Kiwi Review Of To Fetch A Thief
From the Otago Daily Times:
Even those who are not dog lovers will be drawn to Chet, the canine that narrates Spencer Quinn’s “Dog On It” mysteries. In To Fetch a Thief, Chet and his private-eye human, Bernie, are hired to find a missing elephant and its trainer.
Like all dogs, Chet takes what humans say literally, so when Bernie mutters that “sometimes you’ve just got to roll the dice”, Chet thinks: “Oh no, not the dice. The last time – in some late-night dive after the Police Athletic League fundraiser – we’d had to pawn Bernie’s grandfather’s watch, our most valuable possession”.
The pair follow the trail of the missing elephant, Chet is distracted by a lady pooch in Mexico, he and Bernie are attacked – but in the end, they solve the mystery.
A delightful, lightweight little murder mystery that will have readers sitting up begging for more – and that’s just the canines.
– Gillian Vine
Welcome Mick and Min.
Spence and Admin will be making a rare joint appearance at the Dennis (Mass.) Public Library Friday April 29, 2:00 PM. Spence will also be speaking at the Book Expo America Annual Librarians Lunch at the Javits Center May 24th (but it’s librarians only, by invitation).
Tags: review, To Fetch A Thief
This entry was posted on Saturday, April 9th, 2011 at 8:16 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
8:51 am on April 9th, 2011
On bus!
Listening to THAT!
8:55 am on April 9th, 2011
Good morning, y’all! Mom’s getting ready to do yet more painting — therefore I have to do yet more supervising! — but I thought I’d check in first. I’m hoping this will be the last day for all this painting stuff — it’s really getting monotonous! (Wow, that’s another one of those words that just doesn’t look right!) Mom thought she was almost finished — she’s painting a BIG cabinet they’re using as a pantry — but then yesterday Dad had Mom help him build a hutch to go on top of another cabinet they’re using as a microwave stand — of course I had to help them with that, too. But now that it’s built there’s even more painting to do!
Did anyone notice that the Facebook friends is now up to 968? Just a few more and its contest time!!!
8:56 am on April 9th, 2011
Good morning, Melanie! I read on this morning’s addition to last night’s blog that you wouldn’t be here today — but through the miracle of technology, there you are! I hope you have a great day “playing” with YSAS!!!
9:25 am on April 9th, 2011
Have we ever found out why B and C are even ”known in NY”?
Chapter 2 THAT
9:45 am on April 9th, 2011
I’d never thought of it but “Dog On It” (quotation marks not italics) is a good way to describe C&B mysteries. Good review though I don’t like the “lightweight little murder mystery” but the “begging for more” is certainly correct! I’m also wondering what librarians do at annual luncheons. Blast! I won’t be invited.
Good morning all.
9:47 am on April 9th, 2011
Hi Kirby! You’re such a good supervisor of painting projects.
Melanie: I’m excited for you. Have a wonderful time. (I’d still like a picture of the railway-bridge-turned-garden if possible.
9:59 am on April 9th, 2011
Good Morning Melanie, B, Kirby (and anyone else who snuck in between)! It’s going to be a good day.
Kirby: Yes! The Facebook page at Chet the Dog. Yesterday it was up to 911 and now this. We are almost there!
Melanie: Have a good trip! You deserve some fun.
Well, B, Now I’m off to have some coffee to start this Saturday right.
10:01 am on April 9th, 2011
Good morning all –
B.Stover – there is a whole cataloge of things that librarians can do at a convention.
First thing in the morning is the get together meant to bind all librarians. At that gathering, they tend to discuss the novel ways that they were able to book their reservations. How some of these people do it is truly a mystery. You would think that they were newly released from behind their desks; instead of acting like young adults, their stories tend to fiction, and in the case of the MIT librarian, its pure science fiction. Of course conventions tend to bring out the fantasy side of peoples’ humdrum lives, so they tend to break down into certain categories. There are some that are looking for romance, some who mearely want to spin out their autobiographies, and then there are of course those who belong to the childrens’ section.
