Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn

Published by Minotaur Books on April 14, 2026

Cat on a Hot Tin Woof is the latest Chet and Bernie mystery. While Chet and Bernie Little are the only employees of the Little Detective Agency, Chet is paid in Slim Jims. That suits Chet, because Chet is a dog. Anything suits Chet as long as he’s with Bernie. Like all good dogs, Chet is happiest when he’s with his human. Adding a Slim Jim to the equation makes for a perfect moment, but Chet is never unhappy with Bernie by his side.

Chet is no fan of cats, although he regards them with less disdain than horses, the prima donnas of the animal world. When Chet hears the phrase “Cat got your tongue?” he checks his tongue to make sure it’s safe from feline deviltry. Chet is therefore skeptical when Bernie agrees to take a case that requires him to find a missing cat.

Miss Kitty isn’t just any cat. She’s an internet celebrity, like Grumpy Cat. Miss Kitty wears a Zen expression on her face that her fans love to see. Miss Kitty’s teen owner, Bitty Pond, is making bank from Miss Kitty’s followers and the sponsorships her agent has scored.

Bitty lives with her mother Evelyn. Bitty’s father, Phillips Pond, lives in a trailer with a shotgun-toting woman named Yolanda. Evelyn divorced him before Bitty and Miss Kitty began rolling in money.

Figuring out why Miss Kitty disappeared doesn’t require much brainpower — a plus for Chet, whose attention span is fleeting, although he “brings other things to the table,” including a nose that recognizes Miss Kitty’s unique scent. The story follows Bernie and Chet as they chase down clues to Miss Kitty’s whereabouts. The investigation leads them to a couple of dead bodies and a dispute about the ownership of rare earth materials that may be present in mining tailings.

The plot of a Chet and Bernie novel is always secondary to Chet’s narration. He delivers a running commentary on the world from an upbeat canine’s perspective. Chet likes almost everyone. One of the best things about humans, he explains, is that they are messy eaters. Stand around a table where people are eating and sooner or later, a piece of food will fall to the ground, if Chet doesn’t catch it first.

Chet has amusing opinions about everything, including toilet plungers. “The rubbery end of the toilet plunger has a certain appeal, but to be fair so does the wooden stick.” When Chet hears that tailings are part of the mystery, he is briefly worried, as Chet has very little control over his own tail, which tends to wag madly when he isn’t looking. Rarely does a chapter go by without a laugh-out-loud moment, triggered by Chet and his descriptions of his own behavior, the animal kingdom, or the human world.

Chet occasionally embarks on a harrowing adventure of his own. This time, he sneaks out of Bitty’s house after spending the night comforting her, chases down a suspect who is surveilling her house, and ends up at a veterinary clinic. As always, Chet develops critical information about the case — this time, the identity of the driver who is watching Bitty’s home — but a language barrier keeps him from sharing it with Bernie. Of course, being Chet, he soon forgets about his encounter with the suspect. He probably wouldn’t remember what the case is about if it didn’t involve a cat.

Dog lovers might regard Chet and Bernie mysteries as essential reading. The stories are a light alternative to weightier mysteries and Chet might be the most lovable character in crime fiction. All the Chet and Bernie mysteries I’ve read have been fun and engaging. Cat on a Hot Tin Woof easily meets that description.

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