It's a Wonderful Woof

Chet and Bernie Mystery #12

by Spencer Quinn

Spencer Quinn's It's a Wonderful Woof presents a holiday adventure for Chet the dog, “the most lovable narrator in crime fiction” (Boston Globe), and his human partner, PI Bernie Little.

Holiday time in the Valley, and in the holiday spirit—despite the dismal shape of the finances at the Little Detective Agency—Bernie refers a potential client to Victor Klovsky, a fellow private eye. It’s also true that the case—promising lots of online research but little action—doesn’t appeal to Bernie, while it seems perfect for Victor, who is not cut out for rough stuff. But Victor disappears in a rough-stuff way, and when he doesn’t show up at his mom’s to light the Hanukkah candles, she hires Chet and Bernie to find him.

They soon discover that Victor’s client has also vanished. The trail leads to the ruins of a mission called Nuestra Señora de los Saguaros, dating back to the earliest Spanish explorers. Some very dangerous people are interested in the old mission. Does some dusty archive hold the secret of a previously unknown art treasure, possibly buried for centuries? What does the Flight into Egypt—when Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus fled Herod—have to do with saguaros, the Sonoran desert cactus?

No one is better than Chet at nosing out buried secrets, but before he can, he and Bernie are forced to take flight themselves, chased through a Christmas Eve blizzard by a murderous foe who loves art all too much.

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Dogs, Animals, Christmas, Audiobook, Humor

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2021

About the author

Spencer Quinn lives on Cape Cod with his dog Audrey, and is hard at work on the next Chet and Bernie adventure.

Spencer Quinn is a pseudonym of author Peter Abrahams.

Series:
* A Chet and Bernie Mystery

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This review was first posted on Mystery and Suspense. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews.
https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/it...



In this 12th book in the 'Chet and Bernie' series, the detective team looks for a missing person. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

In the Chet and Bernie stories, Bernie Little and his hundred-plus pound dog Chet run the Little Detective Agency in the Southwest United States.



The books are narrated by Chet, whose somewhat limited vocabulary, unfamiliarity with idioms, and doggie logic set the stage for plenty of smiles.



Bernie is a West Point graduate, good at his job, and Chet is his invaluable partner, always ready to clamp his jaw on perps and drag them off by the pants.

It's Christmas season when the Little Detective Agency is offered a new case. A dapper little man called Lauritz Vogner, who describes himself as Mittel European goulash, offers Bernie a $5,000 retainer to look into a matter involving Baroque art.

;

This isn't Bernie's kind of case though, and he gives Vogner the name of a colleague called Victor Klovsky - a timid sleuth who's good at online research.



A couple of days later Bernie gets a call from Victor's mother, who says her son is missing. As Bernie searches for Victor, he comes across a local example of Baroque architecture - an old deconsecrated mission church called Nuestra Señora de los Saguaros.



When Bernie and Chet visit the antiquated ruin they meet archaeologist Dr. Johanna Borden, who's digging holes in the property. Borden says she's studying the site for a private non-profit, and claims to know nothing about Victor Klovsky. Chet observes that Johanna's a little nervous however, because some smells are unmissable.



Various clues lead Bernie and Chet to a museum gift shop;



an art professor;



and a hotel, where they find a corpse showing signs of torture.



It seems clear that someone is searching for something, and Bernie and Chet have to figure out what and why.

As always Chet helps with the investigation, this time while he and Bernie are searching the hotel room. Bernie mentions turning the place upside down and Chet quickly unhinges the toilet paper roll before Bernie can stop him. As luck would have it a small key is hidden inside the metal toilet paper thingies (as Chet calls them), and this leads to an important discovery.



The case turns out to be very complex, but Bernie and Chet are well up to the job.

While Bernie investigates the case he learns a little about Baroque art and architecture;



the Italian painter Caravaggio;



and the Spanish explorers that brought missions to Mexico and the American west.



Bernie also pursues a romance with Police Sergeant Weatherly Wauneka, decorates Christmas trees, and has weekends with his 6-year-old son Charlie, who wants driving lessons as a Christmas gift.



