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Spot and Smudge #1

Spot and Smudge

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The speculative fiction thriller that masterfully kicks off the series! This darkly humorous, wonderfully twisted, 'boy and his dogs' tale has been bitten, kicked in the crotch, attacked by a pack of wild dogs, and genetically modified into a superbly crafted story.

The Spot and Smudge series explores the love of a unique family, the loyalty of their very special dogs, and the perils of underestimating them. These smart, imaginative stories weave together elements of horror, thriller, mystery, espionage, crime, medical drama, and genetic engineering.

Note: This series contains some colorful language and mature themes.


"Shove over brother, let me show you the proper bloody way to strangle someone."

The Hogans weren’t looking to start a war. They just wanted to leave their troubles behind, move closer to grandma, and let their kids adopt some damn puppies.

But their quaint new town is harboring some gruesome secrets…

…and their strange new pups are not what they appear to be.

There’s a dark connection between these mysterious orphaned canines and the town’s twisted criminals…and that connection is dragging the Hogans into a ruthless fight they aren’t prepared to win.

But the grit of a devoted family, like the loyalty of a faithful pair of dogs, shouldn't be underestimated…

…Especially when those cunning dogs are the most significant leap forward in the forty million years of canine evolution.

469 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2017

826 people are currently reading
128 people want to read

About the author

Robert Udulutch

16 books20 followers
Think a small town boy from Wisconsin, whose first job was pumping poo out of RVs while reading everything he could get his smelly hands on, puts himself through school bartending and after thirty years in tech management at Sony and Microsoft leaves to travel a lot, and pen his experiences with rescued littermate pups and Scottish in-laws. The result is the Spot and Smudge series; Horror/Thriller/Genetic Engineering Sci-fi that one reviewer called "a deliciously twisted, darkly humorous tail".

Yeah, I've got some stories...and maybe a few issues.

You can see pix of the real Spot and Smudge and learn more about the books and the charities some of the proceeds support at rudulutch.com

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5 stars
326 (50%)
4 stars
191 (29%)
3 stars
89 (13%)
2 stars
28 (4%)
1 star
16 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
2 reviews
June 30, 2017
I'm a dog person, and totally fell in love with these two pups! From their dangerous beginning, and their love for their humans and some totally weird stuff all the way through, I couldn't wait to get books two and three (so I did!). Even if you're not into science-y type stuff, try it. You may power through that stuff, just to get back to the pups!
Profile Image for Melissa.
379 reviews7 followers
July 5, 2018
Never Enough Books Logo

The Hogan family weren’t looking to start a war. All they wanted was to move closer to grandma, maybe adopt a dog, and hopefully leave the troubles of the big city behind.

But the quaint little town has several dark secrets behind it’s shiny facade. And the strange puppies the family adopts are more than what they seem to be.

There’s a strange connection between the two orphaned puppies and the town’s criminals; and that connection is pulling both sides towards one another in what will be an epic battle. One which the Hogan family aren’t prepared to fight, much less win.

But the grit of one devoted family, like the loyalty of a pair of pups, should never be underestimated. Especially if the pups are unlike any dogs the family…or any one…has ever seen.

As a dog lover, I was intrigued by the plot of Spot and Smudge, and when the opportunity came to get an e-copy, I jumped on it. Who doesn’t like a story like the one described above?

Turns out, dear reader, that person would be me.

First of all, let me say that Spot and Smudge has a great deal of disturbing scenes. There is drug abuse, alcohol abuse, human abuse, as well as animal abuse. This is a very dark book and the story does not stray for very long in the light.

Aside from the titular dogs, the majority of the human characters are sadly one dimensional. Even the “good guys” that we are supposed to be rooting for are like this. We are given very little information about the Hogan family aside from names and the most basic of backgrounds. We are told they are wanting to “start over”, but start over from what? They are wanting to move closer to Ms. Hogan’s mother, who loses her husband before the start of the book. A certainly believable reason, but sadly, once again an idea that is never fully looked in to.

