I was in the mood for a mystery narrated by a dog, so I decided to give Bed-Bugged a try because I wanted to compare it to Spencer Quinn's Chet & Bernie series. Right off the bat, I learned that Doodle is a much different dog than Bernie. It must be his poodle blood that gives him a more intelligent voice. (Hey, I'm not kidding. The most intelligent breed of dog is the border collie. The second most intelligent? The standard poodle.)

Doodle has had some difficulties in his life. His first job didn't work out because, well, he'll be the first to tell you that "...smart and obedient do not always go hand in hand." With this new bed bug job, his primary concern is his wages (food), but that begins to change due to his growing relationship with Molly-- and watching that develop is just as much fun as trying to solve the mystery.

If you're in the mood for a light-hearted, well-plotted and -paced mystery told by a sharp-nosed narrator with an independent streak, Bed-Bugged is a good choice for adults even though it was originally aimed at middle-grade readers.

I wonder how Chet and Doodle would work as a team? ( )