I have read all of the Chet and Bernie books, and look forward to each one. This story was another great one -absorbing, funny, and filled with Chet's musings and buoyant spirit.. Bernie brings other things to the table, as Chet would say-including his own wit and grit. What a fun series!

Thank you Netgalley and McMillan/Tor/Forge or the eARC.
Private Eyes Bernie Little and Chet the German Sheppard are approached by a young woman, but when they get out of the Porsche to talk to her, she flees. Thus begins a strange case of two missing young women, a sheppard who looks just like Chet, and a ferret. Chet is not too fond of ferrets, but he adores Bernie and will do anything for him. Plus the ferret seems to like Bernie...
An then there's the astoundingly lucrative offer from a Ukrainian hard man, which, to Chet's great disappointment, Bernie turns down. Hey, they need the money!
This is another fun mystery (with maybe a new romance in the works?) and I can't stress enough how much I love Chet! His inner musings and his utter devotion the Bernie are so adorable, at times I have to laugh, but sometimes a tear slips down my face because his love for Bernie is absolutely perfect. Highly recommended, especially for dog lovers!

When a pooch is allowed to take over the job of story narrator, things quickly go to the dogs. In this case, it's Chet - canine companion of private eye Bernie Little - who does his usual job of helping his human partner solve cases, interspersing his reactions to real danger with the humorous "Chet-icisms" that make him so lovable.

This is a favorite series of mine, although I must say this isn't my favorite entry (no particular reason, I guess, except that the plot and characters, with the exception of Bernie and Chet, just weren't as interesting to me as usual. As this one kicks off, Bernie discovers that a woman is following him as he is driving around (with Chet riding shotgun, as always). Finally, he stops and she pulls in front of him and says she needs help - but then second thoughts creep in, apparently, and she drives off again. Curious, Bernie sets out to find her.

When Bernie gets a physical address, he and Chet stop; another woman living there takes off as well, leaving behind her pet ferret named Griffie (much to the consternation of Chet, who isn't exactly thrilled with the prospect of giving up his catbird car seat to the wiggly critter, much less living with him). At another stop, though, a man swoops down on Bernie's convertible and sweeps up Griffie. Chet's delighted to be done with him, but Bernie's curious enough to decide to start detecting even though nobody is paying him.

The chase leads to at least one dead body, several serious threats to the lives of Bernie and Chet and to a police officer named Weatherly, who has a dog that has markings eerily similar to Chet. A coincidence? Maybe, maybe not; you'll have to read the book to find out. As for me, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for once again allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of the latest installment in this thoroughly entertaining series.

Spencer Quinn’s Chet and Bernie series has been delighting readers, myself included, for over a decade. The eleventh and latest installment in the beloved series,Tender is the Bite, continues the saga of private investigator Bernie and his beloved dog and crime-fighting partner, Chet.

As political signs begin popping up in neighborhood yards, Chet and Bernie are on a case. Chet isn’t totally sure what the case is, or who the client is. But after a young woman follows them, only to flee following her request for their help, Bernie sets out to discover why she sought them out, and what happened to her. Unfortunately for Chet, this case involves ferrets, horses, and a familiar scent he just can’t quite place. Add in dog that looks remarkably like Chet and her police sergeant owner, and this case has more riding on it than the perp Chet wants to bring in by the pant leg.

I’ve loved these books since I first picked up Dog On It, and I’m always hooked from the first word to the last. While not-too-frightening mysteries are always up my alley, what makes the Chet and Bernie books so perfect is Chet himself.

Chet the dog is our narrator, and what a narrator he is. Part of what makes these books so fun is solving the mystery as they discover new clues, and Chet is the best at finding clues. From his top-rate hearing to his never-led-him-wrong nose, Chet is an ideal partner. As a reader, you get to piece together what Chet experiences with what Bernie discovers through interviewing, solving the case alongside them.

Playing armchair detective is just one component of what makes this series addictive. Chet provides much comedic relief, the kind where you find yourself laughing out loud and looking around to find someone to share these witty insights with. There’s always a deeper level to explore, undercurrents of topical issues handled well, and nods to prior books that make you want to go back and re-read them again and again.

