Paw and Order by Spencer Quinn

 (Chet and Bernie Mystery #7)

320 pages / 9 hrs, 26 mins

"Chet and Bernie pay a visit to Bernie’s girlfriend, Suzie Sanchez, a crack reporter living in far-off Washington, DC. She’s working on a big story she can’t talk about, but when her source, a mysterious Brit with possible intelligence connections, runs into trouble of the worst kind, Bernie suddenly finds himself under arrest.

"Meanwhile Chet gets to know a powerful DC operative who may or may not have the goods on an ambitious politician. Soon Chet and Bernie are sucked into an international conspiracy, battling unfamiliar forces under the blinking red eyes of a strange bird that Chet notices from the get-go but seems to have slipped by everybody else."  --from the publisher

These books are super entertaining, and I highly recommend the audiobook reader, Jim Frangione. He has the perfect inflection and tone for Chet, Bernie's partner who happens to be a dog. I give this one four out of five stars.

The Sound and the Furry by Spencer Quinn

 (Chet and Bernie Mystery #6)

320 pages / 9 hrs, 44 mins

"Out for a drive, Chet and Bernie run into a prison work crew featuring an old criminal friend they helped send to prison, Frenchie Boutette. From an old Louisiana family full of black sheep, Frenchie needs Bernie and Chet’s help in locating his brother, Ralph, who has disappeared with his houseboat. But before they can head off to the bayou, Bernie is attacked by a member of a strange gang called the Queiros. And though he’s tempted to take another job (with a big payday) in Alaska, Bernie and Chet set course for Louisiana.

"A reclusive inventor, Ralph is the sole law-abiding member of his family. Full of black sheep, the Boutette family has a long running feud with the no-good Robideaus and at first it seems as if Ralph’s disappearance is connected to a dispute over a load of heisted shrimp. But when Chet uncovers a buried clue, the investigation heads in a new and dangerous direction and what was a simple disappearance gets complicated as a conspiracy involving the oil business is uncovered. The more Chet and Bernie discover about Ralph, the more dangerous the job becomes and soon they’re fighting not only Big Oil, but also shadowy black ops figures, the Quieros, and Iko—a gator with an insatiable appetite." --from the publisher

This series is always entertaining since the stories are told from Chet's perspective...and he is a dog. I felt like the story was a bit disjointed, and the section where Chet is drowning went on way too long for me. I felt like I couldn't breathe! Still, I love these characters and the clever writing from a canine's perspective. I give it three out of five stars.

A Fistful of Collars by Spencer Quinn

 (Chet and Bernie Mystery #5)

320 pages / 9 hrs, 58 mins

"Hoping to bring some Tinseltown money to the Valley, the mayor lures a movie studio to town to shoot their next production, a big-budget Western in the classic tradition. The star is none other than ruggedly handsome—and notoriously badly behaved—Thad Perry. When the mayor decides that someone needs to keep an eye on Thad so that he doesn’t get into too much trouble, Bernie and Chet are handpicked for the job. The money is good but something smells fishy, and what should have been a simple matter of babysitting soon gets more complicated—especially when they discover that Thad has a mysterious connection to the Valley that nobody wants to talk about. What kind of secret could Thad have left behind when he went to Hollywood to seek fame and fortune? The only people who might know the answer have a bad habit of turning up dead before they can talk." --from the publisher

These are so much fun. I love all the "dog thoughts" as Chet tells the story. I give it three out of five stars.

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry

 (The Willoughbys #1)

192 pages

"This "sparklingly smart" (Kirkus, starred review) and "hilarious" (Booklist, starred review) story follows four children in an old-fashioned kind of family with parents that—well, they're not all that one would hope for.

"The Willoughbys—Timothy; the twins, Barnaby A and Barnaby B; and their sister, Jane—concoct a diabolical plot to turn themselves into worthy and winsome orphans. Little do they know that Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby, their odious mother and father, have already begun to formulate their own thoroughly despicable plan. Soon a stern nanny, an abandoned baby, a candy magnate and his long-lost son, and even a Swiss postman are pulled into the Willoughby children's schemes to escape their mother and father and live happily ever after...or something like that.

"Replete with a tongue-in-cheek glossary and bibliography, this hilarious parody pays playful homage to classic works of children’s literature with a fresh twist sure to please."  --from the publisher

What a great, classic, children's story. Lots of silliness if you don't mind a little dark humor. I give it four out of five stars.

To Fetch a Thief by Spencer Quinn

 (Chet and Bernie Mystery #3)

307 pages / 9 hrs, 47 mins

"In this third book in the brilliant mystery series, Chet and Bernie go under the big top to solve the most unlikely missing persons (and animals!) case ever.