But the hightlight of any library conference is the perpetual favorite seminar: “Dewey Decimal or Do We Just Shelve It?”
Now, if you really want to go, we could probably check it out for you.
tee hee
10:03 am on April 9th, 2011
Good morning! Hope I am not too late to say hey to Melanie. Have a great fun day and hug your guy a lot.
Staff, Glad your little tomatoes have sprouted. So much fun to watch them emerge, isn’t it? Barb said before, she only has room for 9, but started 38 pots, and now, since she can’t stand to pull out the extras and throw them away, she has 54! Oh my!
Warmer, but damp and overcast here today, so Barb is going to run errands, grocery shop (has to find some quinoa) and pick up 12 bags of mulch that she ordered. Did NOT buy it at the big orange box! Have a lovely day, everyone.
10:07 am on April 9th, 2011
T & G, Your minds (even caffine free) are a marvel. You have added a little chuckle to our morning. BBL
10:09 am on April 9th, 2011
Barb – 12 bagsof mulch?!?!?! Can we come to your house and play? 12 whole bags of mulch…Kitty Nirvana!
PLUS little tomatoe seedlings to nibble….ahhh, bliss….
10:32 am on April 9th, 2011
T&G: LOL! Well I want to go and hear Spence but now I also want to hear the MIT librarian’s science fiction tale!
You guys have made me hungry for tomatoes. I’m going to have a dried tomato and basil shmear on half a bagel.
Bear: I’ve forgotten the name of the coffe you like. Could you re-post it please.
10:44 am on April 9th, 2011
Hi Melanie, Patsy is pissed, but the rest of the pack wishes you a happy NYC day. Love, Mom
10:49 am on April 9th, 2011
B & S, Sorry, but the mulch is going to be stacked and will remain in the bags till helpful only son Josn (could we call him HOSJ?), comes to spread it next month. You will not be able to play in it till then.
And stay away from the tomatoes, they are like her little babies, for gosh sakes!
11:04 am on April 9th, 2011
Sorry, that should be Josh not Josn.
11:05 am on April 9th, 2011
Taking a break from projects.
T&G: I had to show Mom your edition of the library luncheon. She says you covered the topic pretty well. As someone who’s actually been to some of those, Mom says shhhhh! Don’t tell about all the stacks of fun that card-carrying library people have!!!
11:20 am on April 9th, 2011
Melanie,
We are both on road trips. How is that? We are almost to the Oregon border.
Barb reminds me that I have GOT to get my tomato plants started!
11:25 am on April 9th, 2011
Staff, If you have room to try one of the Paul Robesons, you still have time. That is Barb’s personal favorite, along with Mortgage Lifter. Color is sort of unusual, but flavor is indescribable.
Now she really is off to do errands. I have to stay home – not room for me and the mulch, evidently.
11:35 am on April 9th, 2011
Loop, meant to say, how cool is that!
11:36 am on April 9th, 2011
Ipaw, geez, darn auto correct….
12:43 pm on April 9th, 2011
988 — Chet must be getting all his buddies to “friend” him! Shall we have a party when it hits 1,000!!!
12:47 pm on April 9th, 2011
Post Office! Yes, it was open today. I got a great car ride. Then we stopped by my Aunt Mimi’s house to visit her Pom and weener doggies. We ran around, barked at the neighbor in the back yard next door and peed everywhere and sniffed some butts.
Jazzy’s mom here. Swung by the USPO today to pick up a letter from my uncle telling me that he wants me to pay him $$ for living on unemployment for the past 2 years. Even tho I’m back to work and so very thankful for it, I still have to catch up on paying taxes. It seems like it will take me 5 years to get back on my feet from 2 years of not working. Kinda bummed about it, but also quite philosophical, as in “it is what it is” and eventually taxes will get paid and this will all just be another season in my life journey.
I’ve got the windows open, ceiling fans spinning, and cleaned the carpet in the spot where Jasper likes to leave me messages that he’s not happy I’m not home so he can sit on my lap. Laundry is almost done, and I’m thinking I’ll make a pizza for lunch and leftovers.
