BARK TO THE FUTURE

4 stars out of 5

There's something about a dog narrating a story that brings a smile to my face all by itself. When said doggie has a sense of humor and a really cool human private eye for an owner, well, it makes for a don't-miss series. I won't say this one is my favorite of the bunch - it's the 13th, FYI - but as always, it made for a very entertaining few hours of reading.

It begins in an unlikely place: a highway exit ramp, where Little Detective Agency owner Bernie Little and his "partner" Chet, the lovable aforementioned canine narrator, are stopped by a scraggly looking man. As it turns out, Bernie went to high school and played on the baseball team with the guy. Bernie's efforts to provide some financial help are rebuffed, but Bernie vows to find out what happened to the guy over the years. He doesn't turn up much helpful information, and worse, his old buddy suddenly does a disappearing act.

The only real "clue" is an item the missing man had that dates back to their high school days and a particular teacher. Problem is, it may not be a clue at all; so Bernie tracks down some people from his past and starts asking questions - much to the dismay of the people being questioned. Finding out what happened to his old friend, it turns out, is much harder than hitting one over the fence. And the more he swings and misses, the greater the chance he'll be yanked out of the game - permanently.

Good job all around, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Now I'm in the batter's box waiting for the next pitch!

Bark to the Future by Spencer Quinn (Forge Books, August 2022); 311 pp.