Another plus to a series style novel is piecing together the hints dropped about various cases throughout the books. In Tender, we finally learn a little bit more about the notorious broom closet case that is regularly referenced. Additionally, we get to visit beloved old characters while meeting new and interesting ones.

The characters in Quinn’s books are incredibly well developed, with wild backstories that Chet shares humorously. Every description, from characters to setting to events, is vividly described to paint the image in your mind.

The entire Chet and Bernie series is laugh out loud funny, a perfect balance of humor and mystery that combine to create books you can’t, and won’t, want to put down. Tender is the Bite continues this tradition with perfection, a multilayered story that you’ll be thinking about every moment you aren’t reading it.

Tender is the Bite will be available July 6, 2021. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian for an advanced copy such that I could write this honest review.

dog, private-investigators, law-enforcement, murder, political-corruption, action, situational-humor, verbal-humor, ferret*****

First Chet and Bernie are being tailed, then they are tailing the one who was tailing them! If you've never had a K-9 failure tell you about a difficult case he and his partner PI Bernie Little survived, you've missed a lot! Chet tells all from his own unique perspective. This includes a ferret, some Ukrainians, a lot of liars, missing persons and more. There are plot twists and red herrings, but all of the characters are engaging, interesting, and occasionally evil. Just not the good guys, sometimes they are a bit clueless, but never evil. A great series and full of laughs! And each is capable of being stand alone.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Macmillan-Tor/Forge Forge Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Thank you to Net Galley, the publishers and the author for an ARC copy for an honest review.

Honest review it is !

Chet and Bernie are contacted by a terribly scared young woman who seems to want their help. Before she can even tell them her name, she flees in panic. But in that brief meeting, Chet sniffs out an important secret about her, a secret at the heart of the mystery he and Bernie set out to solve.

It's a case with no client and no crime and yet great danger, with the duo facing a powerful politician who has a lot to lose. Their only hope lies with a ferret named Griffie, who adores Bernie. Is there room for a ferret in the Chet and Bernie relationship? That's the challenge Chet faces, the biggest of his career. Hanging in the balance are the lives of two mistreated young women and the future of the whole state.

Yes read the story and you may feel more confused. Have I read a novel like this before... NO

I guess you can understand that statement when you have read a story from the dogs point of view., the dog is "telling you the story".

So it sure is very different, to me personally a step too far, makes the story a little far fetched, a little light hearted, but yes some funny and witty parts as well. Really a hard book to review.

What more can you say, some will love the story, some will hate it, I was stuck in the middle a little.

Three stars for me. It was okay, sometimes funny, sometimes silly.

It just doesn’t get any better than spending the afternoon with Quinn’s detectives, Chet and Bernie. I am a fan of classic detective stories with Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin topping my list of favorite detecting duos. . . Then, perhaps Lord Peter Wimsey and Bunter, but now, in the 21 st. century, we have Chet and Bernie and they also deserve star billing.

Through the Pandemic I was lifted up by the discovery of this series. It impressed me because the books never fail to make me laugh out loud, but they also demonstrate on every page the merits of loyalty, courage, friendship and unconditional trust among friends.

This addition to the series presents Chet at his best, Bernie showcasing his unflagging integrity, and for good measure, we get a dose of civic corruption and political ambition.

NetGalley provided me with a complimentary galley in exchange for a candid review. I was thrilled to get my hands on this book before publication. Thank you!

The Little Detective Agency consists of two partners, Bernie Little and Chet, the Jet, who flunked out of police training school due to an unfortunate incident with a squirrel during graduation. A very frightened young woman contacts Bernie and then disappears. Both Chet and Bernie quickly figure out this case will not earn them any money, but who needs money when you know the right thing to do is to find the woman and find out why she is so scared. And when the death threats start and bodies begin piling up, it's just another day in the Little Detective Agency, located in the Valley, the best place to live in the world. Always entertaining.

