Fred's First Case

by David T. Wolf

Meet Fred, a large mixed-breed hound living with a cop. Fred pretends he’s a police dog, making up heroic tales to impress his next-door buddy, Bitz, a small, scruffy poodle owned by the Johnsons. So how can Fred admit he’s been faking it all this time when Bitz asks for his help? A newly-acquired cat named Fritz has run off, and if he doesn’t return, Bitz could be sent to the pound, thanks to those Johnson twins and their constant sibling rivalry. So Fred agrees to track down the cat, even though he hates cats, and he’s also allergic to them. But hey, how hard can it be to track down one smelly cat?

113 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 11, 2022

About the author

Like most writers, I live two lives. My outer life is filled with friends and family and my work as an ad man. My award-winning TV, radio and print ads have amused millions of people and helped sell tons of cleaning products, coffee, macadamia nuts and other goodies. My inner life is devoted to strange and wonderful characters driven to desperate or preposterous acts. Some of my short stories are starting to appear on the Amazon site. My first published novel, Mindclone, is a near-future look at the amusing and serious consequences of brain-uploading. It's garnered mostly five star reviews. The sequel is percolating in my brain even now. Stay tuned.

Reviews

[Jill Rey · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Fred’s First Case” is the story of two dogs, Bitzy and Fred, who must solve the case and find Bitzy’s missing feline sibling, Fritz. With time running short before Bitzy is blamed and sent back to the pound, Bitzy logically turns to Fred to use his experience as the companion to a police officer to work his investigative magic and find Fritz before time runs out.

Traversing across the city Fred does something he never though he’d do, he starts to care for and befriend cats. But, as the story weaves on, and Fred literally chases down leads, he begins to realize his misconceptions about cats may have been misguided.

Cat and dog lovers alike are sure to enjoy this witty and fun read. From back alleys and tomcats to vet visits and lavish houses with pampered canines, the adventures were never ending as Fred diligently worked to solve his first real case.

Author David T. Wolf brilliantly captured the breed stereotypes as I wholly related to Bitzy’s fast clicking walks as she worked to keep up with Fred’s larger strides, and her high-pitched yaps well known in our own house. Wolf even had my own kiddos engaged in this read, laughing as we read along in Fred’s voice as he suffered allergies in the presence of feline friends, to the edge of their seats as I delivered the play by play of the pound and catnapper events.

Young adults, full grown adults, and kids will all thoroughly find enjoyment as they work alongside Fred to find Bitzy’s feline brother Fritz. Learning to dispel outward appearances and stereotypes, even the toughest breeds of cat and dog can work together for an important cause.

[Teresa James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fred's First Case is a well written and humorous story about a dog named Fred who sets out to help his friend Bitzy find her missing cat friend Fritz. The animals are personified as Fred tells the whole story and the journey begins as they set out to solve the case of a missing cat. Along the way you will be introduced to Fred's friends and his funny antics.

I enjoyed reading and listening to Fred's First Case. I first listened to the Audiobook which is narrated well. I felt as though a man's voice would have fit the narration better since Fred is telling the story. Nonetheless it was nicely done. The narrator did change her voice to emphasize the personality of each character which brought humor. Therefore overall it's an audiobook which is pleasing to listen to.

The story became more alive when reading it myself from the Kindle version. I especially loved all the animal characters and how they deal with life on a day to day basis. This book is great for children and can be enjoyed by the whole family. It has a delightful and amusing storyline which will keep you interested until the end. To discover how Fred solves his first case.