The Case of the Monkey Burglar is set in August. Deputy Kyle from The Case of the Saddle House Robbery stops at the machine shed on the Lopers' ranch, where Hank the Cowdog is the Head of Ranch Security. Slim Chance, hired hand for the Lopers, helps fix Deputy Kyle's tire. In turn, Deputy Kyle warns him about a burglar who uses a monkey to steal tools.

Sally May Loper has convinced her husband, High, to take their first vacation -- a three-day trip to the mountains. High Loper is a tightwad, so giving in has put him in a bad mood. Slim is stuck baling hay with only Hank and Drover for help. (The dogs' job is to take care of any rodents that were hiding under the bales of hay. Loved Hank's reason for not dealing with the ones larger than a field mouse.)

Sadly, Slim is taking a nap under the truck when the thieves show up. Drover notices that the supposed little person in cowboy clothes looks like a monkey, but Hank completely falls for the thieves' ruse.

Slim's girlfriend, Miss Viola, shows up a bit later because her father is missing some tools, despite Blacky and Jacky, her father's dogs. (We met Black and Jack in The Case of the Halloween Ghost.) Hank feels utterly humiliated when Slim tells Miss Viola what the burglars do to take prevent dogs from stopping them and his guess why the method wasn't used on Hank and Drover.

Slim doesn't call the Sheriff. Miss Viola understands his reason. Fortunately, (or unfortunately depending upon how you see it), Slim is correct when he thinks the burglars are going to come back at night.

Hank will redeem himself, but the way Mr. Erickson pulled that off took me by surprise.

Dog lovers have Hank and Drover, of course. The cat haters among you will enjoy a couple of things Hank pulls on Pete the Barncat.

Cat lovers: Pete the Barncat gets to make up a rhyme that insults Hank. A nighttime conversation between Hank and Pete is worth a smile -- a big one.