"Chet has smelled a lot of unusual things in his years as trusted companion and partner to P.I. Bernie Little, but nothing has prepared him for the exotic scents he encounters when an old-fashioned traveling circus comes to town. Bernie scores tickets because his son is crazy about elephants. The only problem is that Peanut, the headlining pachyderm, has gone missing—along with her trainer. Stranger still, no one saw them leave. How does an elephant vanish without a trace?" --from the publisher

These are such fun books with Chet (the dog) telling the stories. If you like dogs and mysteries with humor, you'll enjoy this series. I give it four out of five stars, but that may be a bit generous.

The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith

The Department of Sensitive Crimes: A Detective Varg Novel by Alexander McCall Smith --- 229 pages

Fans of Alexander McCall Smith will rejoice in the advent of a new series from this prolific author of gently humorous stories about the complicated lives of ordinary people trying hard to do the right thing.

On top of this, McCall Smith has added a layer of wry satire poking a little fun of the current fascination with Nordic Noir --- those dark and brooding Scandinavian crime novels that combine the stark landscapes of the far North with equally stark and brooding stories of horrific crime. McCall Smith's alternative has been dubbed "Scandi Blanc" by one waggish reviewer.

The tone is set from the start, with the inside jacket blurb sonorously announcing: "In the Swedish Criminal Justice System, certain cases are considered especially strange and difficult. In Malmö, the dedicated detectives who investigate these crimes are members of an elite squad known as the Sensitive Crimes Division. These are their stories."

 Detective Ulf Varg is the lead investigator in Malmö's Department of Sensitive Crimes. Like all Scandinavian detectives in fiction, he is divorced, guilt-ridden, and secretly pining for a married colleague, Anna, who is also unhappily married and secretly pining for Ulf. He is also burdened with a zealous street cop, Blomquist, who's determined to get promoted to Sensitive Crimes.  And if that's not enough,  Ulf is worried about the mental health of his hearing-impaired, lip-reading dog, Martin.

Ulf, along with his colleagues, is called upon to investigate several "sensitive crimes" in the course of this book. First, there's a bizarre attack on a market trader; then the abrupt disappearance of a young man who doesn't exist; then sorting out the accusations and counter-accusations of  three young women whose friendship hides deep-seated rivalries. And lastly, a seaside hotel is losing business due to an alleged werewolf haunting the grounds.

Click HERE to read the review from Publishers Weekly.

Click HERE to read the review from Kirkus Reviews.

Click HERE to read the review from Criminal Element.com.

Click HERE to read the review fro the New York Journal of Books.

A Time of Love and Tartan by Alexander McCall Smith

A Time of Love and Tartan: The New 44 Scotland Street Novel by Alexander McCall Smith --- 247 pages

Number 12 in the 44 Scotland Street Series by the inimitable McCall Smith does not disappoint, although the mood in this latest installment becomes rather dour at times, as if even McCall Smith's invincible optimism has met its limits.

His usual cast of characters seem uneasily aware that even Edinburgh is not immune to change; life is uncertain, love can be fleeting, and the brave new world lurks like a wolf waiting to devour the unwitting. McCall Smith looks into that abyss and what we see is not pretty.

Yet in the end kindness and decency reassert themselves. The book ends with the promise of brighter and kinder days ahead even for young Bertie Pollack and his father. Readers will rejoice.

Click HERE for a review from Publishers Weekly.

Click HERE for a review from Kirkus Reviews.

Click HERE for a review from Birlinn (UK).

Click HERE for a review from the Washington Times.

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland ; narrated by Laurence Bouvard, Shelley Atkinson, Laural Merlington, Joe Barrett, Will Damron, and Luke Daniels
768 pages / 24 hrs, 29 mins

Read a review much better than I could ever write by our own The Babbling Book, right here.

Time traveling done military style? This should be good...

When picking up this book, I thought that with length of this book, it had better be a gripping tale, and it really was. It was both fun and funny, and very smart as well. While there were some slow parts for sure (how can there not be in a book this big), there was enough humor, and enough interest in the story and its wanderings, to keep me coming back. I listened to this on audio, and I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it quite so much if it weren't for the excellent narration. Done by a cast, there was great voice variation, good accents, and the wry humor of the author came out. Glad I pulled my way through this one!

