I had to wait way past Christmas to read Spencer Quinn's latest Chet and Bernie mystery, It's A Wonderful Woof (#1,041) there were so many holds on it. Although there are a number of silver bells, a helpful elf, and wreaths, there's still an intriguing mystery at the heart of the story. Quinn's even thrown in a bonus snowstorm!
If you're a regular reader of this series, you probably won't be surprised that Bernie, the human half of this detective duo, is not a huge fan of Christmas, aside from his son Charlie's enjoyment of the holidays. In fact, he's more a Scrooge sympathizer. So when a potential client shows up unannounced at his door offering a large amount of cash, Bernie feels free to turn down someone he has no intention of working for. But in the spirit of the holidays, Bernie throws the job to one of his competitors. Chet, of course, is fine with whatever Bernie decides, because that's how partners roll.
When Victor's mother calls Bernie, frantic, because Victor didn't show up to light the Hannukah candles the night before, Bernie begins to suspect that he was right to turn down the shady job. But is Victor's disappearance tied to it? Could the legends about an abandoned Spanish mission out in the desert be true? Is there a lost treasure? Someone obviously thinks it's worth killing for...
An interesting bit of art history here, along with a dangerous case with a little bit of romance mixed into the brew make for entertaining holiday reading anytime of the year. And could Chet possibly have a canine rival or two? Not if this alpha dog has anything to say about it!
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