Thanks to his relationship with the ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan, Oberon the Irish wolfhound knows trouble when he smells it—and furthermore, he knows he can handle it.
When he discovers that a prizewinning poodle has been abducted in Eugene, Oregon, he learns that it’s part of a rash of hound abductions all over the Pacific Northwest. Since the police aren’t too worried about dogs they assume have run away, Oberon knows it’s up to him to track down those hounds and reunite them with their humans. For justice! And gravy!
Engaging the services of his faithful Druid, Oberon must travel throughout Oregon and Washington to question a man with a huge salami, thwart the plans of diabolical squirrels, and avoid, at all costs, a fight with a great big bear.
But if he’s going to solve the case of the Purloined Poodle, Oberon will have to recruit the help of a Boston terrier named Starbuck, survive the vegetables in a hipster pot pie, and firmly refuse to be distracted by fire hydrants and rabbits hiding in the rose bushes.
At the end of the day, will it be a sad bowl of dry kibble for the world’s finest hound detective, or will everything be coming up sirloins?
The Purloined Poodle is another exciting novella entry in Kevin Hearne’s New York Times best-selling Iron Druid series.
Audible Audio
Published September 30th 2016
Source: Library
Four and half stars: A delightful, tail wagging tale that follows lovable Oberon on his own Meaty Mystery to find the Purloined Poodle.
Oberon the Irish Wolfhound is content to tag along with his owner, Atticus, on all their adventures, as long as he gots tasty treats like sausage, belly rubs and plenty of stories. Things have been quiet for the pair since they moved to Oregon and got rid of the vampires. Atticus' girlfriend and Oberon's mate have been in Poland, leaving Atticus and Oberon to entertain themselves. One afternoon while at the dog park, Oberon encounters a dog who attacks him. It isn't the dog's fault, he is distressed because his dog friend was dognapped out of their house. Oberon smells trouble, and he decides to act. He convinces Atticus to help solve the case of the Purloined Poodle just like on all those crime shows they watch. Will Oberon crack the case and earn a sausage?
What I Liked:
- I am a long time fan of Iron Druid Chronicles, so I was delighted to discover this fun novella to help tide me over as I endure the long wait for the next book. I loved this fun little tale told from Oberon's point of view. There is lots of doggie humor, meat snacks, a bit of mystery and a new friend. It made me laugh as I tagged along with Oberon and Atticus. If you are a fan of this series, this is a must read gem. I loved that it was light and simple.
- I have to admit, I really enjoyed Oberon's point of view. Somehow Mr. Hearne manages to channel dog, and I think he gets it right. I think if a dog could think and talk, he would sound like Oberon. I enjoyed the dialogue on snacks, butt sniffing, and the erroneous view of time.
- The mystery itself is straightforward, no paranormal entities or magic or anything like that. Instead it involves unraveling who is behind a series of dognappings in the Pacific Northwest. Even though I enjoy Atticus and Oberon's paranormal adventures, it was nice to ease into something a bit lighter.
- Score! This one was set here in Oregon, and there is even a small tour of Portland. I loved traipsing all over the Pacific Northwest with these two.
- Starbuck was a fun addition to the story. I hope that he will continue to be a part of the series.
- The ending wraps up nice and neat. No loose ends, and all is well in Oberon's world.
- I listened to the audiobook version narrated by the brilliant Luke Daniels. Mr. Daniels does an excellent job with Oberon's voice.
And The Not So Much:
- I had one minor sticking point with this one and it involved the conundrum Atticus encountered with the local law enforcement and the time problem. I would have thought Atticus would have handled that better, it was kind of annoying the way he talked to the detective, who would believe him?
The Case of the Purloined Poodle is a funny novella told from Oberon's point of view. I enjoyed this little mystery, and I liked that it was simple and straightforward with lots of doggie humor. This was a nice break from the series, and a tasty treat to tide me over as I wait for the next book. If you are a long time fan, snag this one, and if you haven't' read the series, you can jump in and read this as it is a short, stand alone novella. I, for one, hope there are more of Oberon's Meaty Mysteries in the works.
I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
