Category: Dogs Page 2 of 11

These Dog Days Aren’t Over

By

On August 26, 2024

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

(Updated and Revised 8/26/24)

It’s National Dog Day, the annual celebration of “all dogs, mixed breed and pure. Our mission is to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort.” So it seemed like a good day to post another version of this. I haven’t added much to this since last year’s editions, which worries me a little bit. What have I been wasting time reading?

These Dog Days Aren't OverThis 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 regularly, so by all means, chime in with comments about Dogs I’ve forgotten about/haven’t encountered yet!

Non-Fiction

bullet The Particulars of Peter by Kelly Conaboy—this is a collection of humorous essays giving Conaboy the opportunity to rave about her dog, Peter. In her eyes, Peter is a perfect dog, and as you read this, you’ll be tempted to agree. (my post about it)
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 Dogtology: Live. Bark. Believe. by Jeff Lazarus—Humans are so obsessed with their dogs, we’ve devoted so much time, energy, and work into them that it’s become a religion, with humans essentially worshipping their pets. This book is a look at that devotion and the rituals and beliefs that accompany it. It’s technically humor, but a lot of it seems pretty on-target. (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 Mace Reid K-9 Mystery series by Jeffrey B. Burton—A Dog Trainer/Cadaver Dog Handler and his dogs get involved in serial killer cases. Warning: Like many heroes in action novels, most of Mace’s dogs get beat up/injured. Some pretty badly. (my posts 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 Sharp Investigations by E.N. Crane—A series of comic investigations about an Ex-MP and her K-9 partner in Ohio. Both are pretty skilled and are walking disasters at the same time. (my posts about them)
bullet Pug Actually by Matt Dunn—Doug, a loyal pug, plays cupid for his owner. This is a cute rom-com with a charming canine narrator. (my post about it)
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 Noodle Conquers Comfy Mountain by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—This picture book is about Noodle’s search for a place to spend the day where he can have all his needs met: to be able to smell nice smells, see his Jonathan, watch for a snacking opportunity (or several), and—most importantly—feel comfy. Impossible to not like. (my post about it)
bullet Noodle and the No Bones Day by Jonathan Graziano, Dan Tavis (Illustrator)—This picture book relates the origin of the Internet Craze and the wonderful, photogenic pug behind it. (my post about it)
bullet Kay-9: The Robot Dog by J.M. Gulmire—maybe doesn’t belong on this list (see: “Robot”), but it’s too cute to leave off on a technicality. What’s an inventive boy to do when his very supportive mother won’t let him get a dog because she’s horribly allergic? Why, build one with an incredibly lifelike AI. Obviously. (my posts 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 it)
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 it)
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 much fun to miss. (my posts about it)
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 it)
bullet The K-Team books by David Rosenfelt—a spin-off from the Andy Carpenter series. This features a PI team made up of Andy’s wife/investigator, Laurie; the near super-heroic Marcus; and Corey Douglas, a freshly-retired K-9 officer. His canine partner, Simon Garfunkel, comes along, too. Simon Garfunkel doesn’t play a giant role in the books, but he gets at least one good action scene per book. (my posts about it)
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 it)
bullet The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man by W. Bruce Cameron and the sequel Repo Madness by W. Bruce Cameron— (my posts about it)
bullet Edgar from the Washington Poe books by M. W. Craven. (my posts about it)
bullet Rutherford from The TV Detective series by Simon Hall (my posts about it)
bullet Oberon from the Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. (my post about it)
bullet Ruffin from the I. Q. series by Joe Ide. (my posts about it)
bullet Dog from the Walt Longmire books by Craig Johnson (my posts about it)
bullet Purvis (and Beau) from The Good Kill by John McMahon (my post about it)
bullet Trogdor from The Golden Arrow Mysteries by Meghan Scott Molin (my post about it)
bullet Mingus from The Drifter by Nicholas Petrie (my post about it)
bullet Herbert and Daisy from Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman (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 it)
bullet Dogtripping: 25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-Country Adventure by David Rosenfelt—For various and sundry reasons, the Rosenfelts decide to move their home and dog shelter from California to Maine. As anyone who’s had to get a dog (or a toddler) into their vehicle for a drive across town can imagine—getting 25 dogs moved across the country is a logistical nightmare. In Rosenfelt’s capable hands, if “tragedy plus time equals comedy,” “nightmarish logistics plus time” does, too. The shelter specializes in senior dogs, so not every dog mentioned or featured lives, but that’s not the focus of the book. (my post about it)
bullet E. B. White on Dogs—if this isn’t every short piece or letter White wrote mentioning dogs, it’s so close as not to matter. Some are witty, some are touching, some are somewhere in between. There are even a few written from the point of view of his dog! Sadly, this does include a eulogy for one dog, a few other mentions of canine mortality, so it can’t make the main list. (my post about it)
bullet Lessons from Tara by David Rosenfelt—a sort-of-sequel to the above. Inspired by the death of their dog, Tara, the Rosenfelts 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. It’s one some will want to avoid, but you probably shouldn’t. (my post about it)
bullet Max Boucher Mysteries by Troy Lambert—Max used to be with the Seattle Police, but became a P.I. after the deaths of his wife and daughter. Because of the events of the first novel, Max gains a reputation as an animal detective. Particularly specializing in missing/kidnapped dogs. Most of the dogs in the series get out okay, but some are injured or worse. (my posts about it)
bullet Stray Ally by Troy Lambert—this is an action novel featuring heroics from several dogs working alongside a special ops soldier to try to stop a white supremacist group from launching a terrorist action. Some dogs are hurt, and a few die along the way. (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 enjoyed their creativity:
bullet 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
bullet No Kleenex Required too vague, and not necessarily true, they’re just not required because of a death
bullet The Best Bois
bullet 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
bullet Books that Even PETA Would Be Okay With
bullet Books for the Vegan in You suggests the dog books I don’t mention are in favor of eating them…
bullet Paw Patrol I’m almost confident my daughter’s boyfriend suggested as a joke, for his sake, I’m assuming it was
bullet Pawfect Dog Stories I refuse to resort to that kind of joke

(Images by S K from Pixabay and josmo from Pixabay)

The Teachings of Shirelle by Douglas Green: A Goofy Dog’s Wisdom

By

On August 26, 2024

In Dogs, Non-Fiction

I’d held off posting about this while waiting for the author to get back with his Q&A answers. But he’s either too busy (or didn’t think the Qs were that interesting, and I have no problem with him thinking that). But National Dog Day seems like a good day to post about this book. So here we go.

