.

There is a section where Mace describes the process that the dog goes through when scenting—probably not as technically correct as what Cat Warren gave in her book (adult or young reader’s version*)—but as gripping (if not more so) and entertaining—and it really gives you an idea what’s going on (as best as we can understand) during that process. Burton could’ve given us two or three more passages along those lines in this book and I wouldn’t have complained at all.

* Either or both of which I recommend to anyone interested in this novel.

So, yeah, Mace is our narrator, he’s got a great voice. You pretty much feel like he’s a close friend telling you a story right away, and sitting around watching his dogs play while drinking cheap beer and eating pizza (preferably non-Hawaiian) sounds like a great way to spend an evening. He’s funny, self-deprecating, smart, and driven (especially when the health and well-being of one of his “kids” is on the line). If I wasn’t talking about an eARC waiting final revisions, this post would be littered with quotations–he is oh so quotable. His affection for his dogs and dogs in general, is right up there with Bernie Little, Andy Carpenter and anyone gutsy enough to try to feed and care for Clifford the Big Red Dog. Even if the plot was blah and the writing uninteresting, I’d have enjoyed meeting Mace (thankfully, that’s not the case)

There are four cops in this book that Mace interacts heavily with—an unusual number, to be sure. Two are uniformed officers and two are detectives. Mace’s relationship with each varies a little bit, but they’re the kind of cops you want to believe fill our police forces. I don’t know if all four of them will return in future volumes—but I’d be happy to see any or all of them again. I’ll hold off on further discussion of them for the future when we get to know them a little bit more (assuming that’s the case)

After Mace and his retriever find the remains of a serial killer’s latest victim, something goes very wrong. This compels him to take a more active role in the hunt for the killer. Between his dogs, desperation, and a healthy portion of beginner’s luck, he has remarkable success at that. Which ends up putting a target on his back—creating a need for more luck, his dogs, some more desperation, and the help of his police acquaintances/friends.

The plot moves pretty quickly—there’s a time or two that your credulity might get stretched a bit further than you’d like. But if you roll with it, Burton’ll reward you. The book moves quickly—even more than I realized a few times. Which isn’t to say that anything feels rushed, it doesn’t, you’re on a roller coaster that starts quickly and doesn’t let up. There were a couple of reveals that I didn’t see coming, some plot twists I wouldn’t have expected—in retrospect, I felt I probably should have seen it all, if I wanted to do something silly like stop reading the book to analyze and predict what’s coming rather than just buckle in and read it.

So here’s the thing about serial killers in fiction—I’m pretty much over them. I think I’ve been over-exposed to them, and by and large, I don’t react positively to them. That’s not to say I can’t enjoy a Serial Killer novel if the plot is well done, the other characters are well executed, and so on—but I’m almost always apathetic about the killer himself/herself anymore. But this one? Initially, it seemed like this was going to be one of those books that I liked despite the killer. However, by a little after the mid-way point, the killer had won me over and had got me interested. I can’t explain why without ruining the whole thing for you, so I won’t. But color this jaded reader interested.

It’s possible that I’m rating this a little higher than it deserves. If I was being entirely objective, I’d probably take off a half or maybe a full star from my rating. But this isn’t an objective piece, or an objective rating—this is about how much I enjoyed this, how it appealed to me, entertained me and made me want to read on. For that, it scored really high for me.

A strong and fun central character, a collection of interesting police officers, a compelling serial killer, a well-paced plot, and four wonderful dogs. I can’t think of anything else this book could deliver for me. I when I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, flipping the pages as quickly as I could, I was reading as slowly as possible so I could relish the scenes with Mace and his dogs doing their thing. Now that Burton has established Mace’s world and characters, I can’t wait to see him explore it some and build on this really strong foundation.

Highly recommended. I won’t pretend to assure you that you’ll enjoy it as much as me, but I can’t imagine anyone not liking this book.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this. As always, my opinions remain my own.

4 1/2 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Muzzled by David Rosenfelt: One of Andy Carpenter’s Twistiest Cases Yet

By HCNewton

On June 26, 2020