As for Chet, he enjoys the entire experience, especially the snacks. Over the course of the investigation Chet snaps a pecan and pinon tart out of Bernie's hand; scores a Slim Jim; sneaks a chewy out of a drawer; fishes the remains of a BLT out of a trash can; finds a potato chip; gets a T-R-E-A-T from someone's pocket; and more.



The story is an entertaining Christmas adventure that points to a promising future for Bernie and Chet. It will be fun to see where they go next.

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

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Paula K · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful book about a dog and his human partner. So satisfying for us animal lovers. A very fun read!

4 out of 5 stars

I received a free ARC of IT’S A WONDERFUL WOOF by Spencer Quinn from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.

[Monnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any tale narrated by a pooch - even one who flunked out of K-9 training on the final day - is just too good to pass up, IMHO. And for sure I haven't; several entries in this series (this one makes a dozen) have kept me entertained for years now. Kept in check - well, for the most part - by Bernie Little, owner of the Little Detective Agency, the intensely loyal and intelligent-beyond-his-species four-legged Chet goes about his business of helping his owner solve crimes.

This one immerses the dynamic duo in the world of art - admittedly not a familiar subject for either of them. On top of trying to keep the business afloat, Bernie is hoping that his relationship with beautiful police sergeant Weatherly Wavneka will pick up steam (on this issue, Bernie has Chet's unwavering support even if it means he has to deal with her dog Trixie). The whole mess begins when Bernie turns down a job from what would be a new client and refers the guy to an old friend, Victor Klovsky. Not long thereafter, Victor's mother calls Bernie to say her son has gone missing - and adds that Victor had just started working on the case Bernie sent his way.

The obvious place to start is to find Victor's new client - the one who originally wanted Bernie to take his case. Problem is, that guy has turned up missing as well. With some digging - pun intended - Bernie and Chet find themselves at the ruins of an old Spanish mission, now just a crumbling building and the site of informal archeological digs. That, in turn, leads Bernie into the unfamiliar world of art history (not to mention some serious danger and a dead body or two).

Throughout it all, there's Chet's ongoing "take" on what's happening, providing doggie insights and a few chuckles. Chalk up another fun adventure well done. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a Wonderful Woof
(Chet and Bernie Mystery #12)
by Spencer Quinn
I really enjoyed this mystery! A great story with plenty of action, wit, humor, suspense, and with Chet the dog as story teller! I love how Bernie and Chet work as a team.

[Judy Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book but not as wholeheartedly as all the other Chet and Bernie books. This one feels different to me and I can't exactly put my finger on why. It's as if the author and I can't connect in this book. Lots of little things are different that will not even be noticed unless you are like me and find this series a *must read*. Bernie is the lead Little, as in the Little Detective Agency; in fact he is the only Little. Chet is a wonderful 100 pound dog who flunked out of K-9 school on the last part of the obstacle course; there was a cat involved but that doesn't matter because it meant that Chet was up for adoption. This story has Bernie turning down a case but recommending another private detective who needs a hand getting started in the business. Then the PI disappears and his Mom asks Bernie for help. Setting the story in the days leading up to Christmas feels like more of a marketing strategy than any real necessity to help the story.

The ending for this book can only be described by me as strange. Strange in how Bernie acted and strange in how the ending made me wonder if something unexpected had or is going to happen with the series. I've always been perfectly happy to accept the conclusion for all the books that have come before but this one leaves me unsettled. Partly I'm unsettled because what happened was so much the opposite from any kind of action Bernie portrayed in all the previous books. And also, please Spencer Quinn, why did you make something happen that could never, ever have happened in real life?

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

[Anomaly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so torn on this book. It was an impulse rental at the library, based solely on the festive cover and adorable dog thereon, so I had absolutely no idea what to expect. When I first began reading, I was initially shocked that the story was told from Chet's POV, since he's the dog from the cover, but I also became quickly enamoured with the concept. There's a certain charm to animal POV stories which appeals to me, and a mystery-solving dog especially hit the nostalgia center of my brain with thoughts of Wishbone - a childhood fave I still enjoy to this day.