Cover image for The Teachings of Shirelle by Douglas GreenThe Teachings of Shirelle:
Life Lessons from a Divine Knucklehead

by Douglas Green

DETAILS:
Publisher: Circuit Breaker Books LLC
Publication Date: July 09, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 266 pg. 
Read Date: TEXT
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s The Teachings of Shirelle About?

I’m just going to go with what’s on the author’s site:

“Relish the day. If you’re not in awe, you’re just not paying attention.”

She hadn’t even been in the crowded pound a week, but she’d already developed a nickname, “Knucklehead.” As a puppy she destroyed property and precious clothes; as an adult she injured her owner, ruined romances… and changed the world-views of those around her.

Have you ever watched an animal and wondered how it thinks, how it sees the world, how it views you? And have you ever wondered what wisdom you might learn if you could see things as that animal does?

This unique book is many things: an amusing and moving memoir about a memorable dog, a poetic ode to a human-animal connection, and a serious philosophical, psychological, and spiritual inquiry into the lessons a man gleaned from the simple-minded brilliance of a teacher, a lover, a liver of life to the fullest… a Knucklehead.

That penultimate sentence is demonstrably false, but the rest of that gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect from this book.

The Good

Douglas Green truly loved his knuckleheaded canine companion. That is incredibly clear. She was frequently a goof, that’s clear, and brought a lot of joy and laughter to Green’s life and to those with whom she interacted (mostly).

The parts of the book that were just stories about Shirelle were great and brought several smiles to my face (and I expect the same will be true for many readers). They’re relatable, they’re fun, they might make you chuckle.

I really appreciated moments like where Green tried to describe things like the joy Shirelle (and just about every dog) expresses when their person returns home. And he’s right—why don’t we have the same kind of joy for each other? (we could probably express it without the jumping). Many—maybe even most—of the lessons he takes from Shirelle are similarly well-written, well worth the time, and showed the a smilar kind of thinking.

I couldn’t help but think about Dave Barry and David Rosenfelt’s lessons from their dogs during this time.

Even the parts about Shirelle’s medical struggles—that eventually ended—and what Green went through to get her the care she needed were rewarding reading (although by the time we got to that part, a lot of the book fell into what I talk about in the next couple of sections). Her making it through so much was great to see, even as you feel bad that she had to go through it.

The Meh

I’m going to lump in just about everything that Green puts about his biography, his various jobs, his love life, and his professional and semi-professional pursuits here. I didn’t pick up this book to read about Douglas Green, his career in film or stage—or his move into psychotherapy.

When Green wrote about Shirelle in conjunction with this, that really helped—she’s why people come to the book after all. Shirelle as an unofficial and untrained therapy dog is the kind of thing readers want to see.

The Bad

The metaphysical claims that Green makes, the philosophy he espouses, and things along those lines were tiresome, not well conveyed, and typically interfered with the book as a whole. Your results may vary, obviously, but if I want to read about manifesting or things of that nature—I’ll go grab Rhonda Byrne’s book, not a book about a ridiculous dog.

I’m not entirely sure that those parts of the book were all that internally coherent—I mentally checked out during most of those parts of the book for both of our sakes. That way I wasn’t miserable and I wouldn’t end up going on an extended diatribe about them. I’m on the verge of that now, however, so I’m going to shut up.

Well, after this one additional note. If you’re going to appeal to a term from Christianity (or any other religion) to buttress your point, you should maybe do a quick web search to make sure it means what you think it means. Hint: Christ’s “Passion” doesn’t come close to contemporary usage of “passion,” no matter their etymological link. It’s hard to take someone seriously when they do that.

So, what did I think about The Teachings of Shirelle?

I don’t think that Green and I would get along in person (I’d be glad to be given the opportunity to discover otherwise, and the drinks would be on me). I don’t think we’d actively dislike each other, but we’d just rub each other the wrong way. Until we started telling stories about the silly balls of fur, energy, and devotion that we share our lives with. Then, I think we’d find some great common ground and probably enjoy the conversation.

I bring that up because I think this book works for me along the same lines. When it’s about Shirelle as the animal companion that makes people laugh and/or feel good in other ways, I think the book is at its strongest and most appealing. I’m down for that kind of thing anytime and Green handles it well.

When the book strays from that, it loses me—and the further it strays, the less I care about it and the more I’m going to find things to quibble with.

Are you going to agree with me? I don’t know. Are you going to think I’m out to lunch and really jibe with Green and everything he has to say? It’s possible.

Either way, if you’re a dog-lover—or if you’re someone who enjoys reading about dogs. You’ll probably be glad you gave this a shot, I am (generally).

3 Stars

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this ARC by the author in return for my honest opinion, which he may be rethinking now.

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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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PUB DAY REPOST: A Farewell to Arfs by Spencer Quinn: The World Breaks Every One, Except Maybe Chet

By

On August 6, 2024

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

Cover to A Farewell to Arfs by Spencer QuinnA Farewell to Arfs

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie, #15
Publisher: Forge
Publication Date: August 6, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 288 pg.
Read Date: July 24-27, 2024
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s A Farewell to Arfs About?

We start off this book with Bernie and Chet finishing a case for the Sonoran Museum of Art (an institution we learned about a couple of books ago), and with things looking up—and money in Bernie’s pocket—this is a pretty happy way to start things.

But soon after that, Chet overhears a phone call that their neighbor, Mr. Parsons, is having—and the reader knows things are going bad for him. Bernie learns the next day that Mr. Parsons has been the victim of a phone scam and is wiped out. Bernie starts looking into it—and into the Parsons’ ex-con of a son. It looks like he may have turned his life around, and is helping other former inmates adjust to the outside world and to stay on the right path. But is that what’s really going on?

If Billy Parsons isn’t involved—who is? And is there any chance that Bernie can get back any of the Parsons’ money?

Charlie and Esmé

Bernie’s son, Charlie, has been a consistent pleasure in the series—particularly because of Chet’s devotion to him. But adding his best friend, Esmé, in the last couple of books has made the character much more enjoyable for me.

