Mouse P.I. For Hire packs 14 side jobs alongside its 24 main missions, and finishing every single one earns you the Real Deal Gumshoe achievement (or trophy on PlayStation). The catch is that most of these are missable. Doors lock behind you as you progress, and there is no level select, so if you skip a side job you cannot go back for it later.
All but 2 side jobs are accepted at the P.I. Office before heading into the corresponding mission. Once a side job is available, the quest giver's face appears on the compass at the top of the screen, pointing you straight to them. The 2 exceptions both occur inside the "To Catch a Mockingmouse" mission and only appear on the compass after you accept them in-level.
warning
Because doors lock behind you as you move through levels, always accept a side job before entering a mission and explore every area before advancing. Missing the acceptance window voids the trophy/achievement entirely.
Compass points to quest givers
How many side jobs are in Mouse P.I. For Hire?
There are exactly 14 side jobs spread across the game. Each is tied to a specific main mission and must be completed during that mission's run. Below is a quick reference of every side job, who gives it, and what you earn for completing it.
All 14 side job walkthroughs
Side job 1: Show Some Culture, Jack
Accept this from Tammy Tumbler at the P.I. Office after unlocking Gumshoe in the Opera. After the boss fight, the area catches fire. Follow the main path to one of the balconies and photograph the audience below. Return to Tammy for 100 coins.
Side job 2: Blueprints, Please
Accept from Tammy Tumbler after unlocking Cheeseball Sub. Near the end of the level, go through a vent to reach a locked door. Tailpick it, then activate the lever ahead to create an updraft. Glide up on the updraft, land on a platform, jump to the train car, and grab the Interesting Blueprint inside. Return to Tammy for 2 schematics.
Side job 3: The Things We Keep
Accept from Wanda Fuller after unlocking "Once Upon a Time..." by Tinsel Bros. After the shootout on the movie set, look to the left of the exit. Wanda's Letter sits on top of a pile of rope. Return to Wanda for 150 coins.
Letter location after the shootout
Side job 4: They Call it "Azurro Burgerro"
Accept from John Brown after unlocking A Bit of Curd and Peppers. At the level's start, skip the locked door and instead swing across the hooks on the left to reach a wooden platform leading into a wall hole. Head down the stairs inside and hold the interact button on the fire to cook the patty. Return to John for 2 prize tokens.
Side job 5: Fishy Business
Accept from John Brown after unlocking Saltwater Cambozo. Progress through the mission until Jack comments on a foul smell in some back alleys. Enter the nearby building, find the destroyed floor section, and look down to spot the Marina 8-ED Herring on the ground below. The guide from PowerPyx notes you will take damage while retrieving it, so make sure your health is in decent shape before dropping down. Return to John for 1 prize token.
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Keep your health topped up before grabbing the Marina 8-ED Herring. The damaged floor area deals chip damage while you are standing in it.
Side job 6: Imported Goods
Accept from Cornelius Stilton after unlocking Saltwater Cambozo. After speaking with Cameron Bozo and dropping into the yard, tailpick the door in the top-left corner of the area. The Herbal Cheese Sticks are sitting on the desk inside. Return to Cornelius for 400 coins, making this one of the better coin rewards in the side job lineup.
Side job 7: Perfect Bog Fondue
Accept from John Brown after unlocking Damp Evidence. Exit the mine, enter the shack on the left, and speak to the Old Cheeselegger. You need to collect 3 "thingies" scattered across the mission.
- Thingy 1: In the second mine section, jump down to the platform below the elevator. The thingy sits in front of a pile of boxes.
- Thingy 2: Inside the mansion, in the same room where you blow up a wall to progress.
- Thingy 3: On top of the crashed boat in the swamp area.
After collecting all 3 and escaping the Cheeselegger's hideout, head near the pier, turn around, and find the Old Cheeselegger sitting on some cheese behind the building to hand them over. Return to John for 2 prize tokens.
Side job 8: Oh Yes... They Float
Accept from Millie Curd after unlocking It All Points Here, Right?. Once you open the door requiring 4 Secret Show tickets, head to the other side of the area on the left. A booth there sells Deflated Balloons for 25 coins. Buy them and return to Millie for the Jeremiah Curd Baseball Card.
Side job 9: Between Alpha and Omega
This one starts in-level during To Catch a Mockingmouse, not at the P.I. Office. Find the BMP Yes-Man in Cigar Room 2 and speak to him. Then use the double door in Cigar Room 2 (which opens after you get the Membership Card) to head down to Deck 1. In the window directly next to the shortcut back toward the start, photograph his wife. Return to the BMP Yes-Man in Cigar Room 2 for 50 coins.
Side job 10: Mouseburg Confidential
Also started in-level during To Catch a Mockingmouse. Speak to the Undercover Agent on Deck 2. Head up to Deck 3 and enter the area with the band playing. Photograph the BMP agents in the left corner. Return to the Undercover Agent for 2 coins (yes, 2 coins, not a typo).
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Both "Between Alpha and Omega" and "Mouseburg Confidential" are the only side jobs not accepted at the P.I. Office. They do not appear on the compass until you accept them in-level, so actively look for the BMP Yes-Man and the Undercover Agent as you move through the mission.
Side job 11: Poster Girl
Accept from Tammy Tumbler after unlocking "The Bookkeeper" by Tinsel Bros. After the parkour section in the bottomless film set, you will encounter an extra. The poster is on the wall nearby. Return to Tammy for 3 schematics.
Side job 12: Behind the Nuts
Accept from Tammy Tumbler after unlocking One Flew. On the second floor of the main area, find the piano on your left after reaching the main platform. Play the keys C, A, G, E in that order. A nearby bridge lowers, opening a new wing. Photograph Gloria in one of the cells. Return to Tammy for 3 schematics.
Side job 13: Slugs in the Shell
Accept from John Brown after unlocking Glugging from the Deep. Once you reach the port, find the Can of Sea Slugs in the container on the left side of the port. Return to John for 1 prize token.
Side job 14: Friends in Deep Places
Accept from Cameron Bozo after unlocking Glugging from the Deep. While underwater, reach the large area where the submarine is visible on your right. Climb the nearby ladder, follow the path to its end, and speak with the character there. Return to Cameron for the Jacob "Cheesehead" McQueen Baseball Card.
What do you get for completing all side jobs?
Finishing all 14 side jobs unlocks the Real Deal Gumshoe achievement on PC and the equivalent trophy on PlayStation. Beyond that, the rewards across individual side jobs include coins, schematics (useful for weapon upgrades), prize tokens, and two unique baseball cards. The schematics are arguably the most practical reward since they feed directly into weapon progression.
For more on Mouse P.I. For Hire, you can browse more guides covering a wide range of games across every platform.