If you want a book that will be equal parts entertainment and crime mystery....OF MUTTS AND MEN is for you. Spencer Quinn manages to write very good mysteries while keeping us all entertained by Chet and Bernie. This is book #10 and I have read the other 9. You will still love this book if you have not read the first ones, but you are seriously deprived if you have not. This man and dog team work hard at staying out of trouble only to have it follow them from job to job to home. The investigations, told from both sides will keep you chuckling and wondering how they ever manage to solve a case. But solve they do, while managing to stay together through thick and thin...and coyotes.

I have always enjoyed Spencer Quinn's Bernie and Chet novels, and this one was no exception.

I particularly like the fact that the characters remain fresh and believable, even though this is the 10th novel in the series, and I thoroughly enjoy that the novels are told from Chet's point of view.

In this episode Chet and Bernie find their 'perp' very quickly, until Bernie starts to realize that all is not as it seems. While the authorities are happy to accept that the murderer has been found, Bernie needs to make sure that the truth has been found. During the search, Bernie learns more about hydrology and the Californian aquifer that has been concerning him for a while.

Chet remains such a great character - instrumental in solving the crime in many ways, and getting himself in a few situations that he shouldn't as well.

Woven between the crime, we find out more about Bernie's personal situation too. Spencer Quinn does a fine job of painting the scene - especially in Mexico - in the menacing situations that exist.

All in all a great book, and I'm very thankful for the opportunity to review this arc.

I don’t read a ton of mysteries. This series is really fun though! Chet is the epitome of Dog and hearing everything from his point of view has kept me reading this series since I tried book one.
If you love dogs I recommend this series highly! The author obviously really gets dogs and loves them.

I believe I've read every one of the Spencer Quinn books, so I was excited to see this new addition, Of Mutts and Men, added to the series. I adore Chet and his perspective on being with Bernie, going on adventures, and catching the bad guys.

This book does not disappoint. Spencer Quinn writes in a fun way and weaves a great mystery. Plus, Chet is adorable, and you can't help but fall in love with his actions and thoughts. He's a great sidekick to Bernie.

Do yourself a favor and start from book 1. You will not be disappointed in reading this series. Each book is unique and a lot of fun with solid mysteries and intrigue that will keep you up at hight racing to get to the next book.

Bernie and his partner Chet the dog are back to solve another mystery. A hydrologist studying the local aquifer has been murdered and it is up to the pair to unravel the conspiracy surrounding his death and solve the crime.

I love this series as it is narrated by Chet. It is an unique storytelling device. As a dog lover, I love the way Chet's thoughts are portrayed in the the books. It does get a little repetitive after a while, but I still find it cute. Each title stands alone, so the reader does not have to read the books in any order.

I recommend this book to dog lovers and readers looking for an enjoyable, lighthearted mystery. Book groups may have a great discussion regarding the pros and cons of having a dog as the narrative voice. Any readers who do not like dogs may want to avoid this title and series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Very cute story from the viewpoint of Chet, your best K - 9 dropout! Chet works with his human, Bernie, a private investigator, who lives from paycheck to paycheck. I enjoyed the unique story, the mystery was okay, I laughed out loud at times with Chet's antics!
I highly recommend! Thank you Netgalley!
carolintallahassee.com

Chet & Bernie mysteries are such fun books to read and I love the author’s clever titles. The way Quinn writes is unique and entertaining, especially how he humanizes Chet. Chet is one heck of a sidekick, yet often gets sidetracked by bright and shiny things, different smells, birds and critters. He somehow knows exactly when to spring into action when Bernie needs him. If you are a dog lover and enjoy mysteries, this book is for you.

*will post to online venues closer to publication.

Of Mutts and Men is a hilarious and intriguing mystery told from the dog's point of view. Bernie Little runs the Little Detective Agency with the help of his dog, Chet. They are supposed to meet with a hydrologist, Wendell Hero. When they arrive at the meeting both are shocked to find that Wendell was murdered, but no one knows why. Their investigation leads them in to all kinds of trouble. Readers will enjoy the hi jinks as well as the well-plotted detective story with the added attraction of a canine narrator.

Chet and Bernie are back! This light hearted series told from Chet's point of view, always makes me smile. Chet is a mutt, a hundred plus pounder, that just missed becoming a police dog. This time, they are solving a murder in a case involving a hydrologist, a wine maker and with the wrong perp in custody. Fun books for dog lovers!