Hope your weekend is wonderful. TTYL
12:48 pm on April 9th, 2011
Make that 3 roadtrips! Mom & Dad are off to Dallas to visit family. Hopefully we will be able to check in. Is anyone close to the thing SQ is having in Mass. Maybe they could find out more about Book 4 !! n
12:52 pm on April 9th, 2011
Jasper’s mom: I am sorry to hear about the tax situation. I didn’t know that was required…but was is the saying about taxes….Take care. The pizza sounds lovely.
1:20 pm on April 9th, 2011
B: The website is; http;//www.dancinggoats.com
Be sure to check out the Legend of the Dancing Goats on the home page. Badorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters have coffee houses across the US.
1:32 pm on April 9th, 2011
Kirby! 996!!! Only 4 more to go.
Hmmm…wonder why that last link didn’t come through.
2:03 pm on April 9th, 2011
Hey everyone – THANKS for all the talk about pizza this week. Mama was puzzling over what to make for dinner, an eternal quandry, when she thought about the blog – hence tonight – PIZZA!
She already has all the toppings cooked, so tonight she can stretch the dough, spread sauce, and give everyone their own personal crust to decorate at will. We predict a meatball battle – hope they drop a few cuz the rule here is that anything that falls on the floor is legally OURS! (we’ve gotten really good at tripping people carrying food!)
2:09 pm on April 9th, 2011
Bear: Thank you. I’m trying their organic French roast. The legend is good. Wonder what unroasted coffee cherries taste like.
I haven’t had pizza in quite a while….
2:12 pm on April 9th, 2011
Like!… I thought that counter over there to the right of us above Chets facebookie posts was just a button to push if you like his post…snort!….I may be wrong but I thought he said there would be a contest or something when his facebookie membership rose to 1000….sniff!….I don’t think the Like button is a counter for the amount of members he has so far….grunt!
2:31 pm on April 9th, 2011
You have to go out to Chet the Dog page on Facebook to find the number. And…..it is now at 1,000 folks!!
2:34 pm on April 9th, 2011
Rio: Well I guess we’ll soon find out. The count is now at 1,000!
3:19 pm on April 9th, 2011
Yippee! Over 1,000 strong!!! Here’s something to celebrate with:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bmpFCwZbwM
3:41 pm on April 9th, 2011
Is Chet’s facebook page the same as SQ? His friends # isn’t close to 1000
3:42 pm on April 9th, 2011
Gosh, it seems that we got the last of the way to 1000 awfully fast. But since I don’t really understand facebook I will cheer too. Hooray!
Heh heh heh
Tupper and Gilly you made me laugh out loud with your catalog of the librarian high jinks. Then Kirby made me laugh again. I think my idea of librarians must be a bit outdated.
3:50 pm on April 9th, 2011
Kirby: PERFECT!
Gus&BooBear: No, that is a different Fb page. This is at ChetTheDog (link to the right above).
3:51 pm on April 9th, 2011
Alice: Mom has a librarian action figure — when you push a button on her back her finger come up in correct “shushing” position. But Mom doesn’t have to “shush” people too often. She just gives them the hairy eyeball and they quiet right up!!!
3:54 pm on April 9th, 2011
Staff was once shushed in a library. She is sort of loud. Heh
4:10 pm on April 9th, 2011
Before he retired my brother was a middle school librarian so I love librarians!
G&BB: Yes, as Bear wrote, just click on the Chet the Dog on Facebook above to get to the page. Spence’s page is a different page.
Bear: Do you have a favorite coffee at Dancing Goats?
4:12 pm on April 9th, 2011
Having blast. Saw High Line garden. YSAS says Hi. Pinkberrys I’d great.
4:12 pm on April 9th, 2011
It’s now at 1,011….
4:13 pm on April 9th, 2011
Hey, Melanie! Great and say hi to YSAS.
4:17 pm on April 9th, 2011
Hi back to YSAS! Pinkberrys I’d great??? Maybe you’re having a little too much fun!!!