When I started, I thought, "Oh, I think I"m bored with this series. It's still as good as it ever was, but somehow I'm not entertained the same way. The gimmick of the narrative voice of the dog just isn't amusing me like it did the first few times I read it." It happens, right? And if I get tired of a series, that isn't the author's fault.

I found myself getting pulled in, though, and kept reading, and I'm glad I did, because this is a better mystery than the last few, with characters who were engaging, a resolution that worked for me, and just enough continuing-through-the-series plot to make me probably read the next one.

Also, Chet remains a very good dog.

Nothing beats a Chet and Bernie book to escape from real world troubles for a couple of hours and this installment was no exception. Funny and well written as always. Truly delightful

I love Chet and Bernie and this is book 11 in their series. Chet, the German Shepard narrator is so true to life. He tells you what's going on but then adds his dog opinion which many times is hilarious. This book has the private eye duo helping out a young woman who disappears before she can tell them about her case. Along their path of investigation they encounter a ferret, Griffie, who decides he loves Bernie, a crocked politician and two women's lives that are in danger. This book can be read as a stand alone but you'll immediately want to go back and read them all. Thank you Spencer Quinn for a wonderful read and insight into the dog world. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Bernie Little and his canine partner Chet are caught in a maze of blackmail, political wrangling and missing persons. Add thugs from the Ukraine with plenty of muscle and special vodka, a new love interest for Bernie and a female companion for the most outstanding member of the nation within a nation, and we have another southwest mystery adventure for the Little Detective Agency to chew on.
I love observing what is going on in the mind of a dog who knows his strengths and weaknesses and those of his partner (not master.) An enjoyable puzzle to solve along with Chet and Bernie.

Once again author Spencer Quinn has delivered a funny, warm, entertaining story wrapped around solving very serious crimes. Bernie Little is the private investigator who solves crimes and puzzles with his big, slightly-odd looking, slightly-scary acting dog Chet. Just to be sure you know, the story is told from Chet's point of view as narrator so if you don't think that is for you now is your time to peel off and go down another track. If you are still reading, that's great. I am always amazed as I read one of these stories (and I've read them all) and I realize how easily I can accept Chet's pov. Bernie talks to his dog so lots of the more complex questions regarding plot are worked out in this fashion plus, of course, conversations with the humans involved with the case. In this story a prospective client gets spooked during the initial meeting and Bernie and Chet can't let the situation end there, so the first problem is to identify the client and then to find her. During this investigation Bernie is so confused that he even turns on the swan fountain on his patio and "wastes" water - something you would never expect from a man who is so concerned about the aquafer in that part of Arizona. Before this one is over Bernie and Chet will play body-body-who's-got-the-body and come up against powerful men in high places.

Book number 11 in this series is every bit as good as the others and readers new to the series don't have to be concerned with where they start reading, just start right here if you want. I was very interested in a new dog introduced into this story and have hopes of seeing more of Trixie. Even the ferret was an interesting distraction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan - Tor/Forge Forge Books for an e-galley of this novel.

I'm a huge fan of Spencer Quinn and have read all his Chet and Bernie books. I adore Chet and love his antics and read about what he is seeing and thinking. The characters are solid and very believable. The Chet and Bernie stories are always so good and entertaining. A mix of mystery and some laugh out loud moments. Another great addition to the series.

A must read!!

As usual Chet and Bernie provide a delightful way to while away a few hours. Mystery solving from a dog's point of view won't be everyone's cup of tea but dog lovers will enjoy Chet's take on the world. This long running series is one that can be dipped into with any volume. If you like mysteries and dogs and welcome a page turning pick-me-up with a little bit of gore, car chases, and explosions, you will enjoy this book. Personally, I enjoy the off-the-wall things in this book including a giant water spewing swan, Chet on a rope ladder, and the possibility of a long lost littermate.

Rated 4 for great enjoyability. I hate to rate books as each read is a unique collaboration between what the author wrote and how the reader interprets it. I read the advance ebook from Forge Books and picked it because of a Zoom with Tor/Forge authors and because I had enjoyed other Chet and Bernie books in the past.

It is always a delight to have a new Spencer Quinn book to look forward to. I never tire of Chet's view on circumstances.