What do you think?
Rate this book
Oliver Holmes and the Case of the Crime Solving Guinea Pig: The Animal Detective Book 1
A junior high janitor. A kidnapped pop star. And a talking guinea pig who saw too much.Oliver Holmes was content with his life as a janitor until the day he wakes to find a guinea pig on his bed adamant that he investigate a murder that might not be what it seems.
˃˃˃ A Dangerous MissionThrow in a captivating veterinarian and an officer who knows the secrets of Oliver’s past, and he has his work cut out for him.
˃˃˃ Can Oliver save a life?
Scroll Up And Grab Your Copy Today!
˃˃˃ A Dangerous MissionThrow in a captivating veterinarian and an officer who knows the secrets of Oliver’s past, and he has his work cut out for him.
˃˃˃ Can Oliver save a life?
Scroll Up And Grab Your Copy Today!
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 19, 2025
2 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
About the author
Cheree Alsop
172 books493 followersCheree Alsop is an award-winning, best-selling author and the mother of a beautiful, talented daughter and amazing twin sons who fill every day with joy and laughter. She is married to her best friend, Michael, the light of her life and her soulmate who shares her dreams and inspires her by reading the first drafts of each book. Cheree is a fulltime author and mother, which is much more fun than work! She enjoys reading, riding her motorcycle on warm nights, and playing with her twins while planning her next book. She is also a bass player for their rock band, Alien Landslide.
Cheree and Michael live in Utah where they rock out, enjoy the outdoors, plan great adventures, and never stop dreaming.
Check out Cheree’s other books at www.chereealsop.com
Cheree and Michael live in Utah where they rock out, enjoy the outdoors, plan great adventures, and never stop dreaming.
Check out Cheree’s other books at www.chereealsop.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 27, 2025
“The guinea pig gave him a slow blink before it said in a thick Russian accent, “I am a guinea pig.”
The absurdity of the statement helped to center Oliver.”
When Oliver Holmes wakes up in his bed and he finds a talking guinea pig there he thinks he’s lost his mind. But as it turns out, Oliver can really talk to animals. He never saw himself as anything special. And although he knows he is a very well liked janitor at a high school he doesn’t think much of himself. So why is this guinea pig here? And why is he talking to Oliver?
Waffles, the guinea pig, is there to ask him for help. His owner (servant, keeper, obedient human what do we call someone with a pet?) Marisol is missing. She has disappeared and Waffles needs help finding her before it’s too late.
To add to the urgency of her disappearance, Marisol is a famous pop singer. And although the police are looking for her, they missed some key details on the crime scene. Waffles knows about them, but he had no way of making them aware. Until he finds Oliver of course, who can under stand him.
Oliver on the other hand is not so sure he can help. He wasn’t even aware he could speak to animals until now. And he doesn’t know the first thing about guinea pigs either, so what should he do with Waffles?
That’s when Iris enters the story. She’s a veterinarian and Oliver has taken Waffles to her clinic to have him checked out and ask for help on taking care of him.
When Iris realises Oliver can actually talk to Waffles, and she learns what is really going on, she decides to join Oliver on quest to save Marisol.
Because there is one thing Oliver knows a lot about; mysteries and detective stories. He’s a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. Together they set out to find more clues and save Marisol. Meeting each other’s families and getting into all kinds of trouble along the way.
Solving crimes is much more fun with a friend, although there seems to be a budding romance. And the original Holmes had a sidekick too so it makes perfect sense.
Can they find her in time to save her? You’ll have to find out yourself.
This story immediately reminded me of Dr Dolittle. Which I’m sure would come to mind for most people. I was on the fence about picking it up in the first place. Not because I don’t like a bit of amateur detective work, animals (I wish I could talk to them!) or an every day person being the hero. This story is very different than the work I’m used to from Cheree Alsop.
And to be honest, I’m still on the fence. Cheree normally has action packed stories. So this is what I know from her. The ones that bring me to tears. I actually still get sad thinking about Jet and I’ll admit I cried when he met his end. (Why did you do that Cheree!!??)
So this, it was so different that I just could not link it to Cheree in my head. The story itself is a fun and fluffy read. The one where you can just breeze through on a rainy day. It’s well written like all her other work and the characters are not just “flat”.
I will admit maybe my judgement on this book is a little biased based on her other work. And perhaps that is why I can’t decided how much I like it. For some reason I’m feeling dissatisfied and yet on the other hand I am considering picking up the next book in the series.
So for that I will go with an average rating. Which honestly has nothing to do with Cheree Alsop’s skills as an author, because I genuinely love her previous books. But it has everything to do with exactly that; it’s so different from the rest that I can’t connect the dots.
The absurdity of the statement helped to center Oliver.”
When Oliver Holmes wakes up in his bed and he finds a talking guinea pig there he thinks he’s lost his mind. But as it turns out, Oliver can really talk to animals. He never saw himself as anything special. And although he knows he is a very well liked janitor at a high school he doesn’t think much of himself. So why is this guinea pig here? And why is he talking to Oliver?
Waffles, the guinea pig, is there to ask him for help. His owner (servant, keeper, obedient human what do we call someone with a pet?) Marisol is missing. She has disappeared and Waffles needs help finding her before it’s too late.
To add to the urgency of her disappearance, Marisol is a famous pop singer. And although the police are looking for her, they missed some key details on the crime scene. Waffles knows about them, but he had no way of making them aware. Until he finds Oliver of course, who can under stand him.
Oliver on the other hand is not so sure he can help. He wasn’t even aware he could speak to animals until now. And he doesn’t know the first thing about guinea pigs either, so what should he do with Waffles?
