I’ve owned Scents and Sensibility, the 8th Book in the Chet and Bernie series, for at least a year (it was published in 2015).  When  I interviewed Peter Abrahams (pen name Spencer Quinn) in September 2016 for my column in NZ Dog World, he had put his plans for another Chet and Bernie ‘on hold’ whilst writing The Right Side.  (The Right Side was published last year, 2017, and is on my reading list).   

Given that I’m a huge Chet and Bernie fan, I held off reading this book since I knew the ninth book would be a way off.  Scents and Sensibility was another good read with a solid pace to the story of Chet and Bernie, my favorite private detectives.

Chet and Bernie return home one day to find that Mr Parsons, their elderly neighbor, has a new saguaro cactus planted in his yard.  Since the cactus is a protected species, Mr Parsons is soon under investigation and he shows a decided reluctance to reveal the source of the plant, which he says was a gift.

Bernie steps in to help and, soon, there is a murder to investigate.

We also meet a new puppy named Shooter who bears a striking resemblance to Chet.  Has Chet fathered puppies???

The book finishes with Bernie, our hero, in hospital but on the road to recovery – the scene is set for Book #9.  Presumably, in the next book we will also find out if Bernie’s relationship with Suzie is over or not.  Suzie has only a brief mention in this book; she’s taken a job in London and wants Bernie to join her…

Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand