Dog on It : A Chet and Bernie Mystery

Chet might have flunked out of police school ("I'd been the best leaper in K-9 class, which had led to all the trouble in a way I couldn't remember exactly, although blood was involved"), but he's a detective through and through. In Dog On It, Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of a teenaged girl who may or may not have been kidnapped, but who has definitely gotten mixed up with some very unsavory characters. Readers will be instantly captivated by Chet's doggy ways and his endearingly hard-boiled voice. Full of heart and occasionally prone to mischief, he is intensely loyal to Bernie, who, though distracted by issues that Chet has difficulty understanding--like divorce, cash flow, and child custody--is enormously likeable himself, in his flawed, all-too-human way. There's genuine suspense and intrigue, combined with humor and deep insight into the bond between dog and man.