That’s when Iris enters the story. She’s a veterinarian and Oliver has taken Waffles to her clinic to have him checked out and ask for help on taking care of him.
When Iris realises Oliver can actually talk to Waffles, and she learns what is really going on, she decides to join Oliver on quest to save Marisol.
Because there is one thing Oliver knows a lot about; mysteries and detective stories. He’s a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. Together they set out to find more clues and save Marisol. Meeting each other’s families and getting into all kinds of trouble along the way.
Solving crimes is much more fun with a friend, although there seems to be a budding romance. And the original Holmes had a sidekick too so it makes perfect sense.
Can they find her in time to save her? You’ll have to find out yourself.
This story immediately reminded me of Dr Dolittle. Which I’m sure would come to mind for most people. I was on the fence about picking it up in the first place. Not because I don’t like a bit of amateur detective work, animals (I wish I could talk to them!) or an every day person being the hero. This story is very different than the work I’m used to from Cheree Alsop.
And to be honest, I’m still on the fence. Cheree normally has action packed stories. So this is what I know from her. The ones that bring me to tears. I actually still get sad thinking about Jet and I’ll admit I cried when he met his end. (Why did you do that Cheree!!??)
So this, it was so different that I just could not link it to Cheree in my head. The story itself is a fun and fluffy read. The one where you can just breeze through on a rainy day. It’s well written like all her other work and the characters are not just “flat”.
I will admit maybe my judgement on this book is a little biased based on her other work. And perhaps that is why I can’t decided how much I like it. For some reason I’m feeling dissatisfied and yet on the other hand I am considering picking up the next book in the series.
So for that I will go with an average rating. Which honestly has nothing to do with Cheree Alsop’s skills as an author, because I genuinely love her previous books. But it has everything to do with exactly that; it’s so different from the rest that I can’t connect the dots.
May 31, 2025
What a delightful, escapist read! My husband read it and suggested I might enjoy it. I sure did!
A la Dr. Dolittle, Oliver Holmes talks to animals...and they talk to him! Especially Waffles, the Guinea Pig--who recruits Oliver and Iris to solve the mystery of a missing pop singer.
The adventures surrounding the mystery include a visit to Iris's hometown; a bar room brawl, and even a building explosion. Oliver and Iris ride his motorcycle around New York City, as well as out to the country--where Iris's parents live on a rural farm/ranch.
This book is the first in a series...I've already started to read Book 2: Oliver Holmes and the Mystery of the Purple Possum: The Animal Detective Series, and Book 3 will be released later this year.
Cheree Alsop has quite the knack for engaging writing--characterization, description, and story--all "top shelf" -- ...to use an Oliver Holmes term!
If you want a fun, rollicking (exuberantly lively and amusing), ideal summer read, give these books a go!
A la Dr. Dolittle, Oliver Holmes talks to animals...and they talk to him! Especially Waffles, the Guinea Pig--who recruits Oliver and Iris to solve the mystery of a missing pop singer.
The adventures surrounding the mystery include a visit to Iris's hometown; a bar room brawl, and even a building explosion. Oliver and Iris ride his motorcycle around New York City, as well as out to the country--where Iris's parents live on a rural farm/ranch.
This book is the first in a series...I've already started to read Book 2: Oliver Holmes and the Mystery of the Purple Possum: The Animal Detective Series, and Book 3 will be released later this year.
Cheree Alsop has quite the knack for engaging writing--characterization, description, and story--all "top shelf" -- ...to use an Oliver Holmes term!
If you want a fun, rollicking (exuberantly lively and amusing), ideal summer read, give these books a go!
February 7, 2026
Well it isn't bad exactly but it isn't very good. Think Good Will Hunting meets Rainman meets Kidnapped meets Dr Doolittle meets Sherlock meets G Force.
98% of the book is the MMC being super autistic without knowing it and suffering from extreme family trauma while trying to get it on with the veterinarian.
1% is the mystery.
1% is hilarious but unbelievable guinea pig content. Speaking to the guinea pid is more believable than thinking he could climb to a 5 story Manhattan walkup and then get on a bed. A rabbit could, but guinea pigs can't jump.
98% of the book is the MMC being super autistic without knowing it and suffering from extreme family trauma while trying to get it on with the veterinarian.
1% is the mystery.
1% is hilarious but unbelievable guinea pig content. Speaking to the guinea pid is more believable than thinking he could climb to a 5 story Manhattan walkup and then get on a bed. A rabbit could, but guinea pigs can't jump.
August 6, 2025
Five stars because they don't have a sixth.
From wolf dens to outer space, small towns to magic academies. Cheree has never failed to entertain me over the years. But, truly, she has outdone herself in this new series. I really should get to sleep before I start the next one. Well, maybe just a chapter.
From wolf dens to outer space, small towns to magic academies. Cheree has never failed to entertain me over the years. But, truly, she has outdone herself in this new series. I really should get to sleep before I start the next one. Well, maybe just a chapter.
February 23, 2025
I love this author! And while this book is quite the deviation from her YA werewolf books, it was still amazing. Oliver Holmes, a school janitor wakes up confronted by a talking guinea pig named Waffles. And the trail of crime solving adventure that they get up to is just amazingly fun.
March 3, 2025
4.5
No, not great art, but charming yes. I really like Cherie Alsop as an author and have read several of her series but I would never have imagined myself liking a story involving a talking ginney pig only to fine this one excellent.
No, not great art, but charming yes. I really like Cherie Alsop as an author and have read several of her series but I would never have imagined myself liking a story involving a talking ginney pig only to fine this one excellent.
January 28, 2026
the narrator for the audiobook is pretty cool ;)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews