Variety reportsthat Universal Pictures has beat out New Line and Summit to acquire film rights to Spencer Quinn’s novel Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery.

The story centers on a down-on-his-luck private eye and his loyal dog, which set out to solve a missing person’s case. The narrative is told from the vantage point of Chet, a dog that flunked out of K-9 school.

The script is being adapted by Jeff Lowell. Danniel Rappaport, Ben Forkner and Cathy Schulman will produce.