Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Bernie Little is checking in on his elderly neighbor, Mr. Parsons, and learns that Parsons, because of a phone call, has withdrawn money for his son Billy, a counselor at an agency for ex-cons. Upon visiting the bank, they learn that Parsons’ account has been drained—and Billy denies making the call. It’s not really a case, but the Little Detective Agency, in the form of Bernie and his dog Chet, are on it. They involve the fraud unit of the local police department, but focus on Billy—or at least one of his clients. The duo crisscross their Arizona valley tracking Billy but also a poker player, an AI expert, a thug who attacked Bernie’s police-officer fiancée with a wrench, Billy’s girlfriend, and an entrepreneur who thinks he’s found a way to get water from the moon. Chet’s signature move—grabbing the guilty party by the pants leg—comes in handy more than once as they identify the culprit. Chet tells the story, and his literal perceptions are a delightful contrast to the sinister crime, which will delight fans of the long-running series (previously Up on the Woof Top, 2023).