Atticus, Oberon, and the gang are off to Portland to take in the scents. At the train station, they see an ominous squirrel on the train. When they arrive in Portland, they give chase, and run across a murder victim. The victim looks just like Atticus. They must investigate to see if the doppelganger was the intended victim, or was it supposed to be Atticus? As always, I love all things Oberon. His theory that all squirrels are evil and plotting to take over the world is hilarious.

A fantastic novella. Oberon is one of my favorite characters ever. To get a second story from his point of view is great.

I really enjoyed The Squirrel on the Train by Kevin Hearne. Oberon, the canine protagonist, lends humour to the tale with his observations being from a dog's point of view.
This is the second book in the series, and the first one that I've read. New readers to the series, like myself, are able to read the second book without any confusion. All characters are introduced with sufficient details, along with any referencing to the previous book.
Having previously owned a Boston Terrier, the cover of The Squirrel on the Train attracted my attention first, the blurb sealed the deal. Possibly evil squirrels? A mystery surrounding a murder? Dogs! The book lived up to my expectations and the canine characters reminded me of my own dogs in their antics (especially when it involved food).
The story flows smoothly, it is a short read though.
Those who love dogs, or own them will enjoy this book. Also recommended for mystery lovers.

This eARC was provided to me via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Man, I like Oberon. He's single-minded dedication to the wonders of all things meat make my heart happy. The guy has a thing he likes and he doesn't waver from his adoration.

Added bonus, he and his doggy companions (oh, and Atticus, I guess) are pretty good at solving crimes.

When the crime in question involves the murder of an Atticus-lookalike, things get weird. Well, weirder than druids who can talk to animals and shapeshifters and such. I mean, it's all relative, right?

Anyway. Atticus and the hounds follow the clues as they unravel who killed the Atticus-lookalike, helping the police and (possibly) the world. Also, there's a squirrel. A mysterious, suspicious squirrel.

Good times, man. Good times.

I live the Iron Druid, read all novels/novellas/short stories, and Oberon is one of my favourite character.
This is the second Oberon's Meaty Mystery and, as for the other parts of the saga, it is absolutely delightful.
Funny, witty, well written, with a lot of pop culture references which is one of the tract I appreciated. I really enjoyed it and once started I was not able to stop reading.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review it.

The second novella with Oberon as the POV character has them back in Portland the setting of the previous novella. The titular squirrel happens as they are taking the train to Portland and upon disembarking chase said rodent right to a dead body that looks like Atticus and it also happens to be investigated by the detective they met in the previous book. Atticus gets involved because the dogs can smell who killed the doppelganger. Along the way you find out a bit more about Atticus past and meet someone else he knows. A fun caper that if it wasn’t for Starbuck and the hounds quest for food wouldn’t have solved the mystery.

While Oberon is a character in the Iron Druid series, this title could be enjoyed by someone who hasn't read the series. They would just need to pick up on a few clues that let them know that Atticus, Oberon's human, is capable of some magic, and has a connection to the three dogs that allows them to telepathically speak to each other.

Oberon is lovable, affable, and while he's highly intelligent and somewhat humanized, he's also 100% hound at heart. When he heads to Portland for a sniffing-around adventure (yes, really) with his human, Atticus, and his two fellow hounds, the crew accidentally stumbles upon a dead body and a murder mystery. Never one to leave a stone unturned, Oberon and his crew must get to the bottom of things.

These Oberon tales are delightful, because they are legitimate short detective tales, but told from the viewpoint of a very goofy dog who is fascinated with meat and still struggles to understand quantities and time.

Lou Jacobs's Reviews > The Squirrel on the Train


The Squirrel on the Train
by Kevin Hearne (Goodreads Author)

Lou Jacobs's review Sep 11, 2017 · edit
it was amazing

"Hound Humor" ... Who wouldn't want to know what their dog is thinking? Once again we are treated to a humorous mystery romp featuring OBERON, the delightful Irish Wolfhound and his friends ... Orlaith (a female wolfhound) , Starbuck (a Boston Terrier) and , Oh yes, their pet Druid:
Atticus O'Sullivan. They are on the way to Portland by train for a "sniff" expedition. They stumble upon a sinister squirrel and incidentally a murder ... the victim surprisingly is a doppelganger for Atticus.
The gang of hounds and Druid are drawn into the investigation , with twists and turns, leading to
confrontations with a shape-shifting bear, sinister squirrels, previously encountered Detective Gabriela Ibarra, and lot of greasy foods, treats and gravy.
Hearne continues to treat us with the second "Oberon's Meat Mysteries" .... this second novella even more tasty and delectable than the first. Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review !!! Can't wait to what Oberon serves up next.

Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles are excellently written urban fantasies. Read one and you'll be going back to find the rest.