Scents and Sensibility

This is book 8 of the Chet and Bernie mystery series. Chet and Bernie are partners of the Little Detective Agency, named after the human partner, Bernie Little. Chet is his canine partner who had flunked out of police school. 

This mystery follows the typical plot of 1) crimes have been committed, 2) a detective is engaged who looks for clues to find the perps, and 3)  justice is served. In this case, a saquaro cactus has been illegally dug up and moved to, of all places, the front yard of Bernie's neighbor, who received it as a gift from his newly-released-from-prison son.  Then the female Agriculture Department officer who gave the neighbor a citation for the illegal cactus ends up dead, murdered. 

What makes this book interesting is that the story is told in the first person by the dog, Chet. And Chet certainly has a canine interpretation of what's happening but can't count past two and doesn't have a good memory. The writing style is simple but humorous and is appropriate for adults and teens of all ages. 

Although this book is #8 in a series, the story stands on its own and can be read without gaps in the story because of continuations left unresolved in earlier novels. It also has a nice, clean ending that leaves you with a smile. Justice has been served. 

Warning! Although there are no loose endings that have been left unresolved, you will be tempted to purchase other books in the series to read about other detective crime cases which involved the "Little Detective Agency."

Disclaimer: I received a draft version of this book for from netgalley.com but that has not influenced my review.

I think this was the best Chet and Bernie mystery to date.  The books are narrated by Chet, a dog, in a stream-of-consciousness style that is very engaging.  Bernie Little, the "Little" of the Little Detective Agency, is divorced, war-wounded, and troubled.  Subplots involving an on-again, off-again girlfriend, Bernie's son Charlie, his ex-wife and her current husband, and Bernie's elderly neighbors add atmosphere to the book, but pale in comparison to Chet's narration.  Chet is motivated by his love for Bernie and his love for food; in this book he seemed to have a lot more thoughts that he was unable to convey to Bernie.

Chet and Bernie come home one day to find that someone has been in their house, and Bernie's father's watch, his most valuable possession, has been stolen.  The watch seems to spend as much time in the pawn shop as it does in Bernie's safe, but now the watch, as well as the safe, are missing.  Bernie's investigation leads him to his neighbor's house where a stolen saguaro cactus has turned up, along with an investigator and what appears to be (maybe?) the result of an assignation of Chet's in an earlier book.

There is a decades-old crime that may or may not have been a kidnapping, prisoners released from prison, elderly neighbors in need of help, and a desert festival reminiscent of Burning Man.  An altogether wonderful book, a great mystery, and a superb entry into the Chet and Bernie saga.