The “bad guys” are bad because we are told they are. Aside from greed there is no ulterior motive for any of them. As I was reading, I kept hoping for some kind of back story – anything to flesh out these characters and keep them from turning out to be little more than pieces of walking, talking cardboard. Sadly, I was let down, because even the main bad guy (who appears for only a handful of pages) left me feeling flat. Pun definitely intended.

As much as I was looking forward to reading Spot and Smudge, I was unfortunately left sorely disappointed. And more than a little disturbed. This is not for any of the more squeamish readers, and sadly not one I can recommend. It is unlikely I will be reading or reviewing the subsequent titles in the series.
Profile Image for Irene.
1,140 reviews15 followers
July 10, 2018
The story started out with f bombs blasting all over the place. This is usually a trigger for me not enjoying a story much or even finish reading and definitely taking a star off a rating. However, with some of the most reprehensible villains ever penned, the dialogue just had to go that way.

My goodness, what a story, very fast paced, at times violent with many cringe worthy nightmarish scenes. There is also love, loyalty, humor and heroism. And of course, there are Spot and Smudge, with whom one falls in love right away. Two fantastic canine heroes. Their owners are too shabby either, especially Ben and Mimi. Mr Watt, Max, and One Ear add to their own brand to the story.

Definitely will be looking out the next books in the series, but after this roller coaster read, I need a couple of naps (hopefully without steel teeth nightmares).
Profile Image for Jan.
425 reviews5 followers
September 15, 2018
The speculative fiction thriller that masterfully kicks off the series! This darkly humorous, wonderfully twisted, 'boy and his dogs' tale has been bitten, kicked in the crotch, attacked by a pack of wild dogs, and genetically modified into a superbly crafted story.
The Spot and Smudge series explores the love of a unique family, the loyalty of their very special dogs, and the perils of underestimating them. These smart, imaginative stories weave together elements of horror, thriller, mystery, espionage, crime, medical drama, and genetic engineering.
Note: This series contains some colorful language and mature themes.

"Shove over brother, let me show you the proper bloody way to strangle someone."
The Hogans weren’t looking to start a war. They just wanted to leave their troubles behind, move closer to grandma, and let their kids adopt some damn puppies.

But their quaint new town is harboring some gruesome secrets…

…and their strange new pups are not what they appear to be.

There’s a dark connection between these mysterious orphaned canines and the town’s twisted criminals…and that connection is dragging the Hogans into a ruthless fight they aren’t prepared to win.

But the grit of a devoted family, like the loyalty of a faithful pair of dogs, shouldn't be underestimated…

…Especially when those cunning dogs are the most significant leap forward in the forty million years of canine evolution
Profile Image for Lisa Gramling.
6 reviews1 follower
April 6, 2019
I fell into this-the first of 4 books about two pups that they found barely alive under a chicken coop,the mother and other pup were dead. They nursed the pups to health and realized these were no ordinary dogs and the book was a page turner from that point on. I would deffinately suggest these books to every one that enjoys excitement, really intelligent dogs and to kids and adults over the age of 11 or so-only because the first two books are peppered with curse words. The third book which I just started hasn't had any cursing in it and I guess the author realized that children would really enjoy reading them as well as adults if he cleaned up the language. I really love these books-I got them through my kindle unlimited and they are still on unlimited so give the first one a try. I don't normally read this type of book(if there are even books like these) but it sounded interesting and I'm so glad I found them. Give them a chance. I promise you if you like smart,exciting,dangerous family oriented books you'll try to read the first,second and third in one 4 day marathon. They are full lenght novels and all I've done since Wednesday is read these wonderful books. The author's name is Robert Robert Ulduritch
Profile Image for Terry Erle Clayton.
Author 6 books1 follower
Read
September 4, 2017
101 Damatiens meets Mission Impossible! Hang on to your hat. The villains are despicable. You will love to hate them. The family are the Brady Bunch and you will love them. The dogs...I will let them speak for themselves. They wouldn't have it any other way.
Profile Image for Laura Thomas.
1,552 reviews108 followers
October 30, 2018
A family looking for a fresh start, a town with dark secrets, and two very special pups.