That said, there isn't much similarity between how Wishbone - an exceptionally smart, highly humanized dog used to make learning fun - and Chet think. Chet is very much portrayed the way you'd expect for "how a dog thinks" - short attention span, less than stellar memory toward unimportant things, snap judgments on people, focus on smells, obsession with treats, occasionally barks without knowing why because the urge arose, marks territory, etc. Oh, and he absolutely does not understand human idioms, which leads to a few funny moments where he meanders in telling the story to focus on how he's concerned the people don't understand basic things or how he's reminded of something else entirely. Sometimes, this is entertaining and engaging. Sometimes, it's a bit repetitive. But I never quite grew bored of that aspect.

Which, unfortunately, is not to say I never grew bored of the book itself.

My main problem with this book is that it felt two or three times its length and Chet's narration style distracted so much from the (frankly mediocre) mystery that I just didn't care about it. Yet, paradoxically, my favourite part of this book is being in Chet's mind and seeing a take on how a private investigator's former K9 officer-in-training (I think he maybe failed training and was a rescue?) pet and investigative partner sees the world. Like I said: I'm torn on this one.

This is the twelfth book in a series - one of only four instalments my library offers - so I'm not surprised I didn't understand some aspects. I am, however, pleased to say that I never felt like I was missing out much. I may not know Bernie's alluded backstory, but I know he's a "genuine war hero" who might have survivor's guilt over an incident; and I may not know if Chet is allowed everywhere because it's a quirk of this universe or because he's maybe a service/support dog, but those are extraneous details. Everything else is more or less given enough exposition to be either blatant or easily inferred and the dynamic between Chet and Bernie is so well-written it's easy to settle into as a new reader. I do wonder whether some of the vaguely-mentioned past cases are just exposition or things from previous instalments, but otherwise everything works well enough.

However, the dynamic between Chet and Bernie and novelty of Chet's narrating POV aren't quite enough to keep this book rolling without some major stalls along the way. I hate to say that because I adore Chet, but it's very much true of my experience.

Aside from major pacing issues, the mystery also failed to engage me. Between plot beats, I often got so mixed up by Chet's limited perspective and rambling asides that I couldn't remember past clues or who some side characters were. If I'd cared about the mystery, perhaps I would have retained more details, but it had basically nothing to do with the holidays - the entire reason I chose this book - and involved a lot of uninteresting (to me) details about classic art, archaeology, and ancient architecture. These things were wrapped up in some weirdly convenient circumstances which felt less like successful investigation and more like luck. I was kind of hoping for a Christmas-themed mystery, but for a vast majority of this book anything holiday-themed is just mild window dressing and there's barely any sense of it being winter, let alone nearly Christmas, except for mentions of Santa, a few ventures into tree decorating, and some snow in the final 30% - or possibly only 20%, actually. By time things start to seem festive, so much of the book has passed that it feels more coincidental than thematic.

I also have a bone to pick - dog pun not intended - with the way the 'romance' is handled. Namely: Weatherly is terrible to Bernie and though she does make amends her reasoning is absolutely ridiculous. Thankfully, the relationship barely features in maybe three or four chapters and is mostly in the background because Weatherly is having a tantrum and ghosting Bernie like a grade school child over him not divulging privileged client information to her, through roughly the first three-quarters of the story. But still, if readers are supposed to be happy for the existence and reconciliation of this relationship, then it completely missed the mark for me. I simply don't care for it.

In fact, I thought Bernie had more chemistry with at least three different characters than he did with his actual girlfriend. One of them was a man, and Bernie is presumably heterosexual, so that says how little chemistry I felt in the actual relationship.

The ending also went way off the rails in a manner that felt far more divorced from reality than the rest of the book's events... but I was honestly quite into it. I mean, there was finally a lot of action, a sense of being given clues to follow and seeing direct payoff, and that charmingly surreal feeling of a larger-than-life mystery. I was a childhood fan of Inspector Gadget and a teenage fan of Veronica Mars; I absolutely do not mind one iota when my private investigator protagonists perform wildly unrealistic feats to beat exaggeratedly evil villains in elaborate schemes which could never fly in the real world.

I'd go so far as to say the final third of this book turned it around for me. Instead of being occasionally bored into taking breaks to play video games - like I had been during the earlier portions of the book - I was glued to the pages, reading every moment I had a chance, devouring the remainder of this book with a curiosity for the ending and a smile for the lovable narrator that is Chet the dog.

