Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Scents and Sensibility by Spencer Quinn


First Line: Home at last!

Chet and Bernie have just gotten home and discovered that the wall safe is missing. When they go next-door to talk with old Mr. Parsons, they find a saguaro in his front yard and a woman charging the elderly man with cactus smuggling. Since Mr. Parsons has a bad heart and is getting very agitated, Bernie talks the woman into letting him do a little investigating before she tries to throw the old man in jail. (And then there's the question of Special Investigator Ellie Newburg's pup named Shooter that's the spitting image of Chet....)

When Chet and Bernie go out in the desert to take a look around, they discover some bad things going on-- and they all seem to be connected to a desert festival called Cactus Man. They uncover leads that take them back to a long-ago kidnapping and a ruthless criminal who knows exactly how to exploit how Chet and Bernie feel about each other. And all because of a little cactus smuggling.

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!


Scents and Sensibility by Spencer Quinn
ISBN: 9781476703428
Atria Books © 2015
Hardcover, 320 pages

Private Investigator, #8 Chet and Bernie mystery
Rating: A
Source: Purchased from Book Outlet 


7 comments:

  1. Oh, wow. I think you just convinced me to try this series particularly, this book. I need humor right now. I didn't realize these books are set in Arizona.

    I haven't read books from the point of view of a dog, but I guess I'll try.

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    1. Quinn never comes out and says that the books are set in the Phoenix metro area, but if you're "in the know" about life here, it's no secret, and Quinn has said that they are when he visits The Poisoned Pen.

      Having had dogs as some of my best friends, I think Quinn has to be very close to getting a dog's point of view right.

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  2. This is really an interesting series, though I've only read book #1. We did that one in the mystery group and it was very well received, mostly. We did have one member who just could not read a book told from the dog's point of view. She just could not. Ha!

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    1. I can see that happening. Some people's relationships with animals are much less fluid than mine. LOL

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  3. Quinn is a really talented writer, Cathy. I'm glad you featured this one on the blog, as I need to catch up with this series!

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  4. I don't know if I can read a book from a dog's viewpoint, but I'll try. I love dogs. My neighbor's dachshund is a lot of fun. We play. I "fetch," and I am the petting machine.

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Thank you for taking the time to make a comment. I really appreciate it!