Minotaur
April 14, 2026
Reviewed by Mary-Jane Oltarzewski
It’s absolutely possible to begin reading Spencer Quinn’s Chet and Bernie series with Cat on a Hot Tin Woof, the sixteenth and most recent entry. Each novel stands alone as a clever, quick-witted detective story narrated by Chet, the canine half of the partnership known as the Little Detective Agency. (The human half is Bernie Little, a tough talking, hard-hitting, big-hearted West Point graduate and decorated combat veteran.) Long-time fans, however, will recognize the significance of the title: it harkens back to the very early days of the partnership, when Chet, a huge, energetic rescue dog, failed out of a police K-9 training program despite his speed, strength, and utter enthusiasm for the job. On the final day of training, a mishap occurred that changed the trajectory of both lives forever.
A cat was involved.