I mean, what's not to love about fun narration like this:

“I beg your pardon?” said Katherine Cornwall.

Uh-oh. Begging was a complete no-no. No begging. Stop that begging. Don’t beg. You heard it all the time. Yet somehow—out of all possible people!—this no-nonsense woman didn’t know that. The case had taken a bad turn.

Or this:

I’d come across animal crackers before—you see some bothersome stuff in this business—and had no interest in them, but Slim Jims are another matter. I looked at Bernie, not at all in a begging way, far from it, merely a very normal hey buddy what’s up how’s it goin’ kind of look.

Or this:

“Now, Bernie,” she said. “Let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth.”

Stop right there. Did Johanna think Bernie wanted to look for gifts inside the mouths of horses? We know horses, me and Bernie, prima donnas each and every one.

I adored the narrative style, except when it got a little repetitive. And I'm still not completely certain what "the nation within" actually means, other than it's how Chet refers to the collective of all dogs. But overall, it was fun. Just not enough to keep the book from boring me for more than the first half of its pages. (At under 300 pages, the fact it felt relentlessly long sometimes is not a good sign!) So... how am I supposed to rate this?

I mean, I almost want to give all the stars for being an adult version of Wishbone with a more canine-like thought pattern in the dog. But I also can't say I enjoyed the majority of the book or the underlying plot. I might read more from the series someday, just to get more of Chet's delightful perspective, but I can't say I'm impressed. This isn't the best book I've read, not even just this year, and I'm still kinda bummed it wasn't more focused on the holidays.

I guess an average rating will do. Three stars for being decent but not amazing...? But five Slim Jims from a six pack for Chet! (One is for me, of course.) Now, let's pretend I don't feel a little guilty for not adding an extra star just for what a precious doggo Chet is, okay?

[Robin Hatcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook (narrated by Jim Frangione)
This really isn’t a Christmas story, although it had decorations and an elf, etc., scattered throughout. But it is a great mystery with plenty of danger and the bad guys “getting theirs,” plus a few narrow escapes for Chet and Bernie.
(Note: As usual, there is some course language although not a lot.)

Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Excellent read. Couldn’t put it down. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Liked it. Glad I read it. Engaging/entertaining/interesting.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed other books so much more.
1🌟 = For whatever reason, I didn’t like it and can’t recommend it.

[Joshua Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun Chet and Bernie mystery, the crime solving duo: narrated by Chet the dog. These are perfect light-hearted change of pace-type books for me, and Spencer Quinn always has great plotting. But the joy of the books is the characterization of Chet. Audiobook tip: this was my second time listening to one of these on audio, and I didn't like my first audio attempt. But I listened slightly faster at 1.2x, and the faster paced narration fit the energy level of Chet as narrator, so I'll likely listen to more of these.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twelve-book  (and counting) Chet and Bernie series is about a one-hundred+ pound smart and devoted dog (Chet)--who flunked out of K-9 school--and his intensely-moral, highly-competent human (Bernie) who together operate The Little Detective Agency. They solve murders, find lost people, fix what’s broken, and Bernie sometimes falls in love. What makes this series my close-to-favorite detective series of all times is that it’s told from the perspective of Chet. He’s clever, talented, curious, ever-positive in his attitude, and adores his human partner who he sees as perfect. The affection is returned. Chet is generally upbeat even when circumstances are dire which makes these mysteries low-stress despite being dramatic detective stories filled with thrills and intrigue. It doesn't bother me at all that Chet is more cerebral than I expect a dog really is. For example, he understands most of what Bernie says though inferences and allusions befuddle him. But, NYT bestselling author Spencer Quinn is such a good storyteller I willingly suspend my disbelief in that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forge Books for providing me with a review copy of Quinn's latest in this series, It's a Wonderful Woof. This is another great entry in this indominable series. Quinn has one more coming out August, 2022 which I will be reading as soon as I can! 

If you’re looking for a new favorite detective series and you love dogs, this is it.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another smash hit from Spencer Quinn. Chet is once again a wonderful character, and this book is so much fun to read. It's a Wonderful Woof has all the right elements: great characters, good story and plot, believable, funny in the right places, and a page-turner. I'm a huge fan of Chet and Bernie and would highly recommend all Spencer Quinn books.