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

If you've ever looked over at a dog only to see him with his head cocked to the side watching you, you have probably wondered what that dog is thinking. If you read the books in this series you will probably be convinced that Spencer Quinn has figured it out and is willing to let you in on the secret. If you love dogs and you love mystery novels, combine both those things in the nicest possible way and you have a crime solving duo of Bernie Little and his dog Chet. Any book of this type has the possibility of being painfully bad. Thank goodness Chet and Bernie spare us that. Chet is the narrator and his eccentricity is a joy to lose yourself in. If Chet could count past two he would be the perfect dog; since two is his limit he has to be only the best canine investigator I know.

Bernie and Chet do their investigating, usually, in the Southwestern United States where water is becoming a problem. Bernie is very concerned about the aquifer, not just in this book but in each book. Here Bernie meets a scientist specializing in hydrology who wants him to do some work for him. Unfortunately by the time Bernie and Chet make it out to Wendell's office the next day the job turns into something entirely different.

This story has some seriously bad criminals and that aspect is balanced very nicely by the gently - or chaotic - musings of Chet. These two characters are combined so that the dark side of crime never takes center stage for very long. I find these books a relaxing, enjoyable, comfortable reading experience and I always put the book down feeling as if I've just been visiting with friends I value highly. I hope you give the series a try, start with any book in the series but there are some plot threads that continue throughout the series. Nothing to get you too confused, just to make you curious to read what had happened in a previous book. Authors must love that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan/Tor-Forge for an e-galley of this novel.

I really found this book enjoyable particularly because it was coming from”Chet”. What a companion he is to Bernie.

In this 10th book in the 'Chet and Bernie Mystery' series, the private detective and his dog investigate the death of a scientist. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Bernie Little and his dog Chet are partners in the 'Little Detective Agency', located in the Southwest United States. Bernie and Chet tend to attract oddball cases, which are faithfully narrated by Chet in his inimitable - and hilarious - doggy fashion.

In Chet's eyes Bernie can do no wrong, except in the area of finances. When Bernie refuses a bonus, for instance, Chet thinks: "No bonus? With the state of our finances? Had Bernie forgotten about our self-storage...stacked from floor to ceiling with Hawaiian pants, not one pair sold." And then there was the tin futures fiasco! Chet always hopes new cases will boost the agency's bank account.

A new case appears to be on the horizon when Bernie and Chet meet hydrologist Wendell Nero at a yard party. Wendell studies aquifers and designs water projects, and when he hears Bernie is a detective, asks for a meeting the next day. Unfortunately, when Bernie and Chet show up at Wendell's trailer in Dollhouse Canyon they find the scientist dead, his throat slit from ear to ear.

Dimwitted Deputy Sheriff Beasley shows up to investigate but it's Chet, nosing around outside, who discovers evidence that leads to the arrest of Florian Machado - a petty criminal who lives in a rundown boat parked in the desert.

Bernie has doubts about Florian's guilt, and gets even more suspicious when Florian's attorney, a pricey lawyer named Gudrun Burr - who works for the best law firm in town - urges Florian to cop a plea. SOMETHING is going on, and Bernie suspects it has to do with the aquifer that dead Wendell was studying.

Bernie urges Gudrun to hold off on the plea bargain while he investigates Wendell's murder, but the lawyer seems oddly eager to get her client locked up. When Bernie doesn't back down it leads to consequences for himself and Chet, and I feared for their safety....and for Bernie's ability to withstand Gudrun's womanly wiles.

Chet's narrative of the case is interspersed with his personal observations and explanations - as well as references to past investigations - all of which is very funny. I'll give some examples:

- When Bernie and Chet encounter Wendell's three ex-wives, Chet observes: "Then came a lot of shouting, including a few words I hadn't heard since an all-you-can drink night at a biker bar we went to by mistake."

- And when Chet describes attending a Bat Mitzvah with Bernie's son Charlie, he recalls: "My very first bat mitzvah, so naturally I'd been on the lookout for bats, even though it was daytime and bats only came out at night, in my experience......Did mitzvah mean hunt? That was my take, and I started in on hunting the moment we arrived."

- Best of all, when Chet admits to an 'unplanned outing' and its consequences, he says: "For now let's leave out the complications of the later appearance of a puppy supposedly resembling - if that's the meaning of 'spit and image' - me, a puppy now going by "Shooter" and living with Charlie."

Bernie and Chet are brave, resourceful, and lucky as they strive to solve the case. While working they also take time to visit with Charlie (who lives with his mother); hobnob with Bernie's friends; get Slim Jims for Chet, ponder water problems in the Southwest; chat with neighbors; and more.

