Explore our new BookBrowse Community Forum!

Book Summary and Reviews of Dog On It by Spencer Quinn

Dog On It by Spencer Quinn

Dog On It

A Chet and Bernie Mystery

by Spencer Quinn

  • Critics' Consensus:
  • Readers' Rating:
  • Published:
  • Feb 2009, 320 pages
  • Rate this book

  • Buy This Book

About this book

Book Summary

Meet Chet, the wise and lovable canine narrator of Dog on It, who works alongside Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private investigator. Chet might have flunked out of police school ("I'd been the best leaper in K-9 class, which had led to all the trouble in a way I couldn't remember exactly, although blood was involved"), but he's a detective through and through.

In this, their first adventure, Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of Madison, a teenage girl who may or may not have been kidnapped, but who has definitely gotten mixed up with some very unsavory characters. A well-behaved, gifted student, she didn't arrive home after school and her divorced mother is frantic. Bernie is quick to take the case -- something about a cash flow problem that Chet's not all that clear about -- and he's relieved, if vaguely suspicious, when Madison turns up unharmed with a story that doesn't add up. But when she disappears for a second time in a week, Bernie and Chet aren't taking any chances; they launch a full-blown investigation. Without a ransom demand, they're not convinced it's a kidnapping, but they are sure of one thing: something smells funny.

Their search for clues takes them into the desert to biker bars and other exotic locals, with Chet's highly trained nose leading the way. Both Chet and Bernie bring their own special skills to the hunt, one that puts each of them in peril. But even as the bad guys try to turn the tables, this duo is nothing if not resourceful, and the result is an uncommonly satisfying adventure.

With his doggy ways and his endearingly hardboiled voice, Chet is full of heart and occasionally prone to mischief. He is intensely loyal to Bernie, who, though distracted by issues that Chet has difficulty understanding -- like divorce, child custody, and other peculiar human concerns -- is enormously likable himself, in his flawed, all-too-human way.

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Reviews

Media Reviews

"Starred Review. Chet must use all his superdog tricks to extricate Bernie from a mighty tight fix in a climax that fans of classic mysteries are sure to appreciate." - Publishers Weekly.

"[S]hould appeal to hard-boiled fans and canine fanciers alike." - Kirkus Reviews.

"Starred Review. Even cat lovers will find it entertaining. This first in a projected series by newcomer Quinn is highly recommended." - Library Journal.

"Essential for all mystery collections and for dog lovers everywhere." - Booklist.

This information about Dog On It was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own reviewwrite your own review

HI

Mystery
I love this book because, it has tons of cliff hangers and is fun to read! :)

Happy Reader

YAY!!
I had to write a book report and since this was one of the only books I haven't read. I wasn't excited when I first got it but it got better and better until I got an A on my report, AMAZING BOOK!!!

Big-dog lover!

What a dog!
Anyone contemplating buying a dog for the first time should read this book because THIS is what a dog anyone wants to own should be like: smart, funny (yes, I know canines don't have "human" emotions; just deal with it, okay?) and oh-so-loyal. What's not to love? AND if that someone seeking a 4-legged friend also loves a good mystery, enjoys laughing out loud, and has any flaws him- or herself . . . well, then, he/she has a book to love and recommend. What a fun read! Come on, Spencer Quinn: do it again & again.

Stephanie

In My Opinion
Starting out I read this book just because I had to do a book report. This was the first one that I saw and could actually remember what I read on the back of the book. As I began reading, the dogs’ point of view immediately caught my attention. I am not a big reader so when I read 180 pages in one day it means something. The point is if you have a dog or had a dog or even like dogs you will really enjoy reading this book. If you see it on the shelf it is definitely worth reading it.

Dorothy T.

A Dog Tale
Told from the dog's point of view, the book is funny and cleverly done. Knowing the premise beforehand, I was looking forward to reading this, but when I finished it, I felt like this is more of a guy's book (not that I am a reader of that which is known as "chick-lit" by any means). I also noticed that Chet the dog is nearly the only one not to drop the f-bomb. He was definitely my favorite character. I am not sure that all this doggie stuff won't become tiresome as the series progresses, but I don't think I will find out.

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Author Information

Spencer Quinn Author Biography

Photo: Diana Gray

Spencer Quinn is the pen name for Peter Abrahams, the Edgar-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Chet and Bernie mystery series, as well as the #1 New York Times bestselling Bowser and Birdie series for middle-grade readers. He lives on Cape Cod with his wife Diana and dog Pearl.

Author Interview
Link to Spencer Quinn's Website

Other books by Spencer Quinn at BookBrowse
Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

More Recommendations

Readers Also Browsed . . .

more mysteries...

Membership Advantages
  • Reviews
  • "Beyond the Book" articles
  • Free books to read and review (US only)
  • Find books by time period, setting & theme
  • Read-alike suggestions by book and author
  • Book club discussions
  • and much more!
  • Just $45 for 12 months or $15 for 3 months.
  • More about membership!

Top Picks

  • Book Jacket: Our Evenings
    Our Evenings
    by Alan Hollinghurst
    Alan Hollinghurst's novel Our Evenings is the fictional autobiography of Dave Win, a British ...
  • Book Jacket: Graveyard Shift
    Graveyard Shift
    by M. L. Rio
    Following the success of her debut novel, If We Were Villains, M. L. Rio's latest book is the quasi-...
  • Book Jacket: The Sisters K
    The Sisters K
    by Maureen Sun
    The Kim sisters—Minah, Sarah, and Esther—have just learned their father is dying of ...
  • Book Jacket: Linguaphile
    Linguaphile
    by Julie Sedivy
    From an infant's first attempts to connect with the world around them to the final words shared with...

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Pony Confidential
    by Christina Lynch

    In this whimsical mystery, a grumpy pony must clear his beloved human's name from a murder accusation.

Who Said...

The worth of a book is to be measured by what you can carry away from it.

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

F the M

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.