[Guylou (Two Dogs and a Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚 Hello Book Friends! IT’S A WONDERFUL WOOF by Spencer Quinn was such a fun and exciting read. I enjoyed reading the book in the voice of Chet, a wonderful detective dog. So many parts were funny as you read Chet’s perspective of the situation. I wish I could hear my dogs’ thoughts that way. This is the 12th book in the Chet and Bernie Mystery Series. I am happy that it can be read as a stand-alone. I am definitely going to purchase the series for me and my husband to enjoy.

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[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chet and Bernie (in that order; Chet always comes first!) have appeared in 11 previous mysteries. Their fans adore them, especially Chet, the intrepid almost K-9 who can smell fear, grab a gun, dig out important clues and accidentally uncover evidence. Chet is the first to admit that he leaves the heavy thinking to Bernie, the human half of the private investigation team of the Little Detective Agency.

In IT’S A WONDERFUL WOOF, Chet and Bernie are enjoying the holiday scents and sights (Chet loves the smell of fir wreaths) when a potential client appears with a strange request. Bernie has just reconnected with an acquaintance whose private detective business is perhaps doing even worse than his. So he refers the case to Victor Klovsky, who then disappears. Victor's mother is extremely worried about her son's absence as they usually speak daily, so she hires Chet and Bernie to find him.

Of course, this leads to the pair investigating what the original prospective client wanted, and when that individual turns up dead, Bernie is worried. Like all the Chet and Bernie mysteries, Spencer Quinn (the pen name for Peter Abrahams) takes us along on this journey through Chet's eyes as he narrates the story. It's always an interesting perspective because often the dog knows more than his human counterpart does. Other times, we realize that Chet doesn't understand what is happening, as he sheepishly admits that a peanut butter cookie is demanding his attention. But his narrative seems genuine, and it's created to include us as well. "Have I described my teeth yet? We are talking about weapons, my friends. I have weapons in my mouth. You do not, no offense." There's a lot of "no offense" sprinkled throughout these pages, but it makes us feel that Chet is talking to us and telling us the story directly.

Several shady characters follow Chet and Bernie to the old deconsecrated church in the Arizona desert. The church was the subject of a bidding war, and a nonprofit in Naples bought it. Currently, an archaeological dig is taking place there. Also involved in the mystery is the local art professor who tried to raise money to buy the church but was outbid. Quinn gives us numerous sinister characters to choose from, and they all appear to have something to hide. Of course, when some of them start showing up dead, the list of suspects shrinks.

There's some fine art by a European Baroque artist, Caravaggio, who is pretty much a bad guy in this story and in real life. Why is he important to all the people hiring investigators? The mystery is well done, but this is not a psychological thriller with twists and turns at the end. We love Chet, and his narration of the events is a joy to read. Although this is a take from a dog's point of view, we are well aware that Chet is not just any dog. He deserves the shotgun seat in their vintage Porsche, and he is truly Bernie's right hand "man."

Not only does Chet share the characters’ dialogue (and with admirable fidelity), he provides a running commentary about the events. Hawaiian shirts are a common theme in all the Chet and Bernie books, and this one is no different. Here, Chet reminisces about a missing Hawaiian shirt of Bernie’s that features surfing cats: “Not the one with the surfing cats, which seemed to have disappeared. Had someone --- just an ordinary someone doing an ordinary thing such as sniffing through the laundry pile --- somehow come upon that surfing catty shirt and...and done whatever? Someone, somehow, whatever: that had to be the answer.”

Spencer Quinn is a genius at mastering the imaginative doggy narrative --- or so we'd like to believe. And we completely suspend our disbelief when we read these charming and well-put-together mysteries. Seeing how Bernie's life is progressing is a plus. Although his relationship with a previous girlfriend, Suzie, has ended, we now get to witness his interaction with police officer Weatherly Wauneka, and it’s lovely. So is Trixie, her dog, a female mirror image of Chet. While each book works well as a stand-alone, you will want to start at the beginning so you can enjoy the nuances and the flow of Chet and Bernie’s fabulous lives together as they solve crimes and still end up no richer.