I enjoyed the story, both for the mystery and the laughs, and recommend the book to fans of amusing suspense novels.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author (Spencer Quinn), and the publisher (Forge Books) for a copy of the book.

These books, along with Rosenfelt's and the Miss Julia series, are the perfect feel good books for me and I enjoy every one of them. Haven't been let down yet and honestly, don't see it happening

I love Chet and Bernie novels. Chet is truly a wonderful canine character. Being a librarian I don't buy lots of books but I do buy these books to read when I need a laugh or a pick-me-up. In this mystery someone has murdered a hydrologist and Chet and Bernie are off to get the perps. Chet wants a chance to bite their pants legs so the perp can start wearing an orange prison suit. If you want a good story with memorable characters try this one and this series.

Absolutely love this series - Bernie Little, private eye, is a pretty cool character. But he pales in comparison to his canine companion, Chet - who narrates the books from his wonderful doggie perspective and canine sense of humor. He's also smart as a whippet, even if he did flunk out of K-9 training school on his final day (blame it on an errant cat).

When Bernie is called to a meeting with Wendell Nero, a hydrologist and professor at a local college about a possible job, it turns into a worst-case scenario: Professor Nero is in his trailer in a remote desert area, all right, but he's quite dead. Not long afterward, a man known to have been in the professor's trailer is found, and charged with the murder. Problem is, Bernie is pretty sure they've got the wrong killer.

Bernie is hired by Wendell's three ex-wives (largely so they can divvy up his estate), so Bernie and Chet begin sniffing around - with Chet wagging his tail and trying his best to figure out what Bernie wants him to do (sometimes that happens, sometimes not). Bernie wants some advice from an old sheriff friend, but when Bernie lets Chet spend the night with the man, it doesn't end well as a couple of dognappers swoop in and whisk Chet away.

Looking around the murder scene, Bernie spies a vineyard that's thriving despite the obvious lack of water, while Chet smells water and tries to convey his discovery to Bernie. Much more than that would spoil things for other readers, so I'll just leave it at that. I will say this isn't my favorite of the series, but it's mostly because the plot just didn't grab me as much. That said, I chuckled and teared up at moments appropriate to humans as always. If you love lovable pooches, fun and the art of the chase, I strongly suggest that you give this book (and the series as a whole - this is the 10th) a try. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-publication copy.

Chet the Dog makes stories about Bernie Little, PI, complete. He adds to the story, usually saves Bernie, and he shares his thoughts with you, no matter how disjointed they may be.

Forge Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published July 7th.

They have been invited to see Wendell in his work location. He's making records about the aquifers in the area. When they get there they find him dead. His throat has been cut. Bernie picks a suspect and finds him with the dead man's wallet. The suspect said he was dead when he got there and he wouldn't need his wallet, would he? The cop sent is none too brilliant and he books the guy and closes the case. Bernie isn't satisfied and keeps looking and asking questions.

His girlfriend has found a new man and is getting married. She's also working for a new company. As he checks this new company he has new questions but no one will answer them.

They meet one lady that says she likes dogs but Chet knows different. She may be a professor but she's wicked. She tries to seduce Bernie but Chet puts an end to that. The lady is a killer and she plans to kill Bernie, too, but Chet takes care of her.

I really like Chet...

OF MUTTS AND MEN
Spencer Quinn
Forge 2020
ISBN:

The story opens with Chet and his partner, Bernie Little of the Little Detective Agency, in hot pursuit of an art thief. Across rooftops, no less, and when the thief jumps from one roof to another, he drops the painting. But Chet, superb partner that he is, catches the painting in mid-air. He saves the thief also, whose leap has fallen short, almost by himself. Except Bernie is there and hauls them both in. All in a day’s work, which lands them a new client.

Unfortunately, when the partners show up at the client’s place of business, they find him dead. Since Bernie—and Chet, that goes without saying—distrusts the inept sheriff in charge, they take on the job of finding the killer. It’s what they do best, and as you’ll see, though investigating is not without peril, they’re very good at it. Pay or no pay, something Chet always worries about, Bernie not so much. Just like Bernie always worries about the aquifer in the dry California desert country, but Chet not so much.

From this, if you haven’t read any of Spencer Quinn’s Chet and Bernie novels, you might not realize that Chet (the jet) is a police-schooled dog who failed his final test, and Bernie is, indeed, a private eye. If you haven’t read the novels, why not? You’re missing out, especially as each novel just seems to get stronger. I think Of Mutts and Men is arguably the best one yet. The reader can always count on an excellent mystery/adventure, always the very best of characterizations with lots of action, and stories rife with humor. In other words, riveting page turners.