I really enjoy their dynamic, for those familiar with Syfy’s Resident Alien show, it’s similar to the dynamic of Sahar and Max, only Esmé has a little more patience with Charlie than Sahar does with Max.

Even better, we get to meet Esmé’s father in this book—who seems like a good guy for Bernie to talk to in general—he has no knowledge of Bernie’s past, he’s not involved with policing, investigations, or anything like that. Just a friendly guy—who happens to be smart and (coincidentally) involved in an area that Bernie needs help understanding for the case. I enjoyed their conversation and hope we get more in the future.

(still, I do like the way that Charlier got to shine a little brighter this time than he usually does)

Bernie’s Past

Whoa. I did not expect any of what we learned about Bernie’s father in this book. Frankly, I didn’t think we’d ever learn anything about him—we barely know anything about his mother (and I’m okay with that based on Chet’s descriptions). But all of a sudden, there’s a lot about Harry Little being talked about.

It works—don’t get me wrong—and now I want to know more about Harry, his relationship with Bernie, and what was going on with him in general. We don’t get that (now?), but we get a glimpse of the man that was a presence in Bernie’s life until his early death. And that’s not nothing.

Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings

So, all the stuff about Harry Little added some emotional weight to the novel. But we didn’t need any of it—I’m not objecting, don’t get me wrong—but the last thing this book needed was more going on emotionally.

There’s some drama between Bernie and Weatherly. Bernie’s found a new way to botch things up with a woman—no real surprise there. The only plus is that it is a new way—he’s not repeating mistakes he made with Leda or Suzie. Maybe there’s some growth there—but it’s not Bernie at his best.

Related to that are some real dark moments for Bernie—we’ve seen hints of things like this from him before. But I don’t think it was ever this pronounced. Bernie is not always a good guy, he’s not only a white knight—there’s a noir character in him, battling to come out. And Bernie’s control slips early on in the novel and he has to reckon with the fallout.

But that’s not all. The Parsons have been aging and declining in health for a few books now, and for them to get wiped out like this—and then whatever that may or may not say about their son? There’s just no way to read this without your heartstrings being tugged. Scratch that—they’re yanked.

I don’t want to be unclear here (he says after probably giving the wrong impression). This is still a Chet and Bernie book like fourteen that have come before. Chet’s still irrepressible, he’s still an unreliable narrator obsessed with Bernie, food, smells, putting his teeth on perps, and snacks. He will make you laugh, and you will enjoy Bernie tracking down clues and the rest. But, like the better installments of this series, there’s a lot more going on than Chet’s antics—and Quinn makes sure that the depth is there.

So, what did I think about A Farewell to Arfs?

I admit that I was hoping for a criminal named Mike Craven to show up—to get back at Craven’s accidental use of Quinn’s name in last year’s Fearless. But it’s probably too soon for that—maybe in the next couple of years?

Once I saw what Mr. Parsons was doing on the phone, I muttered to myself (and texted a friend) that “Quinn’s getting all the mileage he can out of the research he did for Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge.” More power to him, obviously, but it did feel a little like a re-run. Thankfully, the story went in a very different direction—as I assumed it would, but still. In fact, while this might have been the result of the same research, the nature of the phone scam was different enough to shut me up.

I’m not sure that Weatherly handled things as well as she could’ve, but I’m not bothered by an imperfect character—she can be as flawed as Bernie. But that was the only hitch I found in this book or the events in it.

I really appreciated the depth we see of Bernie’s character, an angle or two that we haven’t spent that much time looking at before—we get to focus on. There’s more to him than being a decent PI with a lousy approach to finances. And if how he treats the Parsons doesn’t make your heart melt a little, you weren’t paying attention.

We get the usual chuckles (including Chet giving the reader a good idea about what he thinks about legalized marijuana), a good story, all the feels I described above (and more), and some good action scenes. What more is there to ask for?

Nothing that I can think of.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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A Farewell to Arfs by Spencer Quinn: The World Breaks Every One, Except Maybe Chet

By

On August 5, 2024

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

Cover to A Farewell to Arfs by Spencer QuinnA Farewell to Arfs

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie, #15
Publisher: Forge
Publication Date: August 6, 2024
Format: eARC
Length: 288 pg.
Read Date: July 24-27, 2024
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s A Farewell to Arfs About?

We start off this book with Bernie and Chet finishing a case for the Sonoran Museum of Art (an institution we learned about a couple of books ago), and with things looking up—and money in Bernie’s pocket—this is a pretty happy way to start things.

But soon after that, Chet overhears a phone call that their neighbor, Mr. Parsons, is having—and the reader knows things are going bad for him. Bernie learns the next day that Mr. Parsons has been the victim of a phone scam and is wiped out. Bernie starts looking into it—and into the Parsons’ ex-con of a son. It looks like he may have turned his life around, and is helping other former inmates adjust to the outside world and to stay on the right path. But is that what’s really going on?

If Billy Parsons isn’t involved—who is? And is there any chance that Bernie can get back any of the Parsons’ money?

Charlie and Esmé

Bernie’s son, Charlie, has been a consistent pleasure in the series—particularly because of Chet’s devotion to him. But adding his best friend, Esmé, in the last couple of books has made the character much more enjoyable for me.

I really enjoy their dynamic, for those familiar with Syfy’s Resident Alien show, it’s similar to the dynamic of Sahar and Max, only Esmé has a little more patience with Charlie than Sahar does with Max.

Even better, we get to meet Esmé’s father in this book—who seems like a good guy for Bernie to talk to in general—he has no knowledge of Bernie’s past, he’s not involved with policing, investigations, or anything like that. Just a friendly guy—who happens to be smart and (coincidentally) involved in an area that Bernie needs help understanding for the case. I enjoyed their conversation and hope we get more in the future.

(still, I do like the way that Charlier got to shine a little brighter this time than he usually does)

Bernie’s Past

Whoa. I did not expect any of what we learned about Bernie’s father in this book. Frankly, I didn’t think we’d ever learn anything about him—we barely know anything about his mother (and I’m okay with that based on Chet’s descriptions). But all of a sudden, there’s a lot about Harry Little being talked about.

