The Dog Who Knew Too Much

The Dog Who Knew Too Much by Spencer Quinn is the fourth book in the Chet & Bernie series. In this novel, Bernie has been hired by a single mother to pose as her boyfriend to keep her ex at bay while visiting their son at a wilderness camp. Instead Bernie and Chet end up trying to find the boy who disappeared from the campsite one night. The local authorities are less than helpful in the search, and Bernie is quickly framed for murder and arrested and Chet is on his own (with some help from Bernie's girlfriend Susie) to find the boy and prove Bernie's innocence. Quinn has such a way of portraying Chet that you have to wonder a bit about his family history.  ;) Chet is a compelling and often hilarious narrator who will keep readers entranced, even with his regular digressions. Quinn keeps the series from becoming too cutesy with the dark storyline and occasional violence. I think part of the power of this series is Chet's joyous personality. It allows readers to feel like they are a part of the story through his worry, love, and absolute loyalty for Bernie. Great writing, stellar characterizations, and the kind of dog we all wish we had makes this a series I always look forward to revisiting. 

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with a copy of this book for review!