Scents and Sensibility ( A Chet and Bernie Mystery, #8)
By Spencer Quinn
I have not been able to read these in order since I only have the prequel and the first one. I am at the mercy of my poor library! They have all of two! Ugh! This book ends in a dramatic fashion so I really want to get the next one! Will have to check thrift stores!
This has such a wonderful plot and a new dog comes into play! It's non-stop action with plenty of suspense! Again, told by Chet the dog! Great plot and characters! I am sure we will be seeing this other dog again! Love this series! ( )

Chet and Bernie are back, and Chet's romantic past catches up with him.

The discovery of the puppy, Shooter, proves to be a small but critical clue in a mystery that, this time, starts with their neighbor, Daniel Parsons, owner of Chet's buddy, Iggy. Mrs. Parsons is in the hospital, Mr. Parsons is alone except for Iggy, and one day gets an unexpected gift from their son, Billy Parsons. It's saguaro, and not long after the arrival of the saguaro comes Agent Ellie Newberg, of the Arizona Dept. of Agriculture, in search of one stolen saguaro.

Slowly, Bernie draws out the details from Mr. Parsons. Billy spent fifteen years in prison for kidnapping, although his father insists he just "fell in with bad people," and never did anything violent. But kidnapping is violent, by definition... He came home to visit his parents, and to borrow from the $20,000 to get a degree in forestry management, to get his life back on the right track.

Okay, but there's that saguaro, which has a chip saying it's the stolen one Agent Newberg, and incidentally her puppy Shooter, who looks very much like Chet, are looking for. She wants the name of the person Mr. Parsons got the cactus from, but he doesn't want to incriminate his son. Bernie persuades Agent Newberg to back off temporarily, and goes looking for Billy, who isn't answering his phone.

And so follows a confusing chase, one in which Chet keeps finding scent evidence that, if he could convey it to Bernie, would clear up a lot. Along the way, we meet the kidnap victim, a rather odd music studio owner, two muscle-bound and heavily tattooed identical twins, and an old foe of Bernie's, Police Detective Brick Mickles. He's the reason Bernie is no longer a cop--and Bernie is the reason he hasn't risen higher than he has. Mickles was also the cop who investigated that kidnapping, fifteen years ago.

It's a nicely twisty story, told from Chet's delightful, observant, and utterly canine point of view. Quinn does very well presenting the viewpoint of a smart dog, who is still a dog and not a person in a dog suit, and it's one of my favorite thing about these books.

Recommended.

I bought this book. ( )

Another great adventure with Chet and Bernie, introducing new characters and revisiting old friends. This latest addition to the Chet and Bernie series does not disappoint. I love this series.

Chet's love for life and sunny personality shines throughout the book, in good times and bad. As always, Spencer Quinn paints a lovely picture of life from a dog's point of view.

In this tale, the detective team returns home after their last adventure in Soggy Bottom. No rest is in store for the duo, as immediately they are entangled in another mystery-adventure, right at their doorstep. Old rivalries re-surface, and surprising new challenges await!

Chet's optimistic perspective prevents things from becoming oppressive when things get dark, and Bernie shines as his perfect human companion. This is another great addition to the Chet and Bernie series.

**eARC netgalley** ( )

#8 Chet & Bernie

Another great entry in this series, this one dealing with the illegal cactus trade (and murder – of people, not of cacti).

I think Quinn is tiring of this series. The writing and the mystery are still first-rate but the end of the book is a cliff-hanger that could most easily (and probably correctly) be construed to mean that Bernie dies.

There was outrage by fans, and Quinn has been promising a sequel now for a couple of years. But I have a feeling this series is no longer his first love. I dread the end of it.

4½ stars ( )

It's been a while since I last visited Chet and Bernie, and I'm not quite sure why. What I do know is that I was in the mood for some literary canine companionship, and no one speaks dog as fluently as Spencer Quinn. Even cat lovers would love these tales told from the point of view of Bernie's dog, Chet, who can only count to two because two is the best number.

Scents and Sensibility isn't all wagging tails and marking territory, however. Readers get to learn things like the laws involving the saguaro cactus here in Arizona and the tender way Bernie treats his elderly next-door neighbor (among many other things). The story is fast-paced and loaded with humor, danger, and even a tear or two. I don't know why I stayed away so long, but I know I won't be making that mistake again. Sorry, Chet! ( )