Since I’d read this quite a while ago, I figured I’d better read it again to refresh my memory before writing a review. The first thing I remembered was that this is not a children’s book. You’re hit in the face with some strong curse words right in the beginning. Don’t let that stop you. Once you get to the meat of the story, you’ll see how this actually worked as the town has some nasty character’s.

But then, there’s Spot and Smudge. two of the most adorable puppies ever. They’ll wiggle their way into your heart. These puppies are special. They have abilities far beyond a normal dog, or a human for that matter. They’re the Dr. Dolittle of dogs. And their human family is one you’d love to call your own.

A blend of science fiction and horror is always interesting. I knew about the sci fi part just by looking at the cover. And the horror didn’t take long to enter the picture either. Sure this is a dark story. But it’s also joyful, fills you with wonder, and makes you laugh out loud.

I should warn you though, there is some animal abuse. It’s tough to read, but it makes the story stronger. And it’s not a large part of the book.

I could go on and on. In fact, my review was way too long. I wanted to tell you about so many things. But, the spoiler thing. So I deleted almost all of it and will leave you with this shorter review and my recommendation.

Don’t miss out on a terrific story. Read Spot and Smudge if it appeals to you even a tiny bit. You’ll get way more than you bargained for.
Profile Image for Sylvia.
334 reviews11 followers
September 5, 2019
Spot and Smudge are two rescued puppies, who have been accidentally exposed to a nasty industrial chemical which renders them incredibly strong, smart, and loving. Which is a little incongruous, since the evil humans exposed to the same chemical are rendered obscenely fat, warped, and violent. The story follows various family members, the pups, and members of a pack of wild coyotes recruited by the pups as they fight the bad guys to protect their family. I skimmed several sections because of the “Good, But…” writing. Some of the characterizations, including the feisty Scots grandmother, and the wary Alpha, leader of the coyotes, were quite clear, giving unique personalities and making me care about their stories, BUT other characterizations were stereotypical and exaggerated. The choreography of the many action scenes was well-planned and involving, BUT the spattering and spraying and pooling of endless blood, gore and body parts went on far too long, without connecting emotionally to any character’s plight, or offering any redeeming value. The unspoken communication between all the canine characters was very well observed and realistic, BUT the surgical change made to the pups at their own request was just too much, and made my skin crawl. And the ending scenes where the loving pups and humans speculate happily on how the bad guys probably ended their days as food… just yuck. I’m normally willing to forgive a few small typos, but homonym-switching is not allowed… what should have been “hairy” was “harry”, and there was one other switch I failed to mark.
5 reviews
July 16, 2017
Nothing that hasn't been said before

This book really is everything all the others have been saying and more. Anytime you've watched your dog do something complicated, orthey learned a new trick faster than they should have, and thought "My dog is special", well these two are. Spot and Smudge are amazing, even as pups.
As someone who likes animals more than most people, my favorite parts were of Spot and Smudge talking to each other and other animals. We always wonder what our pets would say if they could talk. Here you get to listen in. Pretty cool.
Ok, mechanics. I don't know how chemicals work in utero in canines. That part was over my head. The writing style was a bit chopped, bouncing back and forth between perspectives. Reminiscent of Kings 'The Stand' it takes a bit to follow the rhythm, but you get the hang of it soon enough. Other than a few grammatical errors, (probably mostly typing ones) it flows well, and sucks you in.
As others have been saying, there is a bit of violence, but not unnecessarily tacked on for effect. Most is kind of under the radar, Dr D has a black eye, Jerry has a bent finger. You know what happened, but it's not discussed.
The hardest part for me was the animal abuse. Again not overt, but once you realize thefull horror, it's a hard thing to swallow. Lol bad pun.