Chet is the narrator, and believe me, he’s a great one. Yes, Chet is the dog. But he’s not a humanized dog. Not at all. He thinks how a dog thinks and acts like a dog acts. Love, loyalty, and a healthy appetite all wrapped up into one package. The story gets my highest recommendation.

Another winner from the Spencer Quinn series. Quinn's nque approach to solving crime through the eyes of a great dog is very engaging.

Way back in 2008, I was working at Barnes & Noble and found myself in the mystery section. Now, back in those old days I didn't really stray from my general fiction section. The mystery covers were often, quite frankly, terrifying. While we all say the adage don't judge a book by its cover, I often find myself judging actual books by their covers. Bodice busting and shirtless men are generally two indicators that particular book is not for me. Since I'm insanely easy to frighten, I stayed away from the bloody covers and dripping knives often found adorning the covers of books in that section.

So there I am, shelving books, and I pull one out to scan. But it has an adorable dog on the cover. Is this in the wrong section? I scan. No, the handheld computer says it goes in mystery under Q. I read the back cover, shelve most of them, and keep a copy back for myself.

That's how I found Chet and Bernie. Because that book was Dog On It, and I couldn't resist a book with a dog and puns. Plus- turns out it's narrated by a dog! Before you get all uncomfortable, it isn't nearly as distracting as you'd think. The canine narration can lighten up tense moments, and with Chet's incisive narration we get even more clues to try and solve the who-done-it than by human searching alone. By overhearing the detective's interviews and having Chet's firsthand account of scents and character judgement, the reader gets an immersive experience.

But that was nine books and twelve years ago! What am I doing talking about it now? Well, book ten is due out July 7 and I was gifted with the opportunity to review an advanced copy from NetGalley and Macmillan. (If you're wondering if this is one of those  occasions where I was jumping up and down when I got that email, you would be correct!).

In the latest Chet and Bernie installment (I love how the dog always comes first, even when Bernie is speaking!), a cowboy painting leads to an expert in the field Bernie is always pontificating about- the aquifer. When a dead body turns up, Bernie puts himself on the case. As the mystery around the water expands, so does the danger.

Once again, Spencer Quinn has crafted a real gem of a novel. I may have even accidentally startled my own snuggly dog while reading, because Chet had me literally laughing out loud. His wit and graduating to so-therefore's makes for plenty of light moments, while the severity of the topic and gruesome discoveries get their own masterful handling.

I appreciate how Quinn deftly explains these delicate scenes without going heavy on the gore; whenever the body count rises, it is handled with care. Each character, regardless of how long they're in the book, is masterfully crafted and well developed. The lack of stereotypes and myriad unique characters is a bonus in an already well done novel.

The setting is absolutely gorgeously described, if you're looking for an armchair travel experience to the Southwest amidst the pandemic. Plot-wise, the science behind the mystery for this novel is also well explained. The pace is excellent, with a steady stream of clues leading to the final revelations. While there are some heart pounding moments and a few heart wrenching moments, I don't have to worry about any nightmares from this one (which has not been the result of all of my forays into the mystery section).

I've been recommending this book series for years, as I can safely rate them five stars and I love recommending books (especially ones with dogs!). Of Mutts and Men is yet another five star success from Quinn. If you start now, maybe you can read the previous nine before this one comes out! If you don't think you can squeeze that in, I will say this book can stand on its own; there are a few references to previous cases discussed in prior books and one recurring character who has stepped from lead to occasionally reoccurring, but these situations are cleverly and briefly summarized.

Chet and Bernie are a joy to spend time with, and I'm both glad I didn't have to wait until July and mad at myself for devouring it so quickly. Here's hoping Quinn is busy on the next Chet and Bernie novel!

Of Mutts and Men is available for pre-order and is out July 7, 2020.

Psst...If you've read all of the Chet and Bernie books and need something to read until  Mutts and Men releases in July, check out the Bowser and Birdie series. It's for middle grade, but has that classic Spencer Quinn wit with a whip smart adolescent and her fierce dog. I've loved all of them so far!

I have to say that the author has a talent for writing from the viewpoint of a dog, which in this case involves Chet, the K-9 failure adopted by Bernie, a private investigator. Many times, when authors write dialogue from the perspective of an animal, the animal's thoughts seem very human. Quinn really does write Chet's thoughts, including his confusion about why Bernie does certain things.
That said, the book was OK; it was a little hard to follow sometimes and didn't hold my attention very well. Maybe a little more for the hard-boiled mystery fan.