Out for a drive, Chet and Bernie run into a prison work crew featuring an old criminal friend they helped send to prison, Frenchie Boutette. From an old Louisiana family full of black sheep, Frenchie needs Bernie and Chet’s help in locating his brother, Ralph, who has disappeared with his houseboat. But before they can head off to the bayou, Bernie is attacked by a member of a strange gang called the Queiros. And though he’s tempted to take another job (with a big payday) in Alaska, Bernie and Chet set course for Louisiana.

A reclusive inventor, Ralph is the sole law-abiding member of his family. Full of black sheep, the Boutette family has a long running feud with the no-good Robideaus and at first it seems as if Ralph’s disappearance is connected to a dispute over a load of heisted shrimp. But when Chet uncovers a buried clue, the investigation heads in a new and dangerous direction and what was a simple disappearance gets complicated as a conspiracy involving the oil business is uncovered. The more Chet and Bernie discover about Ralph, the more dangerous the job becomes and soon they’re fighting not only Big Oil, but also shadowy black ops figures, the Quieros, and Iko—a gator with an insatiable appetite.

“Humorous and suspenseful” (Publishers Weekly), Spencer Quinn’s mysteries have delighted readers everywhere. Top-notch suspense, humor, and insight into the ways our canine companions think and behave—all set against a rollicking new Louisiana backdrop—make this the most entertaining book in the series yet.