4:40 pm on April 9th, 2011
Isn’t Pinkberrys ice cream?
4:43 pm on April 9th, 2011
Melanie – we (Tupper and Gilly) are sending a big huge,, slurpy kiss to YSAS – double dare ya ta give it to him from us! (Don’t forget, you have to wiggle your butt at the same time!)
Mama is going to check in with the Pack and make sure they are doing ok without you.
Have a funderful time!
4:56 pm on April 9th, 2011
Ah, B&M, you’re right. I just googled Pinkberry and it’s a frozen yogurt shop! I thought maybe Melanie was marveling because she was writing to us on her Blackberry, but messed it up! Yummmm! I wish I had some Pinkberry right now!!!
4:59 pm on April 9th, 2011
Melanie – the Pack is fine. Well, Patsy is a bit out of sorts that you went to Pinkberry’s without her, but other than that…
Hey Plunderers – we think that everyone should send YSAS their best greeting, be it a purr and headbump, or a wag, or like us, a big slurpy kiss. And Melanie should give each and every one of them to YSAS – preferably someplace really public. Then she should get on the bus, and leave him to explain to the crowd.
tee hee
5:04 pm on April 9th, 2011
T&G: Wicked!
5:16 pm on April 9th, 2011
I will do a tailwag for YSAS, because Molly and I have the puoffies tails on the blog. Wish I could see Melanie give it to him.
Speaking of ice cream, Barb is not usually a huge fan, but last week her little grocery store got this new ice cream by Talenti. It was sold in pints, and she bought a Belgian Milk Chocolate, and a Tahitian Vanilla Bean. She asked the manager how much they were, and he said they were not in the computer yet, but $1.99 sounded fair. They were to die for!!! She decided to go back and get more, but the price had been corrected to $5.00 per pint. That is $40.00 per gallon! No wonder it was so good. She passed on buying more for now. Will wait for it to go on sale.
5:27 pm on April 9th, 2011
Melanie: a wag from Bear!
Rio: You’re right about the contest. Spence said on March 3rd exciting things would be happening once CTD reached 1,000 fans.
Maybe you could get further information on this.
5:41 pm on April 9th, 2011
It’s a good day here in Chevy Chase. Great walk this morning with mom and dad, longest I’ve had in a while. Went to the rehab facility, but it was kind of chilly out, so grandpa wasn’t able to come outside, but it should be warmer tomorrow and we will try again then. Wookie
5:46 pm on April 9th, 2011
Staff!… I never knew Staff was a loud mouth…heh!…This explains alot…heh!
Wookie!…. Too bad you didn’t see your grandpa…snort!…I bet he was thinking of you though. How is he doing today?…sniff!….I used to be able to go inside where my grandma was. All those oldies trying to pet me…shudder!
Bear!…How am I supposed to get further information on a contest that’s in the future?…snort!
5:55 pm on April 9th, 2011
B: In answer to your earlier question: I like the 16 oz. Dancing Goats Blend (Dark, sweet, spicy & smooth). Also, the Bohemian Blend looks interesting.
5:58 pm on April 9th, 2011
Wookie: I wish that you could go inside the rehab center as Rio was able to do. It sounds as though you are feeling better.
Hope CHarris checks in with a report on her father.
B&M: I’m going to look for that ice cream but I don’t understand how they can charge that much especially in this economy. Could you describe the taste? (I know how difficult that is.)
6:01 pm on April 9th, 2011
Bear: I was looking at the Dancing Goats Blend and will probably try it next. I’ll let you know how the Organic French roast is…I liked the “coffee notes” on it! (Buying a book by its cover?)
6:11 pm on April 9th, 2011
I am not any better at writing descriptions of ice cream than of wine or coffee. The ice creams were both very rich and creamy textured with all natural ingredients. The chocolate was rich and full bodied. It was called a gelato, which is an Italian ice cream, right? The vanilla had flecks of real vanilla bean in it and a hint of lemon. Usually I am not a big ice cream eater, but I could have eaten the whole pint in one sitting!