It works—don’t get me wrong—and now I want to know more about Harry, his relationship with Bernie, and what was going on with him in general. We don’t get that (now?), but we get a glimpse of the man that was a presence in Bernie’s life until his early death. And that’s not nothing.

Feelings, Nothing More than Feelings

So, all the stuff about Harry Little added some emotional weight to the novel. But we didn’t need any of it—I’m not objecting, don’t get me wrong—but the last thing this book needed was more going on emotionally.

There’s some drama between Bernie and Weatherly. Bernie’s found a new way to botch things up with a woman—no real surprise there. The only plus is that it is a new way—he’s not repeating mistakes he made with Leda or Suzie. Maybe there’s some growth there—but it’s not Bernie at his best.

Related to that are some real dark moments for Bernie—we’ve seen hints of things like this from him before. But I don’t think it was ever this pronounced. Bernie is not always a good guy, he’s not only a white knight—there’s a noir character in him, battling to come out. And Bernie’s control slips early on in the novel and he has to reckon with the fallout.

But that’s not all. The Parsons have been aging and declining in health for a few books now, and for them to get wiped out like this—and then whatever that may or may not say about their son? There’s just no way to read this without your heartstrings being tugged. Scratch that—they’re yanked.

I don’t want to be unclear here (he says after probably giving the wrong impression). This is still a Chet and Bernie book like fourteen that have come before. Chet’s still irrepressible, he’s still an unreliable narrator obsessed with Bernie, food, smells, putting his teeth on perps, and snacks. He will make you laugh, and you will enjoy Bernie tracking down clues and the rest. But, like the better installments of this series, there’s a lot more going on than Chet’s antics—and Quinn makes sure that the depth is there.

So, what did I think about A Farewell to Arfs?

I admit that I was hoping for a criminal named Mike Craven to show up—to get back at Craven’s accidental use of Quinn’s name in last year’s Fearless. But it’s probably too soon for that—maybe in the next couple of years?

Once I saw what Mr. Parsons was doing on the phone, I muttered to myself (and texted a friend) that “Quinn’s getting all the mileage he can out of the research he did for Mrs. Plansky’s Revenge.” More power to him, obviously, but it did feel a little like a re-run. Thankfully, the story went in a very different direction—as I assumed it would, but still. In fact, while this might have been the result of the same research, the nature of the phone scam was different enough to shut me up.

I’m not sure that Weatherly handled things as well as she could’ve, but I’m not bothered by an imperfect character—she can be as flawed as Bernie. But that was the only hitch I found in this book or the events in it.

I really appreciated the depth we see of Bernie’s character, an angle or two that we haven’t spent that much time looking at before—we get to focus on. There’s more to him than being a decent PI with a lousy approach to finances. And if how he treats the Parsons doesn’t make your heart melt a little, you weren’t paying attention.

We get the usual chuckles (including Chet giving the reader a good idea about what he thinks about legalized marijuana), a good story, all the feels I described above (and more), and some good action scenes. What more is there to ask for?

Nothing that I can think of.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley—thanks to both for this.

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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Chasing Empty Caskets by E.N. Crane: Missing Bodies and a Belgian Malinois in a Tutu

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On July 24, 2024

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

Cover for Chasing Empty Caskets by EN CraneChasing Empty Caskets

by E.N. Crane

DETAILS:
Series: Sharp Investigations, #2
Publisher: Perry Dog Publishing 
Publication Date: March 17, 2022
Format: Paperback
Length: 251 pg.
Read Date: May 6-8, 2024

What’s Chasing Empty Caskets About?

So, sure, Cyn (and Winnie) has opened a P.I. business, but is there that much for a Private Eye to do in Sweat Pea, OH? As the book opens (and for some time before that) Cyn is taking on cases involving missing pets, potentially haunted homes, and the like.

But then a makeup artist at a local mortuary approaches her with a case. The paperwork at her mortuary indicates that there are more bodies there than she can find. This has been going on for a while and she wants Cyn to look into what’s happening to the missing bodies. Rhetta doesn’t want to bring it up to her boss herself and risk losing her job, but something isn’t right.

Some of this investigation will end up right where the reader assumes—but there’s also plenty going on that you don’t expect until it’s in your face like a proverbial thrown cream pie.

Meanwhile, Cyn tries to have a love life. She goes on one of the worst dates you’ve read about and stumbles across another crime or two that she needs to look into. But there are some better developments in that area afterward (after you read about the date, you’ll realize what a low bar that is)

We meet a potential new recurring-character and spend time with plenty of those we met before.

Take This With Whatever-Sized Portion of Salt You Wish To

Even if the rest of the book was a dud*, the first chapter was so funny that I’d have been more than happy that I paid for the book. Particularly the first 8 pages, the 243 that follow were just gravy.

* It was not

Obviously tastes, especially when it comes to humor, differ, so I can’t promise that everyone will have this reaction. And there might be a bit of hyperbole expressed above. But, I started this book the evening after that surgery I had a couple of months ago, and laughing at those pages hurt me. They also made me chuckle as I re-read them before I wrote this section.

So, what did I think about Chasing Empty Caskets?

The important thing to remember is that this is a comedy with a mystery thrown in. Suburban Dicks and the Fox and O’Hare books, for example, are Comedic Mysteries/Thrillers. This is a Crimey-Comedy (there’s probably a better name for that somewhere).

So, yeah, the mystery parts may not be the clearest at times. Cyn may overlook some pretty obvious clues, and an action scene or two may come across as convoluted. But that’s because they’re there to serve the comedy. This isn’t to say that this isn’t effective as a mystery novel, the “may”s in the opening sentence should be emphasized, but it does come into play.

The running jokes in this novel are—mercifully—different than the ones in the first Cyn/Winnie novel. Crane isn’t setting us up for a running gag like Stephanie Plum’s car problems (seriously, at this point why does anyone let her drive anything other than that ’53 Buick? Why does she try to?). I enjoyed the cast-gag in Barking for Business more, but these were good enough, and I applaud Crane for going somewhere new.

There are many other things I’d like to compliment, but I don’t know how to do that without ruining plot points or jokes, so I’m not going to try. Basically, if you want silly, madcap, fun with plenty of canine-involved slapstick, look no further than Chasing Empty Caskets and the Sharp Investigations series.

