A Fistful of Collars, by Spencer Quinn

Spencer Quinn. A Fistful of Collars. New York: Atria Books, 2012. 309 pages. ISBN 9781451665161.

A Fistful of Collars is another winner in this series of detective stories starring Bernie (a human detective) and his canine partner, Chet. The books are narrated by Chet, who is a little bit unreliable given how easily he's distracted by food, flies, cats, and many other things. One of the charming plot devices that Quinn uses is to have Chet describe what's going on with Bernie and another character, get distracted, and miss a key part of the discussion. This allows the author to keep some details secret until the end of the story, when all (or at least, most) is revealed.

I really enjoy Quinn's writing. His depiction of dog behavior is spot on. His cluelessness about Chet's intelligence is amusing, as he totally misunderstands what Chet's trying to show him again and again. But things always seem to turn out right in the end. I would recommend these books to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or loves dogs.

Other books in the series include:

• Dog on It
• Thereby Hangs a Tail
• To Fetch a Thief
• The Dog Who Knew Too Much
• A Cat Was Involved
• The Sound and the Furry
• Paw and Order

I've read Thereby Hangs a Tail and To Fetch a Thief, and found them just as enjoyable as this book. I especially enjoy the clever and slightly corny titles.