6:12 pm on April 9th, 2011
Okay, TaG, this is for Melanie….
BBBBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRR
I would love to see her act that one out!
CHarris, how is your dad? I hope he is doing better.
6:14 pm on April 9th, 2011
And don’t forget, we get our own contest! There will be two, one for fb and one for us!
6:49 pm on April 9th, 2011
Contest!….Is it true that there will be two separate contests?….snort!…Does that mean if you are a facebookie member you could enter both contests?….sniff!
6:54 pm on April 9th, 2011
Oooooooo………that would be fun! I’m not sure what the rules are.
Does anybody remember?
6:57 pm on April 9th, 2011
I only remember that Spence/Admin said there will be two concurrent contests. I don’t see why one couldn’t enter both.
B&M: Excellent description! Gelato is Italian ice cream. I’m going to look for it.
7:02 pm on April 9th, 2011
Here’s the Talenti website. You can order it online apparently.
http://www.talentigelato.com/
7:13 pm on April 9th, 2011
Bee, You can look at their products at talentigelato.com.
7:19 pm on April 9th, 2011
Wookie! SiberH!….Are you guys watching the game?…snort!…Clint Hurdle used to be the Rockies manager, now he is managing the Pirates….sniff!… I always liked how when Clint chewed his gum his cap would go up and down. That’s how hard he chews…heh!…I just saw him do it. He is still a very hard chewer…gruff!…That’s a quality I admire.
7:30 pm on April 9th, 2011
I’m watching the game. I hate to see Todd Helton hurting. I’ll have to pay attention to the Pirates manager’s gum chewing.
7:38 pm on April 9th, 2011
Bee, You and I were on the same page, I just didn’t refresh before I posted!
7:40 pm on April 9th, 2011
Helton!… Yeah, his lower back is stiff. Poor guy. I was really hoping he would be tip-top this season….snort!….He’s our hero! ….Do watch for Clint and his chewing, its amazing. You will be in awe of the guy and his chops…heh!
7:49 pm on April 9th, 2011
B&M: Did you watch the slide show of the various ice creams? Yum!!
8:23 pm on April 9th, 2011
Good Saturday y’all,
Our cranky laptop went on the fritz and dad had to completely reload it. Now we remember why not to store our photos on the hard drive. *sigh*
The librarian story cracked us up. Also the remark about “stacks up” hee hee
Wolfie, your mom finally showed up on mom’s WWF, but the last time she looked, it was your turn. We are getting closer!
8:24 pm on April 9th, 2011
Bee, Yes, they look delicious, and are a real quality product. I live in a rural, farming area, and the people that shop at my local grocery are not into gourmet, so not sure how the ice cream ended up there. They had a raspberry sorbet, too. I am sure it will be discontinued when it doesn’t sell, so then I will stock up! In the mean time, I may treat myself once a week!
8:40 pm on April 9th, 2011
Barb & B: Yikes! Did you see the shipping costs? For a pint of ice cream it’s almost $30. Nana says we won’t be having any here anytime soon. They do have Ben & Jerry on the website though and you can buy that in the stores. What is the difference between Gelato (besides being an Italian icecream) and regular icecream?
8:44 pm on April 9th, 2011
Bear: Good question. Barb do you know the difference? I saw on the site that they sell it at Kroger and I have one close by. A trip tomorrow….
Macy: Did you lose all of your photos?
8:49 pm on April 9th, 2011
Wow!…Seth Smith just hit the ball right out of the stadium…heh!….Some guy out on the street got the ball. Unbelievable!….Woooo!
8:54 pm on April 9th, 2011
It would have gone into the water, I think, if that guy hadn’t of picked it up.
9:01 pm on April 9th, 2011
Balls!….My friend would love nothing better than to get a ball at one of the games…snort!…When she is there they are always hit near her, but not near enough….grunt!….She’d probably bobble it anyway and lose it…sniff!
9:06 pm on April 9th, 2011
Good night all.