3 Stars

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REPOSTING JUST CUZ: E.B. White on Dogs edited by Martha White: A Great Collection of Short Pieces

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On July 11, 2024

In Dogs, Humor, Non-Fiction

The Post I have been trying to finish since Monday morning remains undone (I got sooo close today). But I feel the need to post something just to confirm to myself that, yes, I do have a blog. So, here we go, in honor of the 126th anniversary of his birth, why not look at this collection of writings from Elwyn Brooks White.

E.B. White on DogsE. B. White on Dogs

edited by Martha White

DETAILS:
Publisher: Tilbury House Publishers
Publication Date: March 7, 2016
Format: Paperback
Length: 177 pg.
Read Date: December 28-31, 2022
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Next year, when Dog Show time comes round, we would like to see a wholly new brand of showmanship introduced into the Garden… A dog should be made to work for his ribbon, each breed in his own wise. Pointers should have to point, Shepherds should be required to herd a band of sheep from the east goal to the west goal. Poodles should be required to jump through a paper hoop, not just follow Mrs. Sherman Hoyt around the ring. English bull terriers should be made to count up to ten, retrievers retrieve rubber ducks, Scotties chew up old shoes. Greyhounds should be put over the high hurdles. St. Bernards carry brandy to anyone in the audience who feels weak, preferably us. Beagles would jolly well have to bealge, or shut up. How about it, dogs—are you dogs or mice?

What’s E. B. White on Dogs About?

This is a collection of essays, articles, letters, and other brief notes written by E.B. White about dogs. In other words, it’s what the title says. Most of the entries are very short—1-2 pages, some are a paragraph long—but (especially toward the end), we get some longer letters and essays.

Most are about White’s dogs—particularly Fred, a beloved dachshund. But there are pieces about dog shows and other dogs, too.

A Few Highlights

This is going to be tough, there are just too many options. Something about Dog Shows brought out the best and/or snarkiest in White, and are possibly my favorite moments.

There’s a point where he describes how a dachshund climbs up and down stairs and the optimum height for said stairs. I don’t know about the height, but he described perfectly how our pug uses the stairs and it’s something I’m going to borrow. He had, over the course of his life, multiple dachshunds and his affection for the breed is evident. But you can tell that Fred had a big impact on White—both during and after his death. The piece White wrote after his death is possibly the highlight of the book.

There’s a long (for this book, anyway) piece about taking a dog on its first coon hunting trip—it’s just wonderful. It’s tonally different from most of the book, which probably helps it stand out—but it didn’t need much help.

Some Non-Dog Moments

Not everything in this book is focused on dogs but involves them tangentially. The best of these pieces are about contemporary politics—I knew some of the names, but not all of them, but that didn’t change things really.

There’s an essay from The New Yorker that I’d probably have paid half the purchase price of the book for—it’s called “Khrushchev and I (A Study in Similarities).” Some newspaper published a feature on the Soviet premier, and from what I can tell, it was the puffiest puff piece around. White takes some parts of that feature to show how much he and Khrushchev are alike—they’re devoted to their families, like walking in the woods, and so on. The last paragraph points out some important differences, too—size, amount of hair left on their heads, the fact that White has never threatened to bury America…the usual differences. And just as he has you chuckling in a different way than he has for a few pages, the last line or two are somber and sober. Fantastic stuff.

So, what did I think about E. B. White on Dogs?

Overall, this was a great collection. It does feel like Martha White hit “Ctrl-F” on an electronic version of everything her grandfather had written and pasted the entire contents of that search into this book. Some of the letters contain one sentence about a dog—not always that cleverly written or interesting—and I had to wonder why she bothered, outside of a drive for thoroughness.

I don’t recommend reading too much of this at once—but maybe that’s just me, my attention waned after too many entries. But if you’re familiar with White’s non-children’s writing, or have the desire to be, and enjoy reading about dogs (and a couple of cats, and a squirrel or two)—you’ll enjoy this.

Speaking of his non-children’s writing—in her note to the reader describing the impetus for the book, and their approach to editing, keeping the pieces “largely as they appeared originally, not attempting to mesh the inconsistencies.” (including some phrasing I don’t think you’d get away with today). Martha White says,

The letters…are more casual in style and my Tillbury House editor was surprised to find that the co-author of The Elements of Style did not always get his that and which correct, especially in the early years. Our hands-off policy nearly killed her.

I feel for that editor and can’t help but chuckle about E.B. White’s divergence from his own book.

All in all, this book delivers what the title promises, and if that’s up your alley, you’ll enjoy it. I sure did.

4 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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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A Few Quick Questions With…J.M. Gulmire

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On March 29, 2024

In A Few Quick Questions With..., Dogs, Fiction, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Back in September (about the time I should have been sending him my part of this Q&A), J.M. Gulmire stopped by with a Guest Post, “Shaping Smiles with Kay-9 The Robot Dog,” giving a little BTS about the book I posted about this morning. Last week, I finally got around to sending the questions that have been rattling around in my brain since then–and he was gracious enough to get the answers back right away, so I can talk about this charming book a little bit and bring you this post. I hope you enjoy.

Why don’t you take a moment to introduce yourself to the readers, and tell us about your path to publication?
Sure sure. Well, I’ve been a storyteller for about 300 years now, it feels like. About a dozen years ago I started querying agents. I submitted mountains of work as I kept writing during this period, and got some great responses praising my work but no takers. I usually received comments about how great my stories are but that they’re not what agents are looking for.

I fell in the “too different” category. That tends to happen when you live with elves and have conversations with your dog.

So last year, the elves and my dog demanded to read my books in book format and that drove me to test out self-publishing.

My first title, “A Vacuum for my Birthday” hit #1 in its genre on amazon and since then I’ve released two other books that have all become Amazon bestsellers.

In addition to writing, your other big artistic endeavor is claymation. What kinds of things have you learned from claymation that have helped your writing—and vice versa?
I love swimming in clay. When I decided to self-publish a little birdie told me that marketing is super tough and that I’d have to do something different so I decided to practice making shorts so I could create my own book trailers. I grew up on Will Vinton and always had a strange obsession with claymation and stop motion work.

Claymation is super tough. The elves lent me some play-doh and I started writing scripts. Script writing helps get right to the action. It keeps things moving and filming reminds writers that timing matters. Thankfully I’m now actually working with clay, which doesn’t dry out as fast!