My Italian Bulldozer by Alexander McCall Smith

My Italian Bulldozer: A Novel by Alexander McCall Smith --- 232 pages

Writer Paul Stewart heads to the small Italian town of Montalcino to finish his book on the food and wine of Tuscany, and to nurse a broken heart. His four-year relationship with Becky has just ended with Becky dumping him for her personal trainer. One senses that Paul's pride is hurt as well as his heart. Italy seems like the perfect refuge for an over-stressed food writer, but Paul's Italian adventure begins with a traveler's disaster of major proportions. Fortunately he is rescued by an acquaintance he made on the plane. But with no reservation and no other cars available on a holiday weekend, it looks like Paul may spend his vacation at the airport until an enterprising businessman offers him a different kind of transport: a bulldozer. 

 

Lacking alternatives, Paul accepts. He discovers that driving a bulldozer gives him an entirely new and unexpected perspective, not just on the Italian countryside, but on life in general and love in particular. As usual, McCall Smith's gentle drollery masks some shrewd observations on human relationships. A lesson in the value of friendship, making the best of what life brings, and finding love when you least expect it.  

Click HERE to read a review from The Scotsman.

Click HERE to read a review from Kirkus Reviews.

Click HERE to read a review from the New York Journal of Books.

 

The Revolving Door of Life by Alexander McCall Smith

The Revolving Door of Life: The New 44 Scotland Street Novel by Alexander McCall Smith --- 282 pages

The tenth installment in McCall Smith's 44 Scotland Street Series is charming, droll, and poignant all at once, maintaining the high standard of story-telling and gentle satire we've come to expect from McCall Smith.

In this episode, the much put-upon Bertie Pollack, his hapless father Stuart and his small brother Ulysses have temporarily escaped from the tyranny of Irene (one of the most fearsome mothers in fiction).  Irene is causing havoc in a Bedouin harem (see Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers), and Stuart has asked his mother to help out with the boys.  Nicola, arriving from Portugal, transforms Bertie's life and his fervent wish is for his grandmother to "please stay forever."

Meanwhile Matthew and Elspeth and their triplets have moved to a big house in the country, formerly owned by the doubtfully titled Duke of Johannesburg. When Matthew discovers a secret room and long forgotten treasure, he faces an ethical dilemma: who is the owner and beneficiary of this treasure?  Meanwhile, Matthew's assistant at the art gallery, Pat, is facing a dilemma of her own.  She is convinced her widower and well-to-do father is being taken in by a con artist who is after his money. She reluctantly enlists the help of her former boy friend, the narcissistic Bruce, to expose the schemer.  But Bruce seems to have met his match --- a woman even more ruthlessly opportunistic than he is! And there are dark schemes going on within the Association of Scottish Nudists' headquarters in nearby Moray Place.

Click HERE to read a review from Kirkus Reviews.

Click HERE to read a review from the Cultural Voyager.

Miss Julia Lays Down the Law by Ann B. Ross

Miss Julia Lays Down the Law by Ann B.Ross --- 307 pages

The 15th book in the popular Southern cozy series set in the picturesque but fictional town of Abbortville, North Carolina. Connie Clayborn, a know-it-all newcomer, has all the local ladies, including Miss Julia, in an uproar over her proposals to redevelop Abbotsville and make it a tourist destination. But before Connie can harangue the ladies into action, she is found dead in her own kitchen by none other than Miss Julia herself, who had gone to see Connie at the behest of Pastor Ledbetter, whose wife, Emma Sue, has been overset by Connie's strictures.

Much to her dismay, Miss Julia finds herself heading the list of suspects, and is hampered in clearing her name by a promise of confidentiality she rashly gave to Pastor Ledbetter, who has now taken to avoiding her. 

With her husband Sam called out of town, and her lawyer, Binkie, preoccupied --- Binkie's husband Coleman is proposing to raise funds for a local charity by spending several days camped outdoors on top of a billboard by the highway --- Miss Julia is left to cope on her own.  She decides to conduct her own investigation with the assistance of an amiable vagrant. Unfortunately her efforts only land her in deeper trouble, from which she manages to extricate herself only after much hilarity.

Click HERE to read a review from the Asheville, North Carolina paper.

Click HERE to read a review from Kirkus.

Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers by Alexander McCall Smith

Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers: The New 44 Scotland Street Novel by Alexander McCall Smith --- 295 pages

The ninth book in this charming series about the inhabitants of 44 Scotland Street, Edinburgh and their various assorted friends and families.  The thread that draws these vignettes together is the much anticipated seventh birthday of Bertie Pollack, but interspersed with the indignities visited upon the long-suffering Bertie by his domineering mother Irene, we find new installments in the continuing stories of newlyweds Angus and Domenica coping with a difficult house guest; Matthew and Elspeth house hunting with triplets, Danish au pairs, and the Duke of Johannesburg in tow; Pat McGregor's disconcerting discovery of her father's secret love life; and a new development in Big Lou's quest for purpose and happiness.

