by Sandra Murphy

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it.

Chet and Bernie are up in the mountains at Christmastime. Fresh air, reindeer, and over-the-top Christmas. What more could you ask for?

Chet, being the canine partner of the Little Detective Agency, could ask for more treats and fewer reindeer. On the other hand, the employer wanted only Chet for the job, but at the Little Detective Agency, Chet and Bernie are partners, each with their own specialty in taking down perps. It’s all or nothing.

Dame Ariadne Carlisle has written 99 books, all with a Christmas theme, and now she has writer’s block. It seems to have stemmed from the disappearance of her favorite reindeer at Kringle Ranch, near Durango, where she’s surrounded by Christmas. Rudy, the lead reindeer, disappeared the day after Thanksgiving, and she hasn’t been able to write since. Ariadne’s personal assistant wants to hire Chet and Bernie to find Rudy and break the writer’s block.

While it’s not their usual kind of job, the money is good, the mountain air is fresh, and it’s Christmas. Of course, it’s not all reindeer games. The personal assistant takes a fall into a gorge, and Bernie finds out it mimics an accident from years ago. Or was it more than an accident? Chet and Bernie, on the job.

Chet, the dog, is the narrator of the books, which leads to some confusion when he finds (and sometimes forgets) clues with no way of telling Bernie. Chet is wonderfully funny, devoted to Bernie, and is serious about his job of bringing down the perp.

This is book 14 in the series, and be warned, you’ll want them all. Quinn also writes under the name Peter Abrahams and has penned over 25 novels, including titles for children and young adults. Spend the holidays with Chet and Bernie. You won’t regret it.

To enter to win a copy of Up on the Woof Top, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “woof top” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen December 9, 2023. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

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You can use this link to purchase the book. If you have ad blocker on you may not see the Amazon link. You can also click here.

Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s editor for Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s, with twenty-two cozy stories. She also edited A Murder of Crows, twenty-one stories featuring animals and crime (no animals were harmed). She also writes for magazines, newsletters, and the occasional guest blog. Both anthologies are available at the usual outlets, print or ebook.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.