Bark to the future

At the start of Quinn's winning 14th Chet and Bernie mystery (after 2021's It's a Wonderful Woof), Bernie Little, owner of the Little Detective Agency, and his canine partner and the series' narrator, Chet, are driving home to the Valley (somewhere in the American west) when Bernie stops the car to slip a few dollars to a homeless man standing by a freeway exit ramp. Bernie is shocked to realize that the man is Rocket Saluka, who played on Bernie's high school baseball team. Bernie takes Rocket to a burger place, where Rocket shows Bernie a switchblade, his "most valuable possession." Afterward, Bernie drops off Rocket at the exit ramp. When Bernie later hears Rocket has gone missing, Bernie traces his presence to a homeless encampment, where Chet digs up the knife in the man's tent. With this as their only clue to his whereabouts, the duo set out on a trail that leads them back to Bernie and Rocket's alma mater and into a web of crimes that culminates in murder. This entry offers a tidy mystery, a good dollop of action, and a rumination on life after high school--who could ask for more? Chet, with his innate doggie wisdom, is sure to inspire loyal fans and seduce new readers. (Aug.)

This 13th outing for detectives Bernie the human and Chet the canine (after It's a Wonderful Woof) begins with them testing out Bernie's latest classic Porsche. At a freeway off ramp, Bernie is recognized by a homeless man who turns out to be a former teammate from their high school baseball days. Returning later to check in, they find the man has disappeared. The priest who oversees the homeless camp where he stayed disappears as well, and Bernie and Chet have a case. The discovery of a body in a pool of water in a slot canyon outside of town complicates things and makes finding the missing classmate even more urgent. Bernie travels back through his past, connecting with friends and teachers from his high school days to piece together the life of his disappeared friend. A handmade switchblade knife with a skull on it provides a vital clue, and perhaps all of it is connected to the disappearance of yet another fellow graduate. VERDICT Fans of the series will enjoy this new entry in the case files. Chet's narration provides humor and insight, and Bernie's search into his own past provides meditations on growing up and growing apart.--Dan Forrest