Bibliography:  Quinn, Spencer. (2009).  Dog on It.  New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN: 9781416585831

Plot Summary:  Together P.I.s Bernie and Chet run the Little Detective Agency.  And they are good at their jobs, especially missing persons cases.  No matter that Chet is a mutt who couldn’t pass K-9 school, and Bernie’s got some issues of his own.  When they take the case of missing teenager Madison only to her have come home that same evening, everyone is relieved.  But when she disappears again a few days later, Bernie and Chet both know something bad has happened, and they grab on to the case with their teeth and refuse to let go.

Critical Analysis:  When I heard about this book, I knew it was either going to be great or terrible.  There is no middle ground when an animal is narrating a story.  In this case, the narrator of Chet is both laconic and hard-boiled as well as, well, eager and excited as a puppy, and it really works.  I remember someone saying of Richard Adams’ Watership Down, how could he know what rabbits think?  Well, the same praise can be given to Quinn.  We think not that he can’t possible hear dogs’ thoughts, but wonder that he can, and he captures it so well on the page.  Bernie’s not so bad either, as the story unfolds, we come to find out that he is a much more complex and complicated person than the first few chapters make him out to be.  His environmental streak and longing for the good old days make me hope there is an environmental themed future entry in this series in the works.

The mystery is also good, and ratcheted up because Chet the dog has knowledge for some time in the story that Bernie doesn’t have yet.  (If only dogs could talk.  Bernie’s no Timmy…)  Be warned that while the dog lives, there are several tough spots for Chet.  I suppose the climax might seem a little far fetched in retrospect, but by that time,  was so in love with both characters,, I’m not sure I cared or that it really mattered.

Readalikes:

There are many, many mysteries out there that feature dogs.  But in this case, I think most of them are not true matches here.  The one that comes closest, although it has a human narrator, is the Owen McKenna series by Todd Borg which feature a Harlequin Great Dane named Spot.  McKenna is also a P.I., and Spot goes everywhere with him.

The second author that comes to mind is Michael McGarrity and his Kevin Kearney series.  Kevin is also a somewhat down on his luck P.I., and he has the same respect for the outdoors and the good old days.  There are no dogs here, but several series entries feature horses and ranching.  This series has more of an edge to it, so expect more violence, etc.

Finally, I was reminded of Dana Stabenow’s series featuring Kate Shugak.  Living off the land in Alaska, Kate and her trusty half-wolf, half-husky Mutt are always solving some murder, whether in the national Park, downtown Anchorage, or a barren oilfield.  Again, dark and more violent.

Review Excerpts:

Library Journal: “At last, a dog lover’s mystery that portrays dogs as they really are…Quinn’s characters are endearing, and his narrative is intriguing, fast-moving, and well written. Even cat lovers will find it entertaining.”

Kirkus Reviews: “Stalwart, often mischievous narrator Chet’s amusing, perceptive canine take on the human characters should appeal to hard-boiled fans and canine fanciers alike.”