Dino Vicelli – Private Eye, by Lori Weiner

This is a cute, strange book. A different crime fiction, in a lot of ways. It takes place in an alternate-reality version of New York City, where walking, talking dogs interact with human beings and live lives like humans. In fact, the detective is Italian Greyhound Dino Vicelli. He loves to dress smartly and enjoys an expensive cigar. In his New York City, talking dogs are the norm.

Dino makes his living and even pays for his expensive tastes by working as a Manhattan PI. Dino’s company is called Vicelli and Vicelli, with the motto “Will snoop out anything”.

One beautiful morning a tall Afghan blond with lots of legs enters his office. She is stunning. She calls herself Jezebel, and hires him to do a missing person investigation.

It seems a simple case, but it turns out to be complicated in the extreme. Murders, kidnappings, people and dogs appearing out of place, some really shady biological experimentation and a police department seemingly completely out of whack are the ingredients. Along with a man who wants to dominate the world.

It took me a little while to get into this book, but with some dogged determination I did, and found that this actually is an entertaining little book, a satirical canine caper of sorts. Full of dames in distress and scheming men and dogs. And Dino is a charmer – a detective that really can – and does – sniff things out. A different detective.

So if you like fast moving dialogue, a little confusion here and there, satirical reads, and perhaps even dogs, this book will probably give you a few laughs. Dino Vicelli, Private Eye is a  neat and original take on the detective genre. The mystery is not the main ingredient here – the language and the dogged fun are.

Links to this book at amazon US, amazon UK, and amazon CAN

Tagged as: canine detective, dog, Fantasy, Lori Weiner - book review, satirical crime fiction