TL;DR
Good book, not for kids or sensitive people.
130 reviews
January 21, 2020
Spotted and Smudged for Life

I am a cat person, okay? I have dogs and I love them, but am not usually a literary devotee. However, I feel I've come off Ash Wednesday early this year, because I'm spotted and smudged in a new almost spiritual way. In this book (series) the monumental love and affection go BOTH ways, and people and animals are very much better for it. The story rollicks along with an intricate arcane plot both entertaining and impossible to predict. The characters, especially Mimi resound solidly. Mimi equals our Gram (except she was Irish, huge difference? Doesn't seem like it!) It's funny, it's terrifying, some could be painfully true, but most of all, all the ingredients - people, animals and plot are believable and I Enjoy believing!
36 reviews
March 6, 2018
I don't hand out 5's hardly ever & I really wish they had a 4 1/2 for some but this one deserves it... I have NEVER read anything quite like this. First, part of the book and characters and descriptions reads like a sappy boy-loves-dog(s) YA novel. Meanwhile, in other plotlines, there's a lotta sex, a lotta casual drug use, a lotta really messed up crime, and language that would make a nun faint, wake up, then faint again. It has a weird Lassie/Charlotte's Web meets XMen meets Trainspotting/LockStock meets the juiciest parts of Robocop meets I don't know what vibe. My advice... if you are frustrated that books have become predictable, then this is the best medicine I can think of. Wowie!
384 reviews2 followers
December 18, 2019
I love love loved thisbook.

Let me just say, I love dogs. I'm 73 and I've had a dog, or dogs, since I was one yr old. They have all been my heart and soul and loved ones. I've had a black Lab who was so intelligent he was scary. Watched tv. Loved hunting shows. Knew at least 80 words. Would throw end catch his ball numerous times as he ran across the yard. Played hide and seek with me. I had him for 13 wonderful years. Now I have a half yellow lab half husky who is 4. He's mostly white. Loved me and is good hearted and goofy we will be 80 together if he lives 7 more years. Dog is God spelled backwards and they love us as unconditionally as he does. READ THIS BOOK!!!!!
Profile Image for Sandy Chapman.
240 reviews5 followers
March 30, 2020
Great read!

Although i usually read primarily sci-fi and fantasy books, I really wasn't sure if this book would be something i would like. But as a fellow dog lover, I decided to give it a try. I'm glad i did. Loved the character building and antics of the main characters. And as i read,i would often look at my own two mutts and wonder,as i have before,what they are thinking,and planning,to do next. This was a great story,expertly crafted, and entertaining through to the end. I've already downloaded the rest of the series and looking forward to spending more time with Spot and Smudge.
541 reviews3 followers
May 14, 2019
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

Animals meet mysterious goo, grow fast, become human smart, fight bad guys. Made it half way and gave up the ghost. I love a good sci fi/horror novel, but this one just spiralled out of control. It would be interesting to see a dog so anatomically designed it could throw a frisbee, use an iPad, open and close windows. There is nothing remotely darkly funny about a boy who seems to be a bully magnet or people that think little of abusing dogs and their fellow humans. Two stars for what could have been a great ride.
69 reviews
June 10, 2019
Incredible dogs

Good book, really enjoyed it! Warning to other readers: the "bad guys" use a lot of foul language in this book. I have no doubt that the characters, (who are absolute filth) if this had been a real life story, would have used such language. I guarantee any reader will love to hate them. The "good guys " are people who would make wonderful neighbors. The dogs are fantastic - where can I find a pair like them? This was a really good read. Will be following up with the rest of the series.
Profile Image for Caryn.
2,393 reviews3 followers
June 24, 2019
Amazing and chilling!

I must say first that this was not what I was expecting but I loved it. Quirky to say the least, it had so many elements to it including a very chilling tale. I guessed early on why there were so many dogs and I’m sad to say (and angry) that these situations do exist. Maybe not as fantasized but horrible nonetheless. My own fur baby came to me as a rescue from a puppy mill so I know firsthand the horrors and lasting trauma for these animals.

This was great storytelling and I recommend this book highly! Now on to book 2...
Profile Image for Pamela S Eveland.
90 reviews1 follower
April 1, 2020
A heartwarming story.

