Careless wasn’t sure why he agreed to adopt a dog. From the beginning he thought it would be a disaster. The whole idea came from his friend Birk, who always wanted a dog and thought it was an excellent idea. When they went to the dog shelter, Careless had no intention to get a dog but then he saw the perfect dog named Bubba. However, Bubba wasn't available. He had already been adopted. Careless gave up, knowing there were no dogs meant for him. When he took one final look he found his dog, Dudley. His coat was a glowing golden color. Life was certainly different with Dudley in the apartment. The sofa would never be the same.

Careless repeatedly tried to ask the woman at the dog pound for a date and she repeatedly refused. He also asked out his upstairs neighbor who never seemed to be interested. Careless hoped to wear her down. It seemed to be working since they were at least talking to one another, although she could never get his name right.

"The Dudley Files: Sold Out Without The Hold Out" by author Cary Robinson is very funny. Dog lovers will rave about this book and others will laugh out loud at Dudley’s antics. One of the things I like about this book is Robinson’s emphasis on adopting a dog. Each year many animals are euthanized. In this story, Dudley is an older dog that made an excellent pet. Most people want younger dogs. Cary Robinson clearly demonstrates his ability to make people laugh and his sensitivity toward animals. Well done Mr. Robinson.

The Dudley Files by Cary Robinson is a humorous mystery set in Houston, Texas, and peopled by some fascinating characters. Unexpectedly lured into dog ownership, Careless, our likable, witty but, as he admits, socially retarded hero, finds life much more interesting with Dudley by his side. He’d like to make it even more interesting by adding attractive neighbor E.D. to his other side, but she’s not interested. However, she’s happy to help him together with friends Birk and Sarge when he becomes embroiled in solving a mystery involving the country western band Jake Harm and the Holdouts. Both Careless and Dudley prove to be very resourceful and they make an impressive clue-cracking team.

Narrated by Careless, although according to him Dudley is the “true author”, this is a very readable and enjoyable story. The author (whoever that really is) has a conversational style that occasionally threatens to ramble a bit too far from the point, but never quite does. It’s exactly like having someone chat to you in a bar or café. It’s fair to say the characters are all a little off the wall and that adds enormously to the book’s appeal. There are no pretentious or false people on parade here - just genuine guys who can be moody and unpredictable but always genuine. Dudley is a dog we’d all love to have. You get a strong sense of place in this novel and there’s a lot of attention to detail. It’s the perfect book for dog lovers and anyone wanting an entertaining, original book to lose themselves in.