We often do beginnings on Sunday, taking a look at the start of one of my novels. CAT ON A HOT TIN WOOF, the 16th novel – but not the last! – in the Chet and Bernie mystery series -comes out April 14 (preorderable). We’re now doing the beginning of each one, going backwards (since the series can be read in any order) and on the 16th Sunday we’ll do CAT ON A HOT TIN WOOF. We’re now at IT’S A WONDERFUL WOOF, which begins like so (and will possibly appeal to anyone who went to anyone with a fondness for Christmas, Hannukah, dogs or #Caravaggio):

The Muertos throw the best Christmas party in the whole Valley. The Valley’s where we live, me and Bernie. It goes on forever in all directions, and is almost certainly in Arizona, based on things I hear from time to time. That’s not important. Is it important that the Muertos are the roughest, toughest biker gang around? Maybe to you, but not to us. The Little Detective Agency deals with the roughest and toughest every day. Little is Bernie’s last name, I’m Chet, pure and simple, and the agency’s just the two of us. Why would we need anyone else? That’s the important part.