A gently comic slice of life, this is a series that leaves the reader refreshed and hopeful that, despite our faults and foibles, there is still hope for humanity.

Click HERE to read a review from the UK Sunday Express.

Holy Cow by David Duchovny

Holy Cow by David Duchovny --- 207 pages

David Duchovny is well known as an actor (The X-Files, Californication, a new series this spring on NBC called Aquarius), but his original ambition was to be a writer.

Holy Cow started out as a screenplay, but Duchovny says it's difficult in today's market to put together a deal with an independent filmmaker, and harder still when you are pitching an animated film.  So eventually he decided to redo the screenplay as a book and look for a publisher.  Farrar, Straus & Giroux took on the project and Holy Cow was released at the beginning of February --- very conveniently for Duchovny as it turns out, since he could combine public appearances for his book with the publicity for his upcoming NBC show.

To sum up quickly: this is the story of a cow, a pig, and a turkey, who join forces to escape their ultimate fate on a dinner plate.  Elsie the cow is heading for India, where cows are sacred; Jerry the pig has converted to Judaism, renamed himself Shalom, and plans to settle in Israel where pork is not kosher. Tom the Turkey is convinced he will find safety in Turkey the country.

Unfortunately it's not clear what audience Duchovny had in mind for this book. It's not Animal Farm but neither is it Walter Brooks' beloved children's series Freddie the Pig. It looks, superficially, like a book for "tweens" (early adolescents), but the cultural references would not be familiar to most people under forty. And for a humorous book, it's really not all that funny. Duchovny should hold on to his day job. for now.

Click HERE to watch Duchovny interviewed on NBC's The Today Show.

Click HERE to hear Duchovny talk about what inspired Holy Cow.

Click HERE to read the review from the Chicago Tribune.

Click HERE to read the review from the UK Guardian.

Sunshine on Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

Sunshine on Scotland Street: The New 44 Scotland Street Novel by Alexander McCall Smith --- 297 pages

The eighth book in McCall Smith's gently comic series about the daily adventures of the inhabitants of one small corner of modern Edinburgh.

In this latest installment, Angus Lordie and Domenica Macdonald finally make it to the altar despite several near-disasters along the way. They depart on their honeymoon and leave Angus's dog, Cyril, to the care of young Bertie Pollack. Bertie's delight in having, even if only temporarily, a dog of his own, is threatened by his domineering mother Irene. But, just possibly, Bertie's dad,  Irene's henpecked husband Stuart, might be about to assert himself.

Matthew, Elspeth and their boys become the reluctant stars of a Danish filmmaker's documentary until Matthew introduces Bo to Big Lou. Bo instantly switches his focus to Lou, and a video interview with her goes viral in Denmark. Meanwhile that insufferable egotist Bruce meets his doppelganger and is inveigled into a mad scheme with surprising results.  Angus and Domenica return from their honeymoon. Angus and Cyril are reunited in a scene sure to bring a lump to the throats of dog lovers everywhere, and Angus and Domenica give their first dinner party as a married couple.

Click HERE and HERE to read two more reviews of Sunshine on Scotland Street.

Etta Mae's Worst Bad-Luck Day by Ann B. Ross

Etta Mae's Worst Bad-Luck Day by Ann B. Ross --- 308 pages

Ann B. Ross, author of the best-selling Miss Julia series, here takes a slight detour off the main route of her series to give some credit where it's due to Etta Mae Wiggins, the manager of Miss Julia's trailer park property over in Denton, who has loyally followed when Miss Julia has called for back-up and assistance in her various adventures over the past fifteen books in the series.

Here we get the scoop on Etta Mae's story and her struggles to improve her lot in life. For although born to a hardscrabble existence, Etta Mae has worked hard to rise in the world. And in spite of too many people who continue to look down their noses at her and assume the worst, Etta Mae continues to follow the promptings of her kind heart and hope for the best.

It's a wild ride back to the early days of Etta Mae's acquaintance with Miss Julia and a tale of a surprisingly tender May-December romance. The humor is as juicy as southern fried chicken, so sit back and enjoy!

The next Miss Julia adventure, Miss Julia Lays Down the Law, is scheduled for release in April 2015.

Click HERE to find out more about Ann Ross and Miss Julia.

Miss Julia's Marvelous Makeover by Ann B. Ross

Miss Julia's Marvelous Makeover by Ann. B. Ross --- 297 pages

It's summertime in Abbotsville, and Miss Julia is ready to sit back and enjoy her newly renovated house and the happiness of her nearest and dearest. But fate just doesn't seem prepared to allow Miss Julia to relax.