Reviewed by Pamela Kramer

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

It's a Wonderful Woof is the 12th outing for Chet and Bernie by Spencer Quinn. Released 19th Oct 2021 by Macmillan on their Tor Forge imprint, it's 272 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is another fun and engaging read starring Chet (the dog) and Bernie (the human) doing what they do best, solving crimes, righting wrongs, and keeping each other (relatively) safe and functional. Although it's the 12th book in the series, all the books work very well as standalone novels. There are a few minor spoilers in the background story if read out of order, but nothing major.

Probably the most unusual aspect of the story is that it's told in the first person point of view of Chet, Bernie's Dr. Watson. Chet's a Very Smart Dog (and a Very Good Boy), but he is a dog and so there are many asides about smelling things and sort of a stream-of-consciousness commentary running throughout. I found it very distracting at first, but after a few chapters it wasn't as noticeable.

For current fans of the series, this is another solid mystery with a cleverly constructed plot complete with a satisfying denouement and conclusion. The language is fairly clean throughout and on the same average as the other books with regards to violence.

Recommended for fans of mysteries with strong animal protagonists, and American PI mysteries. I'm impressed how this series continues to be solidly entertaining without being overly formulaic. Chet and Bernie are the good guys.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I''m so glad I found this book at the library. I was looking for a quick fun read until my book-club book is available, and I hadn't realized there was another book in this series that I hadn't read yet. I wish I would have listened to this as an audio book. I remember the first book in this series, having listened to it in the car on a long trip, and laughing out loud. So - I ended up reading all the others. Some were definitely better than others. This is just as good as his first book.

My main complaint about the Chet and Bernie books is the silliness. Quinn does his best when he sticks mainly with Chet's thoughts. I didn't like the beginning here, when he talks about people riding on each other's shoulders on a Harley. It almost made me quit the reading.....but I'm glad I didn't. On page three (thank goodness it was this near the beginning this made me smile. Bernie often talks to himself/Chet, and is thinking about forgiving and forgetting. Chet thinks: "Forgiving? A new one on me. I was very familiar with forgetting of course, could forget like you wouldn't believe. My take-away? I was a good, good boy."

Another time Bernie asks Chet what he thinks about a particular course of action. "So nice of Bernie to ask, but his timing could have been better. I had no thoughts at the moment. My mind was completely empty of thoughts, like the bright blue sky on a cloudless day. I tried to think of a thought. Nothing came."

So, very fun, very quick read, and lots of smiles during the reading!

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another fun addition to the Chet and Bernie series, set right around Christmas. One of the things I enjoy about this series are Chet's ramblings because they are so very dog-like to me, having grown up with various and sundry dogs in the house. And cats--at least our cats and dogs tended to like each other, probably because of the ages we got them.

There is a great blurb on the book page already, but suffice it to say that Bernie is asked to find another PI who he referred a possible client to after he disappears. There is murder, mayhem and lots of fun along with some perps, one or two other dogs, and some fun rides in the old Porsche.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone reading this latest installment of Chet and Bernie’s adventures will not be disappointed. Nor will they be short on holiday spirit at its conclusion.

Chet’s witty comments never grow old for me, and his running commentary during this adventure story and detective caper amused and entertained me from page one to the novel’s conclusion.

Serious detective novel fans should not be put off by the lightness if tone or sense of humor in this series. The books are smart, full of spirit and have profoundly serious reminders of the value of friendship and strong core values. I am smitten with both Chet and Bernie and hope to share many more adventures with them.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fine tale (tail?) for Chet and Bernie. If only Chet could figure out how to mimic human speech as easily as he's learned how to work doorknobs, these cases would be solved in 25-page novellas. But where's the fun in that?

I love the relationship between the two of them. Chet believes Bernie is the best at everything, and Bernie gives Chet the credit for their successes.

My favorite part in any of these stories is Chet's take on anything. The other species in the animal kingdom ("Horses - real prima donnas, every last one of them.") Things that happened back when Bernie was still married to Leda. The smells that humans give off. Escalators and elevators. Trying to put the hardtop on the Porsche.

I'm here for any and all further adventures from these two PIs.

[annapi · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a German guy tries to hire Bernie, he declines because online research doesn't appeal to him, but refers him to a fellow PI, Victor Klovsky. Days later, Victor's mother calls Bernie for help as Victor has disappeared. Feeling guilty for the referral which he is sure is the reason, Bernie sets out to find Victor and unearths a tangled web of intrigue in the art world.

This was the usual entertaining and intriguing case, though as usual there's a bit too much of Chet's ramblings that go off on a tangent. It was cute the first time, but over so many books it tends to wear a little thin at times. Still a solid mystery.

[Ryan]

I just adore Chet and Bernie mysteries and this one didn’t disappoint!
Obviously a holiday mystery, things are not ho-ho-holy in the Valley. Fellow detective Victor Klovsky is reported missing after he doesn’t show up to his mom’s to light the Hanukkah candles. Klovsky’s case was for a client that Bernie referred to him after turning it down. Are the two related? And how do the missing client, the professor, and the mission ruins fit into it all?
Chet’s narration provides delightful canine insight (or lack thereof) as the partners wind, duck, and bump their way through this holiday caper.

#NetGalley #ItsaWonderfulWoof

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another weird case. Bernie declines a case but recommends another young PI who needs the work to the client. A day or two later the young PI’s mom wants to hire Bernie to find her son. It turns out the client was a PI from Madrid, Spain seeking a rare painting by Caravaggio. The painting is tied to a deconsecrated Spanish church from the 17th century. The Spaniard ends up dead, there’s a curse, and lots of digging for buried treasure by pseudo-archaeologists. Hypothermia, a sniper, and an avalanche pose further dangers. Chet, the canine narrator, as always, continues his rambling observations and funny digressions on human behavior.

[Victoria Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read through the Chet and Bernie series at least twice now, and finished this most recent one, and I'm ready to start over again at the beginning because Chet and Bernie are just such delightful companions! I got the first book at a library used book sale and it was on a shelf for months before I finally picked it out and read it, and I immediately began ordering the rest of the series and enjoyed life with Chet and Bernie. Now I'm like, "SPENCER QUINN! WRITE MORE! WRITE FASTER!"

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who could not like this series? It is so much fun to read these books narrated by Chet the dog about the cases he and Bernie (his partner who can do no wrong in Chet's eyes) take on. In this one they get involved in a mystery involving a painting from one of the old masters.

[Will Plunkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a stand-alone Christmas book; turns out we fans get TWO Chet & Bernie books in a single year (a few months, in fact)! I liked the historical aspect to this mystery, as most of the series involves just the local area and time. The multiple "cases" concurrently made for a nice twist, too. The next book: will it mention something about that photo in the final pages of the last chapter?

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t usually stick with a series, but I never miss the latest Chet & Bernie. Chet, a 100+ pounder police dog wash out tells their stories like only he can. I mostly listen to these for the amazing characters, especially the deep friendship and loyalty of Chet and Bernie, and for the uncanny way Quinn is able to read a dog’s mind. Highly recommended in audio but be sure to start with the first one. Harry, my own 100+ pounder driving partner, gives them a double paws up.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love, love Chet and Bernie! The Bernie Little detective agency is trying to find a missing person, s PI who was working a case that Bernie sent his way. As always Chet, the canine member of the agency, narrates the investigation. I give this book two dog bones up!

[claudia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always a sucker for a book narrated by a Canine! Chet might be one of my favs. (Thanks Rahni for introducing meto this series….dogs and AZ setting!) Fun audiobook. Great book to end 2022 reads.

[Lisa Cobb Sabatini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won an Uncorrected Advance Reading Copy of It's a Wonderful Woof: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn from Goodreads.

Among all the great characters in It's a Wonderful Woof: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn, the greatest character is the narrator, Chet, who just happens to be a dog. Viewing the story as it unfolds through canine eyes, readers enjoy a unique and, at times, hilarious, at times, thoughtful, insight into the case at hand and the world at large. It's a Wonderful Woof is a superb whodunit with a fun twist that will keep readers coming back for more treats!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah! My favorite canine detective and his trusty sidekick Bernie! This definitely got me in the Christmas spirit! (you know, despite the murder, etc)

[Mary Norfleet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new Chet and Bernie story. Narrated by Chet, the dog, adventure of the Little Detective Agency. All of this series is fun to read.

[Lulu Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2