9:12 pm on April 9th, 2011
Uh Oh!…The game is tied…snort! …Our big hitters are going to have to start hitting dagnabit!…crap! …There is only one out too!…yeep!
9:18 pm on April 9th, 2011
Oh Macy – so sorry about your photos. We all get so dependant on the technology we forget how dependant on it we are.
Huh??
Pizza was great – now we want gelatto!
9:18 pm on April 9th, 2011
If we have a repeat of last night, I won’t make it to the end of the game. I didn’t make it last night.
9:25 pm on April 9th, 2011
Cargo!…Is up to bat. He needs to get a big hit…gruff! ….He DID get a hit at least to first base!…heh!whew!…Tulo is up now. Please bring my boys home!!!!…snort!
9:31 pm on April 9th, 2011
Still on bus. Made YSAS kiss and hug in front of everyone. Heh hej. Did not wiggle my butt. Snicker. Hope to sleep in . Have picd.
9:40 pm on April 9th, 2011
Melanie -So glad you had a good time. Mama would really appreciate a call on her cell when you get home safe and sound….then you can sleep as long as you want tomorrow – or until Patsy says you have to get up.
9:41 pm on April 9th, 2011
Hey!…Melanie is on her way home…snort!…I hope that bus driver is safe and alert. I hope she means she took photos. That would be awesome….chorkel!
Double!… Wiggington just hit a double to clear the bases….WOOOOO!… Rockies ahead by 3…snort!snort!
9:41 pm on April 9th, 2011
They got them all home, Rio. How about that!
Hi Melanie (still on the bus).
9:43 pm on April 9th, 2011
Macy: We are always thinking about backing up files on the computer – especially photos, but never seem to get around to it. I have sent some to off=site photo shops, but not all. This is a strong reminder to take care of it soon! We did have a hard drive crash a few years ago and lost everything in the process, so you’d think we would know better. Yes – we have become slaves to technology.
9:54 pm on April 9th, 2011
Bear and Bee, We would not consider ordering on line! There are a lot of stores that sell that brand, so we will look for one that has it reasonably priced. I do not know if there is a difference between gelato and regular ice cream. Gelato is Italian, that is all I know about it.
Macy, sorry about your photos, and Melanie, glad you had a fun day, and make sure you call T & G’s mom so she won’t worry about you.
Good night.
10:15 pm on April 9th, 2011
Signing off until tomorrow-Bear
10:16 pm on April 9th, 2011
Dad ordered pizza, and he didn’t even know that it was pizza night on the blog! We do not make our own, sheesh. I am beginning to think that mom has gone on strike, from the amount of dishes piled up. Something about not being able to wash when the washer is full. What-ever.
10:17 pm on April 9th, 2011
Woo Woo Rockies Won!!!
night all
10:19 pm on April 9th, 2011
Yes!…
SiberH!…Did you see Clint right there at the end chewing his gum?…heh!…His hat was still going up and down. My goodness, you’d think his whole face would hurt by the end of a game…snort!…I still love that guy. He got us to the World Series in 2007 by golly!…wheeze!
11:23 pm on April 9th, 2011
Staff and the Mr. just got home from their Ann Hills concert. Very small and intimate and wonderful. Rio I am glad your team won. Ours didn’t. I might have to adopt Colorado as my team.
snort.
goodnight all,
Alice M.
11:51 pm on April 9th, 2011
Well!…It’s just us up tonight…grunt!… After the game we both couldn’t sleep so she put in a movie called, “The Glass Harp”….snort!…Now years and years ago she said she had seen this movie a couple of times because she loved it so much….sniff!…But it has been so long even she does not remember what happens….sneeze!…It does have some amazing actors in it, like Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon and others who are very well known. …cough!…I am also thinking about other things tonight, but I can’t verbalize them because I will be lambasted by all those who despise me….heh! …BOB’s
12:03 am on April 10th, 2011
Staff went to an Anne Hills concert?!
I love Anne Hills!
Well, we didn’t get pizza but we did find some gelato at a health food store. It was good!