On the opposite end, writing has helped me realize my characters and bring them to life onscreen. The shorts I created for my “Kay-9 the Robot Dog” trailer were so fun to make, even when the clay took on a mind of its own.

So every book I’ve read for the MG audience about a kid who creates a robot/super-computer/etc. focuses on the end result—and the creation (or most of it) happens “off screen” or in the literary equivalent of a montage. But you don’t take that approach—the book is almost all about the creation-stage. Was that a conscious choice on your part to depart from the norm, or was that just the way it came about?
That was a pure choice. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

One of my elves asked me to get them a robot dog book, but I couldn’t find one. Worst of all, most of the robot books were all about the robot’s experiences instead of its creation.

I was overly aware of this while writing “Kay-9.” Thankfully the subject was so fun and my dog offered a few suggestions because I love finding untold stories. That old saying, “every story has already been told” or something like that was created to be proven wrong. I think Mark Twain or some old timey author started that rumor just so people would work harder to make something new.

There’s a recurring theme (at least I think there was) about what makes a good parent running throughout the book. Frequently it’s Ryan’s mother telling/reminding him something like “I’m your mom, of course I’m going to ____.” Was that something you set out to layer in or did it just come up organically and you decided to run with it?
I’m so glad that came through. Yes. Raising a house full of elves and critters, I know how often little ones need to be reminded that they are supported by their family, especially their parents.

I also hoped that the children who read “Kay-9” would feel more connected to their parents through Ryan’s relationship with his mom, and how important his connection with his dad was even though he was gone.

What was the part what was the biggest surprise about the process of writing Kay-9? Either, “I can’t believe X is so easy!” or “If I had known Y was going to be so hard, I’d have skipped this and watched more TV”?
I found myself spellbound at how desperately the book seemed to want to be written. I would sit down and write and it poured out so well and so fast that I had to slow down and stretch my fingers to keep from losing my head. I didn’t want to rush it but knew that I was on to something.

This is typically where I ask about what’s next for an author, but your next is already here—tell us a little about Monster Camping Trip.
Yay. Thank you! “Monster Camping Trip” is my third best selling Amazon new release.

This one didn’t exactly know what it wanted to be called. The original title was, “Too Many Kids” because it’s about the ups and downs of being part of a big family, but it’s also about how families support each other even if they’re a little crazy at times.

This one sets Ava on a search for a mysterious cryptid that lives in Wisconsin. She learns about the legend of the hodag and ends up going on an adventure with her twin brother in search of it on their family camping trip.

And there’s no end to writing with me. I plan to release my fourth book, “Keku’s Mission,” in September. It’s my Lord of the Rings, but with all animals and a lot less wandering through the forest because the animals are small and can’t go as far. Imagine Frodo as a girl toad who is on a mission to find a plant that will heal her friend who is sick.

All of my books are about overcoming the odds and the importance of supporting others and being supported. They all have jokes and silly situations in them as well, because I don’t like cough medicine but laughter (and pineapple juice) are the best cure for everything.

Thanks for your time and participation! Thanks also for introducing me to Ryan and his friends/neighbors!
THANK YOU so much!! I love writing and am always happy to spend time giving my manuscripts time to cool off. LOL

Readers, go check out all of Gulmire’s books at Amazon!
A Few Quick Questions

Kay-9 The Robot Dog by J.M. Gulmire: The Name Says it All

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On March 29, 2024

In Dogs, Science Fiction, YA/MG/Children's Books

Be sure to come back later this morning for a Q&A with the Author.

Kay-9 The Robot Dog Kay-9 The Robot Dog

by J.M. Gulmire

DETAILS:
Publication Date: September 2, 2023
Format: eARC
Length: 160 pg.
Read Date: September 16, 2023

What’s Kay-9 The Robot Dog About?

Ryan is having a rough time. His dad is overseas with the military—and Zoom calls just aren’t cutting it (actually, they may be making it worse). His mom’s allergies prevent them from getting a pet—and all Ryan really wants in the world is a dog.

So, he gets the idea of making one. Not in a bio-chem laboratory or editing genes to create a truly hypo-allergenic canine or something. But a robotic dog. His friend/neighbor Marcus helps out when he can—and Marcus’ little sister, Mariah, pushes her way into the project, too (and actually has some good ideas and contributions).

It’s not long before Ryan has moved beyond making a toy—between experimentation, online research, spare computer parts, and a little luck—he’s on his way to creating a real artificial pet.

Gulmire Zags Where Others Zig

It was in the 1980s that I first discovered stories where a kid/young person created computers, robots, androids, or spacecraft far beyond the capabilities of most professional computer engineers/corporate entities.* And while I rarely seek those out, I keep stumbling across them in various media to this day. I typically enjoy them—and have little trouble disengaging my disbelief for them, too.

* True, it was in the 1980s that I discovered pretty much everything, but that’s beside the point.

On the surface, Kay-9 The Robot Dog is one of a long line of those stories. But there’s something different about Gulmire’s approach to the creation of the Robot. Typically, most of the creation-stage happens off-screen (with maybe some comedic moments of trying it out in real life). But not here, the focus of this novel is on the creation. Trial and error. Going back to the drawing board. Thinking of a new feature and figuring out how to add it. Learning about processes necessary to get from Point A to Point B—and then beyond.

Sometimes, Ryan has to ask for help—and typically, that’s just a nudge in the right direction for research, not someone telling him what to do. The book could be titled “How to Build Your Dog” or something like that—it’s that focused on the process. I was perfectly fine with the “oh, I’ve seen this before” feeling—Gulmire was doing a good job with the usual pattern—but then when it became clear that he was taking the road less traveled, I became strongly invested.

Parenting

One of the big questions that every Middle Grade author has to deal with is “What do I do about the parents?” Often, they’re written out of the book somehow—the protagonist is at camp, or boarding school, lost in the woods, or whatever. Maybe they’re so busy at work that the protagonist rarely sees them (but generally in that case there’s some other authority figure to contend with). Sometimes, they’re written as witless or befuddled people who have to be avoided (which isn’t difficult), or they’re overbearing to one degree or another.

