A Fistful of Collars

July 2, 2012
The pseudonymous Quinn’s fine fifth Chet and Bernie mystery (after 2011’s The Dog Who Knew Too Much) finds Bernie Little and his dog, Chet, of the Little Detective Agency, strapped for cash. Fortunately, Mayor Trimble of the Valley, their hometown in an unnamed western state, has a job for them. The avaricious mayor, who has launched a Millennial Cultural Initiative to attract the movie business, has managed to land the next blockbuster action flick featuring megastar Thad Perry. Trimble wants Bernie to keep an eye on Perry, who has a history of substance abuse. The assignment gets off to a rocky start when the actor challenges Little to a fistfight at their first meeting. Some murders that coincide with the filming ensure that the unusual detecting partners have additional work to do. Once again, Quinn (thriller author Peter Abrahams) effectively uses a dog narrator while avoiding the sentimentality that marks many animal-centered cozies. Agent: Molly Friedrich, the Friedrich Agency.