First her husband Sam decides to run for political office, and then her overbearing cousin Elsie sends her granddaughter Trixie to stay with Miss Julia without a by-your-leave. Trixie arrives with orders from her Meemaw to pull herself together and find a husband. Miss Julia is both fascinated and appalled. Much to her surprise, Trixie manages to attract the attentions of Rodney Pace, a man who has chosen the mortuary business as a career because it's recession-proof. But Miss Julia questions whether Rodney is really more interested in Trixie as a future wife or in a piece of property Miss Julia owns as a future mortuary site. What with one thing and the next, it turns out to be a very busy summer for Miss Julia!

Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett

Raising Steam: A Discworld Novel by Terry Pratchett --- 365 pages

The 40th --- believe it or not, the 40th! --- book by Terry Pratchett, the acclaimed British author of some of the funniest fantasy ever written, much of it set on his own creation of the Discworld, an alternate reality universe that operates according to a set of magical principles that mirror the absurdity of our own.

Raising Steam is the third book to focus on the career of ultimate con man Moist von Lipwig, who has been persuaded to put his talents to better use by Lord Vetinari, the Patrician who rules Ankh-Morpork with a velvet-gloved steel touch. Moist is allowed to live under an indefinitely suspended sentence of death so long as he carries out the tasks assigned him by the Patrician. So far these have included reforming the defunct Post Office and rescuing the new clacks service in Going Postal, and reorganizing the Royal Bank and restoring the Royal Mint in Making Money.

Now in Raising Steam Moist is put in charge of shepherding a game-changing technological advance without unraveling the entire social fabric of the Discworld in the process. Dick Simnel has invented steam locomotion, and the world will not be the same again. As if that's not enough, the uber-conseervative elements among the dwarves are stirring up trouble for the Low King, who has championed change and interspecies cooperation.

In the midst of all the fun, Pratchett has tucked in some pithy observations on the inevitability of change, and the pros and cons of embracing technology's mixed blessings. Pratchett is an author who provides a very big payoff for your willing suspension of disbelief. Raising Steam, as Dick Simnel would say, is gradely!

Click HERE to read a review of Raising Steam in the Washington Post.   

Click HERE to visit Terry Pratchett's web site and read about Raising Steam.

Agent Gates and the Secret Adventures of Devonton Abbey: a Parady of Downton Abbey, by Camaren Subhiyah, Kyle Hilton

Agent Gates and the Secret Adventures of Devonton Abbey: a Parady of Downton Abbey, by  Camaren Subhiyah and Kyle Hilton, 128 pages

Okay, this is not the greatest book on its own, but if you love Downton Abbey (check) and are a fan of graphic novels (check check), then you have to read this.  It is spot on as a parody of the PBS hit- right down to the characters sporting likenesses to the actors.  In this take, Agent Gates is a secret operative with a bionic leg, working for British SIS, deep undercover as a valet for the lord of Devonton Abbey.  He is out to prevent war, while another secret operative named Thompson (aka Thomas) is working in conjunction with the Black Hand to start a world war.  If you love the show too much, you may be offended by some of the characterizations, but if you have a sense of humor and like the show, there are some nice frames to tide us over until the next season of the "real thing."

Mrs. Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn

Mrs. Queen Takes the Train: A Novel by William Kuhn --- 374 pages

Her Majesty, suffering from depression and self-doubt, follows a spur of the moment impulse and slips out of Buckingham Palace, disguised in a hoodie, to go off to Scotland by herself on the train. Ostensibly she wants to comfort herself with a sentimental visit to the decommissioned royal yacht Britannia, now reduced to a tourist attraction on the quay at Leith.

An elderly lady in waiting, a royal equerry, her butler, her dresser, a girl from the Royal Mews, and a young man working in a cheese shop that supplies the Palace, all join forces in a quixotic effort to find the Queen and get her home again before the tabloids get wind of her little adventure, or the dreaded and humorless MI5 sends a squad to track her down. Somewhere between Monty Python and Alexander McCall Smith, charming, no nonsense, and good-humored. The author, a biographer and historian with an interest in British history, lives in Boston. This is his first novel.

Good Omens: the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

Good Omens: the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, 412 pages

Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett team up to write a very funny and very British book about the end of the world.  When the devil decides that it's time to send the Antichrist to earth in order to get started on the apocalypse, an angel and demon accustomed to the ways of London scheme to prevent the world's demise.  This book was very funny, full of typical Pratchett footnotes, names, and turns of phrase.  There are actually several interlocking storylines, including a young witch who has a book detailing the end of the world, a gang of kids who don't know that one of them is the son of the devil, and the four horsemen of the apocalypse, who actually ride motorcycles.