Spot and Smudge is a heartwarming story that I really wish I could read to my grandchildren and refer to my Christian friends, but I can't because of the unnecessary sexual references that add nothing to the story. I'm not sure why this is written like an "R" rated movie when it would make a fantastic "PG-13" classic. The language could easily be cleaned up a little and the irrelevant sexual innuendos eliminated and this would be a fantastic classic for the whole family.
Profile Image for Bree.
313 reviews6 followers
July 1, 2017
This is a fascinating read due to the subject matter. Two dogs, sister, and brother find a why to do good and protect the ones they have grown to love and who took they in. Don't want to give too much away, but an unscrupulous couple finds a way to make money by going to shelters and collecting puppies to sell to unsuspecting buyers. Something is infecting the dogs and the dumbasses who grab the dogs from shelters. Several more characters you will learn about. Read and enjoy.
Profile Image for Joe Crowe.
Author 6 books26 followers
July 6, 2017
Spot and Smudge is a book about a guy and his dogs.

It's a thrilling adventure, from the dogs' points of view. About time. Human points of view are the worst.

It's also sweet, with touching moments and emotional guts amid the sci-fi action.

Virtual high fives to the author for the title of the third book in this series: "Let Slip the Pups of War."

No human can resist that title. I'm sure of it.

333 reviews
January 30, 2018
Spot and Smudge

What a story, what a book! This is the first book in a series of three. It was so imaginative. The author really knows how dogs act and his spin on two incredibly smart pups is uncanny. I loved the story about how the dogs saved the day as well as their beloved people. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially those who loves dogs.
Profile Image for Eben Visher.
18 reviews
October 30, 2018
A King-like storyteller!

It was an utter delight to read this book. The author spins out a yarn that is so absolutely intriguing I could not put the book down. Day after day I plodded happily forward through the amazing plot.

The people are rendered like real humans. The author understands how real humans act and think and what motivates them! I have just bought the next book and I am dying to get to it so I will stop here.
206 reviews10 followers
July 19, 2019
Spot and Smudge totally rock!

I fell in love with Smudge & Spot. Two big hearted, brave, loyal & extremely intelligent dog siblings. Great characters & character development. Awesome plot that keeps you turning the pages for more! I also really liked big Max & the coyotes.
Really looking forward to book 2. It's next on my MUST read list. Please keep up the great work Robert Udulutch!
Read this book, you'll be really glad you did!
Profile Image for Amy G.
20 reviews
July 4, 2017
Love this book

And can't wait to read more. It was recommended on facebook and available with my KU subscription, I'd have never found it otherwise. Absolutely wonderful story. So unbelievable (I have a smart but also stupid rottweiler, myself) but so well written it's totally plausible.
84 reviews1 follower
August 11, 2017
Fun, fun read

More than a little campy and I dig that. If youth a dog lover you'll almost surely enjoy this book to some degree. I had a great time reading this and plan to read thee other two books in the series. Dogs make wonderful heroes. Looking forward to more Spot and Smudge.
Profile Image for Carole Koch.
14 reviews3 followers
October 25, 2019
Fantasy type story

I must stRt by stating this book contains strong language. Also the story is pure fantasy. It also has very graphic scenes.if you still prepared to read this,its a very riveting story. Though the writing is average its a fun read about two litter mates with fantastical powers that assist there unique owners from the stereotypical villains.
171 reviews
March 4, 2020
Lookout Lassie and move over Rin-Tin-Tin and Scooby-do, there are new dogs in town!!

A great modern dogtail of a story! Two pups orphaned at birth by a mother dieing from contact with a hazmat spill during her escape from an illegal dog rescue and puppy kennel mill. The story of Spot and Smudge will steal your pet and animal loving hearts no matter what your age!
98 reviews2 followers
February 22, 2021
Surprise Fun Read

I did not expect to love this book but I did. As a matter of fact I started this book about 10 pm and thought I'd read for a few minutes however I did not stop reading until 6 am. The characters were like friends by the time I finished. Can't wait to read Book 2.


11 reviews
April 11, 2021
Excellent

What a thrilling ride this was! I can’t wait to read about Smudge and Spot’s new adventures. Besides their uncanny intelligence, those pups really know how to pull at the heartstringsI I have a favorite new author ❤️ Thank you for this and for sharing your personal history with us at the end of the book. I’m a fan for life!

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