The (Pet) Detective Agency

Listen to this episode on Spotify →

Today I'm bringing you a beautiful, elegant, graceful, just the most wonderful read that I've had in a long time. It's a manga — a BL manga — and it's something I finished in one reading, which for me is what happens with most books I fall in love with.

The name of this wonderful, wonderful book is The (Pet) Detective Agency, with the Pet being in brackets, because technically they're a detective agency — but let's just say they are very, very good at finding pets.

This book has two main characters and I'm in love with both of them. I'd say one more than the other. But maybe I'm too inclined toward men with coloured hair, especially pink hair — like, come on — who seem to attract a lot of animals. Though I feel like they prefer men in suits with a pretty, charming face. I'll just leave it there.

The non-spoiler summary

This book is set at the Sako Detective Agency. It's run by our amazing main character, Fumika Sako, and his assistant, Rou Nakamura. And despite it being a detective agency looking to build their name in the solving-crimes industry, they very, very quickly discover that Rou actually has this very uncanny ability to attract animals. They seem to adore him. And he seems to adore his boss.

The book follows seven chapters with different stories, in a sense. You could read any of these at any point, if you pick a random chapter — but I would recommend following through in the order that it's in, because the flirty thing does increase, and there's a bunch of cute moments between Rou and Fumi that happen through the book itself.

I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a bit of mystery but lightheartedness, who's not looking for anything super serious detective-wise. This is a detective book, but it is a very heartwarming, tender, charming story of two men and how they become a pet detective agency, and how they use the abilities they have to help people find their pets — and sometimes use animals to find humans.

So this is definitely something that is very calm, very quiet. It's rated for Older Teen, but anyone who's a teen or above can read it. I'm in my 20s and I absolutely loved it. There's a lot of comedy, I would say, and I did giggle and laugh out loud a number of times reading this book. It was just something you'd pick up randomly on a rainy day, read through, and feel good. Feel happy. It's a pick-me-up book. And just adorable. Just plain adorable.

My faves

Favourite character — Fumi

No surprise that it's one of the two leads, and I do love the pink hair — but I'm going with Fumika Sako.

He's respectful, he's righteous, he's outrageously flirtatious — sometimes without even realising he's doing it, which is half the charm. Over the course of the book he actually works out his own feelings, understands what they mean, and learns to reciprocate them. Watching someone become aware of their own heart like that is beautiful.

He's also an impeccable dresser. The man has a summer suit. Who has a summer suit? And he'll still wear it while visibly melting, because he refuses to look anything less than dashing.

But my favourite thing about him — animals do not love him. They just don't. And he still never says no to helping one. He takes in strays, feeds them, buys them toys, brings them home to an apartment where pets technically aren't allowed. He gives without expecting anything back. Goldfish, cat, whatever it is — he's all in.

And that moment when the kitty finally comes and sits next to him? He lights up like a kid in a candy shop. That's why he's my favourite.

Favourite pet — the cat

Sorry to the goldfish and the parrot, but it's the cat. Cuddly, round, permanently grumpy, and wearing a diamond-studded collar — why not. Gets fed by sweet old people. One of the first animals they rescued from a home that didn't love her.

And the whole personality of her — grumpy, but still there, still trying to help, still going over to console Fumi when he's down. It's beautiful. I love her.

I'm biased, I'm a cat mom. But that's not the only reason. I'm just so glad she got away from her influencer owner and ended up with two people who love her and one very weird goldfish sibling.

Favourite scene — Chapter 3

Rou takes a cleaning job at this genuinely spooky apartment — doll heads, a gun stashed under the floorboards, the whole thing. And Fumi comes along in full PPE, head to toe, the complete cleaning getup.

By the end of it he is done. He slumps against Rou and announces he's never doing this job again. And that's how we find out this composed, elegant man is a total scaredy-cat.

Then they get home, and Fumi is the one who talks Rou into staying up all night watching comedy movies with him. Adorable. Favourite scene in the book.

Favourite inanimate object — Fumi's suits, and Rou's Band-Aids

Technically two, and technically the suits are a category rather than an object, but I don't care.

He has a suit in every chapter. He has the summer suit. He wears it while he's so overheated he's begging for air conditioning. This classy, charming man cannot go anywhere without a suit and it's so funny to me.

Second place: Rou's Band-Aids. The scene where he shows up covered in them, looking like a tiny mummy, bandages already peeling off — and he doesn't care even slightly that he got hurt, because he got hurt protecting Fumi. That's the whole character in one image.

So: the suits and the Band-Aids.

Favourite line — Chapter 6

A few contenders, but this one wins. It's in the last chapter, right after the stalker has been subdued, and Rou says it about his place at Fumi's side:

“That is my spot. So give it up.”

The possessiveness, the cuteness, the little bit of intimidation, all at once. And then the cherry on top — Fumi giving him a kiss at the end of the chapter. He's finally worked out his feelings. He understands what that line meant. He understands how important Rou is to him. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Kitty Questions

This section is named on behalf of my kitties, who love to chirp and ask me questions. After reading the book, these are the questions I have for the author.

A quick note first: there's a little bonus section inside the book, and if you weren't able to find it — you've got to remove the cover jacket on the English edition.

Do they actually share a bed eventually? Because of the sleeping-in-the-closet thing, which unfortunately did not go the way I expected. I'm guessing they might need to get a big one, depending on all the noises that were in the book — but I wanted to see if that's something that happens.

Are there more cases coming, and do they eventually open an animal shelter? What type of animals and pets are coming in? Because that would be amazing. I feel like they're so good at this and the agency has warmed up so much. Is that something that happens? I would love to know.

If you have questions or comments about a book I'm reviewing, send them to me and I'll answer them on a future episode.

Thank you

This is an amazing, amazing book and I'm super grateful that I got to read it. The original Japanese edition was published by France Shoin, and the English edition by KUMA. A big thank you to the publishing and translation team — translation and proofreading is a lot of work, and I really appreciate you putting this beautiful, beautiful manga out into the world.

If you'd like to reach out, my email is thepaperbackhour@gmail.com. I would love any comments, recommendations of things I should review, and what you thought of this beautiful manga.