Ryan’s mom, however, is just a good mom. She’s involved, she makes sure he eats reasonably well, does his homework, and whatnot. They can enjoy a little back-and-forth in their conversation, but at the end of the day, she’s his mother, and he will act accordingly. She’s supportive and understanding of Ryan’s desire to have a dog, his difficulty without his father around, and then for his Kay-9 project. She’s his biggest cheerleader—but she makes sure to communicate the limits she’ll tolerate.

Marco and Mariah’s mom is also a great example of what a mom should be. The two of them together could be the focus of a TLC reality show.

So, what did I think about Kay-9 The Robot Dog ?

There’s this strong theme of a community supporting Ryan, running throughout this—and it only builds as the novel goes on. It’s understated, for the most part, but it’s there—and it generates more heart-warming energy than it should for the space it takes. I really appreciated that.

I also really appreciated the way that Gulmire addressed Ryan’s dad being overseas with the military and the stress it puts on everyone in the family. Like with so many of the things he succeeds with in this book, the depiction is strong and relatable. He never dips the toe into a “very special episode” kind of feel. But we see Ryan struggle with it, we see his mom struggle, too (we can imagine Dad’s struggle, but it’s not something the reader gets first-hand). Most importantly, this was dealt with honestly and compassionately.

This is a quick, light read (particularly for those not in the intended 7-12 year old audience). It’s full of joy and heart, with some good (and subtly delivered) life lessons. It’s a celebration of imagination, grit, and experimentation—all things we need more of. It’s also a tribute to the power of a kid-sister (your own or your friend’s) in getting things done. Best of all, it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Check it out—or at least help the kid in your life give it a peek.

3 Stars

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REPOSTING JUST CUZ: Harvested by Troy Lambert: A Man Bites Dog P.I. Novel

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On March 14, 2024

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

I flipped a coin late last night and it came up “stop writing and get some sleep.” It was frustrating that I got to that point, it’s even more so that I had to walk away from a post that was coming along pretty nicely. Hopefully I can finish it tonight, so you can read it tomorrow. In the meantime, here’s a look back at the first Max Boucher book in lieu of something about the second.

HarvestedHarvested

by Troy Lambert

DETAILS:
Series: Max Boucher Mysteries, #1
Publisher: Unbound Media
Publication Date: March 15, 2019
Format: Paperback
Length: 247 pg.
Read Date: January 2-3, 2023
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What’s Harvested About?

Max Boucher is a P.I. in Seattle. Like a good (fictional) P.I., he spends a lot of time drinking. He spends most of the rest of his time working just to make ends meet. He really wants to devote his time to looking for whoever murdered his daughter, killed his dog, and either kidnapped or murdered his wife. He—and his former colleagues in the Seattle PD—have followed every lead they have, but he’d spend all of his life going back over the evidence time and time again if he could.

Now, he’s taken on a case—he takes on every case that comes his way—that takes him back to his old neighborhood. The dog park that he and his family used to go to, in fact. There’s a rash of dognappings in the area, and owners have come together to hire him to find their canine friends. The police can/will only do so much, but Max can devote more time to it.

It doesn’t take long for things to get hairy—there’s a connection to a Korean mob boss. Some of the dogs start reappearing—with strange injuries. And it turns out that this has been happening all over Seattle for some time. Max isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into, but it’s about a lot more than missing poodles.

Supporting Characters

Obviously, you’ve got to have a compelling P.I. in a book like this—and a good hook for the story. That’s what the reader comes for, and the writer had better deliver. A plausible villain, is important, too—but the others can overcome an iffy one. But what will really make a P.I. novel work is the supporting characters—the cop buddies/frenemies/rival (depending on the series), the client, the witnesses, and so on.

Lambert nails this throughout the book. I like Boucher and want to see more of him, but I enjoyed some of the side characters more than him. There’s a friendly and helpful veterinarian who could probably carry a cozy mystery series on her own—and I would buy six of those tomorrow if they existed.

There’s a guy who details Max’s car (he’s got an older car that’s his pride and joy)—which is something definitely called upon when your case involves carrying injured dogs (and injured detectives) around. If Eddie shows up for a scene or two in every book in the series, you can color me pleased. I’m not even sure why—I also don’t care much, I just liked him.

I’m not going to say I enjoyed the Korean mob boss* in the same way I did those two. But the scenes with him are some of the most intense in the novel.

* Ahem. Suspected boss, of a mob that may not even exist.

I could go on for a few more—I don’t remember exactly my point when I started this section, other than to rave about Dr. Gamble and Eddie. But I guess that I just want to stress that Lambert gives us more than a solid P.I. He knows how to give the reader characters to invest in and care about—even if only for a page or two.

Beware of (Hurt) Dogs

* (yeah, that’s a lame section title—but it’s better than “It’s a Dog Eat Dog Book” with the implied cannibalism)

I know I have readers who will be antsy about this book—we’re talking about kidnapped and injured dogs here (there’s a reason I have a recurring post about books about dogs who live). And for those who cannot take violence toward animals, this is a book to avoid.

I will say, however, almost all of the violence happens “off-screen”—you see very little of it on the page. And what you see on the page isn’t that bad (up until the climactic bit at the end, but the violence there is spread amongst characters with two and four legs (and the two-legged ones get the worst of it).

The point of this book is Boucher investigating the kidnappings, stopping them by getting to the bottom of things and rescuing as many dogs as he can. So if you’re on the fence, you can hold on to that.

So, what did I think about Harvested?

This was a good read. Lambert delivered in every way I wanted a book like this to—solid plot, unique case, great character work, and a pace that keeps you turning the pages long past the time you should put the book down for sleep or chores. I’d recommend this just for the (relative) novelty of a Seattle P.I.—mid-sized US cities need to be the setting of more P.I. novels. The book delivers on everything it promises and gives you an open (and welcome) invitation to come back for another. I know I’m accepting that invitation.

Oh—minor spoiler—by the end, one of the kidnapped dogs can’t be matched with an owner and ends up staying with Max. So you know I have to come back, just for more of him.

I’d have come back anyway—I want to see how Max moves on from this point in general. I’m quite curious about the clues he discovered regarding his wife’s case, too. I’m assuming (and really don’t want to know the truth until I’m into the next book) that book 2 will advance the investigation into his wife’s kidnapping while Max and his new partner dive into another stand-alone case—and we’ll continue that way for a while. That sounds like a great time to me. Grab this one—the second book is out now, you might as well grab it, too. You’ll have fun.

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, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Up on the Woof Top by Spencer Quinn: I Have No Humbugs to Give

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On December 1, 2023

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

Up on the Woof TopUp on the Woof Top

by Spencer Quinn

DETAILS:
Series: Chet and Bernie, #14
Publisher: Forge
Publication Date: October 17, 2023
Format: Hardcover
Length: 307 pg.
Read Date: November 15-17, 2023
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What’s Up on the Woof Top About?

Bernie accompanies his elderly neighbors to a book signing for Dame Ariadne Carlisle, the author of a series of Christmas-themed mysteries. This, as one has to assume, is interrupted by some canine-induced chaos. However, it wasn’t Chet that got out of hand this time. Nevertheless, Chet and his human partner do grab the attention of Carlisle.

She ends up offering the duo a job they can’t turn down. She owns quite the little compound up in the mountains. It’s called Kringle Ranch and has buildings with names like Cratchit House. Carlisle knows her brand and has fully embraced it. As part of this brand, she owns a group of nine reindeer—her favorite, Rudy, has gone missing. For a sizeable payday, successful or not, she wants Bernie (or probably his friend with the superior sense of smell) to find Rudy and bring him back home.

Once they get to the Ranch, Bernie learns that Carlisle is suffering a career-risking case of writer’s block—which is ascribed to Rudy’s absence, but it could be the pressure that book 100 is too much for her. Or a combination of things. But it’s this block that Bernie really focuses on.

Or he tries to, anyway. Shortly after they arrive, the duo finds Carlisle’s personal assistant at the bottom of a gorge, barely alive. It turns out that Carlisle’s one, true love was also found at the bottom of that gorge, murdered, before she started writing. Bernie assumes that there’s a link between the two and plunges into the unsolved murder case as a way of finding the attempted murderer.

A Holiday Sampler

Along the way, we get the occasional excerpt from Carlisle’s Trudi Termaine series—which is interesting enough and does help you understand the character. But…I’ve gotta say, I hope Quinn doesn’t go the Seanan McGuire/A. Deborah Baker route and put out books under her name, I don’t know that I could deal with an entire novel’s worth of it.

(of course I would inevitably try it)

The Holiday Content

Unlike the previous holiday-themed installment, It’s a Wonderful Woof, where I said that it “would be very easy to forget that this is a Christmas/Holiday Themed novel,” it is impossible to forget that about this book. I mean, for crying out loud, Bernie is hired to search for a reindeer named Rudolph.

Christmas just flat-out permeates Up on the Woof Top. Thankfully, not in a cheesy way, or one that should offend anyone, or put off Scrooges. It’s part of the setting, it’s part of every plotline*, and the holiday is discussed frequently.

* I should probably qualify that with a “nearly,” but I can’t think of an exception off the top of my head.

None of this makes this one of those novels/stories that you can only read during the holiday season—like The Nutcracker or A Christmas Carol. Whenever you get to it during the year, it’ll be fine—but you won’t forget for a second what time of year it takes place in. (which makes it different from almost every single other book in the series, which could take place anytime)

Continuing Arcs

Sure, it wasn’t the biggest series-changing moment, but Chet getting out to…ahem…become a father was so subtle that you could be forgiven for missing it. And many of the series’ bigger moments (both for individual novels or overall) are underplayed—thanks in part to Chet not understanding them at the time or his unreliable narration.

That is not the case in this book. Not even close. Bernie does some things here that are going to change the books, his work, Chet’s life, and more in ways that readers can only guess at for now. (Quinn might only be guessing at for now, too)—and they make up the B-story, frequently distracting Bernie and the reader from murders, attempted murders, sleigh-pulling mammals, aging friends (new and old), and so on.

Here’s a fairly non-spoilery way to talk about how big and unusual Bernie’s actions in this novel are—he goes to his regular pawn shop not to hock or buy-back the watch. He goes there to just buy something. It threw me almost as much as it did the owners of the pawn shop.

So, what did I think about Up on the Woof Top?

“You did us proud. You’re the brains of the outfit, no doubt about it.”

Me the brains? That had to be one of Bernie’s jokes. He can be very funny at times. If I were the brains how could the Little Detective Agency be so successful, except for the finances part? Still, it was nice to hear. If only I knew exactly what I’d done I could do it again, and then hear Bernie say “You did us proud,” once more. Or even more than once! But you can’t have everything, which kind of makes sense, because who could possibly carry everything? You could have it, but you couldn’t go anywhere. What would be the point of that?”

I had a blast with this—there’s a subplot or scene or two that I wondered about. But they were either eventually justified or were fun enough that I didn’t care. The rest was just a ball of holiday-flavored Chet-goodness.

I never understood Bernie’s approach to the search for Rudy, I will admit. It really felt like he was just taking a vacation and occasionally remembered he had a chore to do. But that job was just an excuse to put him in this setting so he could look into this murder/attempted murder and associated shenanigans—that was clear from the jump (well, not what he was really going to be doing there, but that a case other-than the Rudy-hunt was in the wings)—so I didn’t worry about it too much. Also, the payoff to that particular gig was dealt with well enough by Quinn, that any quibbles just didn’t matter.

The novel is largely Bernie and Chet getting to play in the snow while doing what they do best while encountering a few characters that the reader will want to get to know better (a former Sheriff and a current deputy for starters). There’s a child that will steal your heart as he does Chet’s. And then there’s the setup for the series change that I mentioned above. Up on the Woof Top delivers plenty of fun from page 1 to 307.

Naturally, we get some healthy doses of what a friend calls Chet the Jet wisdom and other real heartwarming moments (see above quotation) that will flip in a moment to welcome silliness. There’s also a conversation about the lifespan of dogs that hit me right in “all the feels” after my dog’s recent death (it would’ve done it anyway, but the hit landed a bit harder). To be clear: I absolutely loved that moment and would’ve given the book 3 stars just because of it had I been annoyed by the rest of it.

Fans of this series will be very happy to unwrap this gift—and it should win a new reader over as well. If either of those two labels applies to you, I heartily